Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un2chad022608.html
UNITED NATIONS, February 26 -- Chad's President Deby, who so recently survived a coup attempt with the support of France, will now consider pardoning the French staff of Zoe's Ark, Chad's Foreign Minister Ahmad Allam-Mi told Inner City Press on Tuesday, while denying any quid pro quo. They were convicted of kidnapping children from Chad under the false claim that they were orphans, and are now serving eight year prison terms not in Chad but in France. Chad sentenced them to hard labor but, Minister Allam-Mi said, that is just a matter of an "old code" that has not been amended to conform with Chad's signature of international agreements. Deby has been busy fending off a coup. Allam-Mi joked, "I trust we find in the archives the file" of Zoe's Ark. Video here, from Minute 35:47 until cut off at 38:55 after reference to French president Sarkozy.
Inner City Press asked about Chad's use a Swiss plane in its fight with Sudan, and about a human rights worker and radio station manager on the run. The Chadian radio station FM Liberte "was shut down, that is true," Allam-Mi said. But, he pointed out, that was before the coup attempt -- not after. Inner City Press asked if the station will be allowed to re-open. The answer was a reference to a case of defamation. Video here, from Minute 17:27.
Regarding Swiss government accusations from that Chad used a Pilatus PC-9 plane it imported from Switzerland as part of its military campaign in The Sudan, Allam-Mi called this "propaganda," an internal fight in Switzerland between majority and opposition. He said that the plane is only used for reconnaissance and "transporting the wounded." Of Switzerland he said, "they can come and verify." We'll see.
