Chad: Overview of intercommunal conflicts (July 2021)

CONTEXT

In 2021, the human toll due to transhumance and intercommunal tensions in Chad has already been particularly heavy, with 24 incidents reported across the country (nine in the East, seven in the South, eight in the Lac). The clashes are said to have killed 309 people, injured 182, displaced over 6,500, led to the destruction of assets and livelihoods, and resulted in very strong tensions between communities. A study undertaken by the Protection cluster in the Lac province in July 2021 revealed that the main reasons behind intercommunity tensions are access to economic resources (49%), access to land (21%) and access to services (11%). Access to humanitarian assistance was also identified as a source of conflict (4%), due to lack of transparency or sufficient communication targeting the affected population. The depletion of natural resources in Chad due to natural disasters, particularly grazing land and access to water, has also exacerbated tensions between pastoralists and farmers. Climate change has altered the routes and periods of livestock transhumance. Other areas previously dry are now fertile or accessible for fishing, sparking competition and open conflict between communities for the control of these resources. Intercommunity conflicts are not uncommon in Chad, however the unprecedented scale of the violence recorded over the past few years, combined with the proliferation of arms among civilians, prompted the government to declare a state of emergency in the eastern provinces of Ouaddaï and Sila in January 2021, and already earlier in 2019. In order to put a stop to these conflicts, it is imperative to identify long-term solutions to meet the needs of herders, farmers and of the general population in terms of availability and access to natural resources and services.