Fidèle Moungar
Encyclopedia
Fidèle Abdelkérim Moungar (born 1948) is a Chad
ian doctor and a veteran politician who served as Prime Minister of Chad in 1993. He is currently Secretary-General of Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism
(ACTUS), a left-wing opposition party.
Moungar is an ethnic Sara
, born in 1948 in Doba
in the Logone Oriental Region
, who has practiced as a surgeon in France
. He started his political career when, along with other exiles, he founded ACTUS, a party hostile to both the FROLINAT
and Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué
's de facto government of southern Chad, the Comité Permanente du Sud, in May 1979 in Paris
.
In 1992, two years after the rise to the presidency of Idriss Déby
, he became Minister of Education in the government led by Jean Alingué Bawoyeu
. At the Sovereign National Conference (CNS), a reconciliation conference representing most Chadian factions that was first convened on January 15, 1993, Moungar was elected as transitional Prime Minister on April 6, 1993, receiving 444 votes against the 334 received by Adoum Helbongo. He succeeded Alingué as Prime Minister on April 7.
Moungar formed a transitional government including 16 ministers, in which all party leaders had a post; among these, Saleh Kebzabo
became Trade and Industry Minister, Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye
became Communications Minister and Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué became Civil Service and Labour Minister. In a message on Radio Tchad, Moungar asserted his cabinet's loyalty to the CNS' instructions, claiming that his ministers would be the CNS' "missionaries".
Moungar's tenure in office was marked by confrontation with the President over the pace for adopting a multiparty political system, a confrontation that a Chadian journalist dates from June, when during a presidential visit to France
Idriss Déby noted that Moungar was highly regarded by the French government
. This made Déby conclude that Moungar might transform himself in a dangerous rival for the presidency. He was also led to suspect this, together with rival opposition leaders, by Moungar's conduct and speeches, which indicated a considerable ambition, despite his previous promise that he had no political interest in remaining in politics after the transition period. This brought the downfall of the Moungar cabinet on October 28, 1993, when the President's supporters presented a censure motion in transitional parliament, the Conseil Supérieur de Transition (CST). The CST (the country's transitional legislature charged with the task of monitoring the government's implementation of the CNS' recommendations) approved the motion with 45 votes against 10, and 1 abstained, displaying what the scholar William Miles calls "a good example of their deference to the Presidency", which repeated itself when the CST readily accepted Déby's candidate for Prime Minister, the Justice Minister Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye. Moungar called his removal unconstitutional, threatening to bring the issue to court, while workers went on strike, deserting their jobs.
In 1996 Moungar was disqualified from participating in the first Chadian multi-party presidential election
for alleged residence irregularities.
In January 2007 Moungar strongly criticized French policy in Chad, asking for the recall of the French troops stationed in Chad. He claimed that "France has crucified Chadian democracy, systematically contributing to the faking of all elections, and, through the intervention of its troops, has caused the repression of all rebellions, in open violation of the Franco-Chadian accords."
On July 30, 2007, Moungar returned to Chad along with a delegation of about 20 other exiled opponents of the regime to meet with Déby and discuss how to restore peace to the country; he and the rest of the delegation returned to Libreville
, Gabon
on the same day. In November 2007, he said that he was outraged that France wanted the defendants in the Arche de Zoé child kidnapping case to be tried in France rather than Chad.
As of 2009, Moungar remains Secretary-General of ACTUS. As part of a peace initiative in February 2009, he met with Deby and then travelled to Khartoum
to meet with Chadian rebel leaders.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian doctor and a veteran politician who served as Prime Minister of Chad in 1993. He is currently Secretary-General of Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism
Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism
Chadian Action for Unity and Socialism is a communist political party in Chad, led by Fidèle Moungar. The party was founded in 1981.Moungar was chosen as Prime Minister in April 1993 by the Sovereign National Conference, but subsequently lost an October 1993 vote of no-confidence and resigned...
(ACTUS), a left-wing opposition party.
Moungar is an ethnic Sara
Sara people
The Sara are an ethnic group in Central Africa, who reside mostly in Chad, making up approximatively 30% of its southern population.-In Chad:...
, born in 1948 in Doba
Doba
Doba is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Logone Oriental.Exploitation of oil resources in the vicinity of Doba is expected to produce economic benefits.The town is served by Doba Airport.-Demographics:...
in the Logone Oriental Region
Logone Oriental Region
Logone Oriental is one of the 22 regions of Chad and its capital is Doba. It is composed by the former Logone Oriental Prefecture.-Subdivisions:The region of Logone Oriental is divided in 4 departments:-Demography:...
, who has practiced as a surgeon in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He started his political career when, along with other exiles, he founded ACTUS, a party hostile to both the FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
and Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué
Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué
Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué was a Chadian politician and former army officer. Kamougué was a leading figure in the 1975 coup d'état and since then he has held several positions in the Chadian government and legislature. He was Vice-President from 1979 to 1982 and was President of the National...
's de facto government of southern Chad, the Comité Permanente du Sud, in May 1979 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
In 1992, two years after the rise to the presidency of Idriss Déby
Idriss Déby
General Idriss Déby Itno is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Déby is of the Bidyat clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group. He added "Itno" to his surname in January 2006.-Rise to power:...
, he became Minister of Education in the government led by Jean Alingué Bawoyeu
Jean Alingué Bawoyeu
Jean Alingué Bawoyeu , known in French as the vieux sage, which translates as "wise elder", is a Chadian politician. A Christian, his base of support is in Tandjilé, in southern Chad, from which he originates. He was President of the National Assembly in 1990 and then Prime Minister from 1991 to 1992...
. At the Sovereign National Conference (CNS), a reconciliation conference representing most Chadian factions that was first convened on January 15, 1993, Moungar was elected as transitional Prime Minister on April 6, 1993, receiving 444 votes against the 334 received by Adoum Helbongo. He succeeded Alingué as Prime Minister on April 7.
Moungar formed a transitional government including 16 ministers, in which all party leaders had a post; among these, Saleh Kebzabo
Saleh Kebzabo
Saleh Kebzabo is a Chadian politician. He is the President of the National Union for Democracy and Renewal and a Deputy in the National Assembly of Chad.-Political career:...
became Trade and Industry Minister, Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye
Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye
Nouradine Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye is a Chadian politician and the head of the National Rally for Development and Progress political party. After serving as a minister in the government during the 1980s and early 1990s; he was Prime Minister of Chad from November 6, 1993 to April 8, 1995 and again...
became Communications Minister and Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué became Civil Service and Labour Minister. In a message on Radio Tchad, Moungar asserted his cabinet's loyalty to the CNS' instructions, claiming that his ministers would be the CNS' "missionaries".
Moungar's tenure in office was marked by confrontation with the President over the pace for adopting a multiparty political system, a confrontation that a Chadian journalist dates from June, when during a presidential visit to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Idriss Déby noted that Moungar was highly regarded by the French government
Government of France
The government of the French Republic is a semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the fifth Republic. The nation declares itself to be an "indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic"...
. This made Déby conclude that Moungar might transform himself in a dangerous rival for the presidency. He was also led to suspect this, together with rival opposition leaders, by Moungar's conduct and speeches, which indicated a considerable ambition, despite his previous promise that he had no political interest in remaining in politics after the transition period. This brought the downfall of the Moungar cabinet on October 28, 1993, when the President's supporters presented a censure motion in transitional parliament, the Conseil Supérieur de Transition (CST). The CST (the country's transitional legislature charged with the task of monitoring the government's implementation of the CNS' recommendations) approved the motion with 45 votes against 10, and 1 abstained, displaying what the scholar William Miles calls "a good example of their deference to the Presidency", which repeated itself when the CST readily accepted Déby's candidate for Prime Minister, the Justice Minister Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye. Moungar called his removal unconstitutional, threatening to bring the issue to court, while workers went on strike, deserting their jobs.
In 1996 Moungar was disqualified from participating in the first Chadian multi-party presidential election
Chadian presidential election, 1996
Presidential election were held in Chad on 2 June 1996, with a second round on 3 July. This was the first multiparty presidential election in the history of Chad since its independence. It occurred at the end of a long transitional process and was repeatedly delayed...
for alleged residence irregularities.
In January 2007 Moungar strongly criticized French policy in Chad, asking for the recall of the French troops stationed in Chad. He claimed that "France has crucified Chadian democracy, systematically contributing to the faking of all elections, and, through the intervention of its troops, has caused the repression of all rebellions, in open violation of the Franco-Chadian accords."
On July 30, 2007, Moungar returned to Chad along with a delegation of about 20 other exiled opponents of the regime to meet with Déby and discuss how to restore peace to the country; he and the rest of the delegation returned to Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
on the same day. In November 2007, he said that he was outraged that France wanted the defendants in the Arche de Zoé child kidnapping case to be tried in France rather than Chad.
As of 2009, Moungar remains Secretary-General of ACTUS. As part of a peace initiative in February 2009, he met with Deby and then travelled to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
to meet with Chadian rebel leaders.