Pierre Toura Gaba
Encyclopedia
Pierre Toura Gaba was a Chad
ian politician and diplomat
. He was born on December 28, 1920 at Maibyan, near Moissala, in the prefecture
of Moyen-Chari
in southern Chad. He served as a diplomat at Brazzaville
and worked for a long time as a teacher in places like Ati
, Abéché
, Bongor
and Fort-Archambault
(now called Sarh).
When Chad was still a French colony
, a Representative Council to which some of the African inhabitants could vote was instituted. Toura entered politics and became a member of this council from 1946 to 1956. A year later, he founded the Chadian Progressive Party
(PPT) with Gabriel Lisette
, in which Toura became secretary-general and Lisette president. The 1956 reforms greatly boosted the suffrage strengthening the PPT, which triumphed in the first democratic elections. Toura was among the PPT representatives elected and became Minister of Agriculture in the first black government led by Lisette in 1958. But in February, Lisette lost his position and a month later Toura lost his office in the party to François Tombalbaye who later in the same month, when Lisette renounced, became the new head of the government
. This position was strengthened by the following elections in May, which were triumphantly won by the PPT. A new government was formed headed by Tombalbaye and with Toura was Minister of Public Works.
With the independence of Chad on August 11, 1960, Tombalbaye became President
and Toura was made Foreign minister
. As such he headed the Chadian delegation that on September 29 was present at the United Nations General Assembly
that admitted Chad into the UN.
In 1961, Toura became Minister of National Education. Nevertheless, Tombalbaye had become increasingly suspicious and authoritarian. As a result, Toura fell in disgrace and was arrested in 1962. He remained in jail for several years, after which the President decided he could use him as a diplomat and sent him as ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
in 1966. In 1973, Toura resigned and went into exile in France. In Paris
he wrote Non a la Tobalbaye! - Fragments autobiographiques, a critique of the Tombalbaye Regime
(1974). By August, the work started circulating secretly in Chad among opposers of the President.
After the coup of 1975
that removed Tombalbaye, Toura returned to the diplomatic service and was made ambassador to the United States
in 1976. He served until 1979, when he resigned after the dissolution of any central authority in Chad. He found asylum in the USA and remained there until 1991, when he returned to Chad. He died on September 29 1998 at N'Djamena
.
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 politician and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. He was born on December 28, 1920 at Maibyan, near Moissala, in the prefecture
Prefectures of Chad
Chad was divided into 14 prefectures from 1960, the year of independence, to 1999, when the country was divided in 28 departments:A further reorganisation in 2002 divided the country into the current 18 regions.NB : Alphabetic order...
of Moyen-Chari
Moyen-Chari Prefecture
This article refers to one of the former prefectures of Chad. From 2002 the country was divided into 18 regions.Moyen-Chari was one of the 14 prefectures of Chad. Located in the south of the country, Moyen-Chari covered an area of 45,180 square kilometers and had a population of 738,595 in 1993....
in southern Chad. He served as a diplomat at Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
and worked for a long time as a teacher in places like Ati
Ati, Chad
Ati is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Batha. It lies 278 miles by road east of the capital N'Djamena. The town is served by Ati Airport....
, Abéché
Abéché
-Demographics:Demographic evolution:-References:...
, Bongor
Bongor
Bongor is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Mayo-Kebbi Est. It is located on the eastern bank of the Logone River. During the rainy season , the Logone is navigable between Bongor and N'Djamena, Chad's capital...
and Fort-Archambault
Sarh
Sarh is the third largest city in Chad, after N'Djamena and Moundou. It is the capital of Moyen-Chari region and the department of Barh Köh. It lies 350 miles south-east of the capital Ndjamena on the Chari River...
(now called Sarh).
When Chad was still a French colony
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
, a Representative Council to which some of the African inhabitants could vote was instituted. Toura entered politics and became a member of this council from 1946 to 1956. A year later, he founded the Chadian Progressive Party
Chadian Progressive Party
The Chadian Progressive Party was the first African political party created in Chad, active from 1947 to 1973...
(PPT) with Gabriel Lisette
Gabriel Lisette
Gabriel Francisco Lisette was a Chadian politician that played a key-role in the decolonization of Chad.Of African descent, he was born at Portobelo in Panama on April 2, 1919. He became a French colonial administrator, and in this role was posted to Chad in 1946...
, in which Toura became secretary-general and Lisette president. The 1956 reforms greatly boosted the suffrage strengthening the PPT, which triumphed in the first democratic elections. Toura was among the PPT representatives elected and became Minister of Agriculture in the first black government led by Lisette in 1958. But in February, Lisette lost his position and a month later Toura lost his office in the party to François Tombalbaye who later in the same month, when Lisette renounced, became the new head of the government
Heads of government of Chad
-List of Heads of Government of Chad:-Affiliations:-References:*...
. This position was strengthened by the following elections in May, which were triumphantly won by the PPT. A new government was formed headed by Tombalbaye and with Toura was Minister of Public Works.
With the independence of Chad on August 11, 1960, Tombalbaye became President
Heads of state of Chad
-List of Heads of State of Chad:-Affiliations:-External links:**...
and Toura was made Foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
. As such he headed the Chadian delegation that on September 29 was present at the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
that admitted Chad into the UN.
In 1961, Toura became Minister of National Education. Nevertheless, Tombalbaye had become increasingly suspicious and authoritarian. As a result, Toura fell in disgrace and was arrested in 1962. He remained in jail for several years, after which the President decided he could use him as a diplomat and sent him as ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1966. In 1973, Toura resigned and went into exile in France. 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...
he wrote Non a la Tobalbaye! - Fragments autobiographiques, a critique of the Tombalbaye Regime
The Tombalbaye Regime
President François Tombalbaye faced a task of considerable magnitude when Chad became a sovereign state in 1960. His challenge was to build a nation out of a vast and diverse territory that had poor communications, few known resources, a tiny market, and a collection of impoverished people with...
(1974). By August, the work started circulating secretly in Chad among opposers of the President.
After the coup of 1975
Chadian coup of 1975
The Chadian coup of 1975 was in considerable part generated by the growing distrust of the President of Chad, François Tombalbaye, for the army. This distrust came in part from the Chadian Armed Forces incapacity to deal with the rebellion that was inflaming the Muslim north from when the rebel...
that removed Tombalbaye, Toura returned to the diplomatic service and was made ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1976. He served until 1979, when he resigned after the dissolution of any central authority in Chad. He found asylum in the USA and remained there until 1991, when he returned to Chad. He died on September 29 1998 at N'Djamena
N'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
.