(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 25, 2009: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is warning defence equipment manufacturers to be careful when exporting to Chad as the country does not 
always honour end user certificates (EUC).
SIPRI, in a new research paper, “Arms flows to the conflict in Chad”, finds that the disorderly north-central African state armed a Pilatus PC9 light aircraft, and last year employed it in combat against insurgents despite “written assurances that it would be used only for training purposes...”
The detailed SIPRI report also notes that weapons delivered to the Government of Chad have found their way into the hands of rebels in neighbouring Darfur. “The UN panel of experts investigating the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Darfur was told by a number of governments that some of the weapons found in Darfur had been supplied from their countries to the Government of Chad.”
This included examples of Israeli Galil and Tavor assault rifles supplied in July and September 2006.
“Although the UN panel could not determine how these weapons had made their way from the arsenals of the Chadian Government to Darfur, it was established that close relations exist between the Government of Chad and the main rebel group in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement.
“The panel concluded that (Chadian President Idriss) Déby’s half-brother, Daoussa Déby, played a central role in providing support to rebel groups in Darfur, including by facilitating the provision of or directly providing weapons and military vehicles and it recommended that Daoussa Déby should be subject to UN sanctions for violating the arms embargo on Darfur,” SIPRI said.
Despite this and several insurgencies in the country, SIPRI notes there is no UN arms embargo “on any entity or region in Chad.”
On the contrary, “in reaction to a February 2008 rebel attack on N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, the Security Council ‘called upon Member States to provide support, in conformity with the United Nations Charter, as requested by the Government of Chad’. Even though this statement did not explicitly mention military aid, it could be interpreted as legitimising arms transfers,” SIPRI avers.
“…violence in Chad is characterized by intermittent short periods of intense fighting and is closely linked to the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.
“A relatively small number of heavy weapons are used in the conflict in Chad and the weapons that are used are not technologically sophisticated. Both government and rebel forces in Chad are comprised mainly of infantry who are armed with SALW (small arms and light weapons) and use general-purpose four-by-four vehicles, such as Toyota Land Cruisers, for troop transport.
“Heavy machine guns and light multiple rocket launchers are often mounted on these vehicles. The government forces also use light armoured vehicles, old tanks, small numbers of armed helicopters and combat aircraft.
SIPRI adds that tanks and combat aircraft, including three Ukranian-supplied Sukhoi Su 25 Frogfoot ground attack jet fighters played a significant role in government attacks on rebel forces and bases in both Chad and Sudan this year and last.
“Thus, small supplies of major arms or of small arms and light weapons (SALW), such as a few second-hand armed helicopters or a thousand rifles, can have a significant impact on the course and intensity of the conflict. Such weapons may provide sufficient incentive for the recipients of them to try to reach their goals via violence instead of dialogue,” SIPRI explains.
The well-respected Swedish-based think-tank adds that it estimates arms imports by
Chad was five times higher in the period 2004–2008 than in the preceding five years (1999–2003). “Weapons were delivered to Chad from countries including Ukraine, France, Libya, Belgium, China, the USA, Israel, Switzerland, Serbia and Portugal.”
The report details some of these imports, including the three Su 25 in 2008, for which cites as source the Ukrainian Government’s detailed public submission to the UN Register of Conventional Arms. The Ukraine has also supplied Chad four Mil Mi 24 Hind attack helicopters and 80 BMP-1 armoured personnel carriers in addition to eight BTR-3E armoured personnel carriers and 12 000 rifles.
“Additionally unofficial sources reported that Chad received unspecified ammunition from Ukraine to Chad in 2008 and would receive three more Su-25s in 2009. The Su-25 aircraft, in particular, were a significant addition to Chad’s military capabilities because they are more capable than the combat aircraft that Chad previously possessed. In May 2009 these aircraft were used to attack rebel forces inside Sudanese territory.”
French arms exports to Chad amounted to €100 000 in 2006 and orders for military goods to €3.2 million. In 2007 Chadian orders from France were valued at €11.2 million and deliveries at €5.4 million. “The delivery value for 2007 may include 40 [ex-South African AML90 armoured cars] and 45 machine guns…”
Elsewhere the report puts the figure at an “estimated 82” Eland Mk7, upgraded in Belgium and exported to Chad via France.
Arms deliveries from France in 2008 also included 25 VAB wheeled armoured personnel carriers. “Unofficial sources have reported that Chad ordered 100 Milan anti-tank missiles from France in late 2007.”
SIPRI adds that unofficial sources also report that Libya actively supports Chad, including by supplying military aid. “In 2006 two Chadian (Aermacchi) SF-260 light aircraft that Chad has used for ground attacks were overhauled in Libya. “During the fighting in N’Djamena in February 2008 Libya also sent emergency supplies, including ammunition for T-55 tanks and rockets for use on Mi-24 combat helicopters.”
In addition to small arms, Israel has delivered RAM-2000 light armoured vehicles in 2006 as well as late last year.
Bulgaria delivered SALW or SALW components worth €208 125 and ammunition, possibly for SALW, worth €588 959 in 2006.
In 2004 Serbia exported $379 148 worth of small arms ammunition. The Balkan state’s annual arms export report for 2006 listed the delivery of military goods, including small arms and ammunition, via Israel to a number of countries including Chad. This included ammunition worth $873 168. “In 2008, in response to an inquiry by the UN panel investigating the UN embargo on Darfur about Serbian ammunition found in Darfur, Serbia provided information that it had supplied four million rounds of 5.56-mm ammunition for Galil rifles to Chad.
Even China, a major supplier to Sudan, has delivered arms to Chad. In 2007 it reported the supply of 10 unspecified light armoured vehicles to Chad. “Unconfirmed reports claim that Chinese military advisors were present in N’Djamena in early 2008 and that in late 2008 a Chinese shipment of armoured vehicles together with 50 containers of arms and ammunition arrived in Cameroon for further delivery to Chad."
always honour end user certificates (EUC).
SIPRI, in a new research paper, “Arms flows to the conflict in Chad”, finds that the disorderly north-central African state armed a Pilatus PC9 light aircraft, and last year employed it in combat against insurgents despite “written assurances that it would be used only for training purposes...”
The detailed SIPRI report also notes that weapons delivered to the Government of Chad have found their way into the hands of rebels in neighbouring Darfur. “The UN panel of experts investigating the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Darfur was told by a number of governments that some of the weapons found in Darfur had been supplied from their countries to the Government of Chad.”
This included examples of Israeli Galil and Tavor assault rifles supplied in July and September 2006.
“Although the UN panel could not determine how these weapons had made their way from the arsenals of the Chadian Government to Darfur, it was established that close relations exist between the Government of Chad and the main rebel group in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement.
“The panel concluded that (Chadian President Idriss) Déby’s half-brother, Daoussa Déby, played a central role in providing support to rebel groups in Darfur, including by facilitating the provision of or directly providing weapons and military vehicles and it recommended that Daoussa Déby should be subject to UN sanctions for violating the arms embargo on Darfur,” SIPRI said.
Despite this and several insurgencies in the country, SIPRI notes there is no UN arms embargo “on any entity or region in Chad.”
On the contrary, “in reaction to a February 2008 rebel attack on N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, the Security Council ‘called upon Member States to provide support, in conformity with the United Nations Charter, as requested by the Government of Chad’. Even though this statement did not explicitly mention military aid, it could be interpreted as legitimising arms transfers,” SIPRI avers.
“…violence in Chad is characterized by intermittent short periods of intense fighting and is closely linked to the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.
“A relatively small number of heavy weapons are used in the conflict in Chad and the weapons that are used are not technologically sophisticated. Both government and rebel forces in Chad are comprised mainly of infantry who are armed with SALW (small arms and light weapons) and use general-purpose four-by-four vehicles, such as Toyota Land Cruisers, for troop transport.
“Heavy machine guns and light multiple rocket launchers are often mounted on these vehicles. The government forces also use light armoured vehicles, old tanks, small numbers of armed helicopters and combat aircraft.
SIPRI adds that tanks and combat aircraft, including three Ukranian-supplied Sukhoi Su 25 Frogfoot ground attack jet fighters played a significant role in government attacks on rebel forces and bases in both Chad and Sudan this year and last.
“Thus, small supplies of major arms or of small arms and light weapons (SALW), such as a few second-hand armed helicopters or a thousand rifles, can have a significant impact on the course and intensity of the conflict. Such weapons may provide sufficient incentive for the recipients of them to try to reach their goals via violence instead of dialogue,” SIPRI explains.
The well-respected Swedish-based think-tank adds that it estimates arms imports by
Chad was five times higher in the period 2004–2008 than in the preceding five years (1999–2003). “Weapons were delivered to Chad from countries including Ukraine, France, Libya, Belgium, China, the USA, Israel, Switzerland, Serbia and Portugal.”
The report details some of these imports, including the three Su 25 in 2008, for which cites as source the Ukrainian Government’s detailed public submission to the UN Register of Conventional Arms. The Ukraine has also supplied Chad four Mil Mi 24 Hind attack helicopters and 80 BMP-1 armoured personnel carriers in addition to eight BTR-3E armoured personnel carriers and 12 000 rifles.
“Additionally unofficial sources reported that Chad received unspecified ammunition from Ukraine to Chad in 2008 and would receive three more Su-25s in 2009. The Su-25 aircraft, in particular, were a significant addition to Chad’s military capabilities because they are more capable than the combat aircraft that Chad previously possessed. In May 2009 these aircraft were used to attack rebel forces inside Sudanese territory.”
French arms exports to Chad amounted to €100 000 in 2006 and orders for military goods to €3.2 million. In 2007 Chadian orders from France were valued at €11.2 million and deliveries at €5.4 million. “The delivery value for 2007 may include 40 [ex-South African AML90 armoured cars] and 45 machine guns…”
Elsewhere the report puts the figure at an “estimated 82” Eland Mk7, upgraded in Belgium and exported to Chad via France.
Arms deliveries from France in 2008 also included 25 VAB wheeled armoured personnel carriers. “Unofficial sources have reported that Chad ordered 100 Milan anti-tank missiles from France in late 2007.”
SIPRI adds that unofficial sources also report that Libya actively supports Chad, including by supplying military aid. “In 2006 two Chadian (Aermacchi) SF-260 light aircraft that Chad has used for ground attacks were overhauled in Libya. “During the fighting in N’Djamena in February 2008 Libya also sent emergency supplies, including ammunition for T-55 tanks and rockets for use on Mi-24 combat helicopters.”
In addition to small arms, Israel has delivered RAM-2000 light armoured vehicles in 2006 as well as late last year.
Bulgaria delivered SALW or SALW components worth €208 125 and ammunition, possibly for SALW, worth €588 959 in 2006.
In 2004 Serbia exported $379 148 worth of small arms ammunition. The Balkan state’s annual arms export report for 2006 listed the delivery of military goods, including small arms and ammunition, via Israel to a number of countries including Chad. This included ammunition worth $873 168. “In 2008, in response to an inquiry by the UN panel investigating the UN embargo on Darfur about Serbian ammunition found in Darfur, Serbia provided information that it had supplied four million rounds of 5.56-mm ammunition for Galil rifles to Chad.
Even China, a major supplier to Sudan, has delivered arms to Chad. In 2007 it reported the supply of 10 unspecified light armoured vehicles to Chad. “Unconfirmed reports claim that Chinese military advisors were present in N’Djamena in early 2008 and that in late 2008 a Chinese shipment of armoured vehicles together with 50 containers of arms and ammunition arrived in Cameroon for further delivery to Chad."
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