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Fact Sheet

Name: Hissène Habré
Country: Chad
Birthday: 1942
Died: still living
Dates in Power: 07 June, 1982- 01 December 1990
How Leader Came into Power: military coup
Classification: military dictator
Nuclear Capability: no
Major Achievements: Brutal dictator of Chad responsible for terrorizing his population with his secret police resulting in up to 40.000 dead and countless tortured

Score Card (click here for the explanations)

Charisma/ Popularity: 1
Danger Rating (Foreign Policy): 2
Oppression Rating: 4
Number of Domestic Victims: 3
Longevity: 3
Economics: 2
Notoriety/ Infamy: 3.5
Statesman Factor: 2.5
Extremism: 4
Progressiveness: 1.5
Total Score (50 max): 26.5

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Hissène Habré was born in 1942 in Faya-Largeau, Chad; relatively little information is available about his early life and education.

Background

Chad gained independance from France on 11 August 1960 under the leadership of François Tombalbaye, who was the first president of Chad. Chad is a country largely divided by ethnicities, with the North largely Muslim and the South largely African. Tombalbaye's autocratic style, combined with tensions that already existed with Muslims developed into riots in 1965 and eventually a civil war, with Tombalbaye losing control over part of the country. Eventually France was called in to assist the government in the situation and the civil war did quiet down.

But in 1971 Momar Khaddafi backed a failed coup against Tombalbaye, which only added to Tombalbaye's control problems in the country; towards the end of his regime it also became evident that Tombalbaye's sanity began to slip away from him. On 13 April 1975 Felix Malloum was installed after Tombalbaye was killed in a military coup. Problems with Libya's support terrorists again the Chadian, never did subside, as Khaddafi continued to pressure Chad militarily.

Habré's first prominent role in the Chadian government was as Prime Minister, a role which he assumed on 29 August 1978 under Malloum. When Malloum's rule came to an end in 1979, Habré ascended to the Minister of Defense under Goukouni Oueddei . However a schizm with Oueddei, who had loyalties with Libya, whereas Habré was pro-West, led to Habre's exile from the country in 1980.

Habré in Power and the War against Libya

On 07 June 1982, Habré led a military coup against Oueddei, who was forced to flee to Algeria. Habre immediately called for the immediate extermination of tribal groups hostile to him.

In 1985, with the war against Libya now raging for several years, Habre, with US and French assistance, was able to drive the Libyans back, and by 1987, it was clear that Libya was beaten, when Habré drove the Libyans out of Koro Toro. In 1988 a peace accord was signed.

Habré's rule

Habré was a brutal dictator, with as many as 40.000 killed during his rule, although exact numbers are difficult to obtain. He is known to have carried out campaigns of terror and genocide against the segments of the population in both the North and the South (for example, Sara (1984), Hadjerai (1987) and Zaghawa (1989)), purging groups that he alleged were opposing him. Habré's Direction de la Documentation et de la Sécurité (DDS), which acted as his secret police, was known for cruel and widespread terror and torture tactics, assassinations and mass murders.

Habré was therefore extremely unpopular with his population, and eventually his military advisors began to plot his removal from office; on 01 December 1990 he was overthrown by Idress Déby, who installed himself as a military dictator. Habré fled the country to Senegal, but not before murdering another 300 political prisoners the day before he left the country.

Habré's Exile

After spending large amount of money to obtaining significant support in Senegal, Habré attempted to enter back into Chad with his supporters in 1992, capturing two towns before being repelled by French and Chadian troops.

Since Habré's flight from Chad, he has been accused for numerous of atrocities, and was placed by the Senegalese government under house arrest on 03 February 2000. A long battle ensued to have him brought to justice in Senegal but attempts to have him stand trial were unsuccessful, as he did not commit his crimes in Senegal.

Original article by www.dictatorofthemonth.com
(c) 2005- all rights reserved

Sources:

http://www.hrw.org/editorials/2001/habre0515.htm http://www.explore-biography.com/biographies/H/Hiss%E8ne_Habr%E9.html http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/chad/history.htm http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/h/habre.htm http://www.trial-ch.org/trialwatch/profiles/en/facts/p87.html