What You Need to Know
The Chadian government has dispatched a ministerial delegation to Am Jars following violent clashes between students at a national media school. The conflict, rooted in religious disagreements, has raised concerns about rising societal tensions in Chad, prompting government officials to promise reforms to improve student living conditions.
Africa. The Chadian government announced this week the dispatch of a ministerial delegation to Am Jars in northeastern Chad, following clashes between students at the branch of the “National School of Media and Communication Sciences” due to religious disagreements. The incident, which coincided with the year-end holiday season, sparked widespread debate in local circles and on social media.
The crisis began with a sermon delivered by Sheikh Yahya bin Ibrahim Khalil, leader of the “Ansar al-Sunnah al-Muhammadiyyah” group, during Christmas week, in which he criticized Muslim participation in non-Muslim celebrations and called for abstaining from exchanging greetings with them.
Although the sermon was officially rejected by the government and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, it spread widely through messaging apps, reaching the university campus in Am Jars.
From Controversy to Clashes
On December 30, Christian students attempted to invite their Muslim peers to a Christmas feast, as is customary annually, but this time the invitation was met with refusal. The disagreements quickly escalated into verbal altercations and then physical violence, resulting in six injuries and damage to student housing on January 2.
In response to the events, authorities dispatched the Minister of Health and the Minister of Communications to the city to calm the situation. The ministers promised students a series of living reforms within the campus, including improved room distribution, provision of technical equipment, construction of new housing, and drilling of potable water wells. The ministers assured that calm had returned and that classes would resume; however, some injured students reported that tensions still persist and that they fear returning to campus.
Observers note that the incident reveals rising societal tensions in Chad, particularly in the Am Jars region, which is the hometown of the late President Idriss Déby. They point out that the growing sense of inequality among citizens, along with the spread of sectarian rhetoric, exacerbates the fragility of the social fabric.
The Chadian president warned in his New Year’s speech about the dangers of religious intolerance, calling for the promotion of coexistence values among the country’s various religious and ethnic groups.
The recent clashes in Chad highlight ongoing societal tensions, particularly in regions like Am Jars, which is known for its diverse religious communities. The incident was sparked by a controversial sermon that criticized interfaith celebrations, reflecting deeper issues of inequality and sectarianism within the country.
Chad has a history of religious and ethnic diversity, which has sometimes led to conflict. The late President Idriss Déby, who hailed from the same region, faced challenges in uniting the various groups.
