Habre’s death: Chadians share their reactions

It is no news that the former Chadian president Hissene Habre, labelled as the nation’s dictator just died at 79-years-old in Senegal where he was serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity. Habre had succumbed to coronavirus, according to Chad’s consulate. At his demise, the victims lawyer and a victim of his torturous leadership share their reactions to his death. 

Jacqueline Moudeina, lawyer for torture victims of former Chadian president and dictator Hissène Habré says, “Nothing will happen at all. The fight for compensation will continue, because I believe that at the level of the African Union, the African heads of state have created a trust fund for the benefit of the victims, for the compensation of the victims of Hissene Habre.

“As victims, we would have liked for Hissene Habre to have lived a long time so he could assist with victim’s compensation. It’s a shame he died so early, considering his life sentence, it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be gone so soon. But God decided, so he is gone. So we mourn his death, but the struggle continues,” Jean Noyoma Kovounsouna, torture victim, futher expressed.

The International Criminal Court had ordered Habre to pay up to 30,000 euros ($33,000) to each victim who suffered rape, arbitrary detention and imprisonment during his rule, as well as to their relatives.

It took a historic Senegal trial to convict him of rape and ordering the execution and torture of tens of thousands of political opponents, and he was sentenced to life in jail in 2016.

Suzan O /AFN