Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Noumadoumadji Jean-Luc
Published on 2024-03-14 12:59:05
For years, southern Chad has been plagued by an alarming phenomenon: the abduction of children for exploitation in the northern part of the country. In provinces like Moyen-Chari, Mandoul, and Mayo-Kebbi Est, families live in constant fear of losing their children. Among these victims, Malik (a pseudonym), a teenager who went missing a few weeks ago, was transported to the remote area of Abkhouta in the Ouaddaï province, over a thousand kilometers away from his home.
The abduction process is often orchestrated by well-organized criminal networks operating in the shadows. These networks mainly target children from vulnerable families or living in isolated regions. “The reasons for these abductions are varied: some children are forced to work as shepherds for camel herds, others are exploited as domestic workers, or forced to work in illegal gold mines,” says Madjiyera Ngar Alkoa, coordinator of the Association for the Reintegration of Children and the Defense of Human Rights (ARED), based in Koumra, Mandoul.
Among the many victims of this scourge, the case of young Malik, abducted in Bongor, is revealing. He still remembers the day armed men kidnapped him, separating him from his family. Malik was forcibly taken to the East, to the locality of Abkhouta, likely in transit to the North, where he would be sold to a local trafficker, according to reports received in the locality.
“In Abkhouta, Malik was plunged into a world of exploitation and forced labor. He was forced to watch over camel herds for long hours under a scorching sun, without rest. Living conditions were rudimentary, and Malik was often mistreated by his captors, who were likely waiting to resell him to continue North. Fortunately, he was able to escape,” explains a local source requesting anonymity.
Malik’s case is unfortunately not unique. Thousands of children suffer the same fate every year in Chad. Faced with this heartbreaking reality, local authorities and international organizations must redouble their efforts to fight against this scourge. “Preventive measures, child protection, and judicial prosecution of those responsible must be urgently put in place to end this human tragedy,” hopes Madjiyera Ngar Alkoa, who says he will never give up in the face of the adversity of traffickers, often high-ranking individuals. Meanwhile, thousands of children like Malik continue to live in the shadows, deprived of their freedom and childhood, victims of a ruthless system of exploitation and violence.
Read the original article(French) on Tchad Infos
