French pledge to stay in Chad

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 8

French pledge to stay in Chad

NZPA-Reuter Paris France has made it clear it is determined to maintain a military presence in Chad despite the deaths of nine soldiers in the former French colony.

The French Defence Minister, Mr Charles Hernu, appeared before the National Assembly yesterday to explain the deaths in an explosion at the weekend which caused widespread public concern about French entanglement in the African desert country. Mr Hernu told Parliament that the blast had occurred when an explosive device, probably a 90mm mortar-bomb, “was carelessly or maybe accidentally manipulated by an infantryman.”

The loses were the worst since the French sent 3000 paratroopers to Chad in August to help the President, Mr Hissene Habre, halt a Libyan-backed rebel offensive. The French Defence Ministry first said that the blast had occurred as the soldiers were deactivating a shell. Later it said that the men had presumably stepped on a mine.

Mr Hernu described it as “a question of carelessness,” but emphasised that the French forces in Chad were conducting a tough mission. “I think that in return, they can be assured of the understanding and of the support of an entire nation which should have confidence in them.”