n a powerful appeal to the nation, Senator Pahimi Padacké Albert, leader of the opposition party RNDT-Le Réveil, has condemned the resurgence of community vendettas in Chad, warning that the practice threatens national unity and the rule of law.
In a message delivered to the authorities, civil society, and the wider Chadian population, Senator Padacké described community vendetta—private revenge driven by clan or ethnic loyalty—as an “animist custom” that has become dangerously outdated.
“Blood is flowing everywhere in the country,” he said, calling attention to a wave of intercommunal violence and retaliatory killings.
Citing the Chadian Constitution’s rejection of collective criminal responsibility, the opposition figure emphasized that tradition cannot be used to justify crimes or vigilante justice.
“The vendetta persists because of an impotent state and a silent majority,” he warned, invoking Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous reflection on indifference in the face of injustice.
Padacké criticized the Chadian government for its passive response to recent violent incidents, notably in areas like Molou and Mandakaou.
He lamented that instead of upholding the law, authorities often settle for “financial compensation or reconciliation agreements,” which, in his view, equates to surrendering justice to private hands.
“The State abdicates, and abandons justice to the private sphere,” he said.
Calling for national introspection and unity, Padacké demanded the convening of inclusive dialogue sessions to address the underlying causes of communal tensions.
He urged citizens to break the cycle of vengeance and “resume dialogue, heal the wounds of the past, and rebuild the nation together.”
“Blood does not heal blood, it contaminates it,” he concluded, stressing that only a collective commitment to justice, equity, and peaceful coexistence can ensure a strong and inclusive Republic for all Chadians.
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