28 September 2008 - 01H47
Abeche residents react to Eufor presence
Eufor is in Chad to protect civilians. FRANCE 24 special correspondents Nicolas Germain and Virginie Herz gathered opinions on the efficiency of the force from ordinary Chadians in Abeche, where the main Eufor camp is based.
In Abeche, Chad’s second largest town, the inhabitants know that Eufor's mission is to protect civilians, but some remain suspicious:
One of them says; “they have come here to steal our resources”: Another adds “since Eufor's arrival, life in Abeche has been disrupted, prices have increased”:
Most conversations here focus on Eufor's capacity to deal with security issues, especially banditry which is rife in the region.
One inhabitant complains “there's a lot of insecurity even here in Abeche, we the local population need more security”
But not all agree.
One man said, "I think Eufor has brought security to the Chad Sudan border.”
Some question the Eufor mandate; “Eufor says arresting bandits is not in their mandate, so what IS their mandate? They have tanks, planes, vehicles, soldiers and weapons. Who is their enemy at the end of the day?” asked one angry man.
Many in Abeche believe Eufor would have been more effective if it had been an ordinary police force rather than an army equipped with heavy weapons
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