Fighting in N'Djamena, Chad Part 1

Chaos on the streets of N'Djamena, Chad on February 2, 2008

Greetings Friends & Familia: All out fighting between Chadian rebels and government troops began early this morning in the capital of Chad, N'Djamena. As our team left Eastern Chad three days ago, humanitarian aid workers were being evacuated from the camps where our friends Adam, Yakoub, Darsalam, Selma, Aziza, and Saleh are now without regular services. Since, flights have been cancelled in both Eastern Chad and now out of N'Djamena.

Our field team is currently safe in the capital, but felt heavy fire this afternoon.

Here is a glimpse from Gabriel, "It was a close call. Bullets flew over our heads and parts of the walls and objects around us came raining down on us. We were already lying on the ground because the attack on the hotel and started to a few minutes before"

"The shots broke through the lobby glass and in to the bar, with heavy shooting in return from the French Soldiers positioned around the hotel. Katie-Jay and I crawled towards the low wall to feel more protected, but it just did not feel safe, to tell you the truth. As I crawled, I touched a small metal object that was burning hot, a bullet that had just ricocheted around the room. I have a little souvenir to remind me of the excitement."
There is hope that they might get to head to a French military base tonight, otherwise they will continue to wait at the hotel until they can fly out. They have all expressed that the hotel isn't safe for another night and that the UN and French are evacuating their people from the hotel.

We urge everyone to click on the two links provided here. One is for the US Senators and the other is for the House of Representatives. Please ask both the senators and the representatives that you contact to put pressure on the Department of State. They have promised to help get the team protection but please continue to contact the congressmen asking them to follow through until they are in safe hands.

Click here for Senators: www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Click here for Representatives: https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

Gabriel and Katie-Jay have both posted about what they have been experiencing through their blogs on stopgenocidenow.org. There are also videos of the city under fire and the current attacks, so please still stay connected with them.

I think it is important that we remember our friends that are in the camps without protection in a time like this. It takes us all a bit closer to what it's like to live in fear without help on in the way. Lets all work together to get our ground team home, then harder than ever for the refugees because this is their reality everyday.

Sending Love and Hope, Tiffany Wheeler

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• N'Djamena
• chad
• sudan
• darfur
• refugee
• janjaweed
• stopgenocidenow
• gabriel
• stauring
• ned
• neddotcom
• ned.com

[bogocebcbg]

Neddotcom,tu souhaite ke ds amis soit evacue,kest ce ke tu pense a toute la population civile inoncente ki non rien a voir avc c confli e ki en paye le prix par ler pente.les etranger au chad ne pense ka ler securite,eu on ls laicera pa crever,et ls otre la securite et la paix nest pa faite pr eu???je suis un chadien e desole kil yai tjr d guere dan mn pays

[neddotcom]

bogocebcbg French to English translation said something like... Neddotcom, you wish that your friends will be evacuated, what do you think about the innocent civilian population that have nothing to do with this conflict that pay the price with their (suffering), the foreigners in Chad are only thinking about their own security and we won't let them die and what about the others won't have security and peace. I am Chadian and I am sorry there is war in my country.

[neddotcom]

bogocebcbg, I hope everyone is safe, my friends *and* all the innocent civilians. What's happening in Sudan is spilling over into other countries, and it must be stopped, and stopped soon. I am sorry this is happening in your country as well, and I hope for a quick and lasting peace.

[azekas20008]

Hello. I hope your are both safe. I think that I saw my friend in your first video. I was supposed to travel to N'Djamena on Friday to see him before the flight was canceled. His name is Jef Imans, and he is the Country Director for the IRC. Do you have any news about him? I haven't heard from him since Saturday, and am very concerned.

[neddotcom]

I'll send an email to Gabriel and ask if he recognizes the name. What country was he from?

[bluetigerfilms]

man... what are you still doing there ? keep safe !

[neddotcom]

I'm fortunate that I'm sitting at my desk in Portland, Oregon. We did get the word a few hours ago that Gabriel and Katie-Jay have been evacuated to a French base and are waiting to fly out...hopefully very soon. On the downside, it appears the refugee camps in eastern Chad may be under attack...which could be very, very bad news.

[bjane63]

Lived in Chad for two years...1996-98. Was not chaotic at that time, but was getting chaotic by the time I left in May, 1998.

[nerva1984]

@yunaas101

To take advantage of what? lol

[yunaas101]

@nerva1984 so you can take advantage

[Collectionneur11]

Et aujourd'hui, les rebelles soutenu par le Soudan n'ont plus l'air d'avoir la combativité nécessaire pour retenter un assaut.

[FrankieGrasshoppa]

looking for friends

im on cam and bored Ko

[Ogaga4Luv007]

may god bless chad.i want that country to develop ....

[nerva1984]

As I know Romania is on the point to send there about 100 troops with EU mission for Chad.

[mCarter89]

This is good footage. If you are interested in Chad or travel to Chad, I would recommend chadnow . com. As far as I know, it's the only site dedicated completely to the republic of Chad.