Chad
Incidents of petty theft and theft from vehicles occur. There are also reports of armed robbery, sometimes targeting expatriates. Highway bandits are known to operate in Chad. There is a high level of banditry; much of it carjacking ambushes, south of GozBeida. Take sensible personal security precautions. Avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewelry in public and avoid isolated or poorer areas of towns. Avoid walking around and traveling at night.
A series of civil wars within Chad has left guns readily available, and weapons flooded in from the conflict in Sudan's Darfur province, which borders eastern Chad. Criminals do not hesitate to use violence when presented with resistance.
Corruption and ill-discipline in the security forces is a significant concern. N'djamena residents have noted that since the government cracked down on pay fraud in the security forces in 2004, crime worsened significantly in the city, with many of the perpetrators enjoying the protection of the police force. The government cited dissatisfaction with the crackdown as a major motivator for an abortive army mutiny in May 2004. The government's clean-up campaign weeded out several thousand fictitious soldiers, whose salaries were augmenting the low salaries of security officers. Since a private in the Chadian army earns less than US$30 per month, the temptation to illegally supplement army salaries has always been high. The Republican Guard and the National and Chadian National Nomadic Guard (GNNT), two well-armed sections of the armed forces that both took a significant role in the mutiny, are especially notorious for extorting money from drivers when demanding to see their papers at checkpoints.
N'djamena residents say that if armed robbers break into a house or steal a car, the victim is better off blowing a whistle than calling a policeman. When one person blows their whistle, others join in and the whole street is alerted in the hope that the criminal will be scared away. Residents fear that calling the police will be futile, as the criminal may be under the protection of the police or armed forces - or a member of them. This has been the case in a spate of recent incidents reported in the local press, where the criminal has been simply released. Sometimes, even when the police are prevailed upon to pursue criminals, they demand money for their services. As an alternative to relying on the police, better-off residents of the capital keep guns and tear gas canisters ready to deal with attackers and intruders. Even the head of the local human rights association carries a pistol, explaining: "I was nearly killed in my office. A guy came to my office and pointed his gun at me. I took out mine and he fled. This was the seventh time I had been attacked." Those unable to afford sophisticated defense carry knives.
Particularly immune from prosecution are members of President Deby's small Zagawa ethnic group from eastern Chad. Local residents observe that when police officers apprehend a Zagawa offender, some higher-ranking Zagawa officer commonly intervenes to have the suspect freed, regardless of the crime.
There are several good hotels in N'Djaména, but accommodation elsewhere is very limited. There are some small hotels at Sarh, a modern hotel complex in Zakouma National Park, and various small hunting hotels in the southwest.
The country code is 235. It may be necessary to dial through the operator. Post office hours are 0730-1200 Monday to Friday; 1430-1830 Saturday; 0800-1100 Sunday (for the purchase of stamps).
Electricity is a 220/380 volts AC, 50Hz.
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plug.
D,E,F
N’Djaména offers a fair selection of restaurants serving mainly French and African food.
Standard European-style service is normal. Outside the capital, restaurants tend to be cheap and cheerful and there is an acute shortage of some foodstuffs. Visitors should exercise caution with street market food. National specialties:
• Peanut sauce over rice, often eaten in Southern Chad. National drinks:
• Chad's excellent beer, Gala, is brewed in Moundou and is widely available in the non-Muslim parts of the capital.
• Karkanji, a drink made from Hibiscus flowers. Tipping
: 10 per cent is normal for most services (US Dollars are the preferred currency). Nightlife
Lively dancing and music is to be found in the capital, where there is an increasing number of nightclubs. Pari-matches take place on most Saturdays and Sundays in N’Djaména (non-Muslim areas): groups of women hire bars and sell drinks all day. Outside N’Djaména, nightlife is limited, although bars and open-air dancing can generally be found.
