Roots of Violence

by Azevedo, Mario J.

• ISBN13: 9789056995836
• ISBN10: 9056995839
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Examining conflict and warfare in Chad from both historic and contemporary perspectives, Mario Azevedo explores not only how violence has permeated and become almost an intrinsic part of the fabric of the central-eastern Sudanic societies, but how foreign interference from centuries ago to the present-day have exacerbated rather than suppressed the violence. Although the main objective of the volume is to understand present Chad, it provides comprehensive and analytical discussion of Chad's violent past. This strategy goes beyond putting the blame on the unwise and ethnic policies at Francois Tombalbaye or Felix Malloum; instead, Roots of Violence clarifies the role of violence in both pre- and post-colonial Chad and, thus, demythologizes many of the assumptions held by scholars and non-scholars alike.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Series	vii
Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
About the Author	xiii
Environment and Society	1	(20)
Understanding Chad
Geography and Human Habitat
Classifying Chadian Societies
Chad's Major Ethnic Groups
Violence Among Chad's Pre-Colonial
Acephalous Societies
Conclusion: A Complex Society in Transition
Chad's Centralized Societies and the Use of Organized Violence	21	(26)
Kanem-Bornu, Wadai, and Bagirmi
Rabah Fadlallah and Smaller States of Central Sudan
Slave Raids and Violence in Central Sudan
Conclusion
The Army as an Instrument of Organized Violence in Central Africa	47	(18)
Battle Formation and Military Engagements
The Role of Horses, Camels, and Firearms
Conclusion
The Role of Violence During the Colonial Era Conquest and Pacification	65	(24)
Violence in the Administration of Chad
Post-World War II Reforms
Conclusion
Independence and Civil War in Chad	89	(26)
Civilian Rule (1960--1975)
Statism Over Fragmentary Ethno-Politics (1975--1979)
The Demise of the State (1979--1982)
Conclusion
The Nature and Use of Violence in Post-Colonial Chad	115	(22)
Habre and Desert Warfare
Warlords and War Casualties
Conclusion
International Involvement and the Escalation of Violence in Chad	137	(32)
The Progression of a Neo-Colonial Relationship
Libya's Meddling in Chadian Affairs
The Reagan Administration and Chad
African States and the Chadian Conflict
The OAU and Violence in Chad
Conclusion
At the Crossroads: Lessons and Prospects	169	(12)
Chad's Violence in Archaic and Modern Times
Slavery and Religion in Central Sudan
France and the Foreign Factor in the Chadian Conflict
Chad's Future
References	181	(12)
Index	193