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The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Chad to suspend visas for US citizens in response to Trump's travel ban
Chad has announced it will suspend issuing visas to U.S. citizens, retaliating against the Trump administration's ban on Chadians visiting the United States. The decision follows Trump's announcement of a visa ban on 12 countries, including Chad, citing "deficient" screening and vetting processes and a history of refusing to repatriate citizens who overstay in the U.S. The new ban targets Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. There will also be heightened restrictions on visitors from seven others in the new travel policy, which takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m. In a Facebook post, Chad's president on Thursday said he is directing his government to suspend visas to U.S. citizens 'in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.' 'Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his dignity and pride,' Deby said, referring to the $400 million luxury plane offered to his administration as a gift by the ruling family of Qatar. The new travel policy has triggered varied reactions from Africa, whose countries make up seven of the 12 countries affected by Trump's outright visa ban with some exemptions. In the Republic of Congo, government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla said he believes the country was among those affected because of a 'misunderstanding' over an armed attack in the U.S. with the perpetrators 'mistaken' to be from the Republic of Congo. 'Obviously, Congo is not a terrorist country, is not home to any terrorist, is not known to have a terrorist vocation. So we think that this is a misunderstanding and I believe that in the coming hours, the competent diplomatic services of the government will contact the American authorities here,' he said in the capital of Brazzaville. In Sierra Leone, among countries with heightened travel restrictions, Information Minister Chernor Bah said the country is committed to addressing the concerns that prompted the ban. 'We will work with U.S. authorities to ensure progress,' he added.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governments denounce Trump's travel ban and vow to push back against US
WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials in some of the 12 countries whose citizens will be soon banned from visiting the United States denounced President Donald Trump's move to resurrect a hallmark policy of his first term and vowed Thursday to push back against the U.S. The ban, which was announced Wednesday, takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Trump, who signaled plans for a new ban upon taking office again in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him. The 12 countries — Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — include some of the world's poorest nations. Seven more countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela — now face heightened travel restrictions. In the central African nation of Chad, President Mahamat Deby Itno announced his country would respond by suspending visas to U.S. citizens 'in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.' In a post on Facebook, Deby noted that his nation, which faces widespread poverty, could offer no gifts, and he made a barely veiled reference to Qatar giving Trump a luxury Boeing 747 jet to use as Air Force One. 'Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has its dignity and pride,' Deby said. Some other African countries were more conciliatory, with Sierra Leone's information minister, Chernor Bah, saying the country 'will work with U.S. authorities" to address the White House concerns. Some of the 12 countries were on the banned list in Trump's first term. North Korea and Syria, which were on the list in the first administration, were spared this time. While many of the listed countries send few people to the United States, Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela had been major sources of immigration in recent years. Trump tied the new ban to Sunday's flamethrower attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The suspect is from Egypt, which is not on Trump's restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa. The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring government agencies to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. Visa overstays Trump said some countries had 'deficient' screening for passports and other public documents or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. He relied extensively on an annual Homeland Security report of people who remain in the U.S. after their visas expired. Measuring overstay rates has challenged experts for decades, but the government has made a limited attempt annually since 2016. Trump's proclamation cites overstay rates for eight of the 12 banned countries. It's not always clear, though, why some countries are on the list while others are not. Trump's list captures many of the most egregious overstay offenders, but it omits many others. Djibouti, for example, had a 23.9% overstay rate among business visitors and tourists in the year through September 2023, higher than seven countries on the banned list and six on the restricted list. Meanwhile, some countries on the banned list, like Chad, have high overstay rates as a percentage of visitors, but just a few hundred total people suspected of overstaying in a given year. The findings are 'based on sketchy data and a misguided concept of collective punishment,' said Doug Rand, a former Biden administration official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Decision is a blow to Venezuelans In Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro's government condemned the measure, calling it a 'stigmatization and criminalization campaign' against Venezuelans. 'What happened is not an isolated incident, but rather a new demonstration of the visceral hatred against the Venezuelan people that inspires those who currently conduct Washington's foreign policy,' according to a statement. Venezuelans have been a major target of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with many accused of having ties to the gang Tren de Aragua. The administration has offered little evidence to back up the allegation but has used it to justify the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans. For years, Maduro's government had mostly refused the entry of immigrants deported from the U.S., but it reversed course after Trump took office this year. Oreebus Gonzalez has been coming at least once a year to Miami to buy clothes that she sells in Venezuela. But as she prepared to fly home Thursday, she worried she might not be able to come back — even with a tourist visa valid until 2033. 'It scares me a lot,' Gonzalez, 40, said ahead of her flight to Caracas. 'The fact that you behave well and do the right thing doesn't matter.' 'America has to cancel it' Outside the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, a Taliban guard expressed his disappointment with the ban. 'America has to cancel it,' Ilias Kakal said. The Afghanistan travel ban was announced as forms of support for Afghans who worked with the U.S. are being steadily eroded under the Trump administration. A refugee program has been suspended, and there is no funding to help them leave Afghanistan or resettle in the U.S., although a ban exception was made for people with special immigrant visas, a program created to help those in danger because they worked with the U.S. during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. In addition, many people who 'served shoulder-to-shoulder' with the U.S did not qualify for the special visa program, according to No One Left Behind, a group that has advocated for Afghans who worked with the U.S. Khalid Khan, an Afghan refugee now living in Pakistan, said he worked for the U.S. military for eight years. "I feel abandoned,' Khan said. 'So long as Trump is there, we are nowhere.' Since the Taliban took over the country in 2021, only Afghans with foreign passports or green cards were able to travel to the United States with any ease, travel agents said. Supporting the ban William Lopez, a property investor who arrived from Cuba in 1967, was happy to see Cuba on the list. 'These are people that come but don't want to work. They support the Cuban government. They support communism,' said Lopez, 75, who was at Miami's famed Cuban restaurant, Versailles, steps away from the Little Havana neighborhood. 'What the Trump administration is doing is perfectly good.' During his first term, Trump issued an executive order banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. The order was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at ___ Amiri reported from the United Nations. Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano, Rebecca Santana, Jon Gambrell, Ellen Knickmeyer, Omar Farouk, Nasser Karimi, Elliot Spagat, Elena Becatoros and Danica Coto contributed to this report. Chris Megerian And Farnoush Amiri, The Associated Press
News24
20-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Chad: Ex-PM Masra arrested over deadly clashes
Chad's former prime minister, Succes Masra, was arrested on Friday for allegedly inciting hatred that resulted in the deaths of dozens earlier this week. While Masra's party said he was 'kidnapped' by the judicial police on Friday morning, public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye said that Chad's former premier was being investigated on charges that included incitement of hatred and revolt, complicity in murder and the desecration of graves. What else did the prosecutor say about Masra's arrest? The prosecutor said investigations by the judicial police pointed to Masra's involvement in a clash that killed 42 people on Wednesday in the southwest province of Logone Occidental, mostly women and children. 'This alleged involvement incited the population against a community residing in the same locality. Messages were circulated, notably on social networks, calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens,' the prosecutor said. Meanwhile, Masra's opposition Transformers party said in a statement that their leader was 'kidnapped' in his residence and expressed 'deep concern over this brutal action carried out outside any known judicial procedures and in blatant violation of the civil and political rights guaranteed by the constitution'. What is the political crisis in Chad? In 2022, Masra went into exile after the military government suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on civil unrest over President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's decision to extend his rule by two more years. READ | Chad junta chief launches presidential campaign without main rivals More than 60 people were killed in the unrest, which the government said was as 'an attempted coup'. Following his return to Chad, Masra was appointed prime minister in January 2024 in an effort to appease the opposition, four months before the presidential election. Masra, who served as Chad prime minister from January to May 2024, faced off against Deby in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's most vociferous opponents, he won 18.5% of the vote while the incumbent secured 61.3%. But Masra cried foul, alleging electoral fraud. While Muslims are predominant in the vast Sahara desert and the arid Sahel region in Chad's north and centre, the far south of the country is largely Christian and animist. Masra belongs to the Ngambay subgroup of the Sara people who traditionally inhabit southern Chad and among whom the former prime minister enjoys widespread support.
Kuwait Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Chad's ex-premier arrested for inciting hatred
N'DJAMENA, Chad: Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday accused of inciting hatred in connection with deadly clashes in the southwest, the public prosecutor said. Masra, who served as premier from January to May last year, faced off against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's fiercest opponents, he won 18.5 percent of the vote against Deby's 61.3 percent, but claimed victory. Earlier Friday, his party said Masra had been abducted from his home in the early morning. A post by The Transformers party featured an unverified video showing him leaving his residence surrounded by around a dozen armed men in military uniform. Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye later said Masra had been detained after inquiries into a clash in the southwestern region of Logone-Occidental on Wednesday. 'The investigations carried out by the judicial police revealed the involvement' of Masra, Mahamat Kedelaye told reporters. 'Messages were disseminated particularly on social media calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens,' the prosecutor said. Territorial Administration Minister Limat Mahamat told journalists Friday of 'a massacre that was planned, organized, executed methodically'. It was, he added, triggered by 'an audio recording that incited hatred, revolt against populations seen as non-natives of this territory'. Wednesday's violence claimed the lives of 42 people, mostly women and children, the prosecutor said, raising a previously reported toll of 35. One local source said Thursday that the cause of the violence was thought to be a dispute between ethnic Fulani nomadic herders and local Ngambaye farmers over the demarcation of grazing and farming areas. Conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers are estimated by the International Crisis Group to have caused more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024. —AFP Masra, who comes from the south, is ethnic Ngambaye and enjoys wide support in the region, whose people are mostly Christian and animist and complain of being marginalized by the mostly Muslim central government. The 41-year-old economist, who trained in France and Cameroon, was a fierce opponent of the ruling authorities before they named him prime minister five months before the presidential election. He contested the results and his party then boycotted parliamentary elections in December. The elections cemented Deby's rule and ended a three-year transition period. He had promised an 18-month transition to democracy but extended it by another two years. Deby had been proclaimed transitional president by fellow army generals in 2021 after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed in a gun battle with rebels. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined with Deby. -- AFP
eNCA
16-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Chad's ex-prime minister arrested for 'inciting hatred'
Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader Succes Masra was arrested early Friday accused of inciting hatred in connection with deadly clashes in the southwest, the public prosecutor said. Masra, who served as premier from January to May last year, faced off against President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in presidential elections a year ago. One of Deby's fiercest opponents, he won 18.5 percent of the vote against Deby's 61.3 percent, but claimed victory. Earlier Friday, his party said Masra had been abducted from his home in the early morning. A post by The Transformers party featured an unverified video showing him leaving his residence surrounded by around a dozen armed men in military uniform. Prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye later said Masra had been detained after inquiries into a clash in the southwestern region of Logone-Occidental on Wednesday. "The investigations carried out by the judicial police revealed the involvement" of Masra, Mahamat Kedelaye told reporters. "Messages were disseminated particularly on social media calling on the population to arm themselves against other citizens," the prosecutor said. He gave no details on the content or if Masra had been behind the messages. The clashes killed 42 people mostly women and children, the prosecutor said, raising a previously reported toll of 35. A local source said Thursday that the cause of the violence was thought to be a dispute between ethnic Fulani nomadic herders and local Ngambaye farmers over the demarcation of grazing and farming areas. Conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers are estimated by the International Crisis Group to have caused more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries between 2021 and 2024. Masra, who comes from the south, is ethnic Ngambaye and enjoys wide support in the region, whose people are mostly Christian and animist and complain of being marginalised by the mostly Muslim central government. - Deadly protests - Masra, 41, an economist who trained in France and Cameroon, was a fierce opponent of the ruling authorities before they named him prime minister five months before the presidential election. He contested the results and his party then boycotted parliamentary elections in December. The elections cemented Deby's rule and ended a three-year transition period. He had promised an 18-month transition to democracy but extended it by another two years. Deby had been proclaimed transitional president by fellow army generals in 2021 after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled Chad for 30 years, was killed in a gun battle with rebels. Opposition figures have fled, been silenced or joined with Deby. Since 2018, Masra has been the only opposition figure able to mobilise crowds of supporters in the capital at rallies that were systematically and violently repressed. Like other opposition figures, Masra fled into exile after the army and police opened fire on demonstrators protesting the transition extension in October 2022, known as Black Thursday. Up to 300 young people died according to international NGOs -- 50, according to the regime. Masra returned from exile and signed a reconciliation deal with Deby but faced critics who denounced his decision to ally with the then junta.
