International society is
based upon the nation-state system. States organize themselves into regional organizations to serve their interests. One such organization is the Organization of African Unity (OAU) which played an important role
for the resolution of Libyan-Chad conflict. The Libyan-Chad dispute over the Aouzou strip appears to be settled and relations turned out to be stable during1990s.
AOUZOU STRIP
Ooze, northern most part of Chad, a narrow strip of territory that extends along the country's entire border with Libya. Interest of Libya in this
area intensified in 1970s with the discovery that it might be rich in Uranium deposits. It became the object of a fierce sovereignty dispute in 1973.
CONFLICT DYNAMICS
In 1969, Libya offered to mediate between the Government of President Tombalbaye and the FROLINAT
rebel army. The Chadians refused. Five years later, Libya occupied 1,14,000 sq. km of Chadian territory known as the Aouzou Strip,
citing old claims. The Strip had been divided between Italy and France on the basis of a 1935 treaty favoring Libya. This deal was replaced by a new one after the Second World War. Chad suspected that Libya was after the annexation of the entire country. The Chadian government broke off diplomatic ties with Tripoli in 1978.
In 1979, Libya invaded again , amidst the massive infighting that was going on at that time. Because of his rapprochement with the
government of national unity at that time Goukouni Oueddei and his FROLINAT chased the Libyans out of the country, with some help from Habre. Another Libyan allay at that time, the Chadian
Minister of Foreign Affairs and faction leader Acyl Amat declared to welcome any friendly help in times of crisis. The Libyans were ready to comply. No word was spoken about the Aouzou Strip. In 1980, Libya send
up to 15,000 troops to Chad. In November 1982, the Chadian government requested the withdrawal of 7,000 to 10,000 Libyan troops , to be replaced by peacekeeping forces from the OAU. Libya withdrew except from the
Aouzou Strip, the Uranium and mineral rich territory along the Chad – Libya boundary.
Following more fighting in 1983, Libya and France agreed to
withdraw and allow the Chad to resume control over its own affairs. France withdrew in 1984 but Libya did not adding to its untrustworthy reputation. Then , a peace process began leading to normal
relations by October 1988 between Libya and Chad. Habre remained wary of the Libyans, and asked the French to maintain their presence in Chad.
Indeed,
this was by no means the end of Libyan–Chadian antagonism. Libya continued to occupy the Aouzou Strip
and it used proxies like the Islamic legion to destabilize the government. Since then the situation has calmed considerably. Libya and Chad agreed to talk in April 1998. The Libyan leader Moammar Ghadaffi came to N' Djamena, the capital of Chad on an official visit. In August 1989 Chad and Libya signed an Algerian brokered peace accord. In August 1990, Chad announced that the two sides had agreed to submit the
Aouzou Strip controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In early 1994 , the ICJ decided in favor of Chad, and the two countries agreed that Libya would withdraw in May
1994. Under the eyes of a 15 – member UN AOUZOU STRIP OBSERVER GROUP, the Libyans began withdrawing and completed their withdrawal on May 30, 1994. UNASOG withdrew the next day.
OFFICAL CONFLICT MANGEMENT
The OAU has undertaken numerous attempts to settle the dispute between Chad and Libya. In 1977, it
set up a commission to look into the border dispute. In 1981, following the Libyan defacto occupation of Chad in the wake of Habre's defeat , the OAU attempted to have the Libyans replaced by Pan- African peace keeping
force, without much success.
When the fiercest fighting between the two countries was under way, in 1987, the OAU
mediated a cease–fire between the two sides, which came into effect in September 1987. Diplomatic moves towards rapprochement continued when the Malian President Moussa Traore, as Chairman of the OAU, arranged a
direct meeting between two leaders, Hissene Habre and Colonel Gadaffi, resulting in an "historic handshake". The Nigerian , Algerian and Gabinese heads of state were present on the occasion. However, fighting
continued on the ground, while a commission, headed by President Bongo of Gabon tried to work out a settlement. Despite periodic clashes, the cease–fire appeared to hold but neither side was willing to accept neutral
arbitration on the matter of the Aouzou strip. Then , on May 25, 1988, Gadaffi declared a complete change of mind at the summit celebrating the 25th birthday of the OAU, recognizing the
Chadian government by his wish to settle all dispute in a brotherly manner.
Talks began in Gabon in July 1998, and the peace
process actually gathered momentum with the handing over of prisoners of war to the OAU in September and the restoration of full diplomatic relations in October.
CONCLUSION
There has still not been a definitive solution to the Aouzou problem. It is doubtful whether Libya has indeed terminated its
occupation totally. Reports in 1997 claim it still holds at least parts of the strip. Chad certainly doesn't want to reclaim the strip by military means. For the time being, Libya seems to have frozen its designs
on the country as a whole. Chad will also remain stuck with the problem of unknown number of land mines in the Northern BET region, which have been placed there by the Libyan armed forces.
