2007 Zoé's Ark controversy
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Zoé's Ark controversy started when members of a French
charity organization, the Zoé's Ark
, attempted to fly 103 children out of Chad
to France
. The members of the charity were charged and eventually convicted of child abduction
.
for child abduction. Despite the group's claim that the children were orphans from Darfur
who were being taken to be fostered in France, most of the 103 children have been found to be Chadian, and to have at least one living parent or guardian. Three journalists, seven Spanish Girjet
flight crew members, four Chadian and Sudanese nationals, including two Chadian officials, were also charged for complicity
.
Allegedly, some parents were convinced to give up their infants for promises of schooling, but had been told that the schooling would occur in Chad rather than France, while some children were offered sweets and biscuits to leave home. These claims have been denied by the aid workers. To ensure their authenticity as Sudanese war orphans, the aid workers applied fake blood and bandages to the children.
The incident has strained relations between the two countries, ahead of a planned deployment of French peacekeeping troops into the country. Anti-French protests have been staged within Chad.
Over the course of the trial, all six aid workers participated in a hunger strike
. Possibly as a result, one of the accused fainted in court and required hospitalization. The six were protesting at what they perceived as abandonment by French authorities.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy
successfully negotiated the dropping of charges and release of the journalists and flight crew members prior to trial. Six members of the group were convicted on December 26, 2007 and sentenced to eight years of forced labor, although they served just five months in France, which has no forced labor in its penal system, under an accord between Chad and France. The six were released in March 2008 but have been ordered to pay each of the 103 victims restitution equal to approximately $87,000, which amounts to $8.9M per defendant. The founder, Eric Breteau, is among the six. A Chadian national and a Sudanese national were each also sentenced to four years. The two Chadian officials were acquitted. In March 2008 the president of Chad pardoned the convicted aid-workers, and they were released from the prisons in France.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
charity organization, the Zoé's Ark
Zoé's Ark
Zoé's Ark is a French charity organization with the aim of increasing awareness of the crisis in Darfur and providing aid for children affected by the conflict...
, attempted to fly 103 children out of Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The members of the charity were charged and eventually convicted of child abduction
Child abduction
Child abduction or Child theft is the unauthorized removal of a minor from the custody of the child's natural or legally appointed guardians....
.
Events and trial
On October 30, 2007, six members of the charity organization Zoé's Ark were formally charged by the government of ChadGovernment of Chad
The Government of Chad has been ruled and controlled by Idriss Déby and his Patriotic Salvation Movement since December 2, 1990, and officially since February 28, 1991. An amendment to the Constitution of Chad, passed in 2005, allowed Déby to run for his next term which will be his third...
for child abduction. Despite the group's claim that the children were orphans from Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
who were being taken to be fostered in France, most of the 103 children have been found to be Chadian, and to have at least one living parent or guardian. Three journalists, seven Spanish Girjet
Girjet
Girjet was an airline based in Barcelona, Spain. It operated charter services. Its base was Barcelona International Airport.- History :...
flight crew members, four Chadian and Sudanese nationals, including two Chadian officials, were also charged for complicity
Complicity
Complicity is a novel by Scottish author Iain Banks. It was published in 1993.-Plot introduction:Its two main characters are Cameron Colley, a journalist on a Scottish newspaper called The Caledonian, which resembles The Scotsman, and a serial murderer whose identity is a mystery...
.
Allegedly, some parents were convinced to give up their infants for promises of schooling, but had been told that the schooling would occur in Chad rather than France, while some children were offered sweets and biscuits to leave home. These claims have been denied by the aid workers. To ensure their authenticity as Sudanese war orphans, the aid workers applied fake blood and bandages to the children.
The incident has strained relations between the two countries, ahead of a planned deployment of French peacekeeping troops into the country. Anti-French protests have been staged within Chad.
Over the course of the trial, all six aid workers participated in a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
. Possibly as a result, one of the accused fainted in court and required hospitalization. The six were protesting at what they perceived as abandonment by French authorities.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
successfully negotiated the dropping of charges and release of the journalists and flight crew members prior to trial. Six members of the group were convicted on December 26, 2007 and sentenced to eight years of forced labor, although they served just five months in France, which has no forced labor in its penal system, under an accord between Chad and France. The six were released in March 2008 but have been ordered to pay each of the 103 victims restitution equal to approximately $87,000, which amounts to $8.9M per defendant. The founder, Eric Breteau, is among the six. A Chadian national and a Sudanese national were each also sentenced to four years. The two Chadian officials were acquitted. In March 2008 the president of Chad pardoned the convicted aid-workers, and they were released from the prisons in France.