FROLINAT

Quick Facts: Who was FROLINAT?

Subject:

FROLINAT

Known for:

Insurgent rebel group in Chad, active from 1966 through 1993.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

FROLINAT (French: Front de libération nationale du Tchad; English: National Liberation Front of Chad) was an insurgent rebel group active in Chad between 1966 and 1993. The organization was the result of the political union between the leftist Chadian National Union (UNT), led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Sons of Chad (Union Générale des Fils du Tchad or UGFT), led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. An Islamist, Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood. The UGFT remained autonomous within the new group under the banner of the Liberation Front of Chad (FLT). The union and group flag was agreed upon at the Nyala Congress in Sudan between June 19 and June 22, 1966.

Career & Major Achievements

Abatcha was proclaimed Secretary-General, while another cadre of the UNT, Abou Bakar Djalabou, was designated to lead the delegation that would represent the movement abroad. A committee was also selected at the congress, composed of thirty members taken equally from the UNT and the FLT. The front was composed exclusively by Muslim northerners, and there was to be no attempt to create a link to the southern expatriates in the Central African Republic. The movement's official program, also approved at the Nyala congress, proclaimed the rejection of secession, confessional politics, and ethnic discrimination, and stated that neocolonialism should be fought in order to "regain the total national independence of our fatherland". A coalition government, national and democratic, was to be formed, and all political prisoners freed.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

All foreign troops were to leave, and support was to be given to national liberation movements, and a foreign policy of positive neutrality sought. The economic objectives were quite vague: wages would be raised, arbitrary taxes abolished, and the land given to the tillers. In conclusion, "The document was so vague and so general, it could have been written for any country under the sun." As the FROLINAT was originally composed of few members, it relied on the fact that the Chadian state was already in disarray; the southern-dominated government despised and bypassed Muslim traditional leaders, and already in 1963, the most important northern politicians had been arrested, and all important positions in the Chadian Armed Forces and in the local governments were held by non-Muslim southerners. To cite Sam Nolutschungu, "Everyone knew that the regime was corrupt, cruel, arbitrary, and absurd." This discontent already existed in November 1965 after the bloody Mangalmé riots and gave way to a number of loosely-knitted peasant revolts in central and eastern Chad, that rapidly spread from Mangalmé and nearby Batha Prefecture to Ouaddaï and Salamat prefectures, where in February 1967 the prefect and his deputy were killed. In the BET Prefecture of northern Chad, by 1965 unrest had started expanding.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1963: 1963 Milestone — " As the FROLINAT was originally composed of few members, it relied on the fact that the Chadian state was already in disarray; the southern-dominated government despised and bypassed Muslim traditional leaders, and already in 1963, the most important northern politicians had been arrested, and all important positions in the Chadian Armed Forces and in the local governments were held by non-Muslim southerners.
2. 1965: 1965 Milestone — " This discontent already existed in November 1965 after the bloody Mangalmé riots and gave way to a number of loosely-knitted peasant revolts in central and eastern Chad, that rapidly spread from Mangalmé and nearby Batha Prefecture to Ouaddaï and Salamat prefectures, where in February 1967 the prefect and his deputy were killed.
3. 1966: 1966 Milestone — FROLINAT (French: Front de libération nationale du Tchad; English: National Liberation Front of Chad) was an insurgent rebel group active in Chad between 1966 and 1993.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: FROLINAT

True or False: “The FROLINAT was initially composed exclusively of southern expatriates from the Central African Republic.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The front was explicitly composed only of Muslim northerners and sought to avoid links with southern expatriates.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. O. Scott — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): American journalist and cultural critic specializing in film and literary analysis.
• A. R. Rahman — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• A. N. Sherwin-White — Historical peer (Died in 1993) (1993): British academic and ancient historian, specializing in Roman law and society.
• Adam Ondra — Historical peer (Born in 1993) (1993): Czech professional rock climber, specializing in lead, bouldering, and competition.
• Abd el-Krim — Historical peer (Died in 1963) (1963): Moroccan revolutionary leader who spearheaded the revolt against French and Spanish Protectorates.
• Abdul Ghani Baradar — Historical peer (Born in 1963) (1963): Afghan politician and religious leader; co-founder of the Taliban.
• Aamir Khan — Historical peer (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Indian actor and filmmaker, known as "Mr. Perfectionist" in Hindi cinema.
• Aaron Kwok — Historical peer (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Hong Kong performer, celebrated singer, dancer, and actor.
• Akshay Kumar — Historical peer (Born in 1967) (1967): Veteran Indian actor and producer, celebrated for action roles and prolific career.
• Albert Luthuli — Historical peer (Died in 1967) (1967): Pioneering anti-apartheid activist and leader of the ANC in South Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions about FROLINAT