MUTE


1.
GV & SV Political detainees waiting to be released. PAN TO SCUs. (7 SHOTS)
0.35

2.
GV Detainees being released and meeting friends and relatives. (4 SHOTS)
0.56




Initials JE/JRS





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A total of 112 political prisoners were released from a detention centre in N'djamena on June 21. This followed the announcement of a general amnesty by President Hissene Habre on the anniversary of his taking power in Chad, June 7. The amnesty offer will last for four months and is extended to all Chadians in exile and those among the Habre regime's Libyan-backed opponents in the north of the country. The president has promised not to persecute those who take advantage of the amnesty. A second group of 104 prisoners -- all soldiers or guerrillas -- were released two days later. Most of them belonged to various factions who joined a coalition led by former president, Goukouni Oueddei. They were put at the disposal of the Chadian defence minister to serve in the new Chadian army.