Camille Gourvenec
Encyclopedia
Camille Gourvenec was an officer of the French
external intelligence service SDECE, possibly with the rank of colonel
, who, from 1966, was seconded as security adviser to President François Tombalbaye
of Chad
, and was therefore effectively head of Tombalbaye's security and intelligence service. He had previously served with the French forces in Algeria
. It has been alleged that he was a key member of the Françafrique
network, led by Jacques Foccart
.
It was alleged that he was personally involved in the interrogation (under torture
) of numerous opponents of Tombalbaye's regime, and also implicated in the killing of others, including Outel Bono
.
His deputy was Commandant Pierre Galopin
, who was executed in 1975 by Hissène Habré
, after he had been sent to negotiate the release of Françoise Claustre
.
Gourvenec also commanded Chad's Nomad and National Guard
and may have had advance warning of the coup
which toppled Tombalbaye in 1975 but he did not intervene. He died in 1978.
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...
external intelligence service SDECE, possibly with the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, who, from 1966, was seconded as security adviser to President François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye , was a teacher and a trade union activist who served as the first president of Chad. He was born in the southern region of the country in the Moyen-Chari Prefecture near the city of Koumara and was of the Sara ethnic group, the prominent ethnicity...
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...
, and was therefore effectively head of Tombalbaye's security and intelligence service. He had previously served with the French forces in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. It has been alleged that he was a key member of the Françafrique
Françafrique
Françafrique is a term that refers to France's relationship with Africa. The term was first used in a positive sense by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d'Ivoire, but it is now generally understood to denounce the neocolonial relationship France has with its African backyard...
network, led by Jacques Foccart
Jacques Foccart
Jacques Foccart was a chief adviser for the government of France on African policy as well as the co-founder of the Gaullist Service d'Action Civique in 1959 with Charles Pasqua, which specialized in covert operations in Africa.From 1960 to 1974, he was the President of France's chief of staff...
.
It was alleged that he was personally involved in the interrogation (under torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
) of numerous opponents of Tombalbaye's regime, and also implicated in the killing of others, including Outel Bono
Outel Bono
Outel Bono was a Chadian medical doctor and politician.He was medical director of the hospital in Chad's capital, Fort-Lamy , in 1963 when he was arrested for plotting against the government of President François Tombalbaye. Condemned to death, his sentence was commuted after a vigorous campaign...
.
His deputy was Commandant Pierre Galopin
Pierre Galopin
Pierre Galopin was a French military officer who came to international attention when he was captured by a group of Chadian rebels, led by Hissène Habré, on 4 August 1974 in the Tibesti mountains, in the middle of the Sahara desert...
, who was executed in 1975 by Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré , also spelled Hissen Habré, was the leader of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990.-Early life:...
, after he had been sent to negotiate the release of Françoise Claustre
Françoise Claustre
Françoise Claustre , was a French archeologist who was taken hostage by a group of Chadian rebels, led by Hissène Habré, on 20 April 1974, at Bardaï, in the Tibesti Mountains of northern Chad. At the same time, the rebels also seized a German doctor, Christophe Staewen, and Marc Combe, who was an...
.
Gourvenec also commanded Chad's Nomad and National Guard
Nomad and National Guard
The National and Nomadic Guard of Chad is one of four defence and security forces in Chad....
and may have had advance warning of the coup
Chadian coup of 1975
The Chadian coup of 1975 was in considerable part generated by the growing distrust of the President of Chad, François Tombalbaye, for the army. This distrust came in part from the Chadian Armed Forces incapacity to deal with the rebellion that was inflaming the Muslim north from when the rebel...
which toppled Tombalbaye in 1975 but he did not intervene. He died in 1978.