Jean Baptiste

Jean Baptiste (1920–) was a Chadian politician. A mixed-race trader, he entered politics in 1952 as a Muslim conservative. He emerged as the leader of the Independent Democratic Union of Chad (UDIT) party, and was a significant political broker. He held various ministerial cabinet posts between 1957 and 1960, and in 1961 he was the mayor of the Chadian capital Fort-Lamy (later renamed N'Djamena). In 1963 he was arrested, and died in captivity.

Early life, youth and war Accounts of Jean Baptiste's early life are limited. Jean Baptiste was from mixed French and Chadian racial heritage, but raised in a Muslim environment.

Entry into politics After the war, he became a businessman in Fort-Lamy. He was supported by Mahamat Jimeni (chief of the Anakaza tribe), Allenga Allatchimi (chief of the Gada tribe) and Abidor.

Party leader Ahead of the October 1953 election of a representative to the French Union Assembly, a split occurred in the UDT-RPF. The UDIT list got 19,483 votes. The UDIT list had strong backing in the Ouaddaï and Batha regions, and less so in Kanem, Chari-Baguirmi and Mayo-Kebbi regions. There was a sharp exchange of words between Baptiste and Lisette.

Baptiste was named Minister of Economics in the first provisional government of the union (headed by Lisette) on 8 December 1958. In the subsequent Tombalbaye-led government, formed in June 1959, Baptiste was named Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Labour. Baptiste became the founding executive chairman of the new party. Baptiste was accused of plotting against the Head of State. Baptiste's Chadian citizenship was revoked, with the argument that he had only one Chadian parent. Baptiste rejected the measure to deny him Chadian citizenship, arguing that he had already renounced his French citizenship. Official statements indicated that over a 100 people died in the riots, but unofficial estimates were much higher (over 500 dead by some accounts).

Baptiste was taken to the Ounianga Kebir region in Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti prefecture. Following the amnesty announcement, president Tombalbaye stated that Baptiste had been killed by another inmate (former Presidential Cabinet Director Silas Benoit Selingar, jailed since 1966), supposedly at Baptiste's own request.

His son René Baptiste (then a high school student) was also arrested in the 1963 crack-down. René Baptiste was released from jail in April 1971, shortly after the announcement of his father's death.