"Chad remains one of the poorest and most conflict-prone countries in Africa. Only one in three adults can read and write, while 62% of its 11 million people live on the less than one dollar a day."

"Meanwhile, Chad was establishing a closer relationship with China. In 2006, Chad transferred diplomatic ties from Taiwan to mainland China. Then, in 2007, China purchased the rights to a large oil exploration zone."

The country is making a lot of Chinese money selling them oil but none of that money is reaching the people. Thus the popular insurrection.