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 N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) - Pressure mounted on Chad's government to delay a presidential election next week, with the nation's influential Roman Catholic bishops' conference calling for the balloting to be postponed in exchange for rebels declaring a cease-fire.
Rev. Guilliame Mbairessem, the secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Bishops of Chad, told The Associated Press on Friday that the bishops want to avert war.
The May 3 election will be the country's third under a multiparty system but only President Idriss Deby, two candidates from parties allied to him, and a minor opposition candidate are standing for election. Major opposition officials plan to boycott, demanding that the vote be postponed until electoral reforms are agreed on and implemented.
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