Thursday, July 06, 2006

JEM/NRF attack Hamrat Al Sheik, Kordofan - Snr Sudanese govt officials met delegation of JEM faction who'd signed Declaration of Commitment to DPA

Excerpt from UN Country Team in Sudan report (from Unified Mission Analysis Centre (UMAC), UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Khartoum, Sudan, 5 July 2006 - via ReliefWeb):
On 4 July, senior Government figures met with a delegation of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) group who had signed the Declaration of Commitment to the DPA on 8 June. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Tahir, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Atim Garang, heads of some Assembly Committees and Al-Rashid Abdulla of JEM attended the meeting.

On 4 July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan released a statement condemning an attack on Hamarat Al-Sheikh in North Kordofan on 3 July by Darfur rebel factions. The attack is thought to be the first military action of the National Redemption Front (NRF) which formed on 30 June (Sit Rep 30 June and 1 July). The Foreign Ministry statement called the attack 'an act of sabotage on the DPA' and noted that Sudan had lodged official complaints with the UN Security Council. It also said that Government of Sudan protested the Eritrean Government’s hosting of the NRF.

On 3 July, elements of the NRF claimed full responsibility for an attack on Hamrat Al Sheikh (about 350 km west of Khartoum and 210 km northeast of El Fasher). National Security (NS) confirmed that gunships around the area were dispatched to Hamrat Al Sheik to assist ground forces sent from El Obeid. Government air strikes were not carried out because the rebels allegedly used residents as human shields. As of 5 July, three gunships were observed at El Obeid Airport. The rebel group was well equipped with about 10-20 land cruisers mounted with machine guns. The rebel group completely destroyed the NS Office and the Police Station. Unconfirmed reports suggest 12 people were killed. On 4 July, Government Forces stated that they regained total control of Hamrat Al Sheik but is yet to be confirmed by UNMIS. On 5 July, the Minister of Defense was in Elobeid where he met the Wali and other Military Officials to discuss the matter.Comment: No UNMIS staff are in the area and staff will not be allowed access until the area has been assessed by FSO.
July 5 2006 JEM/NRF attack on Kordofan kills 12: JEM's Ahmed Hussein phoned Al-Jazeera TV from London - Why are JEM/NRF permitted in England?

July 5 2006 Sudanese Embassy in Washington calls for UN and AU to impose sanctions on JEM/NFR leaders for attack on Hamrat AlSheikh, N Kordofan

July 5 2006 Sudan summons Eritrean envoy to ask why Eritrea hosts JEM/NRF rebel leadership based in Asmara, Eritrea

July 6 2006 Eritrea denies supporting Darfur rebel holdouts in Asmara waiting to meet Salva Kiir

UN Sudan Situation Report 5 Jul 2006 - Decision to accept or reject a UN force in Darfur must occur through consultation among GoNU parties

UN Country Team in Sudan report from Unified Mission Analysis Centre (UMAC), UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Khartoum, Sudan) 05 Jul 2006. Excerpt:
Local press reported that in Khartoum, Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol stated that the decision to accept or reject a UN force in Darfur must occur through consultation among the GoNU parties, adding that restoring security and stability in the region was the key issue, be it through the AU, the EU or the UN.
I guess this refers to a recent comment by former rebel Salva Kiir, now First Vice President, in southern Sudan, more or less saying he had no objection to UN troops in Darfur.

Sudan dispatches 15 legal advisors to 3 Darfur states in effort to prosecute criminals in Darfur

On 3 July, the Legislative and Judicial Committee of the National Assembly announced that 15 legal advisors had been dispatched to the three Darfur states, according to local media reports. Press reports described the move as "an effort aimed at reaffirming the Government's willingness and ability to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes committed in Darfur".

[via UN Country Team in Sudan report from Unified Mission Analysis Centre (UMAC), UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Khartoum, Sudan) 05 Jul 2006 - via ReliefWeb]

Gorans using machine guns and rocket launchers attack Tamas village of Obe nr Guereda, Chad leaving 20 dead, 9 wounded

Twenty people were killed and nine seriously injured following heavy fighting in Guereda, Chad, International Medical Corps reported (via ReliefWeb) July 5, 2006 - excerpt:
Gunshots were heard from Guereda at approximately 5:10 a.m. local time. After an initial investigation, it appeared that fighting was underway in Obe village, just over four miles from Guereda, between two ethnic groups, the Tamas and the Gorans. Previous fighting between the two tribes had left several killed and injured.

On the morning of July 4th, Gorans, heavily armed with machine guns and rocket launchers, surrounded the Tamas village of Obe and started shelling. The skirmish reportedly lasted for four hours. IMC suspended normal activities in the camps, allowing its staff to focus on the wounded. Creating three shifts for a 24-hour period, IMC and Guereda Hospital staff cared for the injured. Five of the more serious cases were flown to the hospital in Abeche.

IMC is keeping its team on alert for the coming night, as some of the wounded might be afraid to travel to the hospital during daylight hours. There are rumors that retaliation strikes may take place. IMC staff in Guereda say the situation between the Tamas and Gorans tribes - as well as between the Tamas and Zagawas tribes - is deteriorating. Open conflict among these groups threatens to destabilize ethnically diverse institutions, such as the police.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

SLA's Minnawi arrives in Egypt to meet with AL chief

Darfur's SLA rebel leader Minni Minawi arrived in Cairo Wednesday leading a delegation of his movement on a visit to Egypt. Ambassador Masum Marzuq, the director of Sudan Department at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, welcomed Minnawi at Cairo airport.

In statements upon arrival, Minnawi underlined the importance of the Arab League's role together with that of Egypt in establishing stability in Darfur. During his several days' visit, the first of its kind, he is to meet with Arab League chief Amr Musa and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit. - Sudan Tribune 6 July 2006.

Sudanese Embassy in Washington calls for UN and AU to impose sanctions on JEM/NFR leaders for attack on Hamrat AlSheikh, N Kordofan

Following is a release from the Embassy of Sudan - via U.S. Newswire July 5:
In a flagrant aggression and total disregard of human lives, a joint group of the non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement, i.e., Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and elements of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), carried out an attack outside the region, on Hamrat AlSheikh, a town about 250 miles from Khartoum in the State of North Kordofan. The outlaws attacked the town with 50 trucks armed with heavy weapons. As a result of the attacks, 12 people died and almost the entire population of the town fled their homes. Justification made by the rebels for the attack was to show their ability to hit wherever they like! They are bragging about their ability to create human tragedies by killing and displacing innocent people.

Ambassador Khidir Haroun Ahmed, Chief of Mission, said that the attack is reminiscent to what they did in 2003 in Darfur. He added, "They destroyed the Sudan Telecommunication headquarters, schools and the only hospital in town." Ambassador Ahmed welcomed the U.S. Administration's condemnation of the attack saying that the U.S. Congress, religious and civic organizations should follow suit. He said the U.N. as well as AU should impose sanctions on the leaders of the perpetrators of the attack and urge neighboring countries to respect their commitment for peace making in Sudan.
I find it difficult to understand why sanctions have not been imposed on rebel group leaders. Even law abiding citizens experience difficulty in obtaining permits to enter the US and UK. Why are outlaws free to come and go as they please?

Six killed in attack on German aid vehicle in southern Sudan

At least six people were killed and 11 wounded when gunmen ambushed a German aid agency vehicle in southern Sudan Monday, AFP reported today.

IRIN says unconfirmed reports blamed the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) for the attack -- if true, this would prove embarrassing for the south Sudanese government, which is mediating talks between the LRA and the Ugandan government, an observer said.

See related story: 'UGANDA: LRA leader must be arrested, ICC insists' at:
[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=54405]

Sudan summons Eritrean envoy to ask why Eritrea hosts JEM/NRF rebel leadership based in Asmara, Eritrea

Sudan has summoned the Eritrean ambassador to ask why Eritrea is playing host to a Darfur rebel alliance that attacked a town, the Sudanese foreign minister said on Wednesday. Reuters report by Opheera McDoom via WP July 5, 2006 - excerpt:
The National Redemption Front (NRF) is an alliance of Darfur rebels and political parties who reject a May 5 peace deal. It was formed in the Eritrean capital Asmara last week and attacked Hamrat al-Sheikh, 200 km (120 miles) from Khartoum, on Monday.

"If they form a movement in Asmara and come and fight against Sudan and we have asked Asmara to mediate in problems in the east then that does not augur well for peace," Foreign Minister Lam Akol told Reuters.

He said he had summoned the Eritrean ambassador on Tuesday to send a message to Asmara asking for clarification as to why they were "hosting" the rebel alliance.

The rebel leadership is based in the Eritrean capital Asmara, with the knowledge of the government.

Eritrean-Sudanese relations have substantially warmed in recent months and Asmara sent an ambassador to Khartoum in June. Asmara is mediating in talks intended to end a simmering decade-old conflict in Sudan's arid east.

Previously the two countries had no diplomatic relations because an array of Sudanese opposition parties and military movements had a presence on Eritrean territory, and Khartoum accused Asmara of running training camps for rebels.

Most of the opposition groups have since either signed agreements with Khartoum or are in peace negotiations.

ERITREAN MEDIATION

But Eritrea's hosting of the new rebel alliance has raised a question over its ability to mediate neutrally, Akol said.

"This is why we are seeking clarification so we can get an answer to that question -- we told them we need an immediate answer," he added. The Eritrean embassy in Khartoum declined to immediately comment.

Monday's attack in North Kordofan, which neighbors Darfur, forced a hasty response from Sudan's armed forces, who dispatched bombers to repulse the offensive.

The NRF said an April 2004 humanitarian ceasefire was dead, the first time a rebel group has openly denounced the truce, although it has been largely ignored by all parties.

Sudanese presidential adviser Majzoub al-Khalifa on Wednesday also accused its western neighbor Chad of supporting the NRF, in comments carried in state-owned press.

Chad has played host to many of the rebel commanders involved in Monday's attack. Sudan has also been home to Chadian insurgents bent on overthrowing President Idriss Deby.

JEM/NRF attack on Kordofan kills 12: JEM's Ahmed Hussein phoned Al-Jazeera TV from London - Why are JEM/NRF permitted in England?

The Sudanese government said Tuesday it had protested to the U.N. Security Council, the AU and the Arab League over an attack by rebels from Darfur on a town in a neighboring region where at least a dozen people were killed. July 5 2006 AP report by Mohamed Osman via Times Daily - excerpt:
The Sudanese army said the raid Monday on the town of Hamarat Sheikh in the Kordofan region was carried out by rebel groups that have refused to sign on to a May 5 peace agreement to end more than three years of fighting in Darfur.

"The attack on the town was carried out by a Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement," army spokesman Brig. Osman Mohamed al-Aghbash said. "Most of the civilians in the town have fled the area to save their lives." The rebels killed civilians and police, the army said. The Foreign Ministry said the Justice and Equality Movement and dissident groups from the Sudan Liberation Movement "conceded to having committed this heinous crime against their homeland."

A spokesman for the JEM claimed his group had acted in self-defense. "The aggression was on our people. We just want to defend ourselves because within recent days, there was an attack carried out by the Sudanese army ... our people were thrown out of their homes in Darfur," JEM spokesman Ahmed Hussein told Al-Jazeera television by telephone from London.

Hamarat Sheikh is about half way between El Fasher, the capital of remote Darfur, and the Sudanese capital Khartoum about 250 miles to the east. The desert town is inhabited mostly by Arab tribal groups that trade camels and food with neighboring Libya and Egypt.

An eyewitness told The Associated Press Monday that a group of rebels in more than 50 cars attacked the town. "They began by occupying government building and making much noise ... then we heard shootings," said the witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. "Then they confiscated all trucks and cars belonging to private citizens and to the government."

The region's governor, Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, told local media Monday that 10 police officers and several civilians were killed in the raid. The governor, who had fled the town, confirmed eyewitness reports that rebels destroyed almost every government building in the zone.

Authorities said they were chasing the rebel troops into the desert Tuesday and other reports indicated that sporadic fighting continued to erupt around Hamarat Sheikh.
[Note JEM spokesman Ahmed Hussein contacted Al-Jazeera television by telephone from London. What are Darfur guerrillas doing in London? What is their residency status? I strongly object to the fact that they are permitted to operate out of the UK]

Sudanese ex rebel FVP Salva Kiir to visit Washington 18 July

Sudanese First Vice President Salva Kiir, a former rebel, will visit Washington to discuss peace implementation and US aid to the southern Sudan besides related questions as the economic sanctions. Full story at Sudan Tribune 5 July 2006.

Kiir and Rice in Washington

Kiir's visit to Washington will be the second since he took over the SPLM in August following the death of First Vice President John Garang in a helicopter crash. Photo: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice walks with Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir after their meeting at the State Department in Washington, Nov 1 2005. (AP)

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Ireland urges Sudan to stay firm on Darfur deal

The Irish minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, arrived in Khartoum yesterday to urge the Sudanese government not to falter in efforts to end the three-year conflict in Darfur at a time when a shaky peace deal shows signs of fracturing. Ahern spent the day meeting government officials, UN reps and aid agencies in Khartoum and was due to fly to Darfur today, Irish Times reported 4 July [via Sudan Tribune] 5 July. Excerpt:
Raymond Jordan, emergency co-ordinator for Goal, said the deal had splintered rebel groups, making it difficult to know which commander controlled which region, and whether they could guarantee the safety of aid workers.

Vehicles used by NGOs are also being deliberately targeted for hijack. The result, he said, was that Goal had suspended three-quarters of its operations, leaving tens of thousands of people without aid.

"It has always been difficult to work in Darfur but now it is simply not possible to work in the vast majority of our areas. The peace agreement is not working on the ground for women, children and the most vulnerable people, and that's the reality."

Ahern also met Pronk to hear his concerns that the peace agreement needed more provisions for security, disarmament and compensation for victims.

Dafur rebels are a squabbling rabble costing lives

The key political battle in Darfur is now being waged inside the SLA, writes Telegraph Correspondent David Blair in his blog entry July 3. Excerpt:
Minni Minawi, the leader of the rebel faction who signed the deal, is embroiled in a power struggle with Abdul Wahid al-Nur, the standard bearer of the SLA's rejectionist wing. Tribalism lies at the heart of this bitter rivalry. Minawi is from the Zaghawa tribe while Nur is from the much larger Fur tribe.

This struggle between these two men is costing lives. Most of the fighting in Darfur is now taking place within the ranks of the SLA, where tribal antagonism between Fur and Zaghawa is acute. The clash between Minawi and Nur is also polarising the refugee camps, where many of their followers live.
Full story. [hat tip POTP]

Increased radicalisation of youth inside Kalma camp, South Darfur - Nighttime AU soldiers needed inside camp

Violent attacks have increased in the largest camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur according to observers, IRIN reported 4 July 2006. Excerpt:
In Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, an analyst said the security situation in nearby Kalma camp had worsened since the signing of the Darfur peace deal on 5 May, adding that the worst attacks were taking place at night.

"There has been an increased radicalisation of youth inside the camp," he said. "Many people don't accept the Darfur Peace Agreement [DPA] or the security mechanisms of the DPA."

"The violence seems politically motivated, but it is not clear whether the perpetrators are coming from inside the camp or enter from the outside," he added.

On Friday, unknown gunmen killed the watchman of an international nongovernmental organisation inside Kalma camp. The following two nights, the compounds of other NGOs were robbed as well.

In separate incidents on Friday, two IDPs were shot by armed men; both were wounded in the attacks. In previous attacks last week, an IDP shelter was looted and six armed men unsuccessfully attempted to steal a pumping machine at a water point.

A nighttime presence of African Union (AU) soldiers inside the camp was urgently needed, a regional observer said, but so far the cash-strapped peacekeepers were only undertaking daytime patrols.
[More on the security situation in UN Situation Report recently posted here at Sudan Watch. Note, the AU undertake daytime patrols because Khartoum imposed a curfew, not allowing AU patrols after 6pm - see reports here below]

Feb 21 2006 UK urges lifting of Sudan curfew - AU says curfew hinders Darfur peacekeepers

Feb 22 2006 Important BBC Four Radio Interview with Hilary Benn: Sudan's curfew hinders Darfur peacekeepers and aid workers

Khartoum says it will present, within a month from July 2, a clear working plan on UN, AU roles

Sudanese FM Lam Akol said Monday that the Sudanese government will present a clear working plan to what the UN and the AU roles would be in helping bring peace and stability in Darfur, Kuna reported July 3, 2006:
Akol added the plan will be ready within a month from yesterday's meeting between Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in the African summit.

Akol said in a press release the meeting resulted in an agreement to support AU's troops in Darfur and helping them do what they are supposed to do based on Darfur peace accord, adding to put pressure on groups refusing to abide by agreements and who try to stall the peace process.

The Sudanese Minister added Annan and Al-Bashir stressed importance on the immediate execution of Abuja peace accord which was under the African Union sponsorship.
July 3 2006 UN envoy Jan Pronk welcomes announcement by GoS to present plan for disarmament of Janjaweed in Darfur

Monday, July 03, 2006

Dinkas poignant return home for first time since 1991 when Khartoum sent the Nuer to massacre 2,000 Dinkas in Bor

Copy of report by BBC correspondent Jane Standley 1 July 2006:

Fifteen years ago in Bor in southern Sudan, militia allied to the government in far-off Khartoum carried out a massacre killing an estimated 2,000 people, mostly ethnic Dinkas. Now the people who fled the massacre are returning, hoping to reclaim the land of their ancestors.

Bor is a place consumed in wrenching sadness.

It is remote and, in the rainy season - cut off.

The red dirt of what passes for roads becomes a soup of mud and landmines, the craterous airstrips, unusable.

In the early 1990s, after the massacre, it was occupied by the forces of Sudan's Islamist government and run as a garrison outpost for its Arab troops.

They were fighting the long-running civil war against the Christians and animists of the southern rebel movements.

But now there is peace at last, the rebels are in control of the south and the town is open to visitors.

The first sight for me and for many of the people now going home to Bor after 15 years or more, is the port.

There is no dock here, no jetty, just the banks of the River Nile, littered with rubbish and sewage. Home to large crocodiles and a place where cholera is rampant.

Girl in Southern Sudan

Coming home

James Anyang came back last year.

He had heard, while in a refugee camp in neighbouring Uganda, that his mother had been killed in the massacre.

Then he found out that his eldest brother was also dead. His father, strong and well when he left, is now an old man - weakened by the struggle to survive while Bor was under brutal occupation.

James showed me the lush spots along the river banks where people from the garrison used to dump the bodies of those they had killed. Everyone in Bor knows what lies under the reeds.

James is an elder at the ramshackle Anglican church which is actually Bor Cathedral. There is a Bishop here. The cathedral reopened in the last few months.

Today, the sun streams through the bullet holes in the roof, dancing circles of light illuminate the faces of the worshippers.

Like James they are Dinka - the largest ethnic group in southern Sudan - and the founders and the backbone of the rebel movement which now governs the region.

Bor is the Dinka heartland - the tall, willowy, ebony black people live lives centred around cattle, as they have done for thousands of years.

Dirty work

In 1991, the Khartoum government peeled off the disgruntled leaders of a smaller tribe - the Nuer - from the rebel movement and sent them in to do its dirty work in Bor.

The killers went from hut to hut, slaughtering all who tried to run away - cutting them down with spears, machetes and the classic weapon of African warfare - the AK-47.

Those who could not run fast enough - the old, the disabled, the sick, the young - were crammed into huts - which were set on fire.

Their beloved cattle were not spared either. They were either stolen or shot. Their corpses left for the vultures to pick over when they had tired of human flesh.

The dirt tracks leading out of Bor were crammed with Dinka trying to flee. Some carrying the scant possessions they could snatch up, others with nothing - naked and hungry.

In the years which followed, tens of thousands died from famine. They had no cows any more and the fighting had displaced them from the land they had once cultivated.

There is little record of the massacre. As far as I know, just one shaky and rushed videotape.

It was filmed by an Irish priest turned aid worker who stumbled on the immediate aftermath of the slaughter and then took his film to journalists, begging them to bring attention to the killings.

I remembered the tape from my first stint working in Africa and have just watched it again.

Lost people

Time has not made it easier viewing.

There is a shot of the twisted body of a middle-aged man which makes me think of a woman I have just met in Bor named Rebecca Agok.

She managed to flee at the height of the killings, but her father-in-law had his throat cut in front of her.

How can people like her rebuild their lives here? There is literally nothing - no clean water, little food, no work and a very poor hospital.

There will surely be conflict over these scarce resources.

But James Anyang - determinedly - says no. "Neighbours will rub along," he maintains. "They have to. We have come back to reclaim our home, to venerate and live in the land of our ancestors, our lost people."

Then, he points to a second crowd of worshippers waiting to go inside Bor Cathedral, after the Anglican service has ended.

"They're the Nuer people," he says with a smile, "the Presbyterian missionaries got to them first!"

"But they're the ones who committed the massacre," I said.

"It was politics," James tells me, "not people. You know, we have to forgive. We can't be held captive by the massacre forever. We cannot ever forget, but we can forgive."
- - -

THE DINKA'S EPIC TREK ACROSS SOUTH SUDAN

This story and photos always bring a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes.

Displaced Dinkas

Photo: Apr 13 2006 Difficult journey for displaced Dinkas in Darfur returning home to Sudan's Northern Bahr El Ghazal province

New life in South Sudan

Photo: Feb 9 2006 The Dinka's epic trek across South Sudan continues - 250,000 cattle have arrived so far in 34 cattle camps around Bor.

Please switch on your computer's sound and take a few minutes to watch a powerful National Geographic video report: Shattered Sudan - Drilling for Oil, Hoping for Peace.

And note, A prayer for the janjaweed rape babies.

UN envoy Jan Pronk welcomes announcement by GoS to present plan for disarmament of Janjaweed in Darfur

July 3, 2006 UN News Centre report excerpt:
"While welcoming the recent announcement by the Sudanese Government to present a plan for the disarmament of the Janjaweed militiamen in Darfur, Mr Pronk warned that continued militia attacks on internally displaced persons in Darfur were hampering implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement," a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York.

In his latest report to the Security Council on the region, which covers the month of May and which was issued today, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan states that "disarming the Janjaweed, improving civilian protection and strengthening ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanisms are absolute priorities."

Another "serious concern" he highlights is that the "work of United Nations agencies and NGOs continues to be hindered by banditry targeting humanitarian personnel and assets."

"Young people have really been at the centre of this conflict. Children have really been hit harder than anyone else. The camps are 90 per cent women and children. That's a population of 2 million people now," said UNICEF spokesperson Ronan Farrow.

Chad army fights FUC rebel attack in Ade near Sudan border

Chadian rebels attacked an eastern town near the border with Sudan on Monday but the government said its soldiers had put down the assault, killing several insurgents and taking a number of prisoners. In turn, the rebels said they had entered the town of Ade and claimed victory for their fighters, saying they were chasing off fleeing remnants of the government force. It was not immediately possible to verify either version of events.

"After violent clashes, forces under the command of Colonel Mahamat Hassane Al-inghaz have just entered the town of Ade," Albissaty Saleh Allazam, spokesman for the United Front for Democratic Change (FUC), told Reuters. "These forces ... are chasing government troops who are fleeing," he said.

Ade lies some 750 km (470 miles) east of the capital N'Djamena. - Reuters July 3, 2006. [Note how the rebels use Reuters]

JEM rebels speaking on radios

Photo: Members of the JEM (Justice Equality Movement) speak on radios near the village of Tere in the Mestre area of western Sudan near to the border with Chad, August 19, 2004. A new alliance of Darfur rebel commanders and political parties have attacked a town on the road to the capital Khartoum, declaring a 27-month-old truce dead, rebels and officials said on Monday. (Reuters/Luc Gnago/Yahoo News)

U.N.'s 3 steps to activate Darfur accord - Jan Pronk sought to activate the DPA not reformulate it to include parties who opposed it

Just in from UPI - U.N.'s 3 steps to activate Darfur accord:
The U.N. representative in Sudan refuted claims that he sought to reformulate a Darfur peace agreement, stressing the urgent need for immediate implementation.

Jan Pronk said in a statement Monday "the peace agreement over Darfur reached in Abuja (Nigeria) is still facing resistance on the ground, especially by refugees, mainly due to wrong interpretations which limit the accord's effectiveness in restoring security and stability to the province."

He argued that three steps should be taken urgently in order to deal with the situation, which is becoming more complex with delays in implementation of the accord.

"The first step is to implement what was agreed upon at the right time because delays in implementation will strengthen the stance of those opposing the agreement," Pronk said.

The second step stipulates gaining larger support for the accord, securing genuine international guarantees and disarming clearly and seriously the Arab Janjaweed militias accused of committing racial cleansing in the war-torn province in west Sudan.

The third step, Pronk said, will be to secure more funds for compensation and reconstruction of areas inhabited by the displaced and the refugees before they are driven further away.

"These steps should be implemented immediately in order to transform Abuja's accord into a sustained treaty," he added.

Pronk denied reports that he had called for rectifying the accord over Darfur in order to include the parties who opposed it, stressing that what he proposed last week was misinterpreted and that he sought to activate the agreement and not reformulate it.

Pronk had said the agreement needed international guarantees and a clearer plan for disarming Arab militias and paying compensation to the victims of war.
- - -

May 21 2006 Jan Pronk's Weblog: "What about the Janjaweed? Will the peace agreement stop them?" - UN SGSR Jan Pronk in his blog entry May 19, 2006 points out that despite the fact that Abdul Wahid did not yet sign the Abuja peace agreement, he had signed earlier cease fire agreements, he is still bound by his signature and can be taken to task ... Note also this excerpt [edit] The people behind Minie Minawi and Abdul Wahid will only believe in the peace agreement if they see that the government and the international community together are serious and successful in stopping the Janjaweed. Then they might press their leaders to reconcile. This also may be the most effective way to bring Abdul Wahid aboard.

Mainstream media misinterpreted says Pronk

Note, when I first read Jan Pronk's blog entry, I interpreted it as great suggestions on How to put new life into Darfur's Peace Agreement which is why I chose to use those words in the title as I felt it conveyed the report as positive and constructive.

It took mainstream media journalists three days to pick up on Mr Pronks blog entry. Here is a snapshot from a few headlines at Google news. Most of the other reporters used the same or similar headlines as those listed below. Flaming sheep. Hardly any of them got it right. Best ones are UPI (see above) "U.N.'s 3 steps to activate Darfur accord"; International Herald Tribune, France: "Darfur pact needs help, UN aide says"; Independent Online South Africa: "Darfur peace deal can be saved, says Pronk"

UN chief in Sudan says Darfur peace deal on brink of collapse
Lake Sun Leader (subscription) MO - 1 hour ago ...Pronk cited the arrival of UN peacekeepers as one of three steps to save Darfur, along with implementing the peace agreement and broadening support for it. ...

Darfur peace deal can be saved, says Pronk
Independent Online South Africa - 1 hour ago
... said. Pronk said that without the peace agreement's implementation, the humanitarian situation in Darfur was worsening. "The demilitarised ...

Darfur peace deal on brink of collapse
Mail & Guardian Online South Africa - 1 hour ago
... said. Pronk said that without the peace agreement's implementation, the humanitarian situation in Darfur was worsening. "The demilitarised ...

Darfur deal near collapse
Chicago Daily Herald (subscription), IL - 2 hours ago
... Pronk cited the arrival of UN peacekeepers as one of three steps to save Darfur, along with implementing the peace agreement and broadening support for it. ...

Sudan peace deal at risk of collapse, UN envoy warns
Unison.ie Ireland - 5 hours ago
... "There is a significant risk that the Darfur peace agreement will collapse," Mr Pronk wrote in a web blog. "The agreement does not ...

UN chief: Darfur peace deal on brink of collapse
Jerusalem Post Israel - 10 hours ago
The "severely paralyzed" Darfur peace agreement "does not resonate with the people" and ... But Jan Pronk said the pact was still salvageable if revisions were made ...

Darfur pact needs help, UN aide says
International Herald Tribune, France - 20 hours ago
... Pronk cited the arrival of UN peacekeepers as one of three steps necessary to save Darfur, along with implementing the peace agreement and broadening support ...

UN: Darfur Peace Deal on Brink of Collapse
ABC News - 20 hours ago
... time.". Pronk said that without the peace agreement's implementation, the humanitarian situation in Darfur was worsening. "The demilitarized ...

UN envoy calls for changes to Darfur peace plan
Reuters South Africa - Jul 2, 2006
... Pronk also called for a UN takeover of the 7,000-strong AU force currently monitoring the shaky truce in Darfur, saying it was necessary to avoid a return to ...

PRONK ON DARFUR
Special Broadcasting Service Australia - Jul 1, 2006
The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, says the Darfur peace agreement is in danger of collapse and need to be rewritten. ...

UN's Pronk calls for changes to Darfur peace plan
Sudan Tribune, Sudan - Jul 1, 2006
... Pronk also called for a UN takeover of the 7,000-strong AU force currently monitoring the shaky truce in Darfur, saying it was necessary to avoid a return to ...

UN envoy attacks Darfur agreement
BBC News, UK - Jul 1, 2006
... Minnie Minawi, the rebel leader who signed the deal, is not strong in Darfur, Mr Pronk said, calling for an effort to bring rival leader Abdul Wahid on board ...

Darfur agreement is severely paralysed
Sudan Tribune, Sudan - Jul 1, 2006
By Jan Pronk*. June 28, 2006 - There is a significant risk that the Darfur Peace Agreement will collapse. The agreement does not ...

UN envoy calls for changes to Darfur peace plan
Reuters AlertNet UK - Jul 1, 2006
... Pronk also called for a UN takeover of the 7,000-strong AU force currently monitoring the shaky truce in Darfur, saying it was necessary to avoid a return to ...

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Sudan ready to fund AU peacekeepers in Darfur for 6 months

Sudan's president declared his country is prepared to bear the cost of AU peacekeepers in Darfur as an alternative to a UN force, Sudan's official news agency SUNA reported Sunday - AP/ST reported July 3, 2006 - excerpt:
Al-Bashir made the pledge to Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade during a meeting between the two leaders in Banjul, Gambia, the agency said.

Sudan was prepared to foot the bill for the forces for the next six months during which al-Bashir predicted the security situation would improve and there would be no need to deploy troops under the U.N, SUNA reported.

The Sudanese leader also complained Sunday that the international community was not doing enough to persuade those rebel factions that did not sign the Darfur Peace Agreement to join the process.

"Sudan was expecting to see intensive efforts to boost the peace deal and to exercise pressure on the groups that have refused to sign the deal," SUNA reported al-Bashir as saying.
Note, the current AU Mission in Darfur costs something in the region of $1 billion per annum.

JEM-NRF rebels attack Hamra al-Sheikh town in North Kordofan, Sudanese planes deployed - GoS

Just in from Reuters/Scotsman - Darfur rebels end truce with attack:
A new alliance of Darfur rebel commanders and political parties have attacked a town on the road to the capital Khartoum, declaring a 27-month-old truce dead, rebels and officials said on Monday.

One of three rebel factions signed an African Union-mediated peace deal in May but since then new alliances have been formed among those who reject the deal, saying it des not meet their basic demands.

"The forces of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) attacked a town in North Kordofan called Hamrat al-Sheikh," said a spokesman for the Sudan armed forces. "Sudanese planes have been deployed and the aggression is continuing," he added.
From Reuters.co.za:
Hamrat al-Sheikh is on the road between Khartoum and North Kordofan's main town el-Obeid. It is around 200 kilometres (124 miles) from Sudan's capital.

JEM has little military power on the ground in Darfur, where the other main rebel group, the fractious Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), controls most of the rebel territories.

JEM formed a new alliance last week called the National Redemption Front (NRF) with a few breakaway SLA commanders and a small political party, the Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance.

Adam Ali Shogar, one of the SLA commanders in the NRF, told Reuters his forces were still in control of Hamrat al-Sheikh.

"God willing, we will be on our way to Khartoum," he said. "The government has shown it is not committed to the 2004 humanitarian ceasefire so this deal now has no meaning."

It was the first time a rebel group in Darfur openly stated it was disregarding the April 2004 truce, which had in any case been widely ignored by all sides to the conflict.

During the more than three years of revolt in Darfur, rebels often attacked in Kordofan, which neighbours Darfur, saying they were close to the capital. They never reached Khartoum.
- - -

June 30 2006 JEM-Ibrahim expands by forming alliance with SFDA & Darfur rebel holdouts to deal with all the issues of Sudan: National Redemption Front (NRF)

Sudanese FM Lam Akol says only parties to the DPA could agree any changes and amend the deal when reality on ground dictates

Sudan's foreign minister on Monday rejected suggestions by SRSG Jan Pronk to make additions to the Darfur Peace Agreement, Reuters' Opheera McDoom reported today - excerpt:
U.N. special envoy Jan Pronk wrote in his June 28 weblog that many things needed to added to the May 5 peace deal such as more transparency in disarming pro-government militias and international security guarantees, which were key demands of the rebels who refused to sign the deal.

But Foreign Minister Lam Akol dismissed Pronk's statement. "An addition is an amendment," he told reporters in Khartoum, adding only the parties to the deal could agree any changes to the deal. "We will never accept an amendment because Pronk says ... we will amend the peace deal when the reality on the ground dictates (and) it does not," he added.

Pronk called this a "new political fact" that required additions to the deal. But Akol said Pronk was in no position to say that. Calling Pronk "junior", he said: "Do I believe Pronk or do I believe (U.N. Secretary-General) Kofi Annan?" he said, adding Annan had not echoed his envoy's words when he met him on Sunday.
I say, do you think Mr Pronk would use his personal weblog to suggest how to put new life into Darfur's Peace Agreement, without clearance from his employers? I don't think he would. If you want to break an impasse, float an idea, open up dialogue, start a debate, shake a few trees, use a weblog! I'd like to see President Bashir start one. I'm serious, it would be great to learn more about life in Khartoum and what his colleagues, family and friends think about the millions of Sudanese people without homes, food, water, medics, education and gainful employment. I wonder what Mr Akol means when he says "... we will amend the peace deal when the reality on the ground dictates."

Sudan's national assembly

Photo: Sudan's National Assembly. Sudan Tribune article Sudanese parliament ratifies Darfur Peace Agreement July 1, 2006.

Displaced people in Mornei, West Darfur

Displaced people in Mornei, West Darfur

Photo: Displaced persons rallying in camp Mornei, 30 miles South of El Geneina, West Darfur. The people demonstrate for peace, but against the Darfur Peace Agreement and against the cut in the food rations which had been announced shortly after the signing of the agreement. Caption: Jan Pronk - Weblog June 26, 2006. Photo: Paula Souverijn-Eisenberg

Romeo Dallaire says Darfur "is not a genocide but it is a (case of) massive crimes against humanity"

Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian senator (Liberal) who once commanded the UN mission in Rwanda, says AMIS needs "a second wave of reinforcements" to be able to wait out the arrival of UN troops, which won't be until sometime next year, Ottawa Citizen Laura Payton reported July 3, 2006. Excerpt:
Darfur has been the focus of much of Dallaire's public statements recently, and last week brought him the opportunity to make some progress as part of a UN committee on genocide prevention, which met for the first time to discuss its mandate.

The committee will focus on gathering intelligence and giving advice to the UN secretary general and the Security Council, the body at the UN that decides when to begin military action. Dallaire said the committee hopes to prevent future genocides like the 1994 massacre in Rwanda.

Besides watching out for genocide specifically, the committee wants to look at human rights abuses that don't qualify as genocide, like Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge or the ongoing violence in Sudan. "Cambodia killed a couple of million (people) but it wasn't a genocide because it was politically motivated, (involving people of) the same ethnicity," he said. Likewise, Darfur "is not a genocide but it is a (case of) massive crimes against humanity."
Note, the Canadian government (Conservative) pledged $20 million to the African union mission in Sudan last month. Canada has contributed $190 million to the mission since 2004, including money, equipment and military and civilian experts.

Bashir tells AU summit Chadian officers and soldiers fighting alongside rebels in Darfur and calls for protection of Sudanese refugees in Chad camps

July 3, 2006 Sudan Tribune report - Sudan expresses readiness to normalize bilateral ties with Chad - excerpt:
Addressing the African Summit on Sunday, President Omar al-Bashir stressed that Sudan has no interest to undermine the security of Chad, especially that its was working to boost the security in Darfur, which is related to the conditions in Chad.

He said that the implementation of the recently signed Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) would be difficult, unless comprehensive stability in Chad is achieved. He indicated that Sudan has made several attempts for normalization of its relations with neighbour Chad, despite the Chadian interventions in Darfur.

Al-Bashir denied in his speech Chadian accusations, adding that it was not true to claim that all the incidents in Chad were the creation of Sudan. He said that Chadian officers and soldiers are fighting alongside the rebels in Darfur.

He called for protection of the camps of the Sudanese refugees in Chad and halting the recruitment of children by elements who aim to abort DPA.

Al-Bashir pointed out that Sudan has did its best to implement the Tripoli declaration, which it has signed with Chad, through the concerned mechanisms and committees, but the Chadian government did not dispatch its envoys in accordance with the declaration.

The February 8 agreement signed by Chadian and Sudanese leaders in Tripoli came after N’Djamena declared itself in a state of war with Khartoum in December amid growing violence on the border.

Meanwhile, he stressed the importance of establishing relations between Sudan and Chad, which are to be based on good neighbourliness and cooperation to realize stability at the area and to maintain security at the joint border.

Darfur holdout rebels to meet Libyan leader

Darfur holdout rebels are to meet Libyan leader in the coming days in a bid to explain their position and persuade him to plead their cause with GoS. - ST (unsourced article Khartoum) July 2 2006.

Bashir and Deby meeting at AU summit brokered by Gaddafi

Local Arab-language media reported a meeting between Presidents Bashir and Deby at the AU summit, in Banjul, Gambia on 1 June. The meeting was reportedly brokered by President Gaddafi of Libya. - UN Sudan Situation Report 02 July 2006.

Also, see July 3 2006 UPI report Gadhafi sponsors Chad-Sudan reconciliation:
Moammar Gadhafi has sponsored a reconciliation agreement between Sudan and Chad as part of the Libyan leader's efforts to iron out conflicts in Africa.

Libyan news agency JANA said Gadhafi sponsored a tripartite meeting with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and Chad's Idriss Debby in the Gambian capital, Banjul, during which the reconciliation was sealed early Monday.

It said the reasons for the conflicts between Sudan and neighboring Chad were reviewed and debated, and at the end Bashir and Debby agreed to set up a joint committee to prepare arrangements for normalizing relations between their two countries.

The two presidents reaffirmed their commitment to the "Tripoli Declaration," which they signed in February in a summit meeting hosted by Gadhafi during which they agreed to normalize diplomatic relations and ban the presence of rebels using their territories to launch attacks against each others' countries.

JANA reported that "Gadhafi expressed to the Sudanese and Chadian presidents his appreciation of their responsible attitude and positive response to his reconciliation initiative and their keenness to preserve peace, security and stability in the black continent."

The conflict between Sudan and Chad broke out last December, when Chad declared that it was in a state of war with Khartoum following an attack by Sudanese rebels against a Chadian village on the shared eastern border.

Gadhafi announced an initiative to settle the conflict in January, including shifting 3,000 African Union troops deployed in Darfur to the border between Chad and Sudan to monitor possible violations.

United Nations Sudan Situation Report 02 July 2006

Here is a summary of political events since 28 June 2006, the date when SRSG Jan Pronk published his blog entry on how to breathe life into the Darfur Peace Agreement. Excerpt from UN Sudan Situation Report 02 July 2006 by UN Country Team in Sudan:
On 28 June, SRSG Pronk published comments about the DPA on his weblog. He emphasized the need to implement the Agreement, to broaden its 'circle of support', and to support the transition to a UN peacekeeping operation.

Local Arab-language press gave extensive coverage to the SRSG's comments. The reports emphasized the SRSG's comments that the opposition rebel issues should be addressed in the DPA, that further dialogue was required and that more compensation was required for affected persons.

On 30 June, the SRSG, accompanied by PDSRSG Zerihoun, went to Juba to launch the UN Radio "Miraya" together with the First Vice President Salva Kiir. Speaking at the ceremony, FVP Salva Kiir stated that he had no objection to a transition to the UN force in Darfur. After the ceremony, the SRSG and the PDSRSG held discussion with VP Kiir on Eastern Front, LRA and implementation of the CPA issues. On 30 June, in Juba, FVP Salva Kiir stated that he had no objection to a transition to the UN force in Darfur.

Local Arab-language media reported a meeting between Presidents Bashir and Déby at the AU summit, in Banjul, Gambia on 1 June. The meeting was reportedly brokered by President Gaddafi of Libya.

Meanwhile, local Arab-language press reported that the AU withdrew 30 Chadian AMIS monitors from Darfur at the request of Sudan's Foreign Ministry. The Peace and Security Council (PSC) heard Sudan's request at their meeting in Banjul on 27 June.

On 30 June, SLA-Minawi faction's External Relations Secretary Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim issued a statement supporting the suspension of the DPA. Meanwhile, a delegation of SLA-Minawi remains in Khartoum for talks with the Government of Sudan on DPA implementation.

On 30 June, in Asmara, Darfur rebel leaders founded the National Redemption Front (NDF). The NRF's Founding Declaration flagged a forthcoming statement on its position regarding the DPA. The signatories include Dr Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of JEM, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Diraige (Chairman) and Dr Sharif Harir of the Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance and Khamis Abdalla Abakar, formerly SLA-Abdul Wahid Deputy Chairman. Abdul Wahid, the leader of the SLA-Abdul Wahid faction, did not sign the declaration.

On 1 July, the National Legislature ratified the DPA. According to the official Sudanese news agency, the Legislature called on the international community to provide support and assistance for Darfur's reconstruction and urged parties that did not sign the agreement to join the peace process.

On 1 July, the Ceasefire Political Commission (CPC) met in Khartoum, with the SRSG [Jan Pronk], DSRSG and Force Commander in attendance. The meeting was briefed on the status of formation of Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) by the Co-Chairs and Technical Committee of the Joint Defense Board, JIU Commander (SAF) and Deputy Commander (SPLA).

THINK PIECE: Anti-UN sentiment in Darfur lighting rod for African nationalism (William Church)

An opinion piece in today's Sudan Tribune 'Anti-UN sentiment in Darfur lighting rod for African nationalism' by William Church is so good, it is difficult to choose excerpts, so I am copying the piece here in full. Mr Church is Director of the London based Great Lakes Centre for Strategic Studies and can be reached at wchurch@glcss.org

The battle over United Nations troops replacing African Union troops in Darfur has scratched the long festering wound of outside influences controlling the destiny of Africa. Darfur is a lighting rod of anti-United Nations sentiment because it contains the seeds of African hope, frustration, lack and desires.

Anyone who thinks the solution to Darfur's humanitarian crisis is as simple as UN troops replacing African Union (AU) peacekeepers has failed to understand that the battle is not about peacekeeping in Darfur-or even Africa. Darfur is about Africans finding an African solution and the end of outside, political interference in Africa.

There maybe a good reason why the government of Sudan does not trust the United Nations, despite the AU official position on the transfer of peacekeepers to the UN. The story of Darfur is similar to the story of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. A permanent member of the UN Security Council aided a situation that developed into genocide in one case and in the second example it may be complicit although not directly involved. In essence, Sudan is asking the question if the Security Council can be an honest peace broker if one of its members is political involved in the situation. This question also holds true with the situation in Somalia, where there are allegations of United States involvement in the current struggle.

The following examples are not meant to indict or criticize any one member of the Security Council. Instead, they are meant to demonstrate that the government of Sudan may have valid concerns about United Nations involvement.

It is a matter of public record that French paratroopers trained and supported the military of the genocidal government of Rwanda's President Habyarimana. Later that same Rwandan military executed, along with the Interahamwe, the devastating 1994 Rwandan genocide. In addition, French-paratroopers, in the eyes of the current Rwandan government, played a dubious role at the end of the 1994 genocide when they blocked the pursuit of the genocidal forces. This event and others have long colored the relationship between Rwanda and the United Nations and is a lesson, well-remembered in Africa.

French involvement in Chad also raises similar concerns. International Crisis Group (ICG) and other organizations have reported that Chad's French-backed army allegedly exploited the social and political instability in Darfur when it supported factions of the Sudan Liberation Army in their rebellion against the Khartoum government. The suspected or real Chadian involvement adds to the level of distrust and this week culminated in Khartoum expelling Chadian peacekeepers with the AU force in Darfur.

Sudan also understands there are questions about the lack of due process in examining the evidence reported by the UN Panel of Experts. These Expert Panels are used to shape Security Council policy and develop the basis for sanctions against governments and individuals, and rightly, the government of Sudan is concerned about the Security Council's abuse of these Expert Panels.

In 2005, a consultant to a UN Expert Panel called for a public review of the evidence in a DRC arms embargo report. He charged that the Experts did not conduct a complete investigation, violated their own standards of evidence, and intentionally misrepresented their evidence in their official report to the Security Council.

The ex-UN Expert Panel consultant was joined by the governments of South Africa, Rwanda, and Uganda, which also disputed the methodology of the Experts and their evidence. These governments, like the ex-consultant, called for a public review of the evidence. The Security Council responded by conducting a vicious slander campaign against the ex-consultant, and then refused calls for a public review and conducted a closed door, non-transparent review of the evidence. In the end, they issued a press release stating they fully supported the Experts, ignoring calls from African states for a public hearing. This case, like the others, adds to Sudan's concern if the Security Council can be an honest broker of peace and if sanctions will be used against it as a form of regime change.

However, there is a much larger principle at stake. Darfur is a lighting rod for African Nationalism because it hits to the heart of two key African issues: capacity building and sustainability.

Sudan is suspicious of the Security Council's motives since the UN has never articulated the reason why properly equipped and mandated AU peacekeepers are less effective that properly equipped and mandated UN peacekeepers. Sudan's doubt increases especially when it knows that there are 26,000 well-equipped African UN peacekeepers already serving in Africa that could just as easily serve the AU if properly supported and mandated. In addition, there are over 7,000 AU peacekeepers in Darfur that are more than capable if properly supported and mandated.

There is a lingering suspicion that the overarching UN view is that Africans can not manage their own affairs unless there is a foreign overseer. This is supported by the everyday experience of African leaders and Africans.

International donors talk about capacity building and sustainability and then push contrary policies. African leaders ask themselves why they can not decide themselves how wide their roads must be or whether it is tarmac or another surface. Instead those decisions are made thousands of miles away at international donor headquarters.

Africans are asking about the gap between rhetoric of sustainability and capacity building and the reality of international donor policy. African leaders are asking if the goal is African capacity building and sustainability then why is it that the international donors require contracts for their funds to be dispense to companies owned by foreign nationals, which represent the international donor community, and not Africans.

For some members of the international community, aid to Africa is either a jobs program for their own citizens or disguised subsidies for their national industries. African leaders in Rwanda and Uganda have been widely criticized for exercising their sovereign right to control the international National Government Organizations (NGOs) in their countries.

African leaders are asking why international donors place more weight on foreign think-tank reports about corruption or human rights than reports from African human rights organizations which may directly contradict an organization like US-based Freedom House, which admits that it has never visited some of the countries it evaluates. The same questions are being asked about the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) Peer Review process. African leaders are asking why foreign governments and organizations give more weight to assessments by international organizations and not the NEPAD findings.

It is important to note that this question echoes the current situation assessment in Darfur. The government of Sudan maintains a view that the problems are being resolved with the current force and with the current peace agreement. The United Nations disagrees with that assessment. Once again, it raises the question of who is better able to assess and develop a solution to an African problem. What is implied in the automatic assumption that the United Nations' view is correct?

The answer to this question demonstrates a general African suspicion about the international community and a growing rebellion against foreign intervention. Uganda's President Museveni has been quoted recently as saying that he will no longer allow foreigners to tell him how to run his government. Rwanda President Kagame has consistently fought for Rwanda's right to manage and define itself, and in a telling manner, this has been greeted with hostile response by some members of the international community.

Sudan's President al-Bashir is echoing those same African concerns when he stresses his belief that this is an African problem and it must have an African solution. If the international community truly wants to have a new partnership with Africa then it should listen to these concerns. This does not mean that the world should ignore the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. It means the quickest solution to the humanitarian crisis is to work with the government of Sudan to find an African solution that builds long-term capacity and allows Africans to demonstrate their leadership skills.

[Pity the piece did not address the fears re UN/ICC list of 51 Darfur war crime suspects. I've yet to find any report addressing Khartoum's fears of UN troops arresting suspects]

SLA-Minnawi welcomes UN Pronk call to amend Darfur deal

SLA rebel leader Minni Minawi praised a blog entry authored by the UN envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk in which he outlined how to put life into the Darfur Peace Agreement - Minnawi spokesperson, Esam Edin al-Haj, renewed the demand - of the wing opposed to the DPA within the movement - to suspend Abuja deal signed on 5 May. Full report Sudan Tribune July 3, 2006.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

AU Mission in Darfur mandate extended until end of 2006

The African Union has agreed to a UN request to extend the mandate of its military mission in Darfur by three months until the end of 2006, its chairman Denis Sassou Nguesso said, Reuters [via The Age] reported July 3, 2006:
"On the request of the secretary general, the African Union will continue to fulfil its mission until the end of the year," said Congo Republic president Sassou Nguesso, who holds the revolving AU presidency.
AU summit in Gambia

Photo: Kofi Annan, Secretary General of U.N, seated centre, speaks to journalists at the venue of the African Union Summit AU in Banjul, Gambia Sunday, July 2, 2006. Annan held talks with Sudan's president Sunday and said he was hopeful U.N. peacekeepers would eventually be deployed to Darfur. (AP Photo/George Osodi/Yahoo)

Eastern Sudan rebels (Beja Congress) call for UN humanitarian intervention in their region

Beja Congress Europe press release calls for "UN humanitarian intervention" in Eastern Sudan. It is signed, on behalf of the Beja doctors and intellectuals, by Dr Abu Amna, Beja paediatrician, Schoeffenstrasse 26, 65933 Frankfurt, Germany, 2 July 2006.

Note, June 9 2006 Abu Amna, press release Beja Congress calls for UN participation in Eastern Sudan talks

Annan and Bashir agree on need to strengthen AU mission in Darfur and to consolidate the Darfur Peace Agreement

At the AU summit today, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan failed to persuade Sudanese leader Omar Hassan al-Bashir to allow a UN force into Darfur Reuters reported 2 July 2006.

Mr Annan expressed confidence that UN troops will one day deploy in Darfur and said he is meantime working on extending the presence of the AU force in Darfur until the end of the year, Daily Telegraph reported July 3, 2006:
Mr Annan said continuing discussions with Khartoum on the deployment of international peacekeepers could yield positive results.

"We are dealing with a leader who might have genuine difficulties and genuine reasons for the position he is taking ... but I think we had constructive conversation this morning," he said.

"I, of course, continue to press for the eventual deployment of UN forces in Darfur ... (and) we agree (with al-Beshir) the dialogue has to continue," Mr Annan said.

He said the planning for deployment "is very well advanced ... we do hope still to deploy the troops."

He said Mr al-Beshir had promised to submit to him before the end of July his "plan for the next six months" on easing the crisis in Darfur.

Meantime Mr Annan asked the African leaders at the AU summit in Gambia to maintain "flexibility" over their original plan to pull their forces out of Darfur by September 30.

In talks with Mr al-Beshir, Mr Annan said they "agreed on the immediate need to strengthen the African Union mission in Darfur and also to consolidate the Darfur peace agreement."
AU summit in Gambia

Photo: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (C) is applauded July 01 at the opening session of an African Union summit of more than 50 African heads of state. (AFP/File/Issouf Sanogo)

AU to withdraw troops from Darfur? Gaddafi leaves hall before AU summit opens

Libyan leader, Col Gaddafi was absent from the hall at the opening session of AU summit, AngolaPress reported today:
Although the Libyan leader entered the hall before most of his counterparts, he left the premises just before the opening ceremony began, leaving the rest of the Libyan delegation there.

No official reason was given for the hurried departure, and neither the Gambians nor officials of the African Union Commission could offer an explanation.

However, some Libyan sources hinted that the Libyan leader's departure had been to protest a possible decision by African Union to withdraw its troops from Sudan next September.
SABC says earlier today, UN SG Annan met with Sudan's president, to discuss Darfur. Mr Annan and President Thabo Mbeki were supposed to meet earlier today but the meeting was postponed until later today.

Washington Post continues to publish propaganda on Darfur

The Washington Post continues to have no qualms about publishing propaganda on Darfur. "Sudan's dictator gets nastier," the Washington Post tells its readers today in an editorial (author not cited) entitled Backtracking in Darfur. I wonder who wrote it and why their name was not revealed. On reading the editorial closely, I saw no fact based news but a piece of activism calling for UN troops in Darfur and the isolation of Khartoum regime. Clearly it states, quote:
"This year, Sudan's government declared that it would allow United Nations peacekeepers into the western region of Darfur."
I challenge the Washington Post to please explain exactly when and where GoS agreed to allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur. From what I have gathered here at Sudan Watch, Khartoum never once agreed to such a force. Please correct me if I have missed something. The peace deal in southern Sudan is quite different from that in Darfur, western Sudan. South Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement had a UN peackeeping force built into it before it was signed, the Darfur Peace Agreement had no such force written into it. Apart from talk about the "extermination of Muslims", the last line of the piece I find most revealing, quote:
But if Mr. Bashir's shameless outpourings are not enough to solidify diplomatic efforts to isolate his regime, it's hard to know what would be.
Diplomatic efforts to isolate the regime eh? Sounds like Darfur rebel talk.

More activism being passed off as hard news

See June 22 2006 Sudan Watch - Human Rights Watch incorrectly says Khartoum is backtracking - excerpt:

In an interview June 22, 2006, Human Rights Watch (HRW) Deputy Director for Africa, Georgette Gagnon tells Voice of America English to Africa reporter Howard Lesser: "There seems to be some disconnect. Obviously, we must remember that when the Darfur peace agreement was being negotiated, the Khartoum government said that it would accept UN troops to come in and monitor a peace agreement. Now, it's backtracking." This is not true.

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Jan Pronk's blog entry picked up by the press: UN envoy calls for changes to Darfur peace plan (Reuters); UN envoy attacks Darfur agreement (BBC)

Mainstream media has taken three days to pick up on Jan Pronk's blog entry published here at Sudan Watch June 29.

It's the first time I've seen the press pay attention to any of Jan Pronk's blog entries. Not even when there were threats on his life. I wonder what's taken them so long. I guess it goes to prove a lot of journalists aren't on the ball, even when it comes to a superb source by an outstanding author with excellent photos.

Several months ago, I noticed a typo on the date of a post at the blog and emailed a short note to the contact address. A few days later I was surprised to receive a charming email from Mr Pronk himself, one that I shall treasure. I'm a fan of his and think he does a great job for the UN and works very hard to help broker peace in the Sudan. Excerpts from Reuters and the BBC:

July 1 2006 (Reuters Opheera McDoom) UN envoy calls for changes to Darfur peace plan:
Sudan's top U.N. official has said the Darfur peace deal should be amended to meet key rebel demands to save the foundering agreement, in an apparent shift from his previous statements.

Jan Pronk, on his Internet blog, said international guarantees of security, a more visible disarmament of the Arab militia and more compensation for war victims needed to be added to the pact. All these have been demanded by two rebel factions who refused to sign the May 5 deal. Angry protests have erupted in some Darfur refugee camps against the agreement.

"None of the deadlines agreed in the text of the agreement has been met. The African Union is in charge but it clearly lacks the capacity to lead the process of implementation," Pronk said in his blog, seen by Reuters on Saturday and dated June 28. Pronk has been mostly silent in the weeks since the deal, which two U.N. sources said was because he feared angering the AU, the lead player in Darfur. Pronk signed the May 5 deal as a witness and expressed his support for the text immediately after the signing ceremony. AU and U.N. officials declined to immediately comment on the blog. Pronk's comments are likely to cause friction between the pan-African body and the New York-based United Nations.
July 1 2006 (BBC) UN envoy attacks Darfur agreement:
The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, has said the Darfur peace agreement is in danger of collapse and needs re-writing. Writing his weblog, Mr Pronk called for security guarantees, more disarmament, and more compensation for victims. He said the pact does not resonate with the people of Darfur, describing it as "severely paralysed".
July 2 2006 (AP Lauren Frayer) via Washington Post UN: Darfur Peace Deal on Brink of Collapse:
CAIRO, Egypt -- The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan said on his personal blog that the Darfur peace agreement "does not resonate with the people" and is in danger of collapse. But Jan Pronk also wrote last week that the pact was still salvageable if revisions were made, calling it "a good text, an honest compromise." And he urged its quick implementation, saying, "it meets more and more resistance" as time passes.
July 2 2006 (inthenews.co.uk) Annan: Darfur out of control:
The AU's mandate in Darfur ends in the autumn, but the situation was today confused by the head of the UN's mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, who has criticised the Darfur peace agreement (DPA) signed earlier this year, despite originally being one of its main proponents. 'It is no wonder that the people in Darfur get the idea that the DPA is just another text without substance, like earlier ceasefire agreements, and is not meant to be kept,' he said on his personal website.

AU Summit news reports - AU chair calls for co-operation between AU, UN

Alpha Omar Konare, the African Union (AU) commission chairperson, has called for co-operation between the AU and the UN to ensure peace in conflict areas such as Somalia, Chad and Sudan. He was addressing the opening ceremony of the AU Heads of State Summit under way in the Gambian capital Banjul, SABC reported July 1, 2006.

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Snippets from some other news reports on the summit (more to be added here later, as and when I find them):

From AP's Heidi Vogt:
Even if resolutions are passed, African Union members aren't beholden to them and the body has little funding to pursue independent action.

"We think the African Union could be supported," rather than replaced, said Taj Elsir Mahjoub, a Sudanese delegate in Banjul.
From SABC/Reuters:
Konare said the Darfur situation was strongly influenced by tensions between Chad and Sudan, which have accused each other of supporting rebels on their territories. Chad said it was expelling all the Chadian members of an AU-peacekeeping force in Darfur.

Obstacles facing the AU

Konare said the AU should give "large-scale support" to Somalia's weak interim government, and encourage dialogue with Islamists now controlling Mogadishu and a large swathe of the country after defeating secular, US-backed warlords.

Despite the strong desire of African leaders to deal with Somalia and Darfur, it was clear after the preparatory meeting of foreign ministers earlier this week that there are big obstacles to a breakthrough on either issue.

In Darfur, the AU wants to hand over peacekeeping duties from its own under-resourced force of 7 000 troops to UN soldiers by September 30. But on Thursday, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, who is attending the summit, issued the latest in a series of uncompromising rejections of a UN deployment.

No leverage to pressure Bashir

Meanwhile, Western and African diplomats have said that despite widespread revulsion over massacres, rape and pillage in Darfur, the international community had hardly any leverage to pressure Bashir, whose consent is needed for a UN force.
From AP/NDTV:
African Union Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare directed delegates' attention to the desperate situation in Darfur in Sudan, and Somalia, where a hard-line Islamist regime is increasingly holding sway. He blamed rampant poverty for Africa's crises. [Sudan Watch ed: Is poverty really the reason or is it more to do with poor management and no legal/land rights among the poor? See Exclusive interview with Peruvian economist, Hernando de Soto: The poor are not the problem but the solution -- and What's Missing in the Darfur Sudan Debate: Addressing Property Rights Could Help Bring Peace]

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is from the West African nation of Ghana, told the leaders assembled in Gambia that the Darfur crisis is 'one of the worst nightmares in recent history.'
From Garowe /Somali news wires:
The President of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, which the world recognizes as northwest Somalia, will not be attending the African Union heads of state summit currently being hosted by Gambia.
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Photo: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, left and his wife arrive at the African Union summit in Banjul, Gambia Saturday, July 1 2006. (AP) Full report UN Annan, Africa leaders tackle Sudan, poverty via Sudan Tribune July 2, 2006.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Photo: Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (R) walks down a corridor after a meeting during the African Union summit in Gambia's capital Banjul July 1, 2006. (Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly/Yahoo News)

AU want former Chad pres Hissene Habre to stand trial

The African Union heads of state that have gathered in Gambia for a summit have called for former Chadian President Hissene Habre - accused of massive human rights violations - to stand trial for the allegations against him. - African News Dimension 1 July 2006.

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Photo: Hissene Habre (VOA file)

Chad rights victims expect justice from African Leaders

VOA News Joe Bavier, Banjul, 1 July 2006 - excerpt:

The AU established a panel of judicial experts to review the facts. But the identities of panel members were not released. And their report on how, where, and, even, if Habre should be tried has not been made public. However, outside the [AU] summit venue Friday, a lawyer for Habre, El Hadj Diouf, spoke to journalists holding a photocopy of what he said was the panel's report.

He said the report rejects the option of extradition to Belgium. It opted first for a trial in Senegal, but if that fails Habre could be brought to back to Chad, something seen as an impossibility for both the former president's supporters and opponents. Finally, if the other solutions fail, a special ad hoc court, similar to that established in Sierra Leone, could try him.

UPDATE: 2 July 2006 Lydia Polgreen NYT/IHT - Ex-Chad dictator to be tried in Senegal: A court in Senegal must try the former dictator of Chad for human rights violations that he is accused of committing during his eight year rule, an African Union panel said Sunday. President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal said at an African Union summit meeting here Sunday that he would comply with the request.

Tension mounts within Darfur SLM-Minawi streams - Better the devil you know, than the one you don't

Pinpointing the truth of what's behind the slippery marauding gangs of guerillas in the Sudan is like trying to nail down mercury. No doubt there will be more news of gun toting poseurs in the Sudan jockeying for media limelight this weekend as the AU summit begins. I am sick of reading about people who love making war and killing. They stink! Lock them up!
Excerpt from unsourced article at Sudan Tribune (Paris) June 30, 2006 Tension mounts within Darfur SLM-Minawi streams:
The SLM political advisor and external relations Secretary Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim, supported Friday the suspension of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) announced by the SLM spokesperson Esam Edin al-haj earlier this week.

Ibrahim said this suspension does not imply dissidence within the SLM except if the supporters of signed deal - within the movement - decide not to respect the point of view of Darfur people, SLA forces and members of the movement.

Some SLM delegation members in Khartoum disapproved al-Haj statement issued on 27 June. The SLM spokesperson announced the suspension of the DPA implementation saying SLM institutions not concerned by decision taken by those who are favourable to the peace deal.

Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim, was the head of the SLA's conference organising committee held at the end of October last year. He played a key role at Haskanita conference in the enthronization of Minni Minaw as SLM chairperson.

Slowly but surely cleavage is taking shape within the SLM-Minawi group, the anti-peace deal group says representing the main stream within the movement. Nonetheless, they insist on the necessity to maintain the unity of the rebel group.

Ibrahim underlines that since the day of the signing of DPA in Abuja it was agreed to hold an extraordinary conference to discuss the signed deal and determine a common position but the meeting is never held and advance delegations went to Khartoum to implement the DPA.

The SLM political advisor warned that the day where people will start to implement the security arrangements in the DPA they will verify who is really control the ground.

This development came in the same day where three Darfur rebel groups inked in Asmara the founding declaration of a new rebel National Redemption Front (NRF). Sudan Tribune has learned that the new group discusses with the SLM-Minawi mainstream how they can join the newly created platform.

The SLM led by Abdelwahid al-Nur refused to ink the NRF declaration because the secular al-Nur group rejects any alliance with the Islamist Khalil Ibrahim.
Would you vote any of these gun runners into government in order for them to work intelligently, efficiently, fairly on your behalf and spend your taxes honestly and wisely in your best interests? Me neither.

An old saying springs to mind here: "Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't know." Khartoum regime appears to work hard at holding Sudan together. It can't be easy. Sudan is the size of Europe. For sure, Messrs Bashir and Taha have nerves of steel and work extremely hard in their jobs. It's astonishing to read how much they deal with. The experience they've gained in government over the years cannot be surpassed. Surely it is in the best interests of Sudan and its neighbouring countries for the current regime to remain in power and make the most of the opportunities it now has to get the country out of debt. Sudan has so much going for it and could have a great future ahead. I'd like to see it make more of its history, culture, climate and weather and, given enough flowing water, create mass employment by expanding its agricultural base and not be so reliant on oil.

Sudanese parliament ratifies Darfur Peace Agreement

Sudanese parliament ratifies Darfur peace deal - July 1, 2006 Sudan Tribune:
The Sudanese federal parliament today ratified the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed between Sudanese government and one rebel faction last may with crushing majority.

The National Assembly in a session headed by the speaker, Ahmed Ibrahim Tahir, ratified the African Union brokered DPA with all members saying yes to the exception of one who voted nay, the state-run SUNA reported.

The National Assembly reaffirmed its support and backing for the agreement and called on the international community and the world organizations to fulfill their pledges of providing material support and assistance for the reconstruction of the region.

The Legislature has urged the parties that did not sign the agreement to join the Darfur-Darfur peace process, urging Sudanese people to come up with their assistance for the rehabilitation of the areas affected by the war.

The May 5 peace deal for Sudan’s western region was signed by only one of three rebel negotiating factions in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

The MPs have stressed during their deliberation their unequivocal support for the DPA.

Majzoub Khalifa, the Assistant to the President of the Republic and head of the government delegation to the peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, has stressed that the DPA has now entered the full implementation phase with the security arrangements committee and the committee for the release of the detainees having begun their activities.

Yasser Arman the head of the parliamentarian group of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has stressed that the movement backs the agreement, calling for opening the door of dialogue and reconciliation with all parties.

On 26 June in addressing a pro-ruling National Congress demonstration, the Speaker of the Assembly, al-Tahir, renewing Sudan’s rejection to any foreign troops.

He referred to the unanimous decision issued by the National Assembly in last February, which affirmed that it incarnated the unity of Sudan, saying that the independence of Sudan was declared from the Parliament "Once more, the parliament records a historic stance in rejecting any foreign troops in Darfur," al-Tahir told the crowds.

Sudan expels Chadian military from Darfur AU force

Reuters report says Sudan has ordered Chadian military personnel working with African Union truce monitors in Darfur to leave, the AU said today:
"Today all the Chadian representatives are gathered in el-Fasher and will leave," AU spokesman Noureddine Mezni said. "We regret this decision ... and urge all sides to use dialogue to resolve their differences peacefully," he added.

Chad mediated a ceasefire signed by the rebels and the government in April 2004 but the truce has been widely ignored by all sides. Under that deal a Chadian representative, as well as one from each of the two main rebel groups and a government official must accompany investigations of ceasefire violations.

Around 30 Chadians were to leave Darfur, Mezni said.
See June 30 2006 (Paris) unsourced article at Sudan Tribune July 1 - Chad is ready for dialogue with Sudan - FM - Chad and Sudan trade accusation of transgressing Tripoli agreement. Chad says Sudan continues to support Chadian rebel groups while Khartoum says N'djamena refused to deploy military observers though long the border as it is agreed.

Sudan's SPLM distances itself from Darfur UN rejection

July 1 2006 Sudan Tribune report (unsourced) Khartoum - Sudan's SPLM distances its self from Darfur UN rejection - Persistent rumours in Khartoum say that the Second Vice President Ali Osman Taha who is since two weeks in “holidays” in Turkey is angry on the handling of Darfur file by al-Bashir.

July 1 2006 Aljazeera report (Agencies) - Sudan squabbles over UN troops - SPLM has sharply criticised the National Congress Party, its partner in the national unity government, for rejecting UN peacekeepers in the country. Yasser Arman, SPLM spokesman, said his movement had not been consulted over the government stance rejecting the deployment of UN troops in Darfur region. He pointed out that the SPLM have no objections to the deployment of UN troops in Darfur.

Sudan suspicious of U.S. desire for international forces in Darfur

Unsourced article at Sudan Tribune July 1, 2006 - Sudan says opposed to UN force as it fears Darfur internationalisation - excerpt:
In an interview with the French magazine Etudes Geopolitiques, the Sudanese leader was quoted as saying he objected to a UN peacekeeping force because he was "suspicious of the desire of the United States to internationalise the Darfur conflict."

"We do not see the interest in an internationalisation, which could only complicate matters," he was quoted as saying.

"We have become seriously engaged in negotiations under the aegis of the African Union and we have reached an agreement," said al-Bechir.

"Having done all this and shown our goodwill we do not see why the matter should be referred to the UN Security Council applying Chapter Seven of the UN Charter."
See June 25 2006 Sudan Watch - "The right question should be: Why should international forces come into Darfur; what are the reasons for such an intervention?" - Bashir - copy:
Note these two quotes from June 23 Sapa report via Africast - US presses for international force in Darfur:

"The right question should be: Why should international forces come into Darfur; what are the reasons for such an intervention?" Beshir told reporters.

"You either get the approval of the government, as the government did for the African Union force and the Nato support, or you invade, and that's a very big, serious challenge," [US government] Zoellick said.

Friday, June 30, 2006

"The Human Potential for Peace" (Hugh Curran)

Hugh Curran On Bonobos, chimpanzees and potential for peace 30 June 2006, Bangornews. Excerpt:
Ninety-nine percent of history has been free of war." "War causes aggression, aggression does not cause war."

These two statements are a centerpiece of Douglas Fry's recent book, "The Human Potential for Peace," issued this year by Oxford Press. Most people assume that human history has always been subject to war and this is certainly true of the 20th century. Now that we are in the 21st century the world continues to experience wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Congo region, Darfur and Sri Lanka.

"The Human Potential for Peace" looks at the long history of both humans and primates and questions whether there is an inherent drive toward violence and war. Some anthropologists and archaeologists believe that humans are naturally aggressive and war-like, but the author states that there is no evidence of war among primates such as the Bonobos nor is there evidence of war among our remote ancestors, nor for that matter is there any evidence of war in most of human history.

Obviously there has been aggression and conflict but studies, that the author cites, indicate that our ancestors, as well as many indigenous peoples up to the present, learned methods of defusing violent confrontation before they could result in war.

In terms of primates, Bonobos are as closely related to humans as chimpanzees. Interestingly, in many studies of aggressive behavior among primates, Bonobos are often ignored even though studies show that they avoid aggressive behavior, preferring to stay away from conflict.
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Photo source: The Future of Bonobos: An Animal Akin to Ourselves

AU turns down democracy charter

African leaders have refused to adopt a democracy charter that would have made it more difficult for unpopular presidents to stay in office. - BBC

JEM-Ibrahim expands by forming alliance with SFDA & Darfur rebel holdouts to deal with all the issues of Sudan: National Redemption Front (NRF)

SudanTribune (unsourced article from Asmara) June 30, 2006 - copy in full:
Three Darfur rebel groups that have refused to sign up to an African Union-mediated peace deal for the troubled western Sudanese region formed a new alliance to fight Khartoum on Friday.

Officials from the groups created the National Redemption Front (NRF) after talks in the Eritrean capital and reaffirmed their opposition to the Abuja peace agreement, signed by only one rebel army and Khartoum in May.

The front is made up of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a holdout faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SFDA), according to a "founding declaration" released in Asmara.

"We, leaders of political and military organisations abstaining from signing the Abuja document ... reaffirm our rejection of that faulty process," they said in a statement.

"Realising the virtues of combining efforts and resources to end the suffering of our people, we hereby join hands in establishing the National Redemption Front (NRF), as an instrument for coordinating political, military, diplomatic and media initiatives," they said.

The declaration was signed by JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim, Khamis Abdalla Abakar of the dissident SLM faction and Sharif Harir and Ahmed Ibrahim Diraige from the SFDA, all of whom said the peace deal did not go far enough.

Ibrahim said after the creation of the new group that it would accept as members any other movement that opposed the Abuja agreement and the policies of the Sudanese government in general.

"This front is open to all other movements who do not accept the Abuja document," he said. "This front will not only deal with the Darfur issue but all the issues in Sudan."

There has been strong pressure on holdout groups to accept the AU-mediated Darfur peace agreement that aims to end three years of war in Darfur that have killed an estimated 300,000 people and displaced 2.4 million others.

The pan-African body has threatened sanctions on groups that do not sign the accord which was inked by Khartoum and the largest SLM faction in the Nigerian capital on May 5.

Friday's declaration of the new front came on the eve of a summit of AU leaders in Gambia who are expected to renew calls for Sudan to accept the transfer of the bloc's Darfur peacekeeping mission to the United Nations.

Decades of tribal fighting in Darfur erupted into all-out violence in 2003, when ethnic minority rebels took up arms, accusing the Arab government in Khartoum of neglect and calling for autonomy.
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IRIN Report Special on Whos Who: Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance - Opposition organisation based in Darfur - its chairman is Ahmad Ibrahim Dirayj.
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Feb 4 2004 IRIN report "Sudan: Dialogue On Humanitarian Access in Darfur" - reprinted at SPLM Today (site currently under construction)
Meanwhile, Chadian President Idriss Deby, who mediated in peace talks between the government and the SLA until they broke down in December, said on 2 February that he would renew his mediation efforts.

Both the SLA and the JEM, who have called for international mediators, have said publicly that they consider Deby too close to Khartoum to trust. The chairman of the SFDA, Ahmad Ibrahim Dirayj, told IRIN from London that he had met Taha in Kenya on 23 January and was now engaging in talks with the two rebel groups to try to bring about a ceasefire agreement.

He said the SFDA was pushing for unrestricted humanitarian access in Darfur, a protocol on the protection of civilians, and the disarming and disbanding of militias by the government.
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Feb 10, 2004 Eric Reeves op-ed: Khartoum Refuses to Attend Talks on Humanitarian Access for Darfur, February 10, 2004 - The Sudan Federal Alliance party, whose chairman Ahmad Ibrahim Dirayj is from Darfur, had also agreed to participate and help bring about a cease-fire, or at least a pause in fighting for humanitarian purposes.

Jun 30 2006 Sudan Tribune: Founding Declaration of Darfur's National Redemption Front