SLA's Minnawi nominated as head of Darfur Authority

Going by their recent commentary, some pundits like Flint (July 12, 2006 Where is the African Union in Darfur?) and Reeves (July 11, 2006 Darfur Security in Freefall: Humanitarian Collapse May Occur Any Moment) - who make themselves patently clear they are onside with SLM-Nur and against SLA-Minnawi - seem to see it as wrong that the two main signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement, namely SLA's Minnawi and the Government of Sudan, are working together to implement the peace deal.

So what? Dissident rebels brainwashing their followers into dismissing ceasefires and peace deals have been given every opportunity to join the peace movement. When and where do you draw the line? Why shouldn't insurgents be treated as outlaws? From what I can gather, outlaws and their supporters (pundits included) have their caps set on pulling down the Darfur Peace Agreement and the fledgling African Union and its mission in Darfur. It seems obvious they and their followers are the ones who want to see the peace deal in tatters and a UN operation in Darfur. I wonder why.

Here is news of Minnawi's nomination as head of Darfur Authority. The pundits don't say where it leaves SLM's Nur. Note also how they don't address such issues (or when it comes to their calls for military intervention, that of the ICC and list of 51 names). Maybe the secret communications rumoured to be taking place between Nur and GoS will result in a position being created for Nur? Clearly it pays to be a rebel. Crime pays. They get away with murder and entry visas into Europe and the USA.

SLM's Minawi nominated for Senior Assistant to the President post AP reported 13 July 2006 (via Sudan Tribune). Excerpt:

Sudan has taken the first toward appointing a Darfur rebel leader as head of the administration that will run the western region once peace has been restored. The Sudan Liberation Army, the only rebel group that signed the Darfur Peace Agreement on May 5, nominated its leader, Minni Minnawi, to the post of senior assistant to Sudan’s president in meeting with a presidential adviser on Tuesday night, state media reported.

Once endorsed by President Omar al-Bashir - considered a formality - the position will make Minnawi the head of what will be the Darfur Authority, the administration that will run Darfur as an autonomous part of Sudan once the terms of the peace accord have been implemented.

"This is a historic day for our country," Samani al-Wasilah, the state minister for foreign affairs, told the official Sudan Media Center after the SLA delegation handed the nomination to presidential adviser Majzoub Khalifa. "Sons of the homeland have come together to cement the pillars of peace and work together to implement the Darfur Peace Accord."

The UN chief envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, expressed "concern" Wednesday about the ongoing harassment of civilians and attacks, but he did not blame any specific group.

Pronk told reporters in Khartoum that even the rebels who do not support the May 5 accord - such as a breakaway faction of the SLA and the Justice and Equality Movement - were obliged to observe the cease-fire signed in 2004.

Minnawi himself told reporters in Cairo on Tuesday that the only achievement of the DPA was that the cease-fire was holding in some places.

"(In) some of the area now, there is a cease-fire 100 percent. The government respected the cease-fire and also our troops are respecting the cease-fire," he said.

Speaking before the Tuesday night meeting, Minnawi said he would accept the nomination if it were made, and that he would soon return to Sudan. He did not give a date.

After the president has endorsed Minnawi’s appointment, it will have to be ratified by Sudan’s parliament, but this is considered a mere procedure.

The DPA sought to put a stop to three years of fighting between several rebel groups and pro-government forces that have killed 200,000 people and displaced another 2 million. The agreement is not popular in the refugee camps, where many people have tribal links to the leader of the breakaway SLA faction and argue that the peace terms are inadequate.

Sudanese government and SLM's Nur hold secret contacts

Regardless of what the pundits say and make up as they go along, sitting in their armchairs thousands of miles away from Africa, we know only a tiny fraction of what goes on in Sudan, a country the size of Europe.

Since none of us during wartime knows what goes on politically behind the scenes and in secrecy, one wonders how Darfurians in refugee camps can have an informed opinion on whether a peace deal is good for them or not.

According to the Sudan Tribune, Sudan's plan to disarm the Janjaweed was given to the African Union on July 8, 2006. Perhaps this accounts for the lull in media reports. A donors conference is due to take place in Brussels July 18 to raise funds for the AU Mission in Darfur/reconstruction of Darfur. Surely the donors will want to know how much money is needed and why. Will the funding required support the AU troops in Darfur from Sept 30 thru to the year's end, or longer?

Here's another thing that could account for the lull in news reports re the AU. According to a report by the Sudan Tribune 11 July 2006, its sources say the Sudanese government seeks to convince holdout rebel group SLM-Nur to join the Darfur peace agreement and that contacts are going on between the two parties. Excerpt from the report:

Sudanese government launched secret contacts with the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid al-Nur in a move to convince him to join DPA. According to ST sources, Khartoum made several concessions in term of compensations and political representation but al-Nur insists on the International guaranties particularly in the disarmament of the Janjaweed militia, and the UN role in the peacekeeping mission.

The expected visit of the Sudanese First Vice President to Asmara should pushes in this direction to persuade Nur to join the peace deal with the signing of complement document.

The Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi is also involved in these contacts with al-Nur; a delegation of his movement was in Tripoli to present their point of view to the Libyan official last June.

A dissident group from al-Nur SLM provoked a surprise in Khartoum by declaring their nomination of Abdelwahid al-Nur for the position for the position of the Assistant of the President of the Republic.

Ibrahim Abdeldayem al-Sideiq, the spokesperson of the SLM (Free Will), a faction from al-Nur group which joined the DPA in June, said they hope that al-Nur would join peace agreement soon.

Nur says he will sign the peace deal, but only if first the government accepts some of his key demands in an annex accord.

The demands include greater compensation from Khartoum for Darfur war victims and greater SLA involvement in monitoring the disarmament of the Janjaweed and the return home of refugees.

Further engagement with Sudan needed on UN Darfur force, peacekeeping chief says

Misunderstandings between the Government of Sudan and the international community concerning a proposed UN mission in Darfur must be cleared up if the peace agreement it is meant to support is to be successful, the UN's top peacekeeping official said July 12, 2006. UN News Centre report July 12, 2006 - excerpt:

"There was not enough engagement," Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the press after briefing the Security Council on his discussions with Sudanese President Omar al Bashir and other African leaders on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit meeting held in Banjul earlier this month.

In his talks with President al Bashir in Banjul, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that there was agreement on the need to immediately strengthen the AU mission in Darfur (AMIS) and to consolidate the peace accord in that region, which has seen scores of thousands of people killed and over 2 million displaced.

However, the Sudanese President's agreement on the deployment of a UN force, which peacekeeping officials have said was needed by January 2007 to fully implement the peace accord, was not secured in the talks, Mr. Guehenno said, although progress had been made in dispelling any notion that such a force would have any "colonial" or other hidden objectives.

"The international community is interested in Darfur because it is interested in helping the people of Sudan and the Government of Sudan in establishing the authority of the State and peace and security throughout the territory," the peacekeeping chief said he stressed.

Mr. Guehenno also emphasized that further engagement with the Government was needed. "I think we need to continue that discussion, because clearly the Government of Sudan has to be a part of the solution."

In any case, he said it was important to strengthen AMIS and make sure that the situation in Darfur does not deteriorate in the next six months, and for that reason he said he had highlighted to the Council the importance of a conference aimed at supporting the AU mission, to be held on 18 July in Brussels.

Absence of constitution in Nuba mountains affects affairs of the state

According to the Sudan Tribune today, a senior member of the Nuba community has blamed the lack of services in southern Kordofan State on the absence of a state constitution. Report excerpt:

Speaking at a meeting of Nuba traditional leaders in Kadugli last week, Nuba Relief Rehabilitation Development Organization Executive Director Lazim Suleiman said the delay in passing the Southern Kordofan's state constitution will affect the affairs of the state.

He told Sudan Radio Service that the state's constitution will provide the basis for the state government to provide services to its people.

"In this partnership we want the people to have a clear basis to provide services to the people who lived the war for not less than 21 years. So any negative impact will appear on the traditional leaders because they are basic of any development and peace. Therefore if the peace, a real peace could be created it will be by the traditional leaders", Lazim Suleiman.

Suleiman also urged traditional leaders to know their role in bringing lasting peace to Sudan, saying it would be traditional leaders who could make the greatest impact.

Southern Sudan's ex rebel group SPLM needs representatives with in-depth oil industry knowledge

An agreement to end more than 20 years of civil war in south Sudan has been violated and its implementation especially in the oil-rich Abyei region is behind schedule, a commission monitoring the deal said on Wednesday, Reuters reported 12 July 2006 (via Sudan Tribune). Excerpt:

"There is a growing sense of frustration and disappointment among the people about what they perceive as a lack of progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)," Assessment and Evaluation Commission Chairman Tom Vraalsen told reporters in Khartoum.

"I don't think any of the two parties when they signed the CPA ... (in) January last year, fully recognised the challenges ahead of them," said Vraalsen, who refused to appoint blame for the CPA's slow implementation and violation.

He highlighted the deadlock over the status of the Abyei region, which contains one of Sudan's two largest oil fields. Sudan pumps around 500,000 barrels per day of crude.

The region has a special autonomous status with the right to vote in a referendum on joining the north or a possible separate south in 2011.

The dispute over whether it will go to the north or the south has created instability in the area and hampered aid efforts.

Note, the report points out that analysts have said another obstacle to the petroleum commission's work is the lack of SPLM representatives with in-depth oil industry knowledge. The commission's mandate includes examining oil output and oil contracts.



Photo: A Sudanese man cries as he holds a SPLM flag, Wednesday, May 26, 2004 as he waits for the signing of the last three protocols between the Sudan govt and SPLM in Naivasha, Kenya (AP).

After peace, wild life returns to South Sudan

The stamp of approval on the prevailing peace and tranquility and the success of the CPA have been given by the wild animals who are returning to the jungles of South Sudan. Yes, herds of wild elephants and other animals have been spotted throughout the forests of South Sudan. Why these wild animals have fled these forests earlier and why are they coming back now?

Read more by Luc Kodah, an Indian chap in Sudan who blogs under the name of Parakkodan at Sudan - A Personal Experience.



Photo: Elephants at Nimule (Luc Kodah) via Sudan Tribune 12 July 2006.

What makes the UN believe its peacekeepers would be able to protect civilians better than AU peacekeepers?

It would seem from the following report that UN aid chief Jan Egeland thinks UN peacekeepers would be able to protect civilians better than the current AU force. I wonder what makes him think so. The UN Mission in Southern Sudan is, as far as I can tell, under Chapter 6 mandate. A UN force in Darfur without Chapter 7 mandate would meet far more resistance than the existing AU Mission in Darfur.

I cannot understand why AMIS is allowed to be under resourced, demoralised and hamstrung. Its mandate in Darfur is to monitor a ceasefire agreement, not as a Chapter 7 protection force. Critics ought to give the AU troops the credit they deserve. Overall, they've carried out their duties professionally, proving themselves to be patient, disciplined, diplomatic and great ambassadors of their home countries. So what if rebel supporters prefer UN (read money) to AU - they should be thankful for the help they are getting against all odds, it's a lot more than what civilians are getting in northern Uganda where far worse things are going on. I've read that doubling of peacekeepers in Darfur - or even increasing the numbers by tens of thousands - would not make much difference unless the warring parties are serious about wanting peace. Greedy ruthless power hungry leaders of rebel groups SLM-Nur and JEM/NFR-Ibrahim aren't going to play second fiddle to SLA's Minnawi, are they? They're all wannabe John Garang's. None show great leadership skills or qualities making them fit to govern. Using a gun to fight for what you want is one thing, holding a position in government is very different.

Mr Egeland told a news conference on Tuesday that the mainstream rebel faction, led by Minni Arcua Minnawi, was in conflict with splinter factions of the SLA, Reuters' Evelyn Leopold reported July 12, 2006. Excerpt: SLA infighting had resulted in indiscriminate killings, rape, looting and the displacement of some 8,000 civilians over the past 10 days alone, Egeland said.

"It is heartbreaking to see that what the SLA groups had rightfully accused the Janjaweed of doing they are now doing themselves to the civilian population caught in the crossfire," he said.

Egeland said there were reports that government security forces were supporting attacks against splinter groups of the SLA. They were using white helicopters, the same color that the African Union, the United Nations and relief groups fly.

"This is again a violation of international principles and a dire threat to U.N. staff who go on the white helicopters that are neutral and impartial and should not be attacked," Egeland said.

He also said that humanitarian workers throughout Darfur were being attacked "on an almost daily basis."

Egeland said United Nations peacekeepers, which the Khartoum government opposes, were sorely needed because the 7,000-strong African Union monitoring force, the only bulwark against atrocities, was "not able to protect effectively the civilian population" nor humanitarian staff.

New York Times' reporting on Darfur worsens

Note how Nicholas Kristof, an American columnist for the New York Times, informs his readers of the complex situation in Sudan. In his latest commentary entitled Darfur: When Genocide Worsens he concludes by saying:

So here's a suggestion: Let's charter a few cargo planes to carry the corpses of hundreds of new victims from Darfur and Chad to the U.N. The butchered victims of Darfur could lie in state as a memorial to global indifference - and as a spur to become serious about the first genocide of the 21st century.

Also, among other pieces of his advice, he tells his readers:

"we need to press Europeans to become more involved."

What a cheek. Which Europeans does he speak of? Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany , Greece, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Netherlands, United Kingdom and all the other members of the European Union? Not to mention other European countries like Norway, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia? As if they've not been heavily involved all along. If it weren't for the European Union, the African Union and its peacekeepers would not even exist!

Kristof makes my blood boil. He fails to properly inform his readers. Perhaps he thinks they are more stupid than himself.

Julie Flint: Planning for the all-Darfur conference now

Commentary in The Daily Star Where is the African Union in Darfur? by Julie Flint July 12, 2006. Excerpt:

More force - whether in the shape of a NATO force or another foreign army - will only add fuel to the fire in Darfur. A UN force to replace the present AU mission is rejected, with increasing conviction, by the Sudanese government. Without a change of heart in Khartoum, UN peacekeepers would have to fight their way into Darfur. The lesson of Abuja is inescapable now: There is no quick fix, and no lasting peace that is not both consensual and comprehensive.

With the conclusion of the Abuja talks, there is no political process, no table around which Darfurians can sit to thrash out their outstanding differences and seek to resolve them. Priority must be given to creating a new forum - perhaps through the Darfur Joint Commission, in which all parties to the conflict, including the dissident rebel factions, are represented. The UN and the AU's Abuja partners - the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Italy and the Netherlands - must take the lead in planning for the all-Darfur conference now.

Related reports

Mar 30 2006 Darfur-Darfur dialogue (DDDC) to be organised after signing of Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)

SLA rebel Minnawi invited to Washington later this month

The U.S. has invited the Darfur rebel leader who agreed to peace with Sudan to visit Washington amid signs the American-brokered accord is in danger of unraveling because of infighting and violence against civilians, Bloomberg's Janine Zacharia in Washington reported July 11, 2006. Excerpt:

Minni Arkou Minnawi, leader of one of two feuding factions within the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army that has warred with the central government in Khartoum, will visit later this month for about a week, a State Department official who asked not to be identified said. The discussions with U.S. officials will explore how to get other rebels to sign the accord.

Among rebel leaders in Darfur, only Minnawi was persuaded by U.S. negotiator Robert Zoellick to support the power-sharing agreement in May. Now Minnawi is facing rising opposition to his leadership among commanders in northern Darfur, including those from his Zaghawa ethnic group, according to the United Nations.

The State Department official said Minnawi's itinerary was still being determined, including whether he would confer with Bush at the White House. National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said late yesterday he had nothing to announce about the president's schedule.

To entice Minnawi to sign the Darfur agreement, Bush promised the rebel chief in a personal letter that the U.S. "will strongly support implementation of the peace accord" and will insist that any party not cooperating "be held accountable by the UN Security Council.''

The State Department official described reports about new violence by Minnawi's faction as part of a pattern though not on the scale seen earlier in the conflict.

Straight out of the African bush into a five star Washington lifestyle rubbing shoulders with GW Bush eh? It pays to be a rebel. I've not yet seen any reports that explain how SLA's Minnawi, SLM's Nur and JEM/NFR's Ibrahim fit into the one position of power they all covet, ie Vice Presidency of Darfur.

Peace loving American activist Jay McGinley calls for 20,000-30,000 peacekeepers in Darfur

American activist Jay McGinley has published a blog entry calling for 20,000 - 30,000 peacekeepers (preferably African Union and non-Western UN) to be on the ground in Darfur, beginning October 1. Jay concludes by saying:

"I am open to any appropriate way to go to nonviolent war as long as it equates to fighting to win and doing the very best that we can do."

Note, in the blog entry, Jay quotes the late great Mahatma Gandhi. Wish I could find a piece I'd read about Gandhi's thoughts on Africa: he'd said something like "there can only be African solutions to African problems".

The current AU Mission in Darfur costs $1 billion per year. A donors conference is due to take place soon in Belgium to raise more funds for AU peacekeeepers in Darfur.

Surely peace is in the hands of the Sudanese people and rebels. I'd like to see the Sudanese people who left their country to receive an education in the West, return home to share knowledge, skills and expertise and pull together to get drinking water flowing across the Sudan. Water is key to Sudan's future and survival.



"My life is my message" - M.K.Gandhi

Sep 30 2004 M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence - First Annual Gandhian Nonviolence Conference October 8-9, 2004

"Open Letters to the President of Sudan"

Here's an excerpt from a blog entry I wrote here at Sudan Watch 22 April 2005:

... A few days ago, I was on the verge of giving up blogging about Darfur. Posting nearly every day for one year seemed pointless and too disheartening. So many rubbish news reports and propaganda around. Politicians and bloggers don't have much to say. It was sickening seeing Darfur news reports churned out again like a repeat from last year ... shortage of food ... short of funds ... rainy season coming ... janjaweed still attacking. Out of frustration, I experimented with starting up a blog to post "Open Letters to the President of Sudan" in a lateral thinking effort to gain some understanding of what is really going on and why peace is taking so long. I even toyed with the idea of sending President Bashir a copy of Mahatma Gandhi's Autobiography "The Story of My Experiments With Truth" via Amazon.com. But within 24 hours, I deleted the whole thing after realising what a complete waste of time and energy it would be trying to make contact with someone who doesn't even care to understand his own people, nevermind us. ...



Found on the Internet - source unknown

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "While abhorring segregation, we shall love the segregationist. This is the only way to create the beloved community."

Over and over, he stressed separating the doer from the deed. He believed this was a crucial element to nonviolent struggle not only because of the moral obligation to love our enemies, but because he knew that part of the "truth-force" that Gandhi taught was to understand that men are neither gods nor devils to be falsely exalted by either praise or scorn. A beloved community relies upon honesty and equality, which are both endangered when anyone is given the powerful and illusive label of "bad guy."

Plagiarism at Sudan Tribune - Darfur Minawi group denies UN "accusations" of rape and killing

Once again, the Sudan Tribune has published an article without referencing source and/or author. Stealing the work of news reporters and passing it off as their own is blatant plagiarism. It's hard work trying to figure out the source of their reprints. They've allowed themselves to get away with it for too long.

Yesterday, here at Sudan Watch, I noted a UN Sudan Situation Report containing news from AMIS about an SLM-Nur informant alleging rape and murder by SLA-Minnawi faction. The Sudan Tribune headlined the story as "UN accuses Darfur SLM-Minawi of rape, murder" - they'd copied a report by Sapa/AFP, inserted a few extra words, created a title and passed it off as their own work.

Today, the Sudan Tribune published another unsourced article entitled Darfur Minawi group denies UN accusations of rape and killing. Excerpt:

A Darfur rebel faction, which signed a May peace deal for the western Sudanese region, denied accusation published in a UN report s of raping and murdering civilians in an offensive against rebel holdouts.

A spokesman for the Minnawi faction, Mahjoub Hussein, denied these charges Monday in an interview with the pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera.

We officially reject this statement made by the UN, and we demand an immediate international investigation," said Hussein, wearing a camouflage shirt. "These allegations are an attempt to tarnish the image of the movement."

The UN mission issued "situation reports" for Sunday and Monday that reported numerous attacks in North Darfur, particularly around Um Sidir, Tawilla and northwest of El Fasher. Most of the incidents were reportedly cases of the Minawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Army attacking the Abdelwahid faction of the same rebel group.

Minni Minawi, the overall leader of the SLA, signed the May 5 accord, but Abdelwahid Elnur, the leader of a breakaway faction, rejected it.

"Intra SLA fighting in and around Tawilla has forced the displacement of about 4,000 Internally Displaced Persons," the UN reported.

The report quoted the refugees as accusing the Minnawi faction of raping, kidnapping and killing people indiscriminately in the Tawilla district.

"One Internally Displaced Person alleged he witnessed 15 young women being raped and then killed," said the UN situation report for Sunday.

Decades of low-level clashes in Darfur over land and water erupted in early 2003 when ethnic Africans took up arms against the Arab-led government in Khartoum, which responded with a counter-insurgency campaign that is accused of widespread atrocities.

The conflict has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2 million. Some 235,000 refugees from Darfur fled across the border into Chad. And an estimated 50,000 Chadians have fled their homes near the border in recent months.

As noted here previously, the UN merely reported an allegation made to AMIS by an SLM-Nur informant.

I'm tired of propaganda and self serving warmongers. James Smith of Aegis Trust managed to get his opinion piece in The Times (see here below). From what I can gather, no other news reports have emerged counteracting claims by the head of AMIS that - contrary to what the AU president announced at the AU summit - the AU is pulling out of Darfur on September 30. Note September 30 is the date when Save Darfur organisation in Washington DC has another rally planned.

July 7 2006 Bad reporting has made Darfur's conflict worse, and might even lead to an unnecessary international war (Reuters)

July 10 2006 Self-Service & Kiosk Association - Kiosks add impact to Clooney genocide exhibit: Nick [Clooney] collaborated with Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center to exhibit the work. The museum staff opted to use kiosks with the exhibit, to offer immediacy and interactivity. They draw foot traffic to the exhibit with a looping five minute video, narrated by Nick. The exhibit runs June 14 through July 15.

July 11 2006 James Smith, Aegis Trust - The clock ticks. Sudan heads for disaster: The world seems to be turning away from the refugees of Darfur - but the United Nations has a duty to act. A COUNTDOWN of less than 90 days has begun until the vulnerable people of Darfur are abandoned by world leaders who cannot make a decision - whether to protect them or leave them at the mercy of a Government that has killed at least a quarter of a million and driven millions more from their land. The scene is set for the world's worst humanitarian crisis to tip from bad to worse.

UN Sudan Situation Report 10 July 2006

United Nations Sudan Situation Report 10 Jul 2006 by the UN Country Team in Sudan - via ReliefWeb.

Douglas Farah: Intelligence report links Al Qaeda to Janjaweed in Sudan

Not sure about this opinion piece but I am filing it here for future reference as it claims a recent international intelligence document says there are credible reports that a cadre of about 15 al Qaeda operatives in Sudan are providing training to troops under the control of Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal.

See July 10 2006 Douglas Farah opinion piece entitled Intelligence Report Links Al Qaeda to Janjaweed in Sudan. Excerpt:

The confidential report says the trainers are foreigners who have arrived in Sudan from Kenya, Mali, Libya, Somalia and southern Egypt, and possibly Yemen. There are indications the cadre came out of Afghanistan and Iraq to join the janjaweed for training and combat.

The report suggests that in the last week of April 2006, Arab militia have left from Kabkabiya, Misteria and Fata Borno. Their movement has allegedly been ordered by the prominent Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal.

Hilal who is allegedly being supported by Al Osman Mohamed Taha (VP) has recently received 20 Toyota vehicles from VP Taha. It was also reported that the go-between person for VP Taha and Musa Hilal is a military officer whose name is Saeed (last name not yet known). Assisting him in some of his efforts is a person called Mohamed Suleiman Rabi who is a "waha" or chief of some of the Arab Nomads especially around the Mallit area.

Other report suggests that an Arab chief by the name of Mohamed Quiness Toe (last name spelt phonetically) who is from the Old Rashead tribe, received 17 vehicles from an unknown sponsor who then transported them to Giri village, one of the three suspected training camps.

UN Sudan Situation Report 9 July 2006 - AU helicopter shot at - Bashir stresses no more negotiations on Darfur

United Nations Sudan Situation Report 9 July 2006 by the UN Country Team in Sudan - excerpts:

On 7 July, Vice President Taha returned to Sudan. At the airport, he told the press that he had interrupted his holiday because of the difficult circumstances facing the country. On 8 July, local media reported a close-door meeting between President Bashir and SVP Taha at the President s residence to discuss recent developments in the country. Comment: Arab-language press has been reporting allegations on the differences between the two, particularly on the role of the UN in Darfur. On 6 July, President Bashir publicly denied a rift, saying that the rumours were fabricated by the media.

On 8 July, at the opening ceremony of the New Manshiya Bridge, President Bashir restated his opposition to international forces in Darfur. He called for Darfur rebel groups to join the peace process and stressed that there would not be more negotiations on Darfur.

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service on 7 July, Cabinet Affairs Minister in the Government of National Unity, Deng Alor Kual called on the NCP to implement the Abyei Protocol.

North Darfur - Security:

On 8 July, a G-19 senior field commander (SLA/AW (Abdul Wahid)) reported that Birmaza (G-19 controlled-area) was under attack by SLA/MM (Minni Minnawi) rebels. A Government Antonov aircraft joined by a white helicopter was observed circling the area. Further investigations revealed that it was a white Government helicopter which passed over the town heading in the direction of Muzbat. Comment: As a result of this renewed and potential ongoing fighting, UNDSS issued warnings to UNMIS, UN Agencies and NGO's through OCHA that operations in the above reported areas should be reviewed and suspended until further notice.

On 8 July, an AMIS helicopter was shot at by unknown individuals carrying an unidentified projectile(s) 12 km Northeast of Shangil Tobayi. The helicopter was completing an air patrol at a 100 meter altitude with about 12 passengers. No further information is available. Comment: UNDSS has temporarily restricted flights to the area.

On 8 July, a G-19 senior field commander confirmed that SLA/MM rebels, allegedly supported by SAF troops from El Fasher, attacked and captured Umm Sidir (G-19 controlled-area, 90 km North of El Fasher).

On 7 July, SLA/MM rebels attacked Al Aradib Ashara and Faiga villages, both under SLA/AW (Abdul Wahid) influence. Three people were reported killed and one was injured.

On 5 July, the SLA/MM and SLA/AW factions were reported fighting in the SLA/AW controlled village of Tina (12 km Southwest of Tawilla). The SLA/MM rebels were based from Susuwa (Southwest of Tawilla). A SLA/AW senior field commander had also participated in the fight with his forces.

On 5 July, SLA/MM rebels attacked the villages Dalim, Kathim and Birka (about 40 km Northwest of El Fasher) which were most likely under SLA/AW influence. The number of injured civilians and large number of stolen livestock is unconfirmed.

AMIS reported that on 6 July, a town leader of Birka village (60 km West of Tawilla) was killed by SLA/MM rebels during the on going fighting between SLA/MM and SLA/AW in the Korma general area. The SLA/MM rebels travelled into the town via Dali IDP Camp (Southest of Tawilla).

Protection: Intra SLA fighting in and around Tawilla has forced the displacement of about 4,000 IDPs.

On 8 July, AMIS reported that about 650 new IDPs, mostly women and children, arrived in Zam Zam camp who fled from the ongoing fighting between SLA factions in the Tawilla area. All newly arrived IDPs belong to the Fur tribe and fled from 21 villages; Koyo, Kera, Kosheny, Sandingo, Karfolla, Dady, Hashaba, Saby, Khor Mally, Dybis, Hymeda, Dolma, Dawa, Wadadi, M Saleat, Dally, Nemera, D Ba, Carhma, Daybo and Abdia. The IDPs alleged that the SLA/MM faction was indiscriminately killing, raping women and abducting Fur civilians in Tawilla. One IDP alleged he witnessed fifteen young women being raped and then killed. He further alleged that about forty men were kidnapped and believed to have been executed. The general security situation was reported to be tense.

South Darfur - Security:

On 7 July, unknown armed men attacked a Government military camp at the outskirts of Duma (40 km North of Nyala). Two soldiers were killed.

On 6 July, Falata armed militia ambushed some Habaniya traders in Ragag (50 km Northwest of Buram) killing seven Habaniya tribesmen. In retaliation, on 7 July, fighting between armed militias of the Falata and Habaniya tribes continued. 15 people were killed from both sides. Government police and military reinforcements were sent to the area. The Commissioners of Buram and Tulus Localities held meetings with the Umdas and tribal leaders to resolve the problem.

On 7 July, two IDPs from Kalma IDP Camp were shot dead near Arbaha village (400 meters north-east of Kalma Camp).

On 7 July, two armed men in military uniform attacked a convoy of three UN Agency contracted commercial trucks carrying humanitarian supplies from El Obeid to El Geneina. They beat the drivers and looted about 75,000 SD and their mobile phones.

On 6 July, armed men attacked an UN Agency contracted commercial truck in Tortahan (53 km Southeast of Nyala) with 24 passengers while travelling from El Deain to Nyala. The truck overturned and 17 passengers were injured.

On 6 July, armed militia attacked the village of Saadon (2 km North of Gereida). In retaliation, Masalite tribesmen pursued them, however, eleven of the tribesmen were killed and seven wounded.

West Darfur: NSTR

Southern Sudan - Security:

On 6 July, inter-clan fighting was reported in the area between Bhar el Naam and Pacong (20km Southwest of Rumbek). Six people were reported killed. Comment: On 6 July, SRRC Rumbek advised UN agencies and UNMIS that the area should be considered insecure until further notice. WFP missions were cancelled as result of the fighting.

Due to recent ambushes on the Juba-Mangalla and Juba -Torit roads, all UN agencies and implementing partners are advised to use armed escorts on these roads and movements should be cleared by the Deputy Designated Official (DDO) through UNDSS in Southern Sudan prior to departure. UN agency staff is advised to contact the Security Office in Juba three days before travelling on these routes so armed escorts can be arranged.

Humanitarian:

On 7 July, a barge carrying 1,000 spontaneous returnees in which 14 cases of cholera were confirmed left Bor. The passengers destined to Bor disembarked despite requests that they remain on board until the cholera cases were stabilized.

An INGO clinic received 21 new cases of Hepatitis A from 3 to 5 July in Wau town. An unconfirmed report on a high number of recent deaths following this outbreak was reported.

On 8 July, an IOM convoy carrying 205 IDPs left Yei to arrive at the Lologo way station near Juba.

On 7 July, Yei County celebrated the second Girl Child Education Day with the Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly as a keynote speaker. There are 27,000 students in Yei 22,000 in primary schools and 5,000 in secondary schools. Speakers urged parents to stop the practice of the early marriages for girls and to encourage them to pursue their education so that they can fill the 25% of GoSS positions allocated for women. Civil Affairs:

On 7 July, the Jonglei Task Group, left for Akobo (Central Jonglei) to monitor the disarmament process and civilian arms control. The project is geared towards the disarmament, monitoring the process according to the UNMIS mandate, working to build confidence and supporting the CPA by reducing the resistance against the process.

According to an assessment mission undertaken by NGOs, displaced people in Mvolo (Western Equatoria State), from tribal clashes in May in Wulu County (Lakes State), are in urgent need of food, as well as Non-Food Items (NFI) such as sheets for shelter. Reconciliation activities are unlikely to be carried out until the needs of the displaced people are met, and they return to their villages.

Eastern Sudan: NSTR

[Source: Unified Mission Analysis Centre (UMAC), United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) , Khartoum, Sudan via ReliefWeb]

SLM-Nur informant accuses SLA-Minnawi of rape and murder - Sudan Tribune's misleading report

July 10, 2006 article by Sapa-AFP (via IOL) entitled Darfur rebels accused of rape and murder cites a UN Situation Report as its source. I haven't as yet found the UN report. Sapa-AFP article states, quote

One of the displaced said he had witnessed 15 young women "being raped and then killed" by fighters of the mainstream SLM faction of Minni Minnawi, the report said.

The same informant charged that about 40 men were kidnapped and "were believed to have been executed", it added, noting that the general security situation was reported to be tense.

Note, the informant making the accusations is onside with SLM/A-Nur, the rebel group fighting against SLM/A-Minnawi. Only one eyewitness?

An unsourced article July 9, 2006 at the Sudan Tribune July 10, 2006, apart from a few word changes, copies all of AFP's text but changes the title to "UN accuses Darfur SLM-Minawi of rape, murder". Eh? According to the text, the UN simply reported the accusation, it did not make the accusation. This is a good example of my gripe with the anonymously owned Sudan Tribune website based in France. I am beginning to suspect their selection of material is biased against SLM-Minnawi, Sudan's President Bashir and the Darfur Peace Agreement.

UPDATE: Excerpt from United Nations Sudan Situation Report 09 Jul 2006 (via ReliefWeb), source of above reports by Sapa/AFP and Sudan Tribune:

Intra SLA fighting in and around Tawilla has forced the displacement of about 4,000 IDPs.

On 8 July, AMIS reported that about 650 new IDPs, mostly women and children, arrived in Zam Zam camp who fled from the ongoing fighting between SLA factions in the Tawilla area. All newly arrived IDPs belong to the Fur tribe and fled from 21 villages; Koyo, Kera, Kosheny, Sandingo, Karfolla, Dady, Hashaba, Saby, Khor Mally, Dybis, Hymeda, Dolma, Dawa, Wadadi, M Saleat, Dally, Nemera, D Ba, Carhma, Daybo and Abdia.

The IDPs alleged that the SLA/MM faction was indiscriminately killing, raping women and abducting Fur civilians in Tawilla.

One IDP alleged he witnessed fifteen young women being raped and then killed. He further alleged that about forty men were kidnapped and believed to have been executed. The general security situation was reported to be tense.

So, it turns out the African Union logged the allegation and UN Country Team included it in their situation July 9 report. Where does the UN report say the UN accuses Darfur SLM-Minawi of rape, murder? Shame on you Sudan Tribune: start naming the authors of all the articles you publish. I would have thought an AU helicopter being shot at and statement publicly made by the Sudanese president is verifiable hard news, not hearsay and propaganda.

Oxfam temporarily closes two offices in North Darfur

The Oxfam aid organisation has temporarily closed two of its offices in Darfur after the abduction of a Sudanese employee. The man was seized by gunmen who hijacked an Oxfam vehicle two months ago and remains missing, BBC reported 10 July 2006. Excerpt:

The two offices that have been closed - Saraf Omra and Birka Seira - are in North Darfur.

Oxfam's programmes in the surrounding villages and camps for the displaced have been providing more than 50,000 people with clean water, sanitation facilities, hygiene education and assistance to improve their livelihoods. Oxfam says it has taken steps to try to ensure that many needs will continue to be met.

Paul Smith-Lomas, Oxfam's regional director, said: "Since the abduction we have been working tirelessly with the African Union, the UN, government authorities and local communities to try and locate him, without success."

SLA-Minnawi warns DPA needed to be better publicised - Minnawi due in Khartoum soon

July 9 2006 SLA optimistic on peace deal despite setbacks - Reuters report - excerpt:

Mahgoub Hussein, Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) rebel group spokesman and member of a team sent to Khartoum to implement the May 5 peace deal, said the agreement was widely accepted and that the Khartoum government was earnest in seeking peace.

"There is widespread acceptance of the deal among the people, and we must implement it so the people ... will feel there's a real change in their lives," Hussein told Reuters.

"We think the government is working with earnestness in this matter and it wants to achieve peace in the province," he added.

Hussein acknowledged the setbacks, and warned the Khartoum government against using delaying tactics and acting on the deal without clarity and transparency. He also said the peace deal needed to be better publicised to overcome public reservations.

"The movement has not yet received an official copy of the government's plans pertaining to the disarmament of the Janjaweed...We think this is negligence, and one of the negative points we hold against the Sudanese government," Hussein said.

Minni Arcua Minnawi, the leader of the SLA faction which signed the peace deal, is due to arrive in Khartoum within days, Hussein said. His visit will be the first since signing.

Sudan's plan to disarm Janjaweed given to AU July 8, 2006?

Second Vice-President Osman Taha who arrived Friday night resumed Saturday his duties at his office at the Republican Palace following a three-week vacation in Istanbul, Turkey, in a way to show unity and cohesion among the leadership of the ruling National Congress party, unsourced article unsourced article from Khartoum at Sudan Tribune July 8, 2006. Copy:

Taha was briefed on the Eastern Sudan peace talks' preparation by the head of the governmental team for negotiations with the Eastern Front, Mustafa Osman Ismail. The presidential advisor informed the vice president on the content of the Declaration of Principles and the ceasefire agreement signed with rebels.

He also received the minister of national defence, Maj-Gen Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein who enlightened him on the security arrangements and coordination with SLM-Minawi faction which signed the Darfur peace Agreement with the Sudanese government last may.

The minister said the plan to disarm the Janjaweed militias will be presented to the African Union Saturday 8 July. Hussein said Sudanese troops have arrived in Hamrat al-Shaykh in Northern Kordofan State and that a security plan to defend it has been put in place.

Taha discussed with the Energy and Mining Minister Awad al-Jaz, means to develop mining industy in the country and directed al-Jaz to study Turkish experience in this field.

All these media covered meetings are orchestrated in a manner to deny rumours on Taha's differences with Bashir and to show a coherent party.

Rumors circulated in Khartoum about his differences with the Sudanese president and his possible resignation or dismissal. The two men have different positions on the question of the deployment of the Blue helmets in the war-torn region of Darfur.

Taha, accompanied by the members of his family, was received at Khartoum International airport Friday night by the minister of national Defense, Lt. Gen Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, and minister of presidential affairs, Gen Bakri Hassan Salih and number of ministers.

Sudan ready to militarily confront rebels who oppose DPA

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir said Saturday evening his government is ready to militarily confront rebels who oppose the Darfur peace agreement, Kuwait News Agency reported 9 July 2006 - Willing to act by military means on Darfur peace agreement -- Bashir. Copy in full:

In a public speech before a crowd of Sudanese yesterday, Al-Bashir stressed he opposes entry of international forces to Darfur and the requests by rebels regarding modifying the agreement. He said the government will not allow a new colonization to Sudan.

"Colonists are the ones who started wars among the people of the country and claimed Darfur is neglected to justify the implementation of their own hidden agendas," he added.

The Sudanese government and the major resistance groups signed last April a peace agreement to end the conflict in the region. However, the groups later announced the end of ceasefire and launched a wide-range attack on Hamrat Al-Sheikh city in Kordofan region, neighboring Darfur.

AU to pull out of Darfur 30 Sept? Aegis Trust calls for UN intervention - with or without Sudan's consent

What to make of a statement (see below) by the Head of the African Union Mission in Darfur? The erroneous news reports to which he refers, were widespread via IRIN, Reuters, VOA and many others because the AU Chairman, Denis Sassou Nguesso, announced to the press at the AU Summit in Gambia that the AU had agreed to a UN request to extend the mandate of its military mission in Darfur by three months until the end of 2006 - quote:

"On the request of the secretary-general, the African Union will continue to fulfil its mission until the end of the year," said Sassou Nguesso, the president of the Congo Republic, who holds the rotating AU presidency.

So, what's going on? Which of the reports, listed here below, are true? What on earth do Aegis think they are doing calling for war on Sudan? Are they proposing a UN force invades Darfur without Sudan's permission and without a UN resolution (China and Russia would never agree)? I don't get their crazy thinking. It makes no sense. See Aegis Overview - Who We Are, I can't believe peace loving people like Desmond Tutu would approve of the warmongering stance taken by Aegis.

From Jerry Fowler (U.S.) 7 July 2006 - Mixed Signals:

The UK's Aegis Trust today posted an interview with the head of the AU Mission in Sudan, Baba Gana Kingibe, in which he denies that any decision was taken at the Banjul summit to extend the AU mission in Sudan past September 30. Kingibe insists that the AU will not stay past that date unless Khartoum agrees to a transition to a UN force, which case the AU would be "willing to hold the fort until such time as the UN is ready and able to come in." As I noted earlier this week, press accounts out of the Banjul summit indicated that the AU had agreed to extend its mandate at the request of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

From Aegis Trust (UK) 7 July 2006 - AU to pull out of Darfur 30 Sept: Aegis calls for UN intervention - with or without Sudan's consent:

Because World leaders cannot make a decision on Darfur, the little protection there is for civilians in this western region of Sudan will be gone in three months.

Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Head of the African Union Mission in Darfur, confirmed yesterday that contrary to widespread media reports, the AU will pull its troops out of Darfur on 30 September unless Sudan gives its consent for a transition to a UN force.

"The African Union Peace and Security Council did take a decision that the mandate of the African Union forces would be ended on the 30th of September," he stated in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, London. "There is no change to that date."

From Aegis Trust (UK) press release via AllAfrica 7 July 2006 - Sudan: No Protection for Darfur from 30 September - AU to Pull Out :

Because World leaders cannot make a decision on Darfur, the little protection there is for civilians in this western region of Sudan will be gone in three months.

Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Head of the African Union Mission in Darfur, confirmed yesterday that contrary to widespread media reports, the AU will pull its troops out of Darfur on 30 September unless Sudan gives its consent for a transition to a UN force.

"The African Union Peace and Security Council did take a decision that the mandate of the African Union forces would be ended on the 30th of September," he stated in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, London. "There is no change to that date."

Addressing mistaken reports that the AU had now decided to stay on to 31 December, he added, "What could have been misunderstood as a change of that date to the end of the year is the address given by Kofi Annan, in which he requested that the African Union should consider extending its mandate to 31st December. But at the end of the day, 30th of September was retained."

Speaking to the Aegis Trust, Ambassador Kingibe stated, "If the Government of the Sudan gives its consent for a UN deployment, we will be willing to hold the fort until such time as the UN is ready and able to come in." (Aegis' interview with the Ambassador can be viewed online at www.aegistrust.org)

Aegis calls for UN intervention with or without Sudan's consent

In the wake of Ambassador Kingibe's comments and recent developments, the Aegis Trust is calling for a UN force to be sent to Darfur under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, with or without Sudan's consent, comprising troops from middle powers.

Aegis is calling for the objectives of this UN force to include securing humanitarian access to the three million people dependent on international aid; providing protection for the women, who are daily attacked and raped; and securing the safe return of the 2.5 million displaced people back to their land across Darfur.

To meet these objectives, Aegis recommends that the force be authorised to neutralise the Janjaweed militia, facilitate implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement, and arrest anyone indicted by the ICC.

"We said that the situation in Darfur is going from bad to worse, and the AU pull-out scheduled for 30 September is the worst news possible," says Dr James Smith, Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust.

"It will be better if the Sudanese Government agrees to an orderly transition to a UN force, but provision of international protection for Darfur's civilians cannot be left at the mercy of Khartoum. Far from protecting its citizens, Khartoum has already demonstrated its readiness to systematically destroy them.

"Whether or not the nations of the UN Security Council move beyond reliance on Khartoum's consent will show quite clearly whether or not the international commitment to the "responsibility to protect" - made at the World Summit in September 2005 - is worth more than the paper it's written on. Twelve weeks are left. It's decision-time - today."

- - -

AU MISSION IN DARFUR: MANDATE EXTENDED UNTIL END OF 2006

From Sudan Watch 2 July 2006 Reuters report via The Age - 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, 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.

From IRIN 2 July 2006 SUDAN: AU mission extended to year-end but no deal on UN force:

The African Union has extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Sudan until the end of 2006, and Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir has agreed to the reinforcement of the AU presence, but he fell short of agreeing to the eventual deployment of a full UN force for the region. Congo president Denis Sassou Nguesso, who holds the revolving AU presidency, later told reporters that the African Union had agreed to the Secretary General's call for "flexibility" on their deadline for troops to pull out. "On the request of the secretary general, the AU will continue to fulfill its mission until the end of the year," Sassou Nguesso said.

From Voice of America 3 July 2006 - AU Summit Extends Peacekeeping in Darfur:

African leaders meeting at an African Union summit in Gambia on Sunday agreed to extend the mandate of their peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region until at least December. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan failed to convince Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir to allow U.N. peacekeepers to replace the seven-thousand AU forces trying to protect civilians in Darfur till September. Sudan maintains it does not need an international intervention by the U.N. But Mr. Annan, speaking on the last day of the summit Sunday, said the talks with Sudan will continue. He said is optimistic U.N. peacekeepers in time will be deployed in Darfur. "I, of course, will continue to press for the eventual deployment of U.N. forces in Darfur. On this point we agreed that the dialogue had to continue," Mr. Annan says. "In the meantime, President Bashir said he would prepare a plan for the next six months, which he would submit to me by the end of the month." Meanwhile, AU leaders agreed to a United Nations request to extend the AU peacekeeping operations in Darfur until the end of the year.

From Agencies via Aljazeera.net 3 July 2006 - AU extends Darfur peacekeeping role:

The African Union on Sunday agreed to extend its peacekeeping role in the Darfur region of Sudan by three months until the end of 2006. The under equipped AU force of 7,000 had been due to handover to the UN at the end of September. Sudan, however, has so far refused to allow UN peackeepers into the country. Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, asked the AU to extend its mission during their weekend conference in the Gambia capital Banjul. "On the request of the secretary-general, the African Union will continue to fulfil its mission until the end of the year," said Sassou Nguesso, the president of the Congo Republic, who holds the rotating AU presidency.

From Reuters July 2 via Sudan Tribune July 3 - African Union extends Darfur force to end of 2006:

The African Union agreed on Sunday to a U.N. request to extend the mandate of its military mission in Sudan's violent Darfur region by three months until the end of 2006, its chairman Denis Sassou Nguesso said.

- - -

UPDATE: July 11 2006 James Smith of Aegis Trust commentary in The Times The clock ticks. Sudan heads for disaster: The world seems to be turning away from the refugees of Darfur - but the United Nations has a duty to act. A COUNTDOWN of less than 90 days has begun until the vulnerable people of Darfur are abandoned by world leaders who cannot make a decision - whether to protect them or leave them at the mercy of a Government that has killed at least a quarter of a million and driven millions more from their land. The scene is set for the world's worst humanitarian crisis to tip from bad to worse.

SLA's Minnawi in Egypt calls on Chad and Khartoum to stop supporting certain groups

AFP report Egypt urged to support peace effort in Darfur July 7, 2006 via Gulf Times:

On his arrival at Cairo airport on Wednesday, Minnawi said that clashes in the Darfur town of Kordofan which killed 12 people on Monday were "a security issue not a political one."

He called on Chad and Khartoum to stop supporting certain groups "in order to achieve stability in the country."

UN not permitted to broadcast in N Sudan even though it is part of mandate given to UNMIS by Security Council

Last weekend UN radio Miraya (Mirror) FM 101 started to broadcast in Juba, the capital of southern Sudan, and in a circle around the city with a diameter of about two hundred kilometers. In the North we are not yet welcome... Read more by UN SRSG Jan Pronk, blog entry July 7, 2006. Excerpt:

In North Sudan press freedom has improved a lot after the lifting of censorship last year. There are many media and they can be quite critical in their commentaries. However, there is not much independent news gathering. In particular about the war and the atrocities in Darfur information in the Sudanese press has been very limited. Until mid last year this was due to censorship. After the lifting of the censorship the information hardly improved, mainly because the media lack the necessary means of communication. They have been able to publish about the peace talks and to give information about the different political views, but not about the situation on the ground.

The United Nations has not yet been given a license to broadcast in North Sudan. It is part of the mandate given to us by the Security Council, like in other peace keeping missions, but we have not been able to start broadcasting. In the so-called Status of the Forces Agreement, which was reached between the UN and the Government, it has been mentioned explicitly that we would have the right to do so, but the exercise of this right in practice has met all kinds of difficulties.

One of the tasks mandated to us is to give information about the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and the South. Amongst the people of Sudan, in both the North and the South, knowledge about the peace agreement is still deficient. We also have the duty to picture unity of Sudan as "the attractive option". For both objectives radio can be a good platform. Since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement radio could also help to present a true picture of the content of that agreement. It would be no luxury, because there are many interest groups in Sudan sketching a distorted picture about what has been agreed. As a result this agreement is meeting much more resistance than perhaps might be warranted in in the view of some, after a good reading. However, even though the Government and the African Union have said that it is highly necessary to counter the false stories told to the displaced people in the camps with true facts, UN radio has not been given the permission to do so.

It is not a matter of national sovereignty. As I said above, according to the agreement signed by the government itself, we have the right to start radio broadcasting. It is clearly a matter of distrust. In North Sudan the United Nations are being seen by many as not their own international organization, with a charter agreed and signed also by Sudan, acting as a buffer and guarantee against the ambitions of other countries, and with a capacity to neutralize the hidden agenda of those countries. On the contrary, many people in Sudan see the UN as an alien entity, as an instrument in the hands of the big powers, not to be trusted.

That this is a wrong perception we have to prove each and every day again. To prove that the UN can be trusted is a daily challenge. We can provide this proof in the way we exercise our peace keeping tasks, carry out our diplomacy, and behave ourselves on the ground. This challenge keeps us alert. We can also prove this with the help of UN radio: impartial, based on world wide agreed principles and values, with due respect for the culture and the traditions of the Sudanese people, giving them an opportunity to be heard.

Radio Miraya has started to broadcast in this spirit. I hope that policy makers in the North will listen and become convinced that the people in the North deserve the same opportunity to look in the mirror as those in the South.

Photo: U.N special envoy for Sudan Jan Pronk gestures during a news conference in Sudan's capital Khartoum, July 6, 2006, on the escalating violence in the volatile Darfur region. (Mohamed Nureldin/Reuters)

Bad reporting has made Darfur's conflict worse, and might even lead to an unnecessary international war (Reuters)

This item is music to my ears as it echoes much of what I have attempted to articulate here many times before. I am copying it here in full as Reuters' online reports often seem to disappear.

Darfur's accidental warmongers by Ruth Gidley and Mark Snelling, Alertnet journalists, Reuters AlertNet Newsblog, July 7, 2006 [via POTP]:

Bad reporting has made Darfur's conflict worse, and might even lead to an unnecessary international war, a British journalist argues.

Sloppy journalism has prolonged war in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region and could end up complicit in another Western invasion. It's a strong claim, but journalist Jonathan Steele of the Guardian newspaper can back it up with a good argument.

Speaking at a conference organised by the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) in London, he says a lot of reporting on Darfur has oversimplified a complex conflict so much that it's given some of the players in the war the idea they've got enough international backing to keep fighting.

In their eagerness to paint Khartoum's hardline Islamist government as the baddies, reports have failed to point out the rebels' many failings, he says, including the humanitarian problems that they themselves have created.

But Steele is not letting Khartoum or the government-backed "Janjaweed" militia off the hook. "I'm not saying the rebels did more than the government-backed militia. And I'm not trying to equate two sides as though they were equally guilty."

But, he says: "In making heroes of the rebels and constantly calling for sanctions, it's had the knock-on effect of making rebels more intransigent."

The mainstream media, especially in the United States, has tried to portray Darfur with the same template it used to depict Sudan's north-south war - which, in the broad brushstrokes of standard wire agency reporting, pitted a largely Christian and animist south against Khartoum's Islamist government forces from the Arab-influenced north.

As a result, it took a lot of journalists a while to find out there weren't any oppressed Christians in Darfur. And once they learnt it wasn't about religion, they portrayed it as a conflict between government-backed Arabs and Africans, and assumed that slavery was an issue.

They largely ignored the tension between pastoralist peoples and nomads which have led to stretched resources, against a backdrop of ecological disaster and rising population as the desert encroaches from the north.

Steele says the media were quick to demand sanctions and intervention, ignoring a peace process which couldn't be shown on camera.

It's sloppy journalism, but does it matter? Steele argues that making the conflict into a moral argument could have catastrophic consequences.

"It has all the hallmarks of the run-up to the West's last three wars (Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq)," he says.

Other experts at the RUSI conference paint no less grim a picture. Aid is now hard to deliver except by plane because of bandit attacks, Bob Arnot of aid agency umbrella group Operation Lifeline says.

Urbanisation is also a big theme in Darfur. Some human rights activists say the government has deliberately tried to put people into cities where they're easier to control. Whether it's a policy or an accident of war, Darfur's urban population has risen dramatically.

The town of Nyala in south Sudan has swollen to 1.5 million people, up from a population of 300,000 in 1999, according to Professor Sean O'Fahey of the Norwegian University of Bergen. "It's now the second-largest town in Sudan," he says.

Photo: Women hold the weapons belonging to the Sudanese Liberation Army fighters at Galap camp (Reuters)

Sudan's Bashir denies difference with VP Taha over UN force takeover in Darfur

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir stressed the cohesiveness of the Government of National Unity adding that the rumours regarding differences between him and the vice-president Ali Osman Taha are totally untrue and have been fabricated by the media - SudanTribune reported July 6, 2006:

His denial comes after persistent rumors in the Sudanese capital about al-Bashir-Taha row over the UN force takeover in Darfur. Contrary to Bashir, Taha seems favorable to transfer the peacekeeping mission from the African Union to the United Nations.

It is admitted that Bashir-Taha difference dates back to the formation of the Government of National Unity after the signing of the Comprehensive peace Agreement signed with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

Taha sought to nominate ministers who should be favorable to the CPA, also he wanted to renew the ruling party by promoting new figures. But Bashir chose to keep the old guard who is against the peace deal like Nafei Ali Nafei, Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, Majzoub al-Khalifa and others.

Interview: Alfred Taban of Khartoum Monitor takes a closer look at the Darfur Peace Agreement

Click here for podcast at VOGP blog and listen to Jerry Fowler's talk with Alfred Taban, Publisher and Chairman of the Khartoum Monitor, Sudan's only independent English-language daily newspaper, about the Darfur Peace Agreement, the situation in South Sudan and the challenges Taban faces as the Publisher of the Khartoum Monitor.

UN mission accomplished in eastern Sudan

A senior UN official said on Thursday that UN observers would pull out of eastern Sudan since forces of the former rebel SPLM had withdrawn from the region according to a peace agreement it signed with the government in January 2005 - Xinhua/ST reported 6 July 2006:

Jan Pronk, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Sudan, told reporters that since the tasks of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) were completed in the Kassala state under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the mission's offices and operations will be closed and phased out.

He further explained that after the completion of redeployment of thousands SPLM troops from eastern Sudan last month, the mission of UNMIS in the region was accomplished.

On a recent attack by rebels on Hamrat al-Sheikh town in North Kordofan state in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, the UN envoy described the attack as a serious event, hoping that it would not have adverse effects on the Darfur peace process.

"It remains to be seen if that attack would mark the beginning of a new strategy to extend hostilities outside Darfur by the holdout rebel groups behind the assault or if it was just an isolated attack," Pronk said.

He added that the UNMIS would be closely watching the situation and its potential consequences for the peace process.

JEM/NRF insists attack on Hamrat al-Sheikh, N Kordofan was not a violation of ceasefire that applies only to Darfur

July 4 2006 Middle East Online report - 12 killed as Darfur conflict spills over - excerpt:

Officials from the groups created the National Redemption Front (NRF) after talks in the Eritrean capital and reaffirmed their opposition to the Abuja agreement.

The front is made up of the JEM, a holdout faction of the SLM, and the Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance, according to a "founding declaration" which was released in Asmara.

According to the Khartoum daily Al-Sahafa, the NRF claimed the attack on the town of Hamrat al-Sheikh.

"The parties which have not signed the Abuja agreement wanted to deliver a message to the government they are a force that cannot be ignored and that they are demanding a comprehensive peace," NRF leaders said in the claim.

Al-Sahafa quoted an NSF field commander, Abubakr Hamid, as saying his forces would "withdraw from the town today (Tuesday), or tomorrow in two groups, one heading east towards Khartoum and another north toward the Northern State."

The Front "possesses a strike force that can reach any region in the Sudan," he warned, while insisting the attack was not a violation of the ceasefire agreement which he said "applies only to Darfur."

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)

July 3 2006 JEM-NRF rebels attack Hamra al-Sheikh town in North Kordofan, Sudanese planes deployed - GoS

July 3 2006 United Nations Sudan Situation Report 02 July 2006: 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.

July 6 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

Darfur Peace Agreement: Alex de Waal suggests a more comprehensive approach to the key issue of disarmament

In his opinion piece Darfur's fragile peace (Open Democracy 5 July 2006 - via CFD and POTP) Alex de Waal suggests that a collapse of the Darfur Peace Agreement could be averted by a more comprehensive approach to the key issue of disarmament.

In short, a piece-by-piece plan over 5 years; key is the vision of what the Darfur peacekeeping mission is there to do; ask clan elders what their problems are and work collaboratively to solve them. Excerpts:

- A purely military solution to the janjaweed problem would be large, long and costly. The basic rule of thumb for suppressing insurgencies is that a force ration of ten to one is required. This implies an intervention force of 200,000 for an indefinite period.

- There are many reasons to criticise the Darfur Peace Agreement. But its provisions for disarming the janjaweed are not among them.

- It is not at all clear that the Sudan government could actually disarm them [janjaweed]. The army doesn't have much control outside its main garrisons and it certainly doesn't have the capacity to force the janjaweed to submit.

- The trick is to break the problem down into manageable chunks and deal with them one by one. This is precisely what the DPA does.

- It will take time to collect weapons - a minimum of five years, according to specialists - but the fruits in terms of increased security will be seen much earlier.

Among those who helped to design the Darfurian template in the DPA were former guerrillas and military officers who had run similar programmes in Ethiopia and Somaliland, as well as other parts of Sudan. They advised patience: a painstaking process of building confidence was first necessary. Peacekeeping troops would be necessary, but as long as they built up good relations with local leaders, their "force multiplier" would be those tribal chiefs themselves.

This approach points to a different kind of foreign intervention: smaller, smarter, and with a long-term perspective. Numbers, armaments and mandate may be important, but the key is the vision of what the mission is there to do. A force commander who knows that his troops will be on the ground for five years at least, and who regards tribal leaders and the commanders of community defence groups as his allies in a collective effort, will do far more with far less. A robust, quick reaction force may be needed for trouble-spots and to inspire confidence, but it should be ancillary to the main objective of the mission.

This is not fanciful. The level of bloodshed and turmoil in rural Somalia in 1993 was no less than Darfur today. 30,000 United States marines failed to control it. The last outpost outside Mogadishu where the marines remained was the town of Baardheere (Bardera) and the surrounding area. It was the toughest assignment and nobody wanted to take it over from a full-strength mechanized marine battalion with air support.

Finally, 200 Botswanans came in, with open-sided desert vehicles, no armour and no helicopters. "You'll never go outside the base", advised the departing American colonel. Within six weeks the Botswanans had made more progress in controlling the district than the Americans had made in six months. Their approach was simple: they asked the clan elders what their problems were and worked collaboratively to solve them.

Similarly, a few dozen unarmed ceasefire monitors kept the peace in the Nuba mountains, in the Kordofan region of Sudan that neighbours Darfur, for three years, following a conflict that was in many ways just as vicious as in Darfur.

Note, Alex de Waal concludes by saying:

At the time of writing, it seems likely that a number of factors – the failure of the Abdul Wahid Mohamed Nur faction of the SLM to sign the agreement, the weakness of the Minni Minawi faction (which has signed), widespread distrust of the Khartoum government, and the incapacity of the African Union – will soon make the Darfur Peace Agreement a dead letter. An historic opportunity will have gone by. But the basic formula of a solution will remain unchanged.

Alex de Waal is a fellow of the Global Equity Initiative at Harvard University, and a director of Justice Africa. He has been an advisor to the African Union mediation group facilitating the Darfur peace negotiations. His books include Famine that Kills: Darfur, Sudan, 1984-5 (Oxford University Press, 1989; revised edition, 2005), Islamism and Its Enemies in the Horn of Africa (Indiana University Press, 2004), and (with Julie Flint) Darfur: A Short History of a Long War (Zed Books, 2006). Also by Alex de Waal in openDemocracy: "The African state and global governance" (30 May 2003)

Pronk on DPA: It's non-implementation of the text which is creating a problem, not the text - See the agreement as a step towards further agreements

Jan Pronk, the top UN envoy in Sudan on Thursday said fighting in Darfur has continued despite the peace deal, and key deadlines, including receiving Khartoum's crucial plan to disarm pro-government militias by June 22, have been missed with no repercussions, Reuters reported 6 July 2006 (via Sudan Tribune) excerpt:

Pronk said more needed to be done to address peace deal violations, and defended the peace agreement, which he had signed as a witness and helped broker by urging rebels to agree to the text.

"A peace agreement which is not getting the support of the majority ... is not sustainable. But then the technical question is, should you wait until everybody is in agreement? Or can you see the agreement as a step toward further agreements?" he said.

"The first priority is implementation, implementation, implementation ... It's non-implementation of the text which is creating a problem, not the text," he added.

Aegis rally in London against Sudanese minister Alzubeir Beshir Taha allegedly involved in Darfur killing

In London today, refugees from Darfur will rally outside the Royal United Services Institute from 10:00am to 2:00pm, activist group Aegis Trust said in a press release July 5, 2006. The rally is against the visiting Sudanese minister of Interior who is allegedly one of 17 names recommended by a UN report for his support to Arab militia in Darfur. Excerpt:

"While it is important that all parties to the conflict strive for a peaceful settlement, it is unethical to give a platform to a man such as [Alzubeir Beshir] Taha, liable to have the blood of hundreds of thousands of people on his hands," says Dr James Smith, Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust for genocide prevention, which coordinates the 'Protect Darfur' campaign. "If the British Government shares the UN view that Taha is an obstacle to peace, surely it's wrong to allow him the chance to grandstand at an international conference."

Photo: Alzubeir Beshir Taha

Note, the Sudanese government signed the Darfur Peace Agreement. The rebel holdouts are the obstacle to peace in Darfur, choosing to attack and kill their own people instead of fighting to get what they want using non-violent means. Why are suspected criminals and others connected to criminal elements in the Sudan permitted entry to the UK?

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

Eritrea has denied supporting Darfur rebels who attacked Hamrat al-Sheikh locality in north Kordofan; an Eritrean official said Darfur rebels are waiting to meet Sudanese First Vice President Salva Kiir in the coming days, Sudan Tribune reported July 5, 2006.

Note, the report points out the Eritrean official did not elaborate which rebel group would meet Kiir, Abdelwahid al-Nur of SLM, or the recently established National Redemption Front (NRF).

Also, analysts say that Hamrat al-Sheikh attack was planned by one of the NRF factions before its foundation and is attributed to the NRF just to advertise the newly sealed front.

Feb 8 2006 UN says Eritrea, Libya, Chad supply arms to Sudan's Darfur rebels and SPLM/A provided training and arms to SLM/A.

April 21 2005 Sudan Watch: Eritrean president says "war is imminent" - Eritrea determined to form new opposition front.

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.

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]