UN warns Darfur's aid operation may collapse

Snippets from today's Reuters report on latest UN statement on Darfur - UN warns Darfur's aid operation may collapse:

"The humanitarian community cannot indefinitely assure the survival of the population in Darfur if insecurity continues," said the statement from 14 U.N. agencies working in Sudan.

Darfur humanitarian operation, employing almost 14,000 aid workers and costing more than $1 billion.

Foreign journalists have been banned from travelling to Darfur for the past two months to report on the situation.

Many aid groups refuse to travel with an AU escort in Darfur, saying the force itself has become a target for attacks and is unable to defend them.

Dangerous place Africa.

Pope Benedict XVI names new ambassador for Sudan

Sudan has over 40 million inhabitants, the majority Muslim; 12% of the population is Catholic. - (Zenit.org) via Sudan Tribune

Darfur NRF to reject AU mediation if Sudan accedes to African presidency

Sudan is to assume chair of AU by end of this month? Sudan Tribune publishes statement by NRF rebels threatening to reject AU mediation if Sudan accedes to African presidency. It seems to me what is going on in Darfur is a long drawn out attempted coup. Some days I think IDPs may as well just stand up and start walking, forget about Sudan, settle elsewhere and get on with life.

UN Pronk says harrassment of UNMIS has intensified

From Jan Pronk Weblog January 14, 2007:

In November and December the position of the Government of Sudan has become stronger. The Security Council has failed to address violations of earlier agreements concerning peace in Darfur. On the contrary, the Government has been accommodated in order to get some concessions. These will not result in a change of the situation on the ground. [edit]

Harassment of the UN Mission in Sudan has intensified during the last two months. Sudanese authorities can easily resort to such harassment, because they have not been challenged by UN Headquarters in New York, nor by the Security Council or by Governments of Member States. Some weeks ago one of our officials went to see the authorities in Darfur in order to raise a number of violations of human rights. The answer was exemplary for the self-confidence of those who have chosen to disregard any form of criticism: "You better shut up. We can always expel you, as we have proven".

Full story.

Darfur: A tragedy without end (Eric Reeves)

Excerpt from a comment by khartoumi published at Guardian's Comment is free/Eric Reeves' A tragedy without end:

(2) Sudan Tribune is an exile oppositionist on-line journal (based in Paris), who as such have no qualms about reporting materials unfavourable to the regime in Khartoum.

(5) It will certainly come as a surprise to the Libyan and Egyptian peoples that because they happen to speak Arabic, that a careful expert on affairs Arab and African happens to believe that they are, after all, Arabs.

(8) My wife happens to come from the West of Sudan, with relatives in Darfur itself.

(9) I am resident in Sudan. Neither Eric, nor you, as far as I am aware is so well placed to comment on affairs Sudanese.

Also, excerpt from comment by @MsWoman and @Helen01

As PapaKarl points out, Eric Reeves is a very questionable source. For instance, I find his gaff about the political composition of the Sudanese government very revealing. If anyone should know that the at-Turabi Islamic Front are *not* the government of Sudan, it is Professor Reeves. If he does not, then he is to be discounted. If he does, then he is being maliciously deceptive.

Sudan qualifies for debt relief but no relief has come - Bank of Sudan chief sees 2007 growth up to 13 pct

As from Wednesday the Sudanese pound will begin to replace the dinar, at a rate of 1 pound to 100 dinar. Therefore, $1 = 201 Sudanese dinar = approx 2 Sudanese pounds. See Reuters report Jan 10 2007 via ST - and this excerpt about Sudan being denied debt relief:

The governor said a huge drawback to Sudan's growth was the external debt of around $27 billion.

Sudan has met all the IMF and World Bank requirements to qualify for debt relief as many developing countries have, but for political reasons no relief has come.

Almost 50 percent of Sudan's external debt is accumulated interest or penalties and 90-95 percent of it is overdue.

Ongoing violence in Sudan's western Darfur region and U.S. sanctions are seen as reasons why it has not been given debt relief.

"The debt size is actually depriving us from getting access to international financial markets ... we are completely deprived of any concessional resources ...either bilateral or from multilateral development institutions," Hassan said. ($1 - 201 Sudanese dinar)

If, like other countries, Sudan qualifies for debt relief, it ought to receive what is fair. I might have scoffed at that a few years ago but not now, not since I saw SLM-Nur walking away from Darfur's Peace Agreement.

200 die in Darfur during week of intertribal battles

Jan 13 2007 AP report (via WP) by Mohamed Osman, tells us:

More than 200 people have died in clashes between ethnic African farmers and nomadic Arabs in South Darfur in the past week, leading the Sudanese government to send emissaries to try to reconcile the tribes involved, officials said Saturday.

Is this true? That the clashes are between Africans and Arabs? I'm still not understanding. In my eyes, they are all Sudanese, fighting their own people.

Creation of a new rebel group in Darfur, Great Sudan Liberation Movement (GSLM)

Slippery eels. A new Darfur rebel group has been announced last week by a breakaway faction of SLM - Minni Minawi group who signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on 5 May 2006. See first statement of the Great Suydan Liberation Movement.

JEM has not agreed to 60-day Darfur truce

You'd think journalists would check their facts before printing stories, ie phone JEM to ask if they've agreed a 60 day ceasefire before publishing reports based on a press release. Thanks to an anonymous reader for sharing link to JEM statement 12/1/07 Darfur rebel JEM denies 60-day truce with Sudanese government, via ST. Here is no surprise, excerpt from the statement:

The Meeting has never discussed the Movements entering into a 60-day truce at all. However, Mr. Richardson informed us that he had convinced President Albasheer to accept such a ceasefire. For our part, we restricted our commitment to N'djamena Protocol and have never debated the 60-day agreement.

The above JEM is a breakaway faction of Ibrahim's JEM that joined Darfur's NRF rebel group.
- - -

Excerpt from commentary at World War 4 Report - Darfur: JEM denies ceasefire:

Big news is that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has brokered a ceasefire in Darfur. The small news is that no, he really didn't. And maybe, contrary to media portrayals, the JEM is correct not to take the bait, given that previous "ceasefires" have only co-opted Darfur's guerilla resistance into instruments of the Sudan regime's ethnic cleansing.

UK Parliamentary briefing on Sudan

Today, via email from a Sudan Watch reader, here in the UK - with thanks:

Wanabehuman: Politics: Parliamentary briefing on Sudan

Sudan, Darfur rebels agree 60-day ceasefire (Reuters)

Today's Reuters report by Opheera McDoom - excerpt:

Richardson said that while no agreement had been reached yet to let in U.N. fighting troops, Bashir was not as hardline in the latest discussions as he had been last year.

"I note flexibility in his position," he said. "When I first was here five months ago he was dead set against any U.N. troops. Now there's some flexibility as ... there are technical U.N. blue-helmeted troops that will be permitted." "Not fighting troops ... but it is progress," he said.

Bashir wrote to former U.N. chief Kofi Annan in December saying he had agreed to a 'hybrid operation' in Darfur, softening his position and allowing U.N. personnel to support the AU mission.
Richardson said details of a "third phase" of that hybrid operation were still unclear. Annan described it as a hybrid AU-U.N. force deploying up to 10,000 U.N. peacekeepers, but Khartoum insists it is just giving stronger support to the AU.

"Phase three is something that is still being negotiated or there are still details to be worked out," Richardson said. But the political process to maintain a ceasefire is more important, he added. "You can't keep a peace without a peace."

Bill Richardson gets commitment for 60-day cease-fire in Darfur?

Hope this is true. Via freenewmexican.com (CFD has link to longer PDF version)

Press release, Governor's Office - January 10, 2007 - The Governor's office released the following statement a few moments ago:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Gets Commitment for 60-Day Cease-Fire in Darfur Region of Sudan

KHARTOUM, SUDAN - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that he has secured a commitment from Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al Bashir to agree to a 60-day cessation of hostilities in the Darfur region to allow for a new political process under the Darfur Peace Agreement and the auspices of the African Union and the United Nations. Governor Richardson also spoke this week with rebel leaders who said they would agree to a cease-fire. If all parties follow through with the cease-fire, the A.U. and the U.N. will convene a Peace Summit on March 15 under the framework of the peace agreement.

Governor Richardson also secured the following commitments from President Al Bashir:

- Agreed not to have the National military aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for international organizations.
- Agreed that government forces would attempt to improve security conditions in all areas of Darfur with special emphasis on El Geneina, and would provide protection to food and other humanitarian convoys.
- Agreed to expedite procedures for entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers as well as goods. He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit visas for humanitarian aid workers.
- Agreed to allow and facilitate travel by journalists from all over the world to Darfur.
- Governor Richardson and President Al Bashir reiterated that gender-based violence and such crimes must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of which party or organization was responsible. President Bashir said he would welcome a significant contribution of female members to the AU/UN hybrid operations. In addition the Justice Minister offered analyze and extend existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all gender-based violence.

A word of caution noted at Stephen W. Terrell's Web Log. Today's related reports at POTP Jan 10 2007 (sorry permalink still not working at the site).

Sudan's Bashir: "All we need is funding for the African troops"

Sudan's president says UN forces not needed in Darfur (Jan 10 2007 AP report by Nedra Pickler via G&M) excerpt:

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said Wednesday that African Union forces can maintain order in Darfur and United Nations forces are not needed.

"Our experience with UN operations in the world is not encouraging," Mr. al-Bashir told an Associated Press reporter Wednesday at his residence.

"There are sufficient forces in the Sudan from African countries to maintain order and they can provide order. All we need is funding for the African troops."

Mr. al-Bashir has resisted intense international pressure to allow UN peacekeepers to help bring stability to the region.

His latest comments came at the end of a meeting with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

US launches air strike in Somalia

Somalia's interim Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Aideed said the US 'have our full support for the attacks', the Associated Press news agency reported. - Full story by BBC 9 Jan 2007: US launches air strike in Somalia.

NGOs targeted - Aid workers beaten, raped in SLA controlled Gereida, S Darfur

Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger) said Friday its 23 employees were among the 71 NGO personnel evacuated after the attack, which occurred in Gereida, in southern Darfur, on the night of December 18.

ACF said "NGOs were clearly targeted", but did not identify the assailants. The area is controlled by the rebel Sudan Liberation Army.

Full story by AFP 5 Jan 2007 via ST.

Save Darfur Coalition arranges for U.S. Governor (Democrats) Bill Richardson to fly via private jet to Sudan

Interesting. I wonder how much this trip cost. Save Darfur Coalition strikes me as a political group. Copy of AP report via Sudan Tribune - Bleak assessment of Darfur as Richardson starts mission:

Jan 7, 2007 (KHARTOUM) - Governor Bill Richardson got a bleak assessment of the deteriorating situation in Darfur as he arrived in the Sudanese capital Sunday, hoping to lay the groundwork for peace in the region.

On a 17-hour overnight flight, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations worked on a plan to broker a ceasefire, continue the flow of humanitarian aide and persuade Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to allow U.N. peacekeepers.

On arrival, Cameron Hume, the top U.S. diplomat in Sudan, laid out Richardson's challenge. "I don't think anybody's strategy is working," Hume told Richardson at the airport.

The Democrat from the U.S. state of New Mexico, a few advisers and officials with humanitarian groups flew aboard a private jet for the trip arranged by the Save Darfur Coalition. The group asked for Richardson's help in trying to improve the situation in Darfur because he has negotiated successfully with al-Bashir in the past.

Richardson planned to meet with the president on Monday, then fly to Darfur on Tuesday to see rebel leaders.

"I'm not discouraged," Richardson said after the briefing from Hume. "I think we make some measurable progress if we can help the ceasefire and the humanitarian situation and possibly start a united political process that helps the U.N. peacekeeping effort alive."

Hume explained at his hour-long briefing that violence is on the rise in Darfur, making it more difficult for humanitarian groups to travel and distribute aid. He said there have been occasions of rebel groups attacking humanitarian offices, stealing their vehicles and assaulting workers.

Hume said African Union troops that are supposed to be providing protection have slowed patrols, meaning it is more critical that U.N. forces get in the region. So far, al-Bashir has allowed only 20 civilians to be sent in for assistance.

Asked why al-Bashir has permitted the visit of Richardson and activists who have criticized his government, Hume smiled. "Well, first of all he likes the governor," he said. "I think it also has a fact to do with elections in the United States, looking beyond the Bush administration. I don't think they feel threatened by the delegation."

Richardson plans to announce soon whether he will run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. The trip to Sudan helps highlight Richardson's extensive international experience as he prepares for a possible run in a competitive field.

Sudan orders air strikes on Darfur before arrival of UN peacekeepers

Sunday Telegraph report by Jonathan Erasmus in Darfur, 7 Jan 2007. Excerpt:

In October, The Sunday Telegraph witnessed Sudanese soldiers loading bombs on to Antonov aircraft at El Fasher air base in North Darfur before a number of villages were attacked.

Last week, new arrivals at the Otash camp in the South Darfur capital, Nyala, said they were forced to flee their villages when government helicopter gunships opened fire on them.

Under the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed in Abuja, Nigeria, last May, Sudan had agreed not to carry out aerial attacks in Darfur. But rebel groups say Sudanese Antonov bombers have been conducting raids on Jebel Marra and the North Darfur regions of Anka, Um Rai and Kutum.

A senior Sudanese Liberation Army commander told The Sunday Telegraph: "We were prepared to adopt a ceasefire. Just two days later our positions were bombed by the government.

"These kind of attacks are what we have come to expect from Khartoum, they are doing what they can before the UN arrives."

Escalations in fighting and government aerial attacks often happen when new peace agreements or resolutions are signed.

"When a deadline is set for there to be a change in what is happening in Darfur, the number of attacks on villages and towns increases along with clashes between rebel groups and the government," said one aid worker.

"With the latest resolution, it now looks imminent that UN troops will be on the ground here. But every time there has been any progress in terms of peace agreements, you can be sure that factions of rebel groups and the government will do what they can to secure territories for their own and weaken the other side."

UN aid organisations in Darfur say they have been told that Sudan has also said that there must be no senior UN officials in the region, only junior officials who would act under orders from the AU.

UN officials in Darfur say they have not been told when they will be seeing the blue berets of the UN troops but only that the troops that come are likely to be made up of soldiers from African nations.

One UN official added: "The implementation of the latest resolution will prove challenging, with AU commanders in certain regions of Darfur not wanting to concede that they need support from the incoming UN troops."

In the meantime, Sudanese forces are using the interim period to attack the territories held by rebels who have not signed up to the DPA and are therefore legitimate targets.

Darfur rebels say Sudan govt is oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs

BBC news report Jan 5 2007 - UN in new peace drive for Darfur - excerpt:

The Darfur conflict began in 2003 after a rebel group began attacking government targets, saying the region was being neglected by Khartoum.

The rebels say the government is oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

Arab militias responded to try to put down the uprising. The government denies accusations from the rebels it is backing the militias.

I wonder about the above title, if it is the insurgents responsible for creating the myth of Arabs v Africans in Darfur.

As I recall, some of Eric Reeves' old essays on Southern Sudan's recent war were peppered with the word 'genocide'. My point is, trying to understand whether what the media is telling us - that the aim of Arabs in Sudan is to wipe out Africans in Darfur - and why they aren't all just classed as Sudanese.

I don't know if every Sudanese person is officially registered at birth and death. Sudan is huge, the size of Europe. It's bound to have a national identity problem with so many different tribes, languages, customs, dialects. Around 75% of Sudanese are illiterate. I'm not surprised it continues to be ruled by a stick. When I watch film re-enactments of battles in ancient China and the bloodshed there thousands of years ago, I'm not surprised Sudan understands China. We're told world population growth is too great, that 6 billion people on this planet is two thirds too many. Maybe I'm reaching the conclusion that wars and genocide are a natural course of life and evolution.

Megite is One of "The new 100 most useful sites"

Check out Megite, one of The new 100 most useful sites recommended by Guardian Unlimited. See Megite Blog.

Lakes States governor details plan to quell insecurity

Via Sudan Tribune - speech of Lakes State Governor on the Cultural Awareness Week under the auspices of ministry of Information and Culture Lakes State - excerpt:

"...with the introduction of my security measures and tours all over the state from mid September through November, there is relative peace and tranquillity realized now.

Since October there are no cases of sectional or tribal fights and cold blood killings reported.

People are now moving freely in greater Yirol and other parts of the State without fear and hostilities.

My strategies and efforts of quell the insecurity in the State is through well studied systematic approach in four stages.

These stages are as follows:

1- Law and Order: in this stage we are imposing disarmament and arresting culprits to face charges and investigations.

2- Application of Justice: in this stage the criminals and all accused persons must face justice in fair trials in the courts of law.

3- Public Reconciliations: in this stage the state Government will involve churches, leaders of the communities and all stakeholders in process of healing and harmony.

4- Sustainability of Peace through Development: in this stage we will encourage both public and private sectors in the development of our state; which will in turn provide the employment to our people and hence keep them out of the troubles.

[cut]

In the area of water and pasture which attract serious competition and conflicts among our communities during the dry season, we have a pledge from government of South Sudan (GOSS) to excavate and deepen some of our rivers and Lakes. The work will start very soon with their two rivers; Bahr-Naam and Bahr-Gel. It is also in our agenda to create water reservoirs (Haffir) and more hand pumps to provide water for both human and animals.

Africa: castrating Africa

Africans are having too many children they can't pay for - Pascal Sevran Told Apologise or Quit

Via Global Voices -� Africa: castrating Africa - Jan 4, 2007, filed under the sub heading of Sub-Saharan Africa/Racism:

Sotho writes a short, but thought provoking piece titled, Castrating Africa: Pascal Sevran is a French TV host. In his latest book, "Le Privilege des Jonquilles," he says, "The black man's dick is responsible for hunger in Africa."

Note how we all see things differently. I'd have filed that item not under the sub heading of Racism but something else, ie War & Conflict/Ideas/Freedom of Speech.

UN reports tribal clashes in Darfur, 7 Killed and 30 Wounded

Jan 4 2007 AP news report (via ST) - excerpt:

UN reports tribal clashes in Darfur, 7 Killed and 30 Wounded:

AU peacekeepers are still being held hostage since their car was hijacked in December, as are five Sudanese water engineers seized in October.

Some 118 vehicles were stolen in Darfur in 2006, of which 28 were recovered and 90 are still missing, the U.N. said.

I wonder how and where the bandits buy fuel for the missing 90 vehicles. Don't recall seeing any photos of petrol stations in Darfur.

Africa deserves the leadership it gets

Excerpt from Joshua Wanyama's commentary at his new website African Path 20 Dec 2006:

"... it took Kenyans since 1963 to 1992 to vote for a president. 40 years! And to think that we grew up in schools learning our country's history and civics convinced that we live in a democratic country. How can a people be led so blindly? The ones who saw this injustice were silenced while everyone else suffered in silence. Therefore we deserved the leadership we got.

Most African countries gained independence and our grateful masses entrusted absolute powers to the leaders who fought to free us from oppression and colonization. Now this does not mean the leaders we got actually fought, all it means was that some were at the right place at the right time. Kenyatta was a freedom fighter as were others but once they got power, their true colors came out. The famous George Orwell book "Animal Farm" comes to mind every time I think of African leadership. "All animals are equal, but some who are more equal than others."

After all, This is Africa."

Joshua Wanyama is a Kenyan currently in Minneapolis. He has set up a news and blog aggregator site for Africa starting Jan 1st, 2007 called African Path - and has developed a similar model for the Middle East at http://www.arabisto.com that went live on 9/25/06. Best wishes and good luck to all involved!

U.S. CENTCOM's Media Engagement Team For the Media - Rewards for Justice

Check it out: U.S. CENTCOM's Media Engagement Team - For the Media.

**Shiver** Browsing around CENTCOM's site, I found a link to a creepy site called Rewards For Justice.

Libya to build statue of Saddam

Jan 4 2007 BBC report excerpt:

Saddam Hussein was president of Iraq from 1979 until 2003.

Libya has said it will build a statue of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, executed in Baghdad on Saturday. It would show him standing on the gallows with a Libyan resistance leader who fought Italian occupation, executed in 1931, Libya's Jana news agency said.

Libya declared three days of mourning after Saddam Hussein's death and cancelled public celebrations around the Eid religious holiday.

On the eve of the hanging, Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi said Saddam Hussein was a prisoner of war who must be tried by Iraq's invaders, the US and Britain, according to Reuters news agency.

Flags on Libyan government buildings flew at half-mast following his death.

[hat tip www.Arabisto.com - news and commentary on the Middle East]

All of our children are precious...

A Canadian blogger wants to send toys to poor children in Sudan. I'd like to chip in and send them some art materials, water engineers and world class land rights lawyers.

British diplomat gets top UN job

Good. Sir John Holmes will replace Norway's Jan Egeland as under-secretary-general for political affairs and emergency relief co-ordinator.

Full story icWales 4 Jan 2007.

PS If anyone finds news on what is happening with Norway's NRC and Darfur's Kalma camp, please share - thanks.

UN removes 4 peacekeepers from Sudan after abuse

Fact of life, a barrel of good apples can contain a few rotters. AP report via ST:

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jane Holl Lute said Tuesday night that the allegations could be true, but "these environments are ones in which it is difficult to ascertain the truth."

She said she has personally spoken to the force commander and chief of staff in the U.N. mission in southern Sudan "and I know they are very well briefed on what U.N. policy is and have taken steps to implement that policy across the board in that mission."

"But we don't have the facts yet in this case, and we need to ascertain the facts and follow it through to appropriate resolution and take action if necessary," she said.

Lute, who served in the U.S. Army for 16 years, said vigilance on this matter has to be "a constant factor of life when you're rotating through 200,000 troops in as diverse environments as we do."

Candace Feit's photography exhibit examines Darfur

Senegal-based photojournalist Candace Feit, whose work has been featured in Time, The New York Times and Le Monde, will exhibit photos of Darfur, Sudan, as well as photos that show life in other parts of Africa.

Via PoughkeepsieJournal 3 Jan 2007

Job opportunity: Genocide Intervention Network

Genocide Intervention Network is seeking a Chief Operating Officer. The job description can be found via Pienso.

SLM Nur's latest Mission Statement

Today, the Sudan Tribune published copy of 2 Jan 2007 Mission Statement by Abdul Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Alnour. Note, in the statement, Mr Nur refers to his group of bandits as "an independent political movement." Also, he signed the statement as Chairman of the SLM/A even though he was, reportedly, impeached last year.

I've lost track of how many "independent political movements" freely roam Sudan, carrying mortars and guns with which to murder and maim fellow citizens. Getting to the truth about Sudan's bandits and other mysterious forces - and people like Nur - is like trying to nail down mercury.

From what I can gather, we know very little about the ringleaders in the Darfur war and nothing about how (and why) they manage to operate so easily from Europe. I find it strange they don't appear to be subjected to the same travel/immigration rules as the rest of us. I wonder what they declare as their occupation and funding when completing visitor Visa forms.

UN Council has five new members; Russia chairs

The council presidency rotates monthly, according to the English alphabet, with Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, taking over for January from Qatari Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser. - Reuters 3 Jan 2007.

UN Ban Ki Moon's in-tray

Today, Harvard educated Ban Ki Moon (former South Korean Foreign Minister) takes over as UN chief. Excerpt from today's Times report by James Bone in New York:

BAN'S IN TRAY

Control nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran
Stop the bloodshed in Darfur region of Sudan
Renew Israeli-Palestinian peace process
Prepare Iraq and Afghanistan for democratic civilian governments
Co-ordinate global responses to climate change, the spread of Aids and Third World poverty
Restore trust in UN after Oil-for-Food scandal
Retain American backing while reaching out to all member states
Find consensus for an expanded Security Council which reflects the 21st century but appeases the current permanent members

Virtual Darfur event in Second Life

An event in Second Life is being held at The Infinite Mind virtual broadcast center, and will be simultaneously broadcast in two other locations in Second Life: Camp Darfur, and Global Kids, on the Second Life teen grid.

The virtual "Our Walls Bear Witness - Darfur: Who Will Survive Today?" photography exhibit will be open in Second Life until January 31, 2007.



Photo from Darfur via U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum mixed-media event to be featured as part of virtual reality program

Source: FUTURE-MAKING SERIOUS GAMES: Serious Games Event At The Infinite Mind Virtual Broadcast Center blog entry 1 Jan 2007

New film/blog: Christmas In Darfur

Christmas In Darfur: A Blog

World Day of Peace marked in Dublin

Today is World Day of Peace - the Irish Examiner reported:

The theme for the 40th celebration of the World Day of Peace is The Human Person, the Heart of Peace.

"We in Ireland share fully this ideal and this focus," he [PM Bertie Ahern] said. "In our Constitution, we as a nation affirm our devotion to the ideal of peace and friendly cooperation between nations founded on international justice and morality.

"We recognise that the dignity and freedom of our people are preserved by our Constitution's protection of their fundamental rights."

Mr Ahern said that through more than 25 years of recent conflict on the island of Ireland, we have remained focused on pursuing its peaceful resolution.

"We believed that the problem of Northern Ireland could only be resolved through consent, the pursuit of equality and human rights, the rule of law, and dialogue involving all the parties to the conflict," he continued.

"Our experience on this island has shown that a just and lasting peace is built over time, sometimes slowly, but always with patience and determination.

"In Northern Ireland I am hopeful that this work of construction is nearing completion.

"Its capstone is support on the one hand for power-sharing and on the other hand for policing and the rule of law.

"Once these elements are in place, as I hope they will be very soon, we will see the real benefits that devolved Government can bring to all in the community."

Irrigation and development of Sudan's rich resources could solve intertribal fighting?

Listen up Reuters et al. Excerpt from Workers World by Sara Flounders (via Sudan Vision June 4 2006 - The U.S. role in Darfur, Sudan):

The U.S. corporate media is unanimous in simplistically describing the crisis in Darfur as atrocities committed by the Jan jawid militias, supported by the central government in Khartoum. This is described as an "Arab" assault on "African" people. This is a total distortion of reality.

As the Black Commentator, Oct. 27, 2004, points out: "All parties involved in the Darfur conflict - whether they are referred to as 'Arab' or as 'African,' are equally indigenous and equally Black. All are Muslim and all are local." The whole population of Darfur speaks Arabic, along with many local dialects. All are Sunni Muslim.

Drought, famine and sanctions

The crisis in Darfur is rooted in intertribal fighting. A desperate struggle has developed over increasingly scarce water and grazing rights in a vast area of Northern Africa that has been hit hard by years of drought and growing famine. Darfur has over 35 tribes and ethnic groups. About half the people are small subsistence farmers, the other half nomadic herders. For hundreds of years the nomadic population grazed their herds of cattle and camels over hundreds of miles of grassy lowlands. Farmers and herders shared wells. For over 5,000 years, this fertile land sustained civilizations in both western Dar fur and to the east, all along the Nile River. Now, due to the drought and the encroaching great Sahara Desert, there isn't enough grazing land or enough farmland in what could be the breadbasket of Africa.

Irrigation and development of Sudan's rich resources could solve many of these problems. U.S. sanctions and military intervention will solve none of them.

January 6th, date for effecting DPA security arrangements

Dec 28 2006 Sudan Vision news report by Al Sammani Awadallah:

January 6th, Date for Effecting DPA Security Arrangements

The Government of Sudan, the movements that signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and the movements that expressed their commitment to the agreement have agreed that the military movements to be merged into one movement to facilitate the implementation of the security arrangements on the ground in three phases.

The manager of the Armed Forces spokesperson office Lt. Colonel Alswarmi Khalid stated in a press conference, yesterday, that starting from the coming 6 of January the sights of these movements in Darfur will be visited to register the forces to prepare for the merge. Alswarmi stated that the forces would be classified in the period from 13 to 20 of January to be merged in the armed forces according to the regulations. Alswarmi confirmed the commitment of the armed forces with the implementation of the resolutions of the three formed committees.

The chairperson of Power Committee Mr. Mohamed Yousif noted to the steps taken in the implementation of the power file confirming that the government cannot intervene in this regards because the issue has been left for the signatory movements.

On his part the Chairman of Wealth Committee Alfatih Mohamed Saeed stated that 200 million $ has been allocated in the budget of 2007 for the rehabilitation of Darfur beside 30 million $ for the compensations. He added that the committee of defining the basic needs, which will be submitted to the donors' conference in Holland, next April, has finished great part of its task.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ambassador Ali Alsadig stated that the contacts between the United Nations Secretary General and President Al Bashir has concentrated on the implementations of the UN support packages to the African Union forces operating in Darfur . Alsadig revealed that foreign military experts would provide technical and logistical support to AU.

Sudan's literacy rate = 20% to 27%

Sudan's national or official language: Standard Arabic.

Literacy rate: 20% to 27%

Blind population: 110,000

Deaf institutions: 1.

The number of languages listed for Sudan is 142. Of those, 134 are living languages and 8 are extinct.

Source: Ethnologue report for Sudan

UN report recommends robust monitoring and protection mission to E Chad & NE CAR

Dec 30 2006 news report by Mark Turner, entitled UN snubs calls to shield refugees, tells us:

The United Nations peacekeeping department has rebuffed calls by the Security Council for a force to protect refugees in Chad and shore up its border with Sudan, warning that any UN presence there would face big risks.

In a report seen by the FT but not yet officially re-leased, the UN says: "Conditions for an effective UN peacekeeping operation do not seem to be in place at this time."

"Should the Security Council decide to pursue the idea of establishing a UN presence in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR . . . it should consider authorising the deployment of a robust monitoring and protection mission," it said.

[hat tip CFD and POTP]

George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Joey Cheek and Tegla Loroupe report on their visits to China and Egypt

Excerpt from an email I've received from a British blogger (who keeps well up to date with news)

"I'm with Sudan Watch and it is entirely in China's power to influence the situation just by witholding the enormous monies it is distributing around the continent.

Darfur is a world issue mixed up - sadly - with the usual national/commercial interests, and was about time it was pushed up the agenda."

I wonder what it would take for bloggers to get Darfur up on the agenda of China and its bloggers. American bloggers Ethan and Rebecca (founders of Global Voices) keep the blogosphere up to date with China's policing of the Internet - it's a complex subject. (See Blogs and China correspondence - survey results)

I don't know if this blog can be read in China. It contains words such as "human rights" that might block readers in China. The sites stats show visitors from all over the world but rarely China.



Actors George Clooney (2nd R) and Don Cheadle (R), along with athletes Joey Cheek (L) and Tegla Loroupe, report on their recent trips to China and Egypt requesting assistance for the situation in Darfur, at the U.N. in New York December 15, 2006. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES)

Dec 14 2006 Xinhua report (via Peace Journalism) - Oscar-winning actor George Clooney visited China from Dec. 10 to 12, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang confirmed on Thursday.

PS If you are in China and can read this blog, please let me know - thanks!

Start a meme to push China to save Darfur.



Photo: Shenyang fighter. Dec 9 2005 ST - China sells fighter jets to Sudanese army

Sudan's Janjaweed report to no one?

Reuters report via ST 31 Dec 1006 - excerpt:

"The situation here remains like a tinderbox," said one aid worker who witnessed clashes in December in el-Fasher town before evacuated.

The Janjaweed "report to no one," the aid worker in el-Fasher said, adding "there is a huge amount of tension between the Janjaweed, the government of Sudan and the police."

Note, Sudan Watch archives tell us Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal says Sudanese government call to arms is carried out through tribal leaders.

SLA ceasefire agreement negotiated by AU's Aprezi on Friday

Dec 31 2006 Aljazeera report AU accuses Sudan of Darfur raid:

Sudan's air force has carried out new bombing raids against two rebel areas of Darfur province, the African Union says.

The fresh attacks on Saturday threatened to de-rail a peace deal between Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), the main rebel group, the AU said in a statement on Sunday.

The bombings came just a day after African Union (AU) officials visited the area on Friday to secure their commitment to a ceasefire, Luke Aprezi, commander of a 7,000 strong AU force in Darfur said.

One rebel group confirmed the attack, but did not say much damage had been caused.

"For the first time, I visited them [rebels] in the field in Um Rai [North Darfur] ... and I was able to get a ceasefire commitment from them," Aprezi said.

"Unfortunately [Sudan's army] went and bombed the area and it looks like I led them to the area to get bombed."

The meeting was held on Friday and he notified the government of it, he said.

Aprezi's AU force, hampered by lack of equipment and funds, has struggled to stem the violence in remote western Sudan.

A government army spokesman said there was no confirmation of this in Khartoum.

"Darfur commanders cannot undertake bombing operations without the knowledge of central command in Khartoum," the spokesman told Reuters news agency.

"But we in central command are completely committed to the ceasefire."

Following the new bombings, it was unclear if rebel groups would honour the ceasefire negotiated by Aprezi on Friday.

Sudan's Taha urges Darfur rebels to join DPA

Taha said the occasion comes, at a time when the country is observing several celebrations such as the independence and peace days, for Darfur holdout groups to joint Darfur Peace Agreement. - ST

Amnesty's Irrepressible.info

Amnesty International, with the support of The Observer UK newspaper, has launched a campaign to show that online or offline the human voice and human rights are impossible to repress.



To find out more about this campaign, visit irrepressible.info.

Sending Sudan 100 million origami 'peace bombs' (in my dreams)

New Year's Eve pipedream: drinking water and education for everyone, gainful employment for all bandits and unemployed youth.

One of my favourite news stories from Sudan Watch archives, dated 5 Dec 2004:

The Thai government has dropped an estimated one hundred million paper origami birds in an unusual peace bid.

The birds were dropped by military planes over the country's Muslim south after a surge of violence in the area.



School children spread out nets to catch the falling paper birds.

Full story BBC News, Bangkok 5 Dec 2004

AU Statement: GoS Antonov bombed Anka and Um Rai, in N Darfur

Text of African Union Statement (via ST 31 Dec 2006):

AFRICAN UNION
AFRICAN MISSION IN SUDAN
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CEASEFIRE COMMISSION

At Approximately 15.00 hours yesterday, Friday 29 December 2006, the Chairman of the Ceasefire Commission, Major General Luke Aprez,i was informed that Gos Antonov was bombing two locations, Anka and Um Rai, in North Darfur.

These localities are the places where he held a meeting with the SLA-NSF Commanders on Wednesday and obtained their commitment to a Ceasefire.

This attack by GoS is a seriously disturbing development, especially given that the GoS Representatives at the level of Darfur and Khartoum gave their consent to this meeting, and assured AMIS Leadership, not to attack unless attacked. It also has the potential to derail the current efforts to broaden the support base for the DPA process and make it more inclusive.

Consequently, the Chairman of the CFC calls on the GoS to desist from further bombardment as not to scuttle the fragile ceasefire.

Khartoum, December 30, 2006

Note the report does not clarify whether Sudanese forces were provoked to attack. As I recall, somewhere here in the archives of Sudan Watch are news reports over past two years quoting GoS promise not to fly its bombers over Darfur. [Update: I've found a link - On February 5, 2005 the Sudanese government said it would remove all its Antonov planes and would not use them at all in Darfur, where it had been accused of using the aircraft to bomb villages.



Also note Aug 1 2006 UN News Centre - SAF Antonov bombing of Hassan village, Kulkul, N Darfur: Ceasefire Commission probing violation of Security Council Resolution 1591 (2005)

TEXT-letter from Sudan's Bashir to UN's Annan re Darfur hybrid force

Dec 23 2006 TEXT-letter of Sudan's President to UN SG on Darfur hybrid force - via ST Dec 31 2006.

Internet auction raises double its target to help UN feed hungry children

Via UN News - Internet auction raises double its target to help UN feed hungry children:

The popular blog for international 'foodies' (http://chezpim.typepad.com), founded by Thai-born Pim Techamuanvivit, ran the two-week online auction in the lead-up to the holiday season with the goal of raising $25,000 for UN World Food Programme (WFP).

By the time the auction ended just before Christmas, Ms. Pim had raised $58,000, providing an early seasonal gift for hungry children living in places like Darfur, Niger or Bangladesh.

Great work, well done!

Interview: SUDO's Adeeb Yousif

Dec 28 2006 VOICES ON GENOCIDE PREVENTION Interview - excerpt:

Human rights advocate for Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO), Adeeb Yousif, speaks with Bridget-Conley-Zilkic about his work in Darfur, the changes that have taken place since he began working with SUDO, and what he believes are the next steps toward peace. He specifically focuses on uniting the rebel groups to find a lasting political solution to the conflict.

SADDAM EXECUTED - How should we react?

I've spent the past two hours watching BBC tv news, live from Iraq. Saddam Hussein's execution for crimes against humanity took place around 6am Iraq time (3am GMT) today. Can't watch anymore, feeling sickened. I agree with David's blog entry SADDAM EXECUTED - How should we react? and would much rather have seen Saddam Hussein serve the rest of his life in prison.

David is a British blogger and Conservative living in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
- - -

See today's Sudan Tribune article: Sudanese government condemns Saddam execution.

Dec 30 2006 GV - The Iranian Blogestan on Saddam Hussein's death

Dec 30 2006 GV - Saddam at the Iraqi Blogodrome...



Cartoon by Latuff, via Global Voices

Dec 30 2006 Lord of the Blog, The Weblog of Lord Soley of Hammersmith: Saddam Hussein: We have many such breeding grounds for people like Saddam in the world today and still no effective way of dealing with them.

Dec 30 2006 Mashable - Saddam's Execution Video Makes it to Google Video, YouTube, Revver

The Sudanese Thinker - Saddam's Execution: A Truly Historical Moment

Jan Pronk Weblog: Sudan has become a National Security State

See Dec 27 2006 Jan Pronk - Weblog - excerpt:

Sudan is no democracy. It is not a dictatorship either. A conglomerate of power groups is ruling Sudan. This conglomerate is not transparent and in a delicate balance. It is a combination of military, business, national security and ideological groups. Some of these groups are more enlightened than others, keen to open up the Sudanese society, not only for foreign capital, but also for liberal ideas concerning democracy and human rights.

Sudan can gradually become a democracy, with the help of the CPA, if fully implemented. Its democracy can find a base in the new Constitution, provided that National Security Law will not set this Constitution aside. Presently that seems to be the case.

Sudan has become a National Security State. During 2006 other groups, mainly interested in maintaining power and strongly focussed on the economic interests of a specific class, have gained influence within the conglomerate. Those are the groups behind the forces mentioned above. They do not control the President, but the President is fully aware of their power. Presently he seems to be more inclined to listen to their views than to those of the more enlightened ones.

First batch of UN force arrives in Sudan

Via IndianMuslims.info Khartoum, Dec 28 (NNN-SUNA):

The first batch of the assistance package provided by the UN to the AU contingent in Darfur consisting of 20 policemen and 18 military experts, mostly from African and Asian developing countries, will arrive in the town of Al Fashir Thursday.

Sudan rejects joint AU-UN force for Darfur

Dec 28 2006 VOA news report by Peter Heinlein - excerpt:

Sudanese U.N. Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Wednesday poured cold water on Secretary General Annan's hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in his last days in office.

"It is not a joint force. Let there be no confusion about it. We are not talking about any joint force by the United Nations and the African Union," he [Abdalhaleem] said.

Sudanese media says UN fails to provide first batch of support to AU

Via Sudanese Media Center:

UN Fails to Provide the First Batch of Support to AU
Wednesday 27 December 2006
Khartoum (Sudanvisiondaily)

The United Nations has failed to provide the first batch of support to the African Union forces in Darfur that include providing experts and technicians.

The Tripartite Mechanism meeting, yesterday, reviewed the three batches of assistance and the commitment of the United Nations to provide equipments, civil experts and technicians to the African Union forces operating in Darfur.

The government coordinator in the Tripartite Mechanism and the Director of Peace Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alsadiq Almagli told Sudan Vision that the United Nations has provided only 43 experts out of the 105 promised.

Almagli revealed that the United Nations did not provide any civilian experts from the planned 45 and has provided only 24 civil police personnel out of the 33 promised Almagli said that the United Nations will hand those experts to the African Union this week, adding that the list provided by the United Nations was not complete, confirming that the government will provide all the necessary facilitation for the United Nations support to the African Union.

Almagli stated that the experts provided by the United Nations are Africans, confirming that the government has expressed its readiness to provide all the necessary facilities for the United Nations.

On his part AMIS Spokesman Nouraddin Mezni stated that the meeting is considered to be the real beginning for implementing the support batches, confirming that the government and the African Union have provided a joint list of the needs for the first batch.

Mezni revealed that there are 9 civil police experts in Al Fashir and 15 others in Khartoum. Mezni stated that the government of Sudan has expressed its readiness to facilitate the United Nations support to AU.

On his part the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ali Al -Sadiq said that the second meeting of the Tripartite Mechanism aimed at coordinating activities, noting that the next meeting will be convened in next January.

UN advisers to be deployed this week in Darfur

Dec 26 2006 AFP report via ST - excerpt:

Forty-three military advisers will be deployed in Darfur as part of a three-phase UN plan aimed at bolstering the struggling AU force there, AU spokesman Nourredine Mezni said Tuesday.

"The first group of this contingent composed of nine policemen is already in place, and this week 43 military advisers and 15 police advisers will follow," Mezni said.

It was agreed that UN military and police officers will wear their national uniforms with a blue UN beret. In addition, they will wear an AU armband, the UNMIS bulletin said.

Janjaweed destroy village in N Darfur

Dec 26 2006 via Sudan Tribune - excerpt:

A joint UNMIS and OCHA assessment mission on 23 December visited the village of Abu Sakin in North Darfur. The village was found to be completely deserted and looted, with more than 50 houses burned to the ground, the UNMIS bulletin reported Tuesday.

"There are reports that Arab militia continue to loot and patrol the area to deter villagers from returning. There are reports that several thousand villagers are hiding in nearby hills" the bulletin said.

Government police and National security have stepped up the number of road blocks in El Fasher (North Darfur), following the shooting on 23 December of a police officer and an increase in the number of carjackings.

Last month, the African Union blamed Khartoum for worsening security situation in Darfur. The African Union said on Saturday 16 November the situation in Sudan's troubled Darfur region was worsening due to the return of re-armed Janjaweed militia and Khartoum's resolve to use military force.

"The security situation in Darfur is fast deteriorating mainly because of the re-emergence of Janjaweed militias," said an AU communique issued at the end of a meeting on Darfur.

"(They) seem to have been supplied and rearmed and have been carrying out nefarious activities with impunity in parts of Darfur, particularly in areas controlled by the government of Sudan."

The statement added that another cause for the decline was Khartoum's insistence on a military option to quell the conflict.

Note the AU describes the militia as Arab. Sorry, I still don't get it: why are they called Arab and not Sudanese?

Sudan's Bashir 'backs UN plan on Darfur'

President Bashir says Sudan agrees to the first two parts of the UN plan - deployment of new staff and equipment to the African Union force followed by a larger support package. However, the third part of the UN plan - the size and command of the new force - is not finalised in the letter. Full story BBC Dec 27, 2006.

Dec 27 2006 AP report by Edith Lederer (via Guardian) - Sudan President Accepts U.N. Peace Deal:

Al-Bashir said peace talks aimed at a political settlement should be expedited, blaming rebels who have not signed the peace agreement for continued attempts to undermine the accord and overthrow the Sudanese government.

He told Annan that the next step should be a Security Council resolution endorsing the agreements reached at the November meetings in Ethiopia and Nigeria "and authorizing immediate financial support for peacekeeping in Darfur."

Note Mr Bashir never blames the janjaweed.

John Garang's security proposal for overseeing Darfur ceasefire - Child soldiers in Janjaweed and NMRD

Snippet from Sudan Watch archives dated Feb 9 2005 - Child soldiers in Janjaweed and breakaway Darfur rebel group NMRD:

Leader of the SPLM/A John Garang has proposed the deployment of a tripartite force -- one-third each from the government, the SPLA and the AU -- to oversee the Darfur ceasefire and end the bloodshed. "You really do need a robust force in order to be able to sufficiently protect the civilian population," Garang said Monday in New York.

[SLA rebel leader] Nur welcomed the participation of the SPLA in such a force, but said the government, which he accused of complicity in attacks against civilians in Darfur, cannot be part of that force. "We cannot accept that," he said.

Video profile: Mark Hanis GIF

National Geographic has a video profile of Mark Hanis of the Genocide Intervention Network - see Coalition for Darfur: Darfur: The Activist. Sorry can't open it using my browser.

Egypt welcomes Security Council statement on Darfur

Dec 21 2006 Sudan Tribune - excerpt:

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit welcomed a statement issued by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) two days ago on means of handling the Darfur crisis.

He considered the statement as an important step to reach an international agreement on the optimal means of dealing with the repercussions of the Darfur stand-off., the state-run MENA reported.

In press statements Thursday 21 December, Aboul Gheit asserted that the statement reflected the international community's inclination to overcome the differences that ensued from Resolution 1706.

- - -

Dec 19 2006 Security Council statement

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT OF UNITED NATIONS
SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN UNION'S SUDAN MISSION, INCLUDING HYBRID OPERATION IN DARFUR

Darfur: It Is Best to Stay Out (Christopher Caldwell)

This blog author concurs with opinion piece here below, especially where it says

"Darfur is not just sadists on one hand and victims on the other. It is a war. We have only the vaguest picture of what kind of war it is ...

Darfur is a problem the west should touch only with a very long stick."

Note also, the piece correctly refers to the Sudanese government as Islamist (unlike many other journalists who choose to use the words "Arab-led") and tells us only 7 per cent of Americans consider Darfur a top foreign policy priority, according to an NBC News poll in October.

Dec 18 2006 commentary by Christopher Caldwell, Finanical Times - Darfur: It Is Best to Stay Out [hat tip CFD]:

Those urging military action in Darfur have in recent days been joined by influential US and UK policymakers. The Islamist government of Sudan has not only encouraged so-called Janjaweed militias to run riot in the rebellious province, where roughly 200,000 have died. It is also refusing to admit 20,000 United Nations peacekeepers, who would supplement 7,000 overburdened African Union soldiers already there. The west is showing signs that it has had enough. This week, Tony Blair, prime minister, urged a no-fly zone over Darfur. There have been hints of a US "Plan B" to be implemented in the new year, and this newspaper reported on Wednesday that the US had drawn up plans for a naval blockade.

There is a hitch, though, to any international intervention. China buys two-thirds of Sudan's oil and has invested $7bn (£3.6bn) there. Hence Khartoum's double-digit growth, its stock exchange, its new office buildings. China - like Russia before the Kosovo war or France before the Iraq one - might exercise its veto on the UN Security Council. Therefore, some Nato "coalition of the willing" might have to "go it alone" in Darfur. Prominent former officials from the Clinton administration have urged just such a course. But Darfur is a problem the west should touch only with a very long stick.

Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudanese leader, says there are fewer than 9,000 dead and that all this talk of mass killings is only the pretext for invading a Muslim country. He is either lying or mistaken, but that does not matter. Much of the Muslim world believes the US attacked Afghanistan for its natural gas reserves, not because of 9/11. Anti-Americanism is such a powerful force that whenever the US involves itself in anything, US power becomes the issue. American public opinion, sensing this, has grown isolationist. A common strand of thought in the wake of November's elections is that the world - not just the Muslim world but an important part of Europe, too - has pronounced its verdict on US influence; now let the world see how it likes the consequences. Americans may have enough patience to unravel the misadventure in Iraq, but they are not calling for an encore. Only 7 per cent of Americans consider Darfur a top foreign policy priority, according to an NBC News poll in October.

George W. Bush, US president, tried to raise the temperature by describing Darfur as a "genocide" at the UN in September. This was a mistake. Genocide, as most people understand it, means trying to exterminate a race. But under the 1948 convention that the UN uses, it means a variety of acts, including non-lethal ones such as "causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group", that are "committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group". The words "in part" mean that almost any indiscriminate killing of civilians can constitute genocide. Meanwhile, International Criminal Court prosecutors announced on Thursday that they were preparing the first Darfur-related arrest warrants, another mistake. Threatening leaders with life sentences in the Hague turns a situation that might conceivably be resolved by diplomacy into a fight to the death.

One can argue about whether this is a genocide, but the pictures being evoked in western minds are oversimplifications. Darfur is not just sadists on one hand and victims on the other. It is a war. We have only the vaguest picture of what kind of war it is. Is it a race war, pitting the Arabs of Khartoum against the blacks of Darfur? Is it a civil war over money and natural resources? (The rebels, too,have looted aid convoys and clashed with African Union peacekeepers.) Is Khartoum running a classic, Guatemalan-style, dry-up-the-fishpond counter-insurgency? Or is this just one front in a brewing east Africa-wide war of Islamist expansion, of which the guerrilla war in Chad and the threats of Somalia's new fundamentalist leaders against Ethiopia are all a part?

Which of these wars do we think we are joining? On whose side? The aftermath of toppling Saddam Hussein shows this question to be nearly unanswerable. But it would be hard to intervene without making enemies. The one action with the best chance of changing the mind of Khartoum - destroying or blockading its oil industry - would greatly impoverish the 35m Sudanese who are not Darfuri.

The decision about which war to fight would be taken out of western hands the moment troops started landing. The number of troops necessary to pacify Darfur is often placed at 20,000, with only 5,000 elite western troops necessary to do the "heavy lifting", as The New Republic puts it.

These numbers may be wild underestimates. What if Khartoum attacked the Christian south again, confronting Nato - much as Slobodan Milosevic did when he began razing Kosovar villages after air attacks - with a choice between exposure of its hypocrisy or a massive commitment of ground troops?

Some people seem to be nostalgic for the pre-September 11 days when the west could fight symbolic wars against marginal countries in the name of human rights. Others see a chance to restore the west's humanitarian credentials, after the political quagmire in Iraq. This betrays a short memory and mistakes the war's outcome for the war's rationale. Iraq, too, was once a humanitarian cause.

But the lesson - not just of Iraq but also of the debacles in Somalia and Kosovo that made it possible - is that there is no such thing as a humanitarian invasion. The west can destroy the Sudanese government and punish its leaders, as in Iraq. It can support one group of brigands over another, as in Kosovo. It can feed people for a while, as in Somalia. However, humanitarian their motivations, though, military operations turn political the moment they are launched, with consequences that are wildly unpredictable.

I wonder what Werner would think of that article.

France, steeped in genocidal blood, must face trial (Andrew Wallis)

So far, 29 comments at Dec 05, 2006 Times Online opinion piece by Andrew Wallis entitled France, steeped in genocidal blood, must face trial.

The Darfur Wall and The Darfur Foundation

New website named the darfur wall lists Eric Reeves among the organisations it supports and, for more information about the Darfur conflict, recommends two other sites: Eric Reeves' and Wikipedia.

Sudan agrees to U.N. role in Darfur but commander must be African and peacekeepers must be mostly African

Dec 23 2006 AP report by Mohamed Osman, Khartoum - Sudan agrees to U.N. role in restive Darfur (via PG) - excerpt:

Mr Annan said he had received an optimistic report from an envoy sent to Khartoum, encouraging him to "think we may tomorrow receive a green light from President Bashir for a full cease-fire, a renewed effort to bring all parties into [the] political process and deployment of the proposed African Union-United Nations hybrid force."

[Sudanese FM spokesman] Mr Magli said his government had not yet seen Mr Annan's statement, but it was true that "Sudan has confirmed to the [U.N.] envoy that it would sit down for peace talks with the rebel factions any time, anywhere."

He said the world should pressure rebel factions that did not sign a May peace accord "to come to ceasefire talks and to stop attacking. But for us in the government, yes, we have confirmed our commitment to the ceasefire."

Earlier this week, Mr Annan wrote to Mr Bashir, saying the United Nations would make every effort to find African peacekeepers, but, if that proved impossible, it would use "a broader pool of troop-contributing countries."

Mr Annan said the first phase of the plan would enhance the AU force by 105 military officers, 33 UN police and 48 international staffers, according to a copy of the letter released by the UN. But he said the mission would eventually have a minimum strength of 17,300 troops, 3,300 civilian police and 16 additional police units.

Mr Magli said his government accepted that phase, but insisted that the number of troops would be negotiated by the force commander and delegates from the United Nations, the African Union and Sudan.

- - -

Dec 23 2006 BBC report: Sudan 'to accept UN Darfur force'

UK provides extra 15 mln pounds to AU Darfur force

The United Kingdom said Friday that it was providing an additional GBP15 million to African Union peacekeepers in Darfur.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said the new funds will help fund the African Union Mission in Sudan's operations in the first six months of 2007. The funding is besides the 20 million pounds (A29.8 million, US$39.3 million) the British government provide for this year's operations.

"There is an urgent need for the international community to provide sufficient funds to support the force. The U.K. is fully committed to playing its part in meeting that need," Benn said in a statement.

He said that the humanitarian situation in the Darfur would be even worse if the 7,000-member AU force weren't there and urged other donors, particularly the Arab League to commit further funds to the force.

Full story by AP 22 Dec 2006 via ST.

What's wrong with AU-UN hybrid force in Darfur?

Mark Hanis of the Genocide Intervention Network (www.GenocideIntervention.net) in the United States, recently commented at Werner's Soldier of Africa blog from Darfur, saying: "it would be great to hear your [Werner's] thoughts on how concerned citizens can help you and your fellow peacekeepers protect the people of Darfur.

And Werner replied...

"Mark, I think the most they can do is raise public awareness. The UN and international community are not doing what they should. They are trying to stay out of Darfur, more so than with any other previous international hotspot. The only way to combat this is by means of public pressure. Pressure your government to act. I had a quick look at your organisation's website and what it does goes a long way to doing this. Once Darfur is on everybody's lips nobody will be able to ignore it anymore.

Am I being dim today or is Werner saying the only way to combat the international community and UN trying to stay out of Darfur is via public pressure calling for a UN force? My stance is that I am against armed people entering Sudan uninvited, especially any military force without a UN resolution.

Who is now running Kalma Camp, South Darfur?

Sorry I still cannot find more of latest news from Kalma camp, South Darfur. What is happening to the Norwegian Refugee Council team in Darfur? If it's not the NRC, who is now coordinating Kalma camp and caring for its 93,000 residents? A News briefing from Ekklesia Dec 16 reminds us that:

"on 9 December, Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store had protested against the expulsion of the Norwegian Refugee Council, the non-governmental coordinator of the largest camp for internally displaced people from South Darfur. The NRC was officially expelled from South Darfur on 16 November.

This came after the Sudanese authorities had suspended the organisation from humanitarian relief operations in Darfur in September without any formal explanation. Together with other countries and the UN, Norway has sought to get Sudan to reverse its decision.

"More than half of the population of Darfur is dependent on emergency relief, and the expulsion of the NRC ... It is unacceptable that the Sudanese authorities continue to obstruct humanitarian workers in their efforts to help those in need," Store said.

Then, on 12 December the UN Mission in Sudan flew 134 humanitarian staff out of El Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur, following several days of clashes in the city."

Surely it is unacceptable that the Sudanese authorities AND THE REBELS continue to obstruct humanitarian workers in their efforts to help those in need.

THINKPIECE: Questions of Darfur justice

Following the Prosecutor's speech at the security council on the 14th of December 2006, the Darfur situation is most likely to be on top of the agenda for the coming year.

What are your thoughts on that and what do you hope 2007 will achieve for the people of Darfur?

What more can the Office of the Prosecutor do to bring expeditious justice for the people of Darfur?

Comments invited (and appreciated) via here below, email or blog entry (I'll link back to your response and list it here) - thanks.

PS Drima, if you are reading this, I hope you can chivvy up some feedback re above two questions, it'd be interesting to know what those at Mideast Youth blog are thinking. I wonder what American readers' responses would be. If an American blogger picks up on this post and attracts some responses, I'd be grateful. Thanks. More later.



Photo: Luis Moreno Ocampo. Source SudanTribune article : ICC: "No Sudanese official immune from Prosecution"

Further reading:
The Hague Justice Portal

Sudan Watch: ICC Prosecutor says 1st case against Sudan crimes is ready

Dec 18 2006 FT op-ed by Christopher Caldwell: Darfur: It Is Best to Stay Out - International Criminal Court prosecutors announced on Thursday that they were preparing the first Darfur-related arrest warrants, another mistake. Threatening leaders with life sentences in the Hague turns a situation that might conceivably be resolved by diplomacy into a fight to the death.

The Silence

Good luck. See Soldier of Africa.

Push China to "save Darfur"

A meme to push China to save Darfur.

See Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth.

YouTube - The True Islam #1

See YouTube - The True Islam #1 - via The Sudanese Thinker: Who's This Filthy Retard? - gem of a comment by CommonSense says:

"...the guy in that video is from a group in the UK called muhajiruun, they have made life difficult here for other muslims (and everyone else), he's a nobody who gets a lot of headlines i have encountered him a few times. he's usually ignored by most."

Sudan agrees on UN-AU hybrid operation in Darfur - First phase of plan starts next week

Note Sudan's Foreign Ministry has a peace department. Dec 21 2006 Xinhua news report - Sudan agrees on UN-AU hybrid operation in Darfur : - excerpt:

The Sudanese government announced on Thursday that it had agreed on a hybrid peacekeeping operation of the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) in Darfur instead of the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in the war- torn region.

The announcement was made by al-Sadig al-Magli, director of the peace department in Sudan's Foreign Ministry, following a meeting between Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and visiting Special Envoy of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to Sudan Ahmedou Ould Abdallah.

"The hybrid operation means the logistic, technical and consultative support to be provided by the UN to the AU force in Darfur and extending it with resources and materials", the Sudanese official told reporters.

He reiterated the Sudanese government's refusal of deploying an international force subordinate to the UN but a hybrid force formed by the UN and the AU in Darfur.

Abdallah, on his part, announced that he had delivered a letter to the Sudanese president from the UN secretary general concerning a three-phase plan of UN support for the AU force in Darfur.

He said that the world body would begin to implement the first phase of the plan next week.

The UN envoy arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday on a three-day visit in Sudan during which he would discuss with the Sudanese government on the situation in Darfur and the role of the UN in seeking a solution for the crisis in the region.

The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Aug. 31 calling for the deployment of more than 20,000 international peacekeepers to replace the 7,800 AU force in Darfur, which is suffering the lack of funds, equipment and experience.

The Sudanese government rejected the mission transfer, saying it was a violation of Sudan’s sovereignty and an effort by the West to colonize the African oil producing country.

The AU Peace and Security Council agreed on Nov. 30 to extend the mandate of the AU force in Darfur for six months until June 30 next year.

The Arab lion bares its head in Darfur's ongoing war (Julie Flint)

Filing this here before having time to read it. Dec 22 2006 Julie Flint opinion piece, Daily Star Lebanon, entitled The Arab lion bares its head in Darfur's ongoing war. [Hat tip CFD]

UK donates 40 mln pounds in Darfur aid

Britain will donate a further 40 million pounds to aid efforts in Darfur to help the world’s largest aid operation. Britain is the second largest donor to Darfur. Full story Reuters via ST 21 Dec 2006.

Save the Children receives $1 million Gates Foundation grant to assist displaced families in West Darfur

Save the Children announced today that it has received a $1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a water and sanitation project in West Darfur, Sudan. The grant will help the agency provide sanitation facilities and clean drinking water to more than 55,000 displaced children and family members forced to flee their homes and live in temporary shelters due to continued violence.

Full story UNICEF 20 Dec 2006.

Security Council urges Sudan to accept joint UN-AU force

Dec 19 2006 AFP report via ST - excerpt:

Late last month, Sudan accepted a three-phase plan in Abuja, Nigeria, under which the UN would assist the under-funded and ill-equipped 7,000-strong AU contingent that has failed to stem four years of bloodshed in Darfur.

The UN support package's first two stages consist of technical and logistical help that would pave the way for a "hybrid" peacekeeping force that has yet to be approved by Beshir.

The council on Tuesday called for "the immediate deployment of the United Nations' Light and Heavy Support Packages to the AU mission in Sudan and a hybrid operation in Darfur."

It reaffirmed "its deep concern about the worsening security situation in Darfur and its repercussions in the region."

Monday Outgoing UN chief Kofi Annan decided to send a senior adviser to Khartoum to clarify Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir’s stance on the joint UN-AU force in Darfur.

UN troubleshooter Ahmadou Ould Abdallah is to head for Khartoum Wednesday to deliver a letter from Annan to Beshir.

Annan, who is relinquishing his post in two weeks' time, also named that Swedish former foreign minister Jan Elliason as interim special representative to Sudan.

Eliasson, a former president of the UN General Assembly, "will work the diplomatic channels mainly outside Sudan, working with capitals and governments and encouraging them to stay engaged and work with us in Darfur in the search for a solution," Annan told a press conference Tuesday.

Annan names Sweden diplomat as UN special envoy to Sudan

Jan Eliasson will work in Khartoum until the appointment of a successor to special envoy Jan Pronk. Full story (agencies) via ST 19 Dec 2006.

Notes from Kalma (Paul Currion)

Thanks to VOGP Lisa Rogoff for pointing to Paul Currion's Notes from Kalma March 1 2006:

I just spent the morning in Kalma IDP camp, because I thought it was important to get a better idea of the operation here. Otherwise I'm in danger of getting a little bit too fixated on this assessment, and issues like telecoms provision, monitoring and evaluation, staff orientation, etc.

As we approached the camp, I remembered that it was exactly 10 years ago that I visited my first refugee camp, the colossal Benaco refugee camp in Tanzania. Kalma is very similar to Benaco - with just under 100,000 residents, it's the size of a town. Like a town, it has a huge requirement for basic services - water and sanitation, health care, education, and so on - which is where the UN agencies and NGOs come in. One of the dangers of these large-scale camps is that they may become semi-permanent, as IDPs resign themselves to the prospect of no return him (in this case, while the Janjaweed are still active), creating new problems of integration.

For their part, the IDP communities aren't passive. Well-stocked markets can be found all over the camp, and people pursue their trades if they're able to. Shaikhs continue to lead their communities, mediating both within the community, with other communities in the camp, and with international organisations working there. Unfortunately, some degree of disempowerment and dependence is almost inevitable for the displaced. In this case, the IDPs are definitely not in control of their security; although the African Union patrol the camps regularly, and escort expeditions to gather fuelwood outside the camp, the Janjaweed operate with relative impunity in the area.

Given the size of the camp, it's probably the largest place that many of the IDPs have ever lived, given that most of them come from small villages. This in itself creates problems, since ways of life that may work in small rural communities may not be appropriate for a peri-urban settlement like Kalma. In particular, I saw the same problem around Kalma as there was around Benaco; massive levels of deforestation, with the land around the camp looking like the surface of the moon (admittedly with more plastic bags and other litter).

The environmental impact of a camp the size of Kalma is enormous. The longer the camp remains, the wider the circle of deforestation grows, on land that is already marginal. The water requirements of the IDPs can be a huge drain on the water table, although this is harder to see, and one dry rainy season could be disastrous. The combined impact is an increase in the rate of desertification that already affects many African countries across the Sahel.

All this begs the question of why the UN and NGOs don't recruit more people with environmental management experience. For example, most of the water and sanitation staff that we recruit are either engineers (to drill boreholes and build latrines) or public health experts (to educate people on hygiene issues) - seldom people with experience of water resource management. It's much easier to sink more wells and pump more water than it is to assess the impact of those wells on the overall environment - yet, in the long term (and Kalma looks long-term to me right now) - that's exactly what's needed if the region is to survive.

You can find a map of Kalma [pdf, 290kb] on the HIC Darfur website - I was mainly hanging around in sector 7.

ICC Prosecutor says 1st case against Sudan crimes is ready

Excerpt from AP report (via ST) 16 Dec 2006:

The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court said he believes his investigation has collected enough evidence to prove who are those most responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Luis Moreno Ocampo told the U.N. Security Council that he plans to submit the case to the court's judges in February. Under the Rome statute that created the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal, the judges must review the evidence and decide whether the case should go forward.

'We are ready to present the first case to the judges,' he told reporters afterwards. 'The case will show evidence of willful killings, massive rapes, tortures and pillaging of entire villages.'

Ocampo refused to divulge the number of people in the case or the names, but he said the investigation focused on 'a series of incidents that occurred in 2003 and 2004, during a period and in a location where the highest number of crimes were recorded.'

'We believe we have enough evidence to prove who are the most responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur,' he said.

'The only way to stop me from putting my case before the judges is if there is a case in the national system,' Ocampo said. 'If there is a case in the national system, then I will request to go to see the case...'

AU blames Khartoum as Darfur crisis worsens

Dec 16 2006 Reuters report - AU blames Khartoum as Darfur crisis worsens - excerpt:

The African Union on Saturday said the situation in Sudan's troubled Darfur region was worsening due to the return of re-armed Janjaweed militia and Khartoum's resolve to use military force.

"The security situation in Darfur is fast deteriorating mainly because of the re-emergence of Janjaweed militias," said an AU communique issued at the end of a meeting on Darfur.

"(They) seem to have been supplied and rearmed and have been carrying out nefarious activities with impunity in parts of Darfur, particularly in areas controlled by the government of Sudan.

The statement added that another cause for the decline was Khartoum's insistence on a military option to quell the conflict.

The AU also condemned attacks by the National Redemption Front (NRF) in Darfur. The rebel faction is comprised of groups that rejected a peace deal with the government signed in May.

"The meeting expressed deep concern on the prevailing situation in El Fasher, El Geneina, Kutum and Merllit characterised by harassment, attacks and killings of innocent civilians including IDPs (internally displace people)," the AU communique said.

It deplored attacks on AU personnel including the abduction of a military officer on Dec. 10 in El Fasher.

Sudan walks out from AU meeting on Darfur

Via Sudan Tribune: Sudan walks out from AU meeting on Darfur - see full text of a statement by the African Union on the Fourth Meeting of the Darfur Peace Agreement Joint Commission held in Addis Ababa on 15 December 2006.

US Rice dangles a threat of sanctions against Sudan

Dec 16 2006 Reuters report via SABC - excerpt:

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of State said Sudan would be held accountable if it did not accept international troops into Darfur and she dangled the threat of sanctions against Khartoum.

"The Sudanese need to be convinced that if they are not willing to accept that help from the international system, then they are going to be held accountable for anything that happens," said Rice.

German parliament gives green light to extending Sudan mission

Berlin, Dec 15, IRNA German parliament gives green light to extending Sudan mission - excerpt:

German lawmakers approved on Friday the extension of the Sudan mission until June amid the worsening security situation in the Darfur region.

A total of 466 MPs voted in favor, 44 opposed it and 9 abstained.

Under the mandate, up to 200 German soldiers could be sent to Sudan as part of the UN-led monitoring mission (UNMIS).

There are presently around 78 German military monitors and soldiers based in Sudan.

Post-World War II German troops had never been deployed in the African continent before the Sudan peace mission.

Around 10,000 German UN peacekeeping and anti-terror troops are stationed in areas like Afghanistan, the Balkan region, Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Georgia and the Horn of Africa.

Sudanese govt and janjaweed stepping up activities- BBC

Note, the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says the six agencies call for all sides to observe a ceasefire, allowing a full resumption of aid activities, is likely to fall on deaf ears as the Sudanese government and its partners in the Janjaweed militia appear to be stepping up their activities.

Full story BBC Darfur violence 'preventing aid' 15 Dec 2006.

Rwanda Redux? (ComingAnarchy.com)

See 19 responses ComingAnarchy.com - Rwanda Redux?

Sapa lifted quotes from Werner's blog - SA troops adapt to peacekeeping

What a cheek. Dec 15 2006 Sapa news reporter Louis Oelofse (via Mail & Guardian Online) lifted captions from Werner's blog entries at Soldier of Africa without linking to it or giving the blog credit. Excerpt from Sapa's report:

South Africans and the African peacekeeping operation in Sudan's embattled Darfur region are facing an uphill battle.

"Things are definitely escalating ... the question is, when and where will it peak and how bad will it be," writes Captain Werner Klokow.

He is a military observer in El Fasher and said in the past week tensions were taken to a new level.

"Tonight an Amis (peacekeeping contingent) vehicle was hijacked close to our house and the night has seen a moderate volume of gunfire. It has prompted us to rehearse our emergency plan and we are constantly observing," he wrote last Sunday.

Skimming through the above report might give one the impression Werner talked to the reporter. I know it's a nit pick but people quoting from a blog, ought to credit the blog by name.

EU calls for troops in Darfur

EU officials say a sanction such as a no-fly zone would first need a UN Security Council resolution.

Full story by ITN (via Channel4.com) 15 Dec 2006 EU calls for troops in Darfur .

Rebels in Darfur keep thousands from getting food

True story. Rebels in Darfur keep thousands from getting food (AP report by Alfred de Montesquiou 14 Dec 2006 via WS). Excerpt:

Violence has been increasing. Last month, in the worst looting yet, Arab tribal fighters known as janjaweed ripped apart a WFP warehouse and took 800 tons of food in the rebel stronghold of Bir Maza as government forces assaulted the town.

More than 200 U.N. and aid workers have had to leave remote outposts, and refugee camps and some of the region's main towns - like the North Darfur capital of El Fasher, which last week was also looted by janjaweed.

Meanwhile, some 200 World Food Program trucks are being blocked by the government from reaching Darfur, said Kenro Oshidari, the Sudan director for the U.N. agency.

"Food security is one of the most basic human rights, and it's constantly being challenged in Darfur," Oshidari said.

What's happening at Kalma camp Farah Mustafa?

Surely these two men must know why the Sudanese government continuously stops Norwegian Refugee Council from coordinating Kalma camp in South Darfur. If NRC are no longer running Kalma camp in South Darfur, who is?



Farah Mustafa, left, deputy governor of the southern Sudan region of Darfur, delivers his speech as Sudanese Ambassador to the United Nations, Ibrahim Margani Ibrahim, right, listens during the special session of the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Darfur, at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006. (AP Photo/Keystone, Salvatore di Nolfi)

New Al-Fatih hotel in Khartoum

Al-Fatih, the name of a new five star hotel in Khartoum, is Arabic for 'September'.



Photo: An old yellow taxi sits parked outside the new Libyan-funded Al-Fatih five star hotel in the capital Khartoum, Sudan Friday, Dec. 8, 2006. Sudan is enjoying an oil-fueled economic boom even as its wartorn Darfur region suffers through brutal violence, with some calling the boom a hopeful sign that the famine-prone African country is pulling itself together. Al-Fatih is Arabic for 'September'. (AP Dec 15 2006 Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)

ICC Prosecutor: First Darfur cases almost ready

Dec 14 2006 UN Press Release (via Scoop) - ICC Prosecutor: First Darfur Cases Almost Ready - excerpt:

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) informed the Security Council today that he is almost ready to bring cases about some of the worst war crimes committed in the Sudanese region of Darfur during the past three years.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo said he will submit evidence to ICC judges by February at the latest and, ahead of that step, he is now introducing measures to protect victims and witnesses.

According to the text of his statement to the closed-door Council meeting, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said that his first case will focus on a series of incidents in 2003 and 2004, when conflict emerged in Darfur as Government forces and allied militia clashes with rebel groups seeking greater autonomy.

"The evidence provides reasonable grounds to believe that the individuals identified have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the crimes of persecution, torture, murder and rape, during a period in which the gravest crimes occurred in Darfur," he said.

In a press statement released following his briefing, the Prosecutor said "perhaps most significant, the evidence reveals the underlying operational system that enabled the commission of these massive crimes."

New Border Intelligence Forces? - Sudan gov't says Janjaweed are border guards

Are Janjaweed now wearing the dark green uniforms of Sudanese government troops? Dec 14 2006 Reuters report Darfur: Gov't Says Janjaweed Are Border Guards - excerpt:

Pekka Haavisto, the European Union special envoy to Sudan, said he complained about the Janjaweed activities in El Fasher to the government on Thursday.

"The government response was: they are not Janjaweed, we are not calling them Janjaweed, because they are government border guards," he said.

"And my response was that if you recognize (them) as being part of the government, you have even more responsibility for their behavior."

There was no comment from the government, but state-run media has referred to one of the groups involved in the clashes as the "Border Intelligence Forces."

Darfur: France unready to support no-fly zone

Dec 14 2006 Kuna news report (via CFD) France Unready to Support No-Fly Zone - excerpt:

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei remarked that his government had learned of the proposal through the press and that France was not approached by Britain on this subject.