SUDAN WATCH

Friday, May 08, 2009

Chadian President Déby urges AU Chair Gaddafi to work for regional security

From Pana (Libya) via Afrique Online 08 May 2009:
Déby urges Kadhafi to work for regional security

Chadian President, Idriss Déby Thursday informed Libyan leader and Chairman of the African Union (AU), Mouammar Kadhafi about the current events in the eastern part of his country.

According to a Libyan official source, Déby urged Kadhafi, in a telephone chat, to work for the return of security and stability in the region, under his mandate as AU Chairman and in his capacity as high permanent mediator of peace within the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) and beyond on the continent.

Chadian rebel groups have been conducting, for a week, a military offensive in the eastern part of Chad, where they have been intensely fighting against government forces.

See Sudan Watch, Friday, May 08, 2009: Chad fighting intensifies - Chadian gov't forces and rebels are set for a showdown at the weekend
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Clashes in Chad leave scores dead
Friday, 08 May 2009 AFP report (NDJAMENA):

Chad government forces fought desert battles Friday against rebels mounting a new offensive against President Idriss Deby with more than 150 reported dead in two days of conflict.

The fighting concentrated around the town of Am-Dam has raised concerns among UN agencies and aid groups caring for about 450,000 refugees from Sudan and Central African Republic in camps in eastern Chad.

The UN Security Council is to meet Friday to discuss the fighting. France, which has troops in Chad, is also anxiously watching events.

The Chad army has bombed the rebels from planes and helicopters since they crossed the Sudanese border on Monday. The Chad government accuses Sudan of backing the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) rebels who say their aim is to take the capital Ndjamena.

There were new "violent clashes" early Friday, a rebel spokesman Ali Ordjo Hemchi told AFP in a statement. He said "several dozen" government troops had been killed or wounded and tanks destroyed in the fighting around Houaich, near Am-Dam.

The spokesman said rebels were chasing government forces further east.

The government confirmed the new clashes and said 60 rebel vehicles had been destroyed or captured.

The army said that 125 rebels and 21 soldiers were killed, 30 government troops wounded, and 152 rebels taken prisoner in clashes Thursday at Am-Deressa, another locality south of Am-Dam.

Communications Minister Mahamat Hissene said Thursday that "government forces gained the upper hand and mopping up operations are continuing."

Interim defence minister Adoum Younousmi spoke earlier of "heavy" casualties from "fierce" combat.

The rebels said that they occupy Am-Dam which is 110 kilometres (70 miles) north of Goz Beida and 100km (60 miles) south of Abeche, the two towns used as bases by relief agencies working in eastern Chad.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Thursday said it had pulled all but two of 20 staff out of camps for 60,000 people because of the new instability.

The UN World Food Programme took a similar decision in the region on Wednesday.

"All the other humanitarian agencies are going to do the same" because the situation is "too volatile and too unstable," said Serge Male, representing the High Commissioner for Refugees in Chad.

Chad has accused Sudan of backing the rebel assault, which began after the neighbours signed a peace pact on Sunday.

The rebels claim to have more than 1,000 all-terrain vehicles to carry their forces across the desert but said they had been attacked each day by helicopters and high-flying bombers.

The government has so far stated that it carried out one air attack.

In February 2008, rebels battled their way to the gates of the presidential palace in Ndjamena before being beaten back. And there are new worries in the capital.

"Memories of what happened in February 2008 come back into my head," said Elise Mariam, a fish seller in Ndjamena, one of thousands who fled the city then.

"Since I heard that war is back, I've been really frightened.

"I abandoned everything and lost it all. I don't want to live through that again... The international community should act fast."

Chadian Interior and Public Security Minister Ahmat Mahamat Bashir has accused Sudanese President Omar El-Beshir of ordering "mercenaries" to attack Chad and vowed that the rebels would be wiped out.

Peace between Chad and Sudan is regarded as essential to any lasting settlement to a six-year-old uprising in Sudan's western Darfur region.

Deby seized power in a similar rebellion in 1990, also launched from Sudan. He was first elected president in a vote in 1996, re-elected in 2001 and stood for a third term in 2006, when the opposition boycotted the poll.

Red Cross says humanitarian situation in Darfur is more or less under control

8th May is international day of the Red Cross and Red Crescent society.

From Sudan Radio Service 07 May 2009 - (Khartoum):

The International Committee of the Red Cross says that the humanitarian situation in Darfur is more or less under control after the GONU expelled 13 international humanitarian organizations from the region.

Jordi Raich Curco is the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan. He spoke to Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Jordi Raich Curco]: “Obviously there was at the beginning, the shock about how big, how much, of an impact there would be regarding these NGOs leaving. I think that the Government of Sudan and the United Nations have been following the problem by doing an assessment and designing a strategy. So the needs are there of course but I think the situation we can say is more or less under control.”

He also called on the nations of the world to work improve humanitarian situation in countries affected by conflicts.

[Jordi Raich Curco]: “What we are doing is to launch on the 8th May, which is international day of the Red Cross and Red Crescent society, a worldwide global campaign called “Our World, Your Move”. What we try to say by that is that this is our world but it is your move as individuals. We try to highlight the power of individuals, the power of people like Dunant, who was this person in the battle of Solferino that came up with an idea that helped to develop organizations and institutions that will help other movements, other persons, and other humans.”

Jordi Raich Curco, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan was speaking to Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Wednesday.

Ahmed Mohamed Haroun designated as the governor of South Kordofan State

In a cabinet reshuffle the Sudanese president has appointed a woman, Ms. Halima Hassaballa, as the State Minister at the federal Ministry of Education. Former minister of Animal Resources Abu Kalabeesh is appointed governor of North Kordofan State. Dr. Abdel-Bagi Al-Jailani replaces Ahmed Mohamed Haroun as the State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Ahmed Mohamed Haroun designated as the governor of South Kordofan State.

Source: Sudan Tribune, Friday, 8 May 2009 - Sudan’s president removes ICC-wanted minister in a mini cabinet reshuffle

May 7, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir today has reshuffled his cabinet appointing two new ministers and removed the ICC-wanted state minister for humanitarian affairs from his position.

Ahmed Mohamed Haroun was the first Sudanese official indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Darfur. The ICC issued its first arrest warrant in May 2007 for Haroun together with a militia commander Ali Mohamed Ali Abdel-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb.

In a presidential decree issued this evening Bashir appointed Dr. Abdel-Bagi Al-Jailani as the State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Haroun is designated as the governor of South Kordofan State.

ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accused Haroun of being the minister in charge of attacks on the villages and the camps. After his appointment at the ministry of humanitarian affairs, Ocampo said he had been appointed in this position to hinder the humanitarian assistance.

The Sudanese government had been subjected to Arab and international pressures to remove Haroun from his ministerial position after the ICC judges issued their arrest warrant against him. However, Bashir involved him in many files and he had been omnipresent on the Sudanese media.

The reshuffle, which dealt with the National Congress Party (NCP) ministers and northern Sudan governors, removed Al-Zubeir Bashir Taha from the ministry of agriculture and replaced him by the former governor of Khartoum state Abdel-Halim Ismail Al-Muaafi. Also Dr. Faisal Hassan Ibarhim is appointed as Minister of Animal Resources taking the position of Mohamed Tahir Abu Kalabeesh.

The Sudanese president further appointed Ms. Halima Hassaballa as the State Minister at the federal Ministry of Education.

Taha, the former agriculture minister, is appointed in accordance with the presidential decree as governor of Gezira State. While the former minister of Animal Resources Abu Kalabeesh is appointed governor of North Kordofan State.

Also Dr. Abdel-Rahman Al-Khidir is appointed as Governor of Khartoum State.

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See Dec 07, 2008 Sudan Watch: Sudan’s South Kordofan the next Darfur?

Chad fighting intensifies - Chadian gov't forces and rebels are set for a showdown at the weekend

Chad airstrikes against rebels. Thousands flee CAR unrest. Chadian government forces and rebels are set for a showdown at the weekend.

From Independent (Ireland) by Tom Brady, 08 May 2009:
Irish troops on full alert for Chad showdown

CHADIAN government forces and rebel troops are set for a showdown at the weekend -- about 100km from the Irish peacekeeping base.

Irish troops remained on full alert last night to protect humanitarian aid workers in their area, but have not come into any contact with the advancing rebel soldiers.

It now appears the rebels have diverted away from the Irish base at Goz Beida and are heading over 100 km north east to the town of Am Dam.

Intelligence sources last night indicated the rebels are expected to clash with Chadian government forces at the weekend and that both sides were now preparing for that inevitability.

The government forces are already installed in a post at Am Dam and reinforcements have been rushed there in the past 24 hours.

Intelligence sources said both sides were now engaged in a deadly game of tactical chess and their preparations for a confrontation were being hampered by the early onset of the rainy season in Chad.

Heavy rainfall has slowed down troop movements on the ground while it is also interfering with Chadian aerial efforts to pinpoint rebel positions as they move towards Am Dam.

On Wednesday afternoon the Irish troops evacuated almost 80 humanitarian aid workers and local security personnel from camps for refugees and internally displaced persons in their area of operations and over 30 of them spent the night with the troops in Camp Ciara.

Irish patrols continued in the Goz Beida area yesterday but did not catch sight of the rebels although the Chadian interior minister Ahmat Mahamat Bachir claimed they were "swarming around this town".

He alleged that the rebels had been tracked down by the government forces and "dealt with" by their aircraft and that steps had been taken to ensure there was no rebel advance.

However, independent intelligence indicated the rebels had altered their path to avoid confrontation until they were ready.

The rebels have been attempting to topple President Idriss Deby for more than three years.

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Chad airstrikes against rebels - Thousands flee CAR unrest

From Sapa-dpa via The Times.za 08 May 2009 -
Chad fighting intensifies:

Heavy fighting has broken out in the east of Chad despite government claims that it had repelled a rebel attack.

Both the government and the rebel Union of Resistance Forces claimed victory in the latest fighting, which took place near the town Am Dam.

Am Dam is located some 100 kilometres north of Goz Beida, where fighting earlier this week prompted foreign aid workers to be evacuated from refugee camps there.

Communications Minister Mahamat Hissene said that over 100 rebel troops and several of its own soldiers were killed in the latest battles that took place throughout Thursday, the BBC reported.

The UFR, which earlier said its goal was to reach the capital N’Djamena, claimed it had routed the army and was still en-route to the capital.

Chad on Tuesday accused Sudan of sending armed groups over the border just two days after the feuding countries signed a reconciliation agreement in Qatar.

Hissene told state radio that Sudan had sent in two armoured columns while the "ink has yet to dry on the Doha accord."

Sudan quickly denied the allegation.

The two countries only resumed diplomatic ties in November after cutting them in May 2008. The neighbours have long accused each other of conducting proxy wars through rebel groups.

In May last year, Khartoum accused Chad of backing Darfuri insurgents who attacked the Sudanese capital. Chad countered by blaming Sudan for an earlier rebel attack on N’Djamena.

Chad and Sudan signed the agreement, brokered by Qatar and Libya, in Doha on Sunday.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that the peacekeeping mission in Chad and the Central African Republic, known as MINURCAT, would protect civilians.

Ban called on Sudan and Chad to resolve their differences by diplomatic means.

Photo: Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, leader of JEM & SLM splinter group URF, in El Fasher North Darfur, W. Sudan (from Nov 2008 Sudan Watch archives)

Nov 20, 2008 - Sudan Watch - Joint chief mediator Djibril Bassolé meets Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, leader of JEM & SLM splinter group URF, in El Fasher N. Darfur, W. Sudan

Apr 24, 2009 - Sudan Watch - UFR threatens war to overthow Chad's government - UN mission in Chad needs boosting - RFC/UFR's Chadian leader Timan Erdimi sits in Darfur, W. Sudan plotting war against his Uncle, Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Photo: The Rally of Forces for Change (RFC) is led by Timan Erdimi (AFP/BBC/Apr 24, 2009 Sudan Watch)

Photo: Timan Erdimi leader de l’UFR: lire son interview accordée en arabe (Source: www.tribunecoum.com février 19, 2009 and Slide Show/Apr 24, 2009 Sudan Watch)

May 07, 2009 - Sudan Watch - UN moves staff as Chadian rebels advance - AFP report May 6, 2009

May 07, 2009 - Sudan Watch - 439-strong Irish contingent serving in Chad

May 07, 2009 - Sudan Watch - Chad says no need for French military aid for now

May 08, 2009 - China View - U.S. accuses Sudan of supporting Chadian rebels

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Xinhua) The United States condemns the cross-border attacks by Chadian rebels from neighboring Sudan, the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.

"The United States condemns the current attacks by Chadian rebels coming across the border from Sudan," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement.

"We call on the rebels to desist from all offensive operations, renounce violence and enter into negotiations with the government of Chad to re-enter Chadian society," he said.

"We also call on the government of Sudan to disarm and demobilize any Chadian rebels on its territory now or in the future and urge their return to Chad," the spokesman said.

Chad said earlier in the day that its army had killed more than100 rebels in the two-day clash in the country's eastern region south of Goz Beida.

Chad's government blasted Sudan for backing the rebels. But Sudan denied the accusation.

Chad and Sudan severed diplomatic ties in April 2006 and May 2008 amid escalations of tensions, in which they accused each other of supporting rebels. Editor: Chris

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Photo: From left to right: Secretary of external affairs at the Darfur United Resistance Front (URF) Tag Al-Din Bashir; Leader of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) legacy faction Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur; Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) humanitarian coordinator Suleiman Jamous; Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim. Source: Sudan Watch March 04, 2009: Darfur rebels vow full ICC cooperation ahead of ruling on Bashir case

UPDATE: From Sudan Radio Service 07 May 2009 - (N’Djamena):

The Chadian government claims that they have evidence that proves Sudan’s support for Chadian anti-government groups.

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service from N’Djamena on Thursday, the Chadian Minister of Information, Mohamed Hussein, explains why Chad is accusing Khartoum of backing the groups.

[Mohamed Hussein]: "Before entering Chad, the rebel troops were in Sudan; Sudan is the one which provides training, weapons, vehicles and each and every thing to the rebels. We have intercepted information in one of the attacks where the Sudan chief of security and intelligence, Salah Gosh, was ordering and directing the rebels to invade the city at night. And we have recorded that, even the military leadership is involved in that. The attack is completely a Sudanese agenda.”

The Chadian anti-government forces, who advanced 150 kilometers inside Chadian territory, claimed that they are moving deeper towards the capital N’Djamena.

Hussein dismissed the claim, saying that Chadian government forces have blocked their advance.

[Mohamed Hussein]: ”When they said that they will overthrow the regime, that means they were targeting the capital, they entered Chadian territory on Sunday night, until now they have not crossed more than 150 kilometers inside the Chadian territory and today is Thursday. It is the fifth day and they have not exceeded 150 kilometers, absolutely they have been blocked.”

The Government of National Unity has however dismissed the accusations by Chad, describing the attack as a purely Chadian affair.

The accusations come a few days after Sudan and Chad signed their sixth goodwill agreement in Doha on Sunday.

"Mandate Darfur" conference backed by Mo Ibrahim Foundation may be cancelled

Mo Ibrahim, the backer of "Mandate Darfur" conference says it may be cancelled due to opposition from Sudan.

Source: BBC report 8 May 2009 - Sudan invites expanded Darfur aid - excerpt:

The conference on Darfur that could now be cancelled was to bring together some 400 people from Darfur's diverse ethnic groups in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Pro-government groups as well as those close to Darfuri rebels were included.

Funded by Sudanese expatriate and telecoms entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim, it also had the backing of the UN, the African Union and the Arab League.

But Mr Ibrahim told the BBC that the process is now being held up by the Sudanese authorities.

He said delegates were being harassed, their passports withdrawn and that some have been warned they were engaging in activities against the state.

Unless the Sudanese government gave its permission, the conference would have to be abandoned, he added.

BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says work to prepare for the conference has been under way for nearly a year, and UN planes and helicopters were on standby to help airlift the delegates to Ethiopia.

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See Sudan Watch May 07, 2009 - Meeting of 350 Darfuris on May 12 in Addis Ababa for talks to produce "Mandate Darfur" backed by Mo Ibrahim's foundation - excerpt from The Economist:

Some hope is being invested in an initiative by civic groups in Darfur, backed by a foundation set up in London by Mo Ibrahim, a British mobile-phone tycoon of Sudanese origin. About 350 Darfuris are due to gather on May 12th in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for five days of talks intended to produce what they are calling “Mandate Darfur”. This should outline what Darfuris would like to see in a peace deal with the Sudanese government in Khartoum. The meeting offers a chance for non-party Darfuris to circumvent the posturing of the score of fractious rebel groups that often stand for no one but themselves and invariably foster discord.

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See Sudan Tribune report May 08, 2009 by Tesfa-alem Tekle - Sudan’s Darfur civil society conference to be held in Ethiopia - copy:

May 7, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Darfurian civil society organizations will come together in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, next week to agree on mandate for peace in their troubled region.

The initiative aims to give voice to the Darfurian people, as part of bringing lasting peace and security to the war torn Darfur region.

According to a statement released by Mandate Darfur the May 12-16 conference will bring together some 300 representatives from across the region, biggest ever assemble of the Darfurian civil society.

Therefore Darfurian delegates from across tribal, ethic, geographic and religious communities will debate the various political, economic and developmental issues in an effort to build a more sustainable peace to the region.

There is high expectation that their discussions would lead to an agreed mandate that provides building block for the future peace negotiations.

Mandate Darfur is a Darfurian-owned initiative which is being facilitated by the Mo-Ibrahim foundation, an African initiative established to stimulate debate on good governance across sub-Sahran Africa and the world to bring good leadership.

On behalf of Mandate Darfur, Mo Ibrahim, founder and chairman of the Mo Ibrahim foundation, said "we are pleased that the international community is coming in support of this important Darfurian civil society initiative."

"We know that without the consideration of the Darfurians themselves, no peace agreement will be sustainable or legitimate. It is our hope that the international community will continue to stand on the side of the Darfurian people when the Mandate emerges," he added.

The initiative is also said to be a direct response to the United Nations Security Council resolution 1828 (2008) which underlines the need for engagement of civil society, women and women led organizations, community groups and tribal leaders.

Following the conference, Mandate Darfur will work to deliver the agreed mandate around the world to ensure that leaders within Sudan, Africa and the wider world pursue the interests of the Darfurian people to find lasting peace to the region.

Scott Gration, president Obama’s special Envoy to Sudan, said, "I believe strongly that solutions to the present conflict in Darfur must come from Darfurians themselves. Your efforts and the broad representation of civil society you plan to gather in Ethiopia will play an important role in adding more momentum to our mutual goal of peace and security in Darfur."

Demonstrating the breadth of support for this initiative, Mandate Darfur was also welcomed by endorsement of Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League. Moussa said of the initiative, "It gives me great pleasure to welcome your important initiative in this regard, and I would like to express the Arab League’s total readiness to cooperate… in order to ensure a positive role for the representatives and components of the Darfur civil society in the settlement of the crisis and mending the social texture in Darfur."

Furthermore European Union backed this civil society solution to the Darfur crisis. European Union commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel said, "International efforts have hitherto tended to focus on the Government and armed groups rather than on the civil having taken the conscious decision not to take up arms. I therefore welcome your initiative, which addresses this weakness and raises awareness among the conflicting parties of the concerns of the people of Darfur."

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Sudan, UN agree to enhance effectiveness of humanitarian operation in Darfur

From China View 8 May 2009 - Sudan, UN agree to enhance effectiveness of humanitarian operation in Darfur:

KHARTOUM, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government and the United Nations (UN) agreed on Thursday to enhance the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in the restive Sudanese region of Darfur and to provide necessary help for those affected by the conflict.

The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Highest Committee for Humanitarian Action in Darfur, its first meeting in Khartoum after absorbing the United States, Britain, China, Russia, the European Union, the African Union and the Arab League as new members of the committee besides Sudan and the UN.

The committee also decided to hold monthly meetings to follow up and assess the humanitarian situation in Darfur in western Sudan and to address the problems through a collective mechanism.

Hassabu Mohammed Abdullah, the Sudanese commissioner for humanitarian aid, told reporters at the end of the meeting that "the committee agreed to conduct a joint assessment and treat the problems through coordinated means and to review the statistics of displaced persons and refugees to assess their needs."

He reiterated the readiness of the Sudanese government to work with the Highest Committee in order to improve the situation in Darfur and enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian operation by facilitating the relief organizations operating in the region. Editor: Yan

439-strong Irish contingent serving in Chad

(Back, from left) Fr Pat Mernagh, Davidstown; Pte Richard Walsh, Ballindaggin; Pte John Ryan, Castlebridge; Pte Philip Doyle, Oylegate; Cpl George Howlin, Courtnacuddy; Sgt Tom Devereux, Milehouse, Enniscorthy; Cpl Pat Codd, Rathnure; Cpl Shane Kehoe,...

Wexford soldiers protecting those under threat in Chad
By Conor CULLEN
Wednesday May 06 2009

COUNTY WEXFORD soldiers are well represented among those members of the Irish Defence Forces currently serving in Chad.

Almost 20 of the 439-strong Irish contingent in Chad's volatile eastern flank, around 30 miles from the Sudanese border, hail from the Model County.

Speaking from Chad last week, Company Sergeant Derek Herbage from Gorey, said that the Wexford natives are all working in different areas, from signals and transport to engineering and ordinance to reconnaissance. The chaplain for the 99th Infantry Battalion, Fr. Pat Mernagh, is also a Wexford man.

They arrived in Chad in January and have served there during a historic time for the Defence Forces as the command of the Chad peace enforcement mission recently changed from the European Union to United Nations, meaning the troops now wear the familiar blue beret of the U.N. even though their operations remain the same under the U.N. mission, known as MINURCAT.

The Irish camp is based next to a town called Goz Beida and the troops are primarily responsible for protecting refugees fleeing from the violence in Sudan as well as Chadians displaced by local unrest.

'Our first and main task to protect civilians in danger and protect the refugees,' said Derek.

The troops also provide protection for the NGOs working in the area, which include Irish organization like Concern.

Though the work in the African country is tough, Derek said the facilities in the camp are excellent and spirit and morale very high.

This is helped greatly by Fr. Mernagh, whom Derek said is brilliant for organizing all kinds of events to keep the troops amused when they have free time.

At the moment the 99th infantry battalion is preparing to hand over their duties to the 100th infantry battalion and Derek said they are all looking forward to coming home and seeing their families in late May or early June.

UNAMID peacekeepers patrol lawless Darfur nights

May 7, 2009 EL GENEINA, Sudan (AFP)
Peacekeepers patrol lawless Darfur nights

The peacekeepers' convoy enters the alleyways of Ardamata refugee camp, stirring up a cloud of dust amid the last rays of the Darfur sun. After dark, the camp's residents want all the protection they can get.

"The difference between a night patrol and a day patrol? The night is more risky," says a blue helmeted Nigerian soldier armed with a machine gun.

The two armoured cars and three jeeps in the convoy of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) do a circuit of the refugee camps around the town of El Geneina, capital of West Darfur and near the border with Chad.

"Here, in the evening after sunset, we hear shooting," complains Toril Mohammed, a resident of Ardamata camp, where a lack of electricity means vehicle headlights are the only illumination at night.

"But I don't know who is firing," adds the 37 year-old, dressed in a white tunic and surrounded by a gaggle of children, some of them born in the camp where thatched huts have started to appear alongside the makeshift canvas first erected by the refugees when they fled their homes.

"The refugees complain of gunfire at night. So that they feel safe, we send patrols," said UNAMID Lieutenant Colonel Hamza Kaoje.

Six years after ethnic minority rebels in Darfur rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government, the situation in parts of the region remains tense after dark.

At El Geneina in particular, Sudanese soldiers, pro-government militiamen, rebels, highway bandits and small-time thugs all go around heavily armed.

"There are a lot of problems here at night... It is better not to leave your home," says young taxi driver Mohammed Mussa.
At the end of March, unidentified arsonists set fire to the Abuzar camp just outside El Geneina one night, burning around a hundred makeshift shacks and killing two people.

"The refugees want us to visit often but with the number of men at our disposal, we cannot be there 24 hours a day," Kaoje said regretfully.

UNAMID is supposed to become the world's biggest peacekeeping mission but 15 months after its launch only 15,700 of the 26,000 soldiers and police mandated by the UN Security Council have actually been deployed.

The peacekeeping force also struggles with a shortage of equipment, compounded by frequent hijackings of its 4X4 vehicles.

The cars are vital for navigating the difficult roads of a region the size of France, but are much prized on the black market for the same reason.

The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died since the conflict began in 2003 and another 2.7 million fled their homes. Khartoum puts the death toll at 10,000.

Peacekeepers say levels of violence have dropped over the past two years, although the conflict has become much more complicated with rebel groups and pro-government militias alike fragmenting into small armed factions.

"Civilian populations live in relative security. Women can go and fetch wood outside camps and return without being attacked like before," says UNAMID commander in West Darfur, General Balla Keita of Senegal, alluding to the widespread reports of rape by marauding militiamen in previous years.

But Keita warned that maintenance of the security improvements was heavily dependent on the continued provision of relief supplies, which has been imperilled by the expulsion of 13 foreign aid groups by the Khartoum government in March.

If the humanitarian situation worsens in coming months "perhaps the security situation will do the same," he said.

Mustafa Ismail and European Union Envoy Discuss Efforts for Realizing Peace in Darfur and CPA Implementation

SUNA 07 May 2009 - The Presidential Advisor and Secretary General of the National Congress, Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Wednesday received the special envoy of the European Union to Sudan and discussed the current situation in the country, the ongoing efforts to realizing peace in Darfur and the implementation of Darfur peace agreement and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

In a statement to the press after the meeting, the European Union envoy expressed the union's appreciation of the recent agreement which was signed by Sudan and Chad in Doha, indicating that the prevalence of peaceful relations between the two countries is important for achieving a final solution for Darfur issue.

He reflected the European Union's hope the dialogue and peace negotiations will continue between the parties in Darfur issue, affirming the keenness of the international community to boost the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union and the mediators toward reaching solution of Darfur issue and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Meeting of 350 Darfuris on May 12 in Addis Ababa for talks to produce "Mandate Darfur" backed by Mo Ibrahim's foundation

Some hope is being invested in an initiative by civic groups in Darfur, backed by a foundation set up in London by Mo Ibrahim, a British mobile-phone tycoon of Sudanese origin. About 350 Darfuris are due to gather on May 12th in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for five days of talks intended to produce what they are calling “Mandate Darfur”. This should outline what Darfuris would like to see in a peace deal with the Sudanese government in Khartoum. The meeting offers a chance for non-party Darfuris to circumvent the posturing of the score of fractious rebel groups that often stand for no one but themselves and invariably foster discord.

Source: The Economist
Behind the defiance, a whirr of diplomacy
May 7, 2009

President Omar al-Bashir growls at the West for wanting him tried for alleged war crimes in an international court. But diplomacy is intensifying behind the scenes

TWO months after the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, for alleged war crimes in his country’s battered western region of Darfur, he seems to be sitting pretty. He has remained entirely unapologetic for the deaths of some 300,000 of his compatriots. On the day the indictment was announced he expelled 13 Western aid agencies which had been trying to keep Darfur’s 2.7m displaced people alive. He continues to denounce the court as a tool of Western neo-imperialism. He has gone on very public trips to friendly neighbouring countries, such as Egypt and Ethiopia. And he was hailed as a hero at a summit of the 22-country Arab League in Qatar, an ally of the West. In sum, he has demonstrated that the arm of the ICC’s law is embarrassingly short.

But beneath the surface, things have been less simple, less predictable and less easy for Mr Bashir. Many expected his government to lash out at its enemies, real or imagined, even more fiercely. After its initial huff and puff, it has not done so. In truth, Sudan’s rulers have been rattled by the indictment. As a result, they have been trying anew to ingratiate themselves with the West and with governments farther afield on a range of issues, all in the hope of persuading the UN Security Council to ask the ICC to suspend its indictment, which it has the power to do, for a year at a time. Despite the Sudanese government’s defiant rhetoric and the expulsion of the aid agencies, it has quietly shifted on several points. It can change tack again, as it has before. But it is plainly not immovable.

For a start, a month after the expulsion of the aid agencies, Sudan’s government announced it would honour its promise to hold a general election, albeit a bit later than expected, in February 2010. Under a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005 with former rebels in the south who had been fighting for autonomy or secession for most of the past four decades, nationwide elections were supposed to be held this year. Some opposition politicians expected the beleaguered Mr Bashir, enraged by the indictment, to junk the American-brokered CPA and to break his election promise. But his refusal to do so hints at a reluctance to burn all his diplomatic bridges with the West.

If all goes well, the elections will be the first fully democratic ones since 1986, three years before Mr Bashir came to power in a coup. There are still many pitfalls, not least the compilation of a voters’ register that everyone can agree on. But assuming the poll is held, Mr Bashir and his National Congress Party might conceivably lose the presidency to Salva Kiir, the leader and likely candidate of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the southerners’ former rebel group.

And there have been flickers of hope over Darfur itself. After the indictment, Mr Bashir’s government and one of the biggest rebel groups in Darfur, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), broke off negotiations that had just begun, for the first time in years, in Qatar’s capital, Doha. But those talks have lately resumed. It would be better if all the various Darfuri rebel factions were involved. But negotiating with the best-armed lot is better than nothing.

Hopes of a successful outcome were raised on May 3rd when the governments of Sudan and Chad, its western neighbour, agreed to normalise relations after talks brokered by Qatar and Libya. Chad’s government has often stirred the pot in Darfur by arming and backing JEM.

This diplomatic spurt has been encouraged by America’s new envoy to Sudan, an energetic former air-force general, Scott Gration, who has been advising Barack Obama on African affairs for several years. Unlike his two predecessors, Mr Gration has been appointed as a full-time envoy, stressing Mr Obama’s eagerness to help make peace in Darfur. Mr Gration was born in Congo to missionary parents, speaks Swahili and knows the region well.

Above all, Sudan’s government still craves normal diplomatic ties with America and yearns to be taken off the State Department’s list of sponsors of terror. This is the West’s strongest lever for persuading Mr Bashir to end his military campaign in Darfur and to meet his obligations under the CPA, such as holding elections.

Some hope is also being invested in an initiative by civic groups in Darfur, backed by a foundation set up in London by Mo Ibrahim, a British mobile-phone tycoon of Sudanese origin. About 350 Darfuris are due to gather on May 12th in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for five days of talks intended to produce what they are calling “Mandate Darfur”. This should outline what Darfuris would like to see in a peace deal with the Sudanese government in Khartoum. The meeting offers a chance for non-party Darfuris to circumvent the posturing of the score of fractious rebel groups that often stand for no one but themselves and invariably foster discord.

All these initiatives may lead nowhere. Sudan has long seemed inclined to fragmentation and conflict. No sooner had Chad signed its latest pact with Sudan than it accused Mr Bashir’s army of launching an attack across the border, which the Sudanese denied. By the same token, JEM was reluctant to attend the meeting in Qatar, but Mr Gration persuaded it to do so.

Since the turn of the year, fighting—between government forces and the rebels, and between tribes and rebel factions in the ravaged west—has been sporadic. Supplies of food and medicine left behind by the foreign agencies have nearly run out. But at least people are talking. And Sudan’s prickly government is giving a little ground, despite—or perhaps even because of—that controversial ICC indictment.

UPDATE: See Sudan Watch, Friday, May 08, 2009: "Mandate Darfur" conference backed by Mo Ibrahim Foundation may be cancelled

Expelled NGOs must refuse to return

Aiding and Abetting Khartoum

By Rob Crilly - African Safari - May 7, 2009

So you are an NGO recently expelled from Darfur. Over the years the government in Khartoum restricted your operations in the field, kicked out your country director and a security officer, whom the regime accused of being a Mossad agent. Then, just when you are wondering how you can ever actually help the millions of people that depend on your aid,the government expels you altogether. Overnight your operation is shut down, cars impounded and computers seized. Hundreds of Sudanese staff lose their jobs at a stroke and your international workers are treated as criminals as they are put on flights out.

Not all your staff can leave though. One or two have to stay behind to shut things down and help the government take all the good bits of kit. The government also demands you pay six months wages to the local staff. It is made crystal clear that the internationals left behind will not be allowed to leave until millions of dollars in "severance pay" is handed to the government. The internationals are effectively hostages held for ransom. They have at least got their passports back - but no exit visa. They are trapped.

Would you, given these circumstances, ever consider returning to a country that has done all this? Particularly if the deal essentially involved you changing your name thus admitting that you were at fault? Would you want to scale all your operations back up, invest millions of dollars, knowing that Khartoum can kick you out again whenever they fancy?

This is essentially the position Care, and three other American agencies find themselves in. I understand that the IRC, Oxfam and MSF have heard that they will never again be welcome in Sudan. (In some ways that is to the agencies'

credit). But the other agencies have got Scott Gration, Barack Obama's new Sudan envoy, to thank for one of the most pathetic, weakminded deals I have ever encountered.

I was always concerned about the choice of a military man as envoy to a country known for its ability to run rings around diplomats. The choice seemed to reinforce Save Darfur's analysis of the problem, that military solutions - peacekeepers, no-fly zones and so on - where the way to rein in Khartoum's

war machine. Ending the conflict is going to take some tough negotiation but I was prepared to give Gration the benefit of the doubt.

This shabby deal suggests he is not up to the job.

Pals who have worked in Sudan tell me some head offices are keen to return. Darfur generates cash and profile for aid agencies. Returning though would hand Khartoum a propaganda victory and send a signal that the government can mistreat aid agencies with impunity (not for the first time).

It is time for both the United Nations and the NGOs to show some spine and refuse to return. That is a desperately difficult thing to do when millions of Darfuris are in need, but backing down will only cause more suffering in the long run.

US envoy to Sudan met with Nafie Ali Nafie and Salva Kiir

KHARTOUM (AFP) — UN humanitarian chief hails Sudan aid move

The top UN humanitarian official on Thursday welcomed a move by Sudan to allow international aid agencies into the country after 13 were expelled from war-torn Darfur in March.

"I welcome the assurances... that not only UN agencies are welcome here to work on the humanitarian side but international NGOs, national NGOs of course are welcome (including) new NGOs," John Holmes told reporters.

"There's a degree of flexibility about that which I hope will be helpful as we go forward," he said after talks with officials from Sudan's ministry for humanitarian affairs.

Senior Sudanese aid official Hassabo Mohammed Abdelrahman said on Wednesday that Khartoum was ready to allow foreign aid groups to operate in Darfur but ruled out the return of the 13 aid agencies kicked out in March. [...]

US Senator John Kerry said last month after meeting officials in Khartoum that some humanitarian aid to Darfur would be resumed. [...]

Peace talks between Khartoum and Darfur's most active rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, resumed on Wednesday in Qatar. JEM had suspended the negotiations after the ICC warrant was issued.

According to diplomatic and humanitarian sources in Khartoum, the United States has asked Sudan to allow back the expelled aid groups in return for the creation of a roadmap aimed at normalising diplomatic ties.

Khartoum and Washington have had strained relations since Beshir came into power in a 1989 coup.

The United States, which accuses Sudan of harbouring Al-Qaeda members, has imposed economic sanctions on the country since 1997.

US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration was also in the country on Thursday, on his second visit in a month, and met presidential advisor Nafie Ali Nafie.

The visits come as the rainy season is about to start in Sudan, complicating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Darfur where outbreaks of diseases are feared.

Suspected cases of meningitis have already been reported in several camps for displaced people in Darfur.

Gration also held talks on Thursday with Sudan's first Vice President Salva Kiir, who also heads the semi-autonomous government in south Sudan.

The two discussed implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a peace deal signed between north and south Sudan in 2005 to end a bitter decades-long civil war.

Recent tribal clashes in southern Sudan raised fears of another deadly conflict in the region and a deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

The CPA stipulated general elections in 2009 which have been delayed to 2010.

"We want to see elections carried out, elections that are credible," Gration told reporters.

Italian special envoy visits UNAMID, Deputy Governor of N. Darfur and Zam Zam camp

UNAMID DAILY MEDIA BRIEF
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, May 6, 2009 via APO:

Italian special envoy visit to UNAMID

The Italian Special Envoy for Humanitarian Emergencies and Vulnerable Situations, Mrs. Margherita Boniver, today paid a one-day visit to El Fasher, North Darfur. The Special Envoy and her delegation were met at the airport by UNAMID senior officials.

Mrs. Boniver and her delegation were received by UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Mr. Rodolphe Adada who briefed them on the security, humanitarian and political situation in Darfur. They were also briefed on the status of UNAMID and on its deployment, achievements and challenges. Mr. Adada expressed appreciation to the Italian Government and the European Union for their support to UNAMID.

Mrs. Boniver said this was her third visit to Darfur since 2004, and noted that the situation had changed, that the worst was over and there was much better cooperation and coordination between the UN Agencies and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), “things are moving forward, UNAMID is an enormous success in Darfur,” she added. She thanked UNAMID for assisting the Italian INGOs working in the region and for a great job done on the ground.

The delegation also paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Wali (Governor) of North Darfur, Mr. Idris Abdallah Hassan; who also briefed them on the security and humanitarian situation in the region. The Deputy Wali reiterated his government’s commitment to the peace process and urged all parties to participate in the ongoing Doha initiative, as the problem of Darfur cannot be solved through violence.

Mrs. Margherita Boniver explained that the purpose of her visit was to assess the work of the Italian Non-Governmental Organizations working in North Darfur. She reiterated her Government’s commitment to the respect for human rights and hope that a comprehensive agreement would be reached soon.

The delegation visited Zam Zam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp where they had a meeting with the Omdas, Sheikhs (traditional leaders) as well as tribal leaders of the camp. They also had a meeting with COOPI, an Italian INGO and representatives of INGOs and of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) operating in North Darfur.

Meroe, Bajrawia, Northern Sudan

Photo entitled 'Another World'. Taken in Meroe, Bajrawia, Northern Sudan by Sudanese photographer Vit Hassan. See Vit's photostream at Flickr.

Found whilst browsing for the history of Meroe -
from The Italian Tourism Co. Ltd.:

Northern Sudan is one of Africa's most mysterious destination.The Nile river crosses the Sahara desert and along its valley lie very interesting archaeological sites of Egyptian and Meroitic civilization still unknown to the public. There are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt. The Nubian desert, the Eastern part of the Sahara desert and the Nile Cataracts, are only some of Sudan's natural wonders.

The Italian Tourism Co. Ltd., the only incoming operator owned by European, offers only the best itineraries, the best accommodations, the best organization. Our staff knows all the archaeological sites, the hidden Nubian villages, the nomads' settlements, the more spectacular desert landscapes. Our Company operates from Khartoum where a full operation office with Europeans staff is open during the tourism season (October to April).

A professional approach, care for details, experienced tour leaders and high-quality food and equipment form part of The Italian Tourism Company. Each tour is led by an experienced and highly competent European tour leader (English and French speaking), fully-trained Sudanese tour staff including experienced desert drivers and cooks.

The magnificence of the archaeological ruins and the impressiveness of the pyramids are testimonial of the quality and of the importance of the Egyptian civilisation in the valley of the Nile.

The most import historical phase begins when the Egyptian Pharaohs conquered the whole Nubian territory leaving the funerary temples and playing an important role on the local culture.

Then after a silent period, we have information regarding the birth of a new reign called Kushitic with Napata as its capital (near the actual Karima). With it the golden Nubian period begins; in 725 b.C. the Nubian king Piankhi conquered Egypt. In this period the custom of building temples as mortuary monuments begins in Nubia after having been abandoned for several centuries in Egypt.

The Nubian pyramids have no mortuary room inside, the real tomb is dug inside the rock below and is connected with the outside with an inclined tunnel with a small temple at its access. Meroe was the most important centre in Sudan for a few centuries. Towards the 4th century a.C. the city undergoes a decline phase, when the Ethiopian Christian king of Axum, Ezana, invaded Meroe and with this it was put an end to long history of the Kushitic dynasty.

The Italian Tourism team awaits you to host for a wonderful experience in Northern Sudan.

”…two shapes, above all, will remain in the minds of those who have visited this archaic country: the profile of the Kushitic sharp, pointed and light pyramids and the beauty of the bodies and faces of the Nubian people…”

The Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic, formally adopted today

Source: United Nations via APO
07 May 2009

Peacebuilding Commission endorses integrated strategy for long-term development, end to cycle of crises in Central African Republic / Chair of Country-Specific Configuration Describes Strategic Framework as Proof of Will to End Violence, Isolation, Desolation

NEW YORK, May 7, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Seizing the opportunity for sustainable peace in the Central African Republic, afforded by the success of last year’s inclusive political talks and the decision by key rebel factions to disarm, the Peacebuilding Commission today endorsed an integrated strategy to steer the engagement and dialogue among the Government, the United Nations and other international partners with a view to securing long-term development and breaking the cycle of multidimensional crises that has afflicted the landlocked country for decades.

The Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding in the Central African Republic, formally adopted today, identifies three priority areas for those partnership efforts: security-sector reform, including disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; governance and the rule of law; and economic expansion aimed at regional growth and organized around “development poles”.

It outlines the principles and modalities of cooperation, identifies initiatives under way, and analyses priorities, goals, challenges and threats to peacebuilding. Among the top priorities are reorganizing and deploying well-trained and equipped security forces, restoring trust between the people and Government institutions, organizing credible and transparent elections, and reviving economic activities.

In June 2008, the Central African Republic became the fourth country — after Burundi, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau — to be placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, which was established in 2005 to help countries in post-conflict situations avoid sliding back into war or chaos. The 31-member body agreed to take up the Central African Republic following a request from the Government, which, despite having made strides in consolidating peace, did not receive sufficient tax receipts to cover its security needs, the regular functioning of State services or debt repayments.

The strategy is consistent with strategic directions outlined in the national poverty reduction strategy paper for 2008-2010 and aims to support Government efforts to rapidly execute the recommendations resulting from the inclusive political dialogue. It seeks to shore up the Central African Republic’s fragile socio-political situation, which remains unstable due to ongoing armed conflict, particularly in the north-east, the existence of a large population of internally displaced persons and refugees from conflicts in neighbouring Sudan and Chad, and weak State services outside Bangui, the capital, its immediate vicinity and other main towns. The Government and the Peacebuilding Commission will conduct biennial reviews with the participation of all stakeholders in the Strategic Framework.

“The Framework is proof of the will of the Government and citizens of the Central African Republic to put an end to a long period of brutal violence, isolation and desolation,” said Jan Grauls ( Belgium), Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s country-specific configuration for the Central African Republic. The adoption of the Strategy was an “important milestone” which marked the beginning of a new phase in bringing sustainable peace to the Central African Republic. It also served as an expression of the world community’s desire to aid that process.

Welcoming the adoption via video link, Sylvain Maliko, Minister for Economy Planning and International Cooperation of the Central African Republic, said that, with the comprehensive peace agreement and the national political dialogue, 2008 had seen major developments. Due to the general amnesty, all players in the crisis had come together to discuss the country’s problems and produce various recommendations. Alongside his partners, the President intended to take that robust partnership forward and the Strategic Framework would reinforce that effort.

He further stressed that the critical disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process could be achieved only with assurances for overall security-sector reform. It was important to look at interrelated aspects of that process, particularly because its results must lead to economic development. There was also a need to create development architecture to help people in rural areas meet their needs.

Also from Bangui, Cyriaque Gonda, Minister for Communications, Good Citizenship, Dialogue Monitoring and National Reconciliation, said a number of delicate issues had been addressed in more than 300 recommendations during the inclusive political dialogue. Since strict implementation of those recommendations would be pivotal in sustainable peacebuilding, three committees — covering the political, governance and security arenas — had been established. To corroborate their activity, a follow-up committee had been set up with 25 members, many of them from the opposition, civil society and other groups.

Jean-Francis Bozizé, Minister for National Defence, highlighted the Government’s political dialogue, including with those still bearing arms, while acknowledging that the situation on the ground remained tense. Various groups sought to create a certain situation which the Government was trying to manage. Nevertheless, security-sector reform was under way, with early timetables having already been met. The Government faced implementation challenges and needed support in order to implement medium-term recommendations.

Also speaking by video link, Antoine Gambi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, added that, being new, the security-sector reform process required consolidation as well as the means for full implementation. Structures had been set up, daily activities were under way and the Government was trying to ensure national ownership of the process. The next round table on security-sector reform would take place in June.

Several members of the Peacebuilding Commission saluted the political and social momentum in the Central African Republic, and stressed the Government’s primary responsibility in continuing to build the peace. Gabon’s representative emphasized the importance of avoiding any situation in which political opposition groups would want to rearm, thereby jeopardizing the gains made to date. If disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts were unsuccessful, the rest of the peace process could be compromised.

Echoing that sentiment, the representative of the United States said that with violence spreading across the north and setting the stage for ethnic rather than merely political violence, time was growing short. The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process was an essential element in arresting that spread and allowing the Central African Republic to leverage its vast natural resources.

Many delegations expressed concern about the absence of funding mechanisms and the lack of clarity as to how resources would be used during the peacebuilding effort. A representative of the World Bank said that, as an “aid orphan” with limited capacity to manage its own needs from its own resources, the Central African Republic faced critical financing gaps. Unfortunately, World Bank support was similarly constrained, particularly with respect to International Development Association funds through 2011. The Bank was actively looking to ensure that the country could benefit from other funds made available by the international community, and working to establish a new subregional trust fund for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Jamaica (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), Morocco, Japan, South Africa, El Salvador, Benin and France.

Making a statement on behalf of the European Community was the representative of the European Union.

The Peacebuilding Commission will meet again at a date and time to be announced.

UN moves staff as Chadian rebels advance

May 6, 2009 LIBREVILLE (AFP) —
UN moves staff as Chadian rebels advance

The UN refugee agency on Thursday said it has pulled all but two of 20 staff out of camps for 60,000 people in eastern Chad, because of a rebel offensive, a top official said.

For the UNHCR, "there are now only two people" at Koukou Angarana, a site 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of the town of Goz Beida, where other staff have been recalled, Serge Male, the head of the High Commissioner for Refugees office in Chad, told AFP by telephone.

The decision echoes one Wednesday by the UN World Food Programme in the same region, because three rebel forces were progressing across Chad from the eastern border with Sudan, stating that their sights were set on the capital Ndjamena.

"All the other humanitarian agencies are going to do the same" because the situation is "too volatile and too unstable," Male said, but he stressed that "we hope this won't last."

The UNHCR has meanwhile provided for "very short term" measures to keep about 20,000 Sudanese refugees at Koukou Angarana and about 40,000 Chadians displaced by previous internal conflicts, Male said.

A rebel leader on Thursday told AFP in Libreville by electronic mail that "we are advancing... Until now, everything has gone according to our strategy," adding that "no lives have been lost on either side."

The Chadian government has accused Sudan of backing the rebel assault that started on Monday, while the ink was scarcely dry on a peace pact between the fractious neighbours brokered in Doha by Qatar and Libya.

Rebels of the Union of Forces for Resistance (UFR) claimed in a statement that they captured government military vehicles during a brief land clash on Tuesday between Tizzi and Haraz Mangueigne.

But the government said it had carried out one air raid on the rebels, who were advancing across the hot, arid south of the central African country in hundreds of all-terrain vehicles.

Diplomatic sources said that on Wednesday the rebels entered Am-Timan, 180 kilometres south of Goz Beida, and Am-Dam, 110 kilometres to the north, where they encountered no resistance. The Chadian government has made no comment on these claims.

However, the military activity, which follows a thwarted rebel bid last year to seize Ndjamena after they entered the capital, has led to mounting fears for some 450,000 refugees and displaced people in camps in eastern Chad.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon "is following developments in eastern Chad with increasing concern," the UN said in a statement late Wednesday, calling on Chad and Sudan to resume peace talks and urging respect for UN humanitarian operations.

Chadian Interior and Public Security Minister Ahmat Mahamat Bashir said that forces were being dispatched to intercept a column of rebel fighters spotted in the Central African Republic (CAR) near the border with Chad.

But the rebel UFR on Thursday denied that there were any rebel forces in the neighbouring country. An officer in the CAR army said they had no information for the moment about a rebel presence. But he added: "The situation worries us."

Bashir accused Sudanese President Omar El-Beshir of ordering "mercenaries" to attack Chad and vowed that the rebels would be wiped out.

Chad and Sudan have had tense relations for years, each country accusing the other of trying to destabilise its government. The latest peace deal, signed only on Sunday in Doha, appeared now to have fallen through.

Peace between Chad and Sudan is regarded as essential to any lasting settlement to a six-year-old uprising in Sudan's western Darfur region, where the Chadian rebels have rear bases.

In February last year, rebels battled their way to Ndjamena in western Chad in a bid to overthrow President Idiss Deby Itno before being beaten back with logistical help from some French forces.

US envoy to Sudan in Doha during peace talks between GOS and JEM, May 6, 2009

From Sudan Tribune Thursday 7 May 2009:

No confidence building in Darfur without ceasefire, Sudan
May 6, 2009 (DOHA) — Sudan said today confidence building measures, such as exchanges of prisoners, could not be reached as long as a ceasefire agreement is not inked with Darfur rebels.

: Darfur mediator, Djibril Bassolé, the Qatari state minister ath the foreign affairs and UD envoy to Sudan Scott Gration today in Doha during the peace talks between GOS and JEM, May 6, 2009 (QNAOL)

Thanks to the intervention of the US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, delegations from the Sudanese government and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) met today in the Qatari capital to discuss ways to resume the Doha peace process.

JEM’s delegation said before its departure they would not re-negotiate the terms of the goodwill agreement and confidence building measures signed on January 17, 2009, which it says the government violated by expelling foreign aid groups.

Amin Hassan Omer, a member of the Sudanese government delegation and Minister of State for Youth and Sports expressed his government’s keenness to develop a time frame for the peace talks between the government and the rebel movements in Darfur, adding it would put an end to the suffering in Darfur and the increasing tension in the region.

Following a meeting today between the Government and JEM delegations in Doha, Omer further said any talk of building confidence without a ceasefire between the parties does not make sense. "We are delighted that talks resume here (in Doha) and we hope the other rebel groups would join this negotiation," he said.

Last February JEM rejected to sign a ceasefire asking Khartoum to implement a series of measures before such cessation of hostilities. Besides the humanitarian demands, the rebel movement said Sudan should release its members who are detained and sentenced to death after an attack on the Sudanese capital.

Then in April JEM suspended its participation in the peace process to protest the eviction of the foreign aid groups. However, Sudan accused the aid workers of cooperation with the International Criminal Court and rejected their return. Also Sudan said it was able to cover the humanitarian gaps.

Omer said that today’s meeting discussed what happened after the signing of the goodwill agreement in Doha and the steps taken by Khartoum. He further asserted the seriousness of his government to achieve peace in Darfur and alleviate the humanitarian situation there.

Further the Sudanese official he pointed out that JEM members detained by the government are save and receive the appropriate treatment. He said that the release will only intervene after the progress of the negotiations and the implementation of a ceasefire.

Amin also hailed the efforts of the US envoy that brought the JEM rebels with him to Doha. He added that the two countries can repeat the positive cooperation in Doha talks and repeat Naivasha Peace negotiations.

The US Special envoy for Sudan told reporters today at the end of the meeting that his country supports efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Darfur and negotiated solution to end the conflict.

Chad says no need for French military aid for now

May 7, 2009 AFP report (via Dow Jones Newswires):
Chad Foreign Min Says No Need For French Military Aid

PARIS (AFP)--Chad's foreign minister Wednesday said his country wasn't seeking any immediate military aid from France to put down a rebel offensive in the east of the country.

"We have a technical cooperation agreement with France that is still valid," Moussa Faki Mahamat told RFI radio after meeting with Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Paris.

"For the time being, the Chadian army has the capacity to address this new situation."

France has 1,100 soldiers based in in its former colony under a bilateral accord and 800 others are serving in a U.N.-led force that last month took over a European mission to protect refugees in camps.

The foreign minister called on U.N. Security Council members and the African Union to condemn "this blatant act of large-scale aggression" that he said was being led by Sudan.

Khartoum-backed rebel troops said Wednesday they were advancing toward the capital Ndjamena, which spokesman Ali Ordjo Hemchi described as the "final objective" in the offensive launched this week.

Kouchner met with Mahamat to discuss "diplomatic actions that could be taken to avert a worsening of the situation and possible consequences on regional security and stability," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

France supports the stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Chad, said spokesman Eric Chevallier.

Sudan describes actors Mia Farrow, Clooney as ‘ignorant’

From Sudan Tribune Thursday 7 May 2009

May 6, 2009 (PARIS) – The Sudanese government dismissed a hunger strike staged by US actress Mia Farrow in protest of Khartoum’s decision to expel more than a dozen aid groups describing her as ignorant.


US actress Mia Farrow (left) and US actor George Clooney (right)

- - -

From New York Times 06 May 2009 - Mia Farrow Blogs Her Hunger Strike - copy of comment by James O’Donnell III:

While I respect Ms. Farrow’s motives and the sincerity that moves her and most SAVE DARFUR advocates to action, I have to point readers to recent scholarship by University of Columbia professor Mahmood Mamdani, whose work on Darfur is absolutely essential. I refer others concerned about this disturbing matter to Mr. Mamdani’s recent talk at Howard University (http://www.booktv.org/watch.aspx?ProgramId=LW-10377).

After an absolutely remarkable 3-hour discussion, featuring some pretty rough Q&A which the author/scholar handles both gracefully and authoritatively, it is absolutely clear that there has been NO GENOCIDE in Darfur and that the conflict has been grossly politicized in America, in the interests of furthering America’s military ambitions in the Horn of Africa.

While there have certainly been atrocities, they have been committed by BOTH sides, the nomads and the agriculturalists, Arab and non-Arab alike, and it is the West, including movements like Save Darfur, that currently are preventing reconciliation between the factions, for geopolitical reasons.

The worst period of the fighting was 2003-04, and the TOTAL death toll, going back to 2001, is somewhere around 70,000 — far different from the 400,000 number asserted by Save Darfur — and most have died not as the result of direct violence, but in connection with the desertification and drought that has been devastating Darfur since the 1980s.

While 70,000 dead represents an enormous tragedy, Professor Mamdani explains — clearly citing his sources (WHO, GAO, the State Department) — that since January 2005, the killings have gone down to a relative handful: less than 135 per month in 2008.

More significantly, he explains that the violence has been framed INCORRECTLY here as an Arab-Muslim vs. African “genocide.” This is absolutely and demonstrably untrue, per Mamdani, who makes his case with conviction and a wealth of facts (personally, I don’t know how anyone could hear his arguments and not be convinced, at least of his sincerity, but certainly of his authority). Mamdani is originally from Uganda and spent a year in Sudan, reading the reports of virtually every party in the country: IDPs, academics, NGOs, etc. (including Save Darfur representatives). He is a scholar and a humanitarian, with no grudge or bias, but an eye for injustice and a keen understanding of the modern history of conflict.

The people pulling the strings behind Save Darfur have had an easy time manipulating American public opinion — all too ready to believe the “bloodthirsty Arab” stereotype AND the “weak, victim” African one — despite the fact that the ARABS vs. AFRICANS Darfur paradigm is an outright falsehood, and a rather insidious one. While the whole truth is too nuanced to repeat in this comment, I again refer you to Professor Mamdani’s talk at Howard (and his recent book on the subject). He encapsulates the entire history of the region and the current conflict, dispelling that notion (Arabs vs. Africans), and lays bare the role of colonialism and Western manipulation and geopolitics in the tragedy of Darfur.

LEDE BLOG RESPONSE: Mr. Mamdani also made this same, controversial argument in an article in the London Review of Books in 2007. — RM

— James O’Donnell III

Friday, May 08, 2009

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Found whilst browsing for the history of Meroe - from The Italian Tourism Co. Ltd.:

Found whilst browsing for the history of Meroe -
from The Italian Tourism Co. Ltd.: