UN Annan: Sudan 'backs' Darfur force plan

Mr Annan told reporters: 'It is agreed in principle that, pending clarification of the size of the force, we should be able to take it forward.'

UN'S THREE-STEP DARFUR PLAN

1) AU $21m support package
2) Deploy several hundred soldiers and police
3) Hybrid force with substantial UN command and control

Full story BBC 17 Nov 2006.
- - -

Nov 14 2006 AP report via ST - UN Darfur proposal could mean joint UN/AU operation: But whether Khartoum would approve the U.N.'s third step - "an A.U.-U.N. hybrid operation" with both organizations jointly appointing key decision-makers including the force commander - remains to be seen.

Nov 16 2006 AFP report via ST - Sudan supports 'hybrid' UN-AU Darfur force - Annan.

Nov 17 2006 AFP report via ST - US welcomes Sudan agreement on Darfur: "This agreement paves the way for a joint AU/UN peacekeeping force for Darfur composed primarily of and led by Africans, and commanded, supported and funded by the UN," Johndroe said.

Salva Kiir fears war return to S. Sudan if Darfur crisis continues

See full text TALKS WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS - Asharq Al-Awsat Interviews Sudan's First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit 13/11/2006 - By Mohammed al-Hassan Ahmad and Mustafa Sirri in London.



Photo: British Prime Minister Tony Blair shakes hands with Sudanese Vice-President Salva Kiir Mayardit in London Oct 31, 2006. (Sudan Tribune)

Sudan Man: Rumours of exploding radios and bicycles!

Rob of Sudan Man's blogging rumours of exploding radios and bicycles!

Darfur rebels welcome Nuer "courageous" support

Nov 14 2006 NRF Press Release says "NRF Welcomes Courageous Support offered by Nuer Community in North America."

I stopped reading it after the first paragraph because it crows about victory. Darfur is one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Everyone is a loser.

See Nov 13 2006 Nuer elders call for peaceful resolution of Darfur conflict.

UN Annan calls crisis meeting on Darfur

Nov 14 2006 Bloomberg report by Ed Johnson - excerpt:

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has invited the Security Council's five permanent members to meet this week with the Sudanese government to address the crisis in Darfur.

The League of Arab States, the European Union and representatives from Congo, Gabon and Egypt have also been invited to the talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Nov 16, to be hosted by Annan and the African Union, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York yesterday.

Security in the western Sudanese region remains "volatile" with at least 37 people killed in recent days by Arab militiamen, some of whom were backed by Sudanese military vehicles, Dujarric said, according to a statement on the UN's Web site.

At the weekend, about 300 armed militiamen backed by 18 Sudanese military vehicles attacked a refugee camp in the village of Sirba in west Darfur, killing 31 people and injuring 18 others, the UN said. Arab militias attacked three villages in north Darfur on Nov. 10 killing six civilians, including four children, the UN said.

The talks in the Ethiopian capital aim to "move the peace process decisively forward," Dujarric said. The five permanent members of the Security Council are the U.S. U.K., Russia, China and France.

The Anglo-Zulu war - A Lesson Learned?

To mark Remembrance Day 11 Nov 2006. See great blog entry by the Telegraph's Africa Correspondent David Blair 13 Nov 2006 The Anglo-Zulu war - the stuff of legends. In the comments, a reader replies:

"A Lesson Not Learned. The lesson of Islandlwana is that a modern, well armed, military force, if ineptly led, can be defeated, even destroyed, by a motivated, well led, yet primitively armed native force. This lesson was again taught in Viet Nam."

Another comment says:

"Isandlwana was in one respect not an extaordinary battle. The Zulu warrior was superior at close quarters to the British infantryman. This in turn makes the defence of Rorke's Drift an even more amazing achievement. Remembrance Day may be a commemoration of wars fought since 1914 but we do well to remember the soliders of both sides who perished in the Anglo-Zulu Wars."

Note, David Blair's commentary mentions Rorke's Drift. Zulu is one of my favourite films. As a child (and military dependent) I spent three years living in the jungle outside Nairobi during the Mau Mau war. Last year, a Sudan Watch reader (and ex soldier, British Army) emailed me saying, quote:

"In 1983 I drove to Rorke's Drift as I was in [the area] Natal and it changed my life in many ways. I spent a whole day sitting in the camp where it really all took place, a very moving experience. The crickets were singing and the ground crackling as it only can in Africa. Totally deserted and on my own, I walked around and remembered the film, found old cartridge boxes broken and rotten in shallow scrapes in the ground broken down walls and litter. You might imagine no one had been there since it happened, eventually I found the remnants, the building with scraps of rotten linen hanging at window, roofs long since gone, and sat and cried, Ah memories see your perception changes but not with memories as strong as these.

Ten years later I was passing again and wanted to revisit this time with my ex wife and found it turned into a tourist attraction with stuffed dummies with bayonets and a curio shop, and I went ballistic at the sacrilege of destroying something so precious and was thrown out for a raving lunatic Englishman. It still brings a lump to my throat.

Picture: This Heroic Little Garrison, Defence of Rorke's Drift. By Chris Collingwood. Men of the 24th of foot, or 2nd Warwickshire regiment (later in 1881 to become the South Wales Borderers) repel the massed Zulus attempting to smash through the mealie bag entrenchment. http://www.war-art.com/defence_of_rorkes_drift.htm

Defence of Rorke's Drift

After the British Defeat and the Zulu victory at isandhlwana. Zulu Chief Cetawayo entered northern Natal that night. On a tributary of the Tugela River stood the British garrison of 140 troops under the command of Lt Chard at Rorke's Drift. the Zulu force of 4,000 attacked the garrison repeatedly, using their assagais, (also with Rifles form the hillside, taken form the dead British troops at isandhlwana.) The attacks lasted all night through 22nd into the 23rd. in the morning the Zulu withdrew, but only having lost 400 dead in the fighting. The British suffered 25 casualties. for this achievement of holding rorkes drift a total of 11 Victoria Crosses were received.

"Zulu", Col. John Chard V.C. defender of Rorkes Drift

I need to double check details in below caption. It's difficult to believe Col Chard was so young. Sorry caption does not tell us the location of Col Chard's grave, pictured here - found on internet)



Photo: Lieutenant John Rouse Merlot Chard, VC, Royal Engineers.
Born 21st December 1879, died 1st November 1897.
Col Chard won his Victoria Cross at Rorke's Drift, immortalised in the film "Zulu"
The battle of Rorke's Drift started at 4.20 pm on the 22nd January 1879, and finished at 4.00 am the following morning.
It is recorded that the defenders of Rorke's Drift fired more than 21,000 rounds of ammunition. (Source: Bob Cooper)



The Remembrance Day Poppy & In Flanders Fields Poem

Inspiration for the Poem. On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.

In Flanders Fields

John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.



The poppy is the recognized symbol of remembrance for war dead. The flower owes its significance to the poem In Flanders Fields, written by Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John McCrae, a doctor with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, in the midst of the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium, in May 1915.

The poppy references in the first and last stanzas of the most widely read and oft-quoted poem of the war contributed to the flower's status as an emblem of remembrance and a symbol of new growth amidst the devastation of war.

Two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month because that was the time (in Britain) when the armistice became effective. The two minutes recall World War I and World War II. Before 1945 the silence was for one minute, and today some ceremonies still only have one minute of silence despite this.

In the United Kingdom, although two minutes' silence is observed on November 11 itself, the main observance is on the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Sunday. - Wikipedia

UPDATE: David Blair, in Robbed of remembrance, tells us:

As far as I know, the dead of the Battle of Isandlwana were never individually identified. There are no headstones for each fallen soldier.

Instead, the bones of the dead – British and Zulu alike - were interred in 269 stone cairns scattered about the battlefield. These cairns were repainted quite recently and looked in good enough condition to me.

Chad declares state of emergency

Chad's government has declared a state of emergency in most of the country, following a series of ethnic clashes.

At least 300 people have been killed this month, in violence between Arabs and black Africans, officials say. - BBC

UN to give African troops in Sudan $77 mln

Good news. Reuters report via ST - excerpt:

"We have agreed on two packages of support worth around $77 million for the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS)," Hedi Annabi, a U.N. assistant secretary general for peace-keeping operations, told reporters after a meeting of UN, AU and Sudanese officials at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Annabi said $22 million would go towards funding military staff officers, police advisers and civilian personnel to strengthen the chain of command of AMIS.

A second tranche of $55 million go towards equipment and personnel and a specialised support unit.

"The government of Sudan has agreed to the deployment of the two packages," he added.

Nuer elders call for peaceful resolution of Darfur conflict

Nov 11 2006 Press Release (via ST) by Nuer elders in Europe, Canada, U.S. and Australia. Excerpt:

We call on both the GONU and the NRF to demonstrate statesmanship by rising above parochial and personal differences to resolve the problem so that the international aid agencies would have an opportunity to avert the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Nuer elders are more than willing to mediate between both sides if officially invited. The need to end the flight of innocent civilians in Darfur is a concern of every Sudanese.

We also require both GONU and NRF to respect basic human rights enshrined in international treaties signed by the state of Sudan. Commission of crimes against humanity by any group in Darfur runs contrary to international treaties and leads to violations of the right to life, security of the person and pursuit of happiness.

We therefore call upon all ethnic communities in the Sudan to resolve their differences via peaceful means in order to transform the country from a failed state to a peaceful one that is capable of resolving political and socio-economic conditions, which caused most conflicts in Sudan.

For Contact:

Eng. Daniel Koat Mathews,

Chair person of Nuer elders in Diaspora, Former Governor of greater Upper Nile, (Unity, Jonglei & the Upper Nile States), Former Commander & Secretary for Peace, SSIM/A, Former representative of SPLM/A in Scandinavia based in Sweden prior to the Nasir Declaration, Former mediator between Anya-Nya II and the SPLM/A (1987).

Email: turial37@hotmail.com

Tel +46 218 142, cell phone +46 768003362

France provides $1m for AMIS

Nov 12 2006 via ST - France calls for comprehensive settlement of Darfur crisis.

French FM announced that his country would provide additional 1million euros (about 1.28 million U.S. dollars) for AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur.

AU launches Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation

10 Nov 2006 AMIS Press Release via ST.

Sudan, UN agree to set up tripartite mechanism on Darfur

Nov 12 2006 People's Daily Online:

Sudan and the United Nations on Saturday agreed to set up a tripartite mechanism to study ways of providing supports to strengthen the African Union forces in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig told Xinhua the agreement on the tripartite mechanism, which will bring together the Sudanese government, the UN and the African Union (AU), was reached during a meeting between Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi, the UN assistance secretary general for peacekeeping operations.

"The mission of the tripartite mechanism is to exchange information and to deliver the supports which the UN has promised to provide for the AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Al-Sadig noted that Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi also discussed the situation on the borders between Sudan and Chad and the Central Africa, adding that the UN was going to send an investigation team to evaluate the situation there.

French FM suggests UN command with African general

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy conferred with Egyptian officials Sunday ahead of a trip to Khartoum aimed at finding a compromise with Sudan on the deployment of peacekeepers in Darfur.

The French diplomat held talks with Khartoum's Egyptian allies in a bid to explore new solutions after the Sudanese government made it clear it would reject a UN force in war-ravaged Darfur.

"We would like a UN command with an African general," Douste-Blazy said in Cairo before his meeting with President Hosni Mubarak.

Full story by AFP via ST 12 Nov 2006.

Increase AU force efficiency is our "priority" - French FM

Nov 11 2006 AFP report - excerpt:

[French FM} Douste-Blazy will meet with Abul Gheit on Saturday and with President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday. He is also to talk with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa, before heading for Khartoum for talks with Beshir.

On Monday, he is due to travel to Darfur on a fact-finding mission and to hold talks with AU, UN and non-governmental organisation officials on the spot.

Security Council cancels trip to discuss Darfur force

A delegation of eight envoys, led by Britain, was to have taken part in meetings on Monday with Sudanese officials and African Union officials at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

But differences emerged about whether the group had a mandate to engage in discussions, the size of the delegation and whether the visit should supersede a planned trip to Addis three days later from Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his staff, the envoys said.

Full story Reuters 10 Nov 2006 via ST.

British Diplomat: "Security Council cannot impose international forces on Sudan"

Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English) 9 Nov 2006 by Mina Al-Oraibi:

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- A high-ranking British diplomat acknowledged yesterday that if Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir continues to refuse the deployment of UN forces in Darfur then the UN Security Council (UNSC) cannot force him to do so "or occupy Sudan." He added that the "international community must in this case shoulder the responsibility and assist the African Union (AU) to broaden the mission of its forces there."

The diplomat, who spoke to Asharq al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, stressed that "the Sudanese Government is responsible for the deterioration in Darfur and the UN cannot be held responsible for that." But in his answer to a question on whether this means taking measures against the Sudanese Government for its refusal to deploy international forces, the diplomat stated, "In this case, the international community will be compelled to shoulder its responsibilities and assist the AU to broaden its mission."

Speaking at a meeting with a group of Arab and Iranian correspondents yesterday, the British diplomat also affirmed that "The AU has done a good job but the challenge is greater than what its forces can control." He recalled that the AU has not been asked for a military operation of this size since its establishment and added, In addition to the international forces' expertise in this matter, the UN Security Council (UNSC) is seeking to deploy UN forces that do not require a special budget but rather (finance it) from the budget allocated for the UN peacekeeping operations. He added that the UNSC is trying to persuade the Sudanese president to accept the international forces before 24 November, the date for the AU's meeting to discuss a renewal of its forces' mission in Sudan. He noted British Prime Minister Tony Blair's willingness to attend a "meeting of leaders to discuss this issue."

China can pressure Africa to reform - UK minister

Nov 10 2006 Dow Jones report via ST - excerpt:

African countries will benefit from Chinese investment if China acts as a responsible world player by pressuring governments there to reform, U.K. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State David Triesman told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday in an interview.

The Group of Eight's African aid efforts, agreed upon last year at its Gleneagles summit in Scotland, have helped to improve the continent "on balance," said Triesman, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's minister for Africa. But some nations such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, despite drawing Chinese investment in their rich natural resources, have significantly regressed, he said.

China's diplomacy in Africa is "an incredibly private process," Triesman said, but he added that increasing pressure for reforms would have practical benefits even from a purely business perspective.

"They've tended to say, 'We've come along with investment and without any ideological baggage," Triesman said. But by promoting good governance and the rule of law, he added, China would increase the overall security of African countries "and improve the return on investment."

The minister's remarks follow the unprecedented Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit last week in China, where the Chinese government and representatives from 48 African countries signed deals worth $1.9 billion.

In a declaration read at the end of the forum, participants pledged a partnership based on "political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges."

Minister, envoys discuss Arab participation in S. Sudan development

The meeting with the Emarati envoy discussed possibilities for the Emirates to contribute in the construction of the infrastructure of southern Sudan.

Full story Nov 4 2006 via Sudan Tribune.

Japanese FM urges Sudan to accept UN forces for Darfur

Kyodo report excerpt (Nov 6 2006 via ST):

Japan urged Sudan on Monday to accept the deployment of a U.N. mission to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region in line with a U.N. Security Council resolution, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso made his call in a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Lam Akol Ajawin, who is currently visiting Japan.

Aso was quoted as saying Japan finds it desirable for peacekeeping operations in Darfur to be taken over by the United Nations as the African Union Mission in Sudan, commonly referred to as AMIS, may not be adequate for the job.

The Sudanese foreign minister said in response that his country is by no means hostile to the United Nations but that it wants to resolve the issue on its own as any deployment will infringe on its sovereignty, the official said.

The foreign minister added that Sudan intends to resolve the issue by expanding AMIS, in an implicit refusal of Japan's call for Sudan to accept the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

Irish FM warns Sudan over Darfur deaths

The Sudanese Government will be held personally responsibly for any further deaths in war-ravaged Darfur, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern warned today. See full story by Irish Examiner Nov 7 2006 via Sudan Tribune.