AU chief urges Sudan to end Darfur air raids

Alpha Oumar Konare, the African Union (AU) commission president, has called on Sudan's government to cease its aerial bombing of the Darfur region after opening a summit of the 53-member organisation in Ethiopia.

Konare made the appeal ahead of an address by Ban Ki-Moon, the new UN secretary-general.

"We appeal to the government of Sudan to stop attacking and bombarding Darfur and instead restore peace," he said, to leaders at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. - Agencies (via MWC)
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Jan 29 2007 AFP report : AU chief urges Sudan to halt Darfur bombings :

Konare said that there had been signs of progress in ongoing negotiations to send a joint AU-UN force to Sudan but he added that we have to "apply these moves this without delay."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon held talks with Konare about the deployment of the joint peacekeeping force for Sudan.

UN sources said both Ban and Konare expected the force to be deployed by the end of next month, despite the reluctance of Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir to accept UN troops to bolster a struggling 7,000-strong force.

W Darfur: MSF report on populations recently displaced

Copy of MSF article 29 Jan 2007 (via PeaceJournalism)

Since late December, 2006, new attacks in West Darfur, Sudan have destroyed several villages and have led to the displacement of thousands of people. Displaced persons have found refuge in Ardamata and Dorti camps, situated on the outskirts of El Geneina, the capital of west Darfur, while other people remain blocked further north in Tanjeke.

While some 750 families-more than 5,000 persons-have so far been able to reach the Ardamata and Dorti camps, numerous others have been left behind and remain at the mercy of armed groups still active in the region. In the village of Tanjeke, located 30 km north of El Geneina, at least one thousand families are gathered in small, individual shelters made of grass and leaves that lack adequate roofs. The displaced persons also lack water and soon will be in need of food. People are mostly coming from the camps of Artega and Kouta and are on the run for the second time in less than three years.

On January 19, an MSF evaluation team was able to reach Tanjeke, but high levels of insecurity on the road have prevented any further intervention. This highly volatile environment leaves the already weakened displaced population without much needed assistance.

Meanwhile, in El Geneina, displaced persons continue to arrive in small groups, mostly at night due to the risk of attacks on the roads. There are many reports of acts of violence perpetrated against villagers. In Ardamata camp, MSF has set up a mobile medical unit to screen new arrivals, and more than 500 people have been treated.

In addition, on January 8, non-food items such as water containers, blankets, and plastic-sheeting were distributed in Ardamata and Dorti camps to 750 families. High-energy protein biscuits have also been distributed to the displaced. A number of shelters have been erected as well.

"The living conditions in the camp are particularly difficult at this time of year, with temperatures falling to close to five degrees Celsius at night," said Stephane Reynier, MSF field coordinator in El Geneina. "The displaced population still trapped in the Sirba area are enduring very difficult conditions, in addition to coping with the insecure environment."

The constant insecurity in the region and on the roads in particular, is rendering movements extremely difficult for aid workers. In Darfur today, accessing populations in need is, in many cases, impossible.

MSF has been in West Darfur since January 2004.

Still not found any updates on Norwegian Refugee Council's departure from Kalma Camp. Who is now coordinating Kalma Camp?

Libya suspended Darfur funds to press withdrawal of Sudan's AU candidacy

Jan 26 2007 (Cairo) - Libya suspends transfer of 50m US dollars to the African peacekeeping force in Darfur, in a bid to press Sudan to withdraw its candidacy for the African Union presidency.

See full story by Wasil Ali: Libya suspends Darfur funds to press withdrawal of Sudan's AU candidacy (via ST 27 Jan 2007)



Photo: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (3rd L) is surrounded by bodyguards as he arrives for the 8th African Union Summit of Heads of States at the United Nations office in Addis Ababa January 29, 2007. An African Union summit opened on Monday with the stage set for a battle over Sudan's determination to assume the chair, as promised a year ago, despite fierce criticism of continuing bloodshed in its Darfur region. REUTERS/Antony Njuguna (ETHIOPIA)



Photo: Graphic factfile on the 53-nation African Union as the organisation opens its summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Sudan suffered a double humiliation on the opening day of the African Union summit as it was passed over for the presidency of the body and lectured by UN chief Ban Ki-Moon over the conflict in Darfur. (AFP/Graphic)



A guard of honor line up with African Union flags at Bolle international airport in Addis Ababa Sunday Jan. 28, 2007 ahead of the 8th African Union summit that starts on Monday in the Ethiopian capital. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)

Libyan blogosphere

Thanks to Global Voices Online for links to blogs re Libya.

NYT Nicholas Kristof invites readers' comments

Excerpt from New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof 28 Jan 2007 (via CFD with thanks):

Serious negotiations between the government and Darfur's rebels are crucial for a lasting peace deal in Darfur, and new discussions are expected soon (that may be why President Hu dares visit Khartoum). But Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, a Sudanese human rights leader, says the new talks will fail unless the Darfur rebels have a chance to consult first. And when they try to meet, the Sudanese government bombs them.

There are countless other practical ideas for Darfur, and I'd like to hear yours. Send your suggestions to me at DarfurSuggestions@gmail.com. I'll post some on my blog at www.nytimes.com/ontheground and discuss them in a future column.

Oxfam (GB): Six aid agencies warn Darfur operations approaching breaking point, conflict worse than ever

Jan 28 2007 press release by British Oxfam (hat tip POTP) Excerpt:

On the eve of the AU summit, the six biggest aid agencies working in Darfur warned that the humanitarian operation there was on the verge of total breakdown.

The "enormous humanitarian response in Darfur will soon be paralysed unless African and global leaders at the AU summit take urgent action to end rising violence against civilians and aid workers," they said in a joint statement.

The agencies - Action Against Hunger, Care International, Oxfam International, [the] Norwegian Refugee Council, World Vision and Save the Children - said [that] the conflict was now worse than ever, with aid workers being increasingly targeted as they seek to help threatened Darfuris.

Fresh fighting in January has left more than 350 people dead* and forced tens of thousands more from their homes. Splits in the rebel movements and a widespread lack of accountability have left Darfur increasingly lawless, leading to the direct targeting of aid workers. The violence has spread throughout Darfur and crossed the border into Chad. Even major towns and cities are now plagued with violence and have seen fighting and hijackings on the streets.

More than a month after an attack on aid workers in Gereida, the most violent of the conflict so far, which saw staff raped, beaten and subjected to mock executions, it is still far too dangerous for agencies to return to the camp, the world's largest for displaced people, where 130,000 have sought refuge from attacks on their villages. Temporary evacuations of staff from other locations across Darfur have continued, with nearly 500 aid workers withdrawn since the start of December. In early January, the UN warned that malnutrition rates are again rising close to emergency levels. Progress made in stabilising conditions over the past four years is in serious danger of being reversed.

The six agencies warn [that] the Summit will fail unless:

1. African Heads of States led by Chairperson Denis Sassou Nguesso and new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon greatly increase the pressure on all parties to the conflict to ensure [that] attacks on civilians and aid workers end immediately, and ensure that perpetrators of violence are held to account.

2. The African Union Commission does more to end the growing violent attacks. The AU's credibility with the people of Darfur is at an all-time low. AU troops in Darfur must immediately try to regain the civilian population's confidence by implementing the following proactive protection measures:

- Regular "firewood patrols" accompanying women who collect essential firewood and animal fodder outside the camps. Although previously in place these have now ceased in most locations in Darfur.

- A 24/7 presence inside the main camps and towns [in order] to ensure safety of civilians.

- Making more effective use of the Ceasefire Commission [in order] to bring violators to account.

"The international community has failed the people of Darfur by not providing the AU force with the funds, equipment and support that it needs. But the AU can, and must, do more with the resources already at its disposal. There is no reason why firewood patrols cannot resume immediately," said Hussein Halane, Save the Children Country Director in Sudan.

Aid agencies working on the ground in Darfur have repeatedly called for the AU force to be strengthened, but despite two years of promises from the entire international community, the AU is now providing even less protection than before.

* UN/Sudan government figures
For more information contact:
At the Summit, in Addis Ababa:
Ismaila Dieng, +251 911079009, diengisma@gmail.com
UK:
Clare Rudebeck, Oxfam, +44 (0) 7769 887 139, crudebeck@oxfam.org.uk,
France:
Sylvain Trottier, ACF, +33 1 43358224,

UN chief says peace in Sudan means peace in Chad

"Peace in Sudan means peace in Chad," he [UNSG Ban] told delegates who included African leaders, foreign ministers and diplomats in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. - AP (via CFD).

"We must work to end the violence and scorched earth policies adopted by various parties, including militias, as well as the bombings which are still a terrifying feature of life in Darfur," Ban told African leaders including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. "The toll of the crisis remains unacceptable."

Darfur: Tutu says AU cannot allow itself to comfort the oppressor - urges tough sanctions

I'm a fan of Desmond Tutu. He once said women should rule the world. Here's another great speech via Jan 29 2007 Sapa report (hat tip CFD)

Sudan's government needs to face tough and effective sanctions until the suffering the Darfur region ends, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Monday.

Speaking ahead of the eighth African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa this week, he said that Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir longed to be given the AU's presidency.

"The AU cannot allow itself to comfort the oppressor. I appeal to those leaders meeting at the AU summit to stand up to tyranny and stand by the people of Darfur."

Tutu warned the AU that the Sudanese government, and other parties to the conflict, treated AU peace monitors with contempt.

"And time and again they fail to comply with the promises they make to stop the killing."

He added that an immediate ceasefire in Sudan's Darfur region was essential, along with a strengthened peacekeeping force with United Nations troops. A robust mandate was urgently needed to protect the innocent.

"While discussions drag on, people are dying."

Tutu pointed out that the AU was at a crossroads over how to deal with the Darfur crisis in Sudan.

He called on the continental body to "be bold and stand by the people of Africa or be weak and stand by the politicians who are making that corner of Africa a graveyard".

"If the AU allows this to continue and the aid effort breaks down then there will soon be no help for the hundred of thousands who have fled their homes."

Tutu called the Darfur crisis "a matter of utmost urgency".

"The people of Darfur need action in weeks not months. They have suffered terribly, and they cannot wait any longer."

He said Africa could not turn its back on the people of Darfur.

"The government of Sudan continues to act with impunity and must now be subjected to tough and effective sanctions until the suffering ends.

Well said. AU must not allow its peace monitors to be treated with contempt.

French MDM suspends activities in Sudan's Darfur due to violence

Jan 29 2007 AP report via ST

Medecins du Monde, or Doctors of the World, has "suspended its activities in Darfur for an undetermined period of time," said the group's director of international missions, Eric Chevallier, in a phone interview.

"The balance between the help we were able to provide and the risks our staff were taking had reached breaking point," Chevallier said.

Ghana's President Kufuor to chair AU

Here's no surprise. BBC report today says Sudan's President Bashir has again been bypassed in his bid to chair the African Union (AU).

AU commission head Alpha Oumar Konare said Sudan had supported the decision to let Ghana head the continental body.

"By consensus it is President Kufuor," he said.

Photo: President John Kufuor of Ghana, center, leaves the 8th African Union summit as Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo look at his watch in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Monday, Jan. 29, 2007. The African Union chose Ghana to head the 53-member bloc Monday, for the second year in a row turning aside Sudan's bid because of the Darfur crisis. 'By consensus vote President (John) Kufuor of Ghana has been elected to the presidency of the African Union,' Alpha Oumar Konare, the A.U.'s chief executive, told reporters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. (AP Photo/Les Neuhaus)

UN chief voices deep concern at aerial bombing raids in Darfur, W Sudan

How can a no fly zone over Darfur not now be imposed? See Xinhua report (via PeaceJournalism 24 Jan 2007) - excerpt:

The secretary-general is deeply disturbed by the trend in aerial bombardments that the government of Sudan has conducted in several areas of North Darfur and alarmed by the reports of many civilian casualties, the spokesman said.

Haq added that the secretary-general is also extremely concerned about the arrest of 20 staff members of the United Nations, nongovernmental organizations and the African Union Mission in Sudan in Nyala, South Darfur, on Friday and expects a swift investigation of this incident, particularly as several of the staffers were assaulted.

It will be interesting to see how the UN responds to the Sudanese govt's recent bombing raid over Darfur.

Sudan's Bashir admits N Darfur bombing raids

BBC exclusive - Sudan leader admits Darfur raids - excerpt:

Rebel commanders in northern Darfur said on Monday that government aircraft had hit three villages over the weekend - claims the Sudanese government strongly denied.

But in an exclusive BBC interview broadcast on Wednesday, President Bashir confirmed his troops had carried out the bombardments.

He said the government had no option but to strike as 80% of attacks on civilians in the region were carried out by rebels groups, undermining security.

"They are not supported by the government. The government is fighting them," he said.

After the signing of a peace agreement with a leading rebel group in May, rival rebels formed a new alliance called the National Salvation Front, he told the BBC.

President Bashir said the group had received "massive military support in full view of the international community" and set out to target those who had signed the peace deal.

Militias have since carried out large-scale attacks on Sudan Liberation Movement positions in northern Darfur, controlling its movements, the president said.

"We heard no condemnation of this movement or the countries supporting it.

"But as soon as we were forced to send armed troops to deal with it we heard talk of violations and a ceasefire breach," he said.

I can see his point. But Sudan Watch archives from a year or two ago show how Khartoum promised (in order to avoid a no fly zone) not to use bombers over Darfur.

Note BBC news report Jan 22, 2007 re Sudanese planes 'bombing Darfur'.

Sudanese planes 'bombing Darfur'

Rebel commanders in Darfur say government aircraft have bombed northern areas of the province, in breach of a ceasefire, they claimed several villages had been hit over the weekend BBC reported today - excerpt:

The Sudanese government has denied the reports, which come days after President Omar al-Bashir vowed to adhere to a UN peace plan.

A rebel commander, Abdallah Banda, from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement, said three villages had been destroyed by Sudanese aircraft in north Darfur.

He did not say how many people had died.

The Sudanese army denied the allegation.

"We never bombard civilians anywhere," a military spokesman told the Associated Press news agency.

That's funny, the rebels are civilians.

Five Arab leaders to meet in Libya next week

Leaders of five Arab states will meet in the Libyan capital Triopoli next week to review the situation in the Middle East and Africa, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Friday. - Middle East Online.

Note, the report classes Sudan as an Arab state.

EU blames World Bank for delaying South Sudan reconstruction

The World Bank is to blame for the people of southern Sudan having to wait years for donors' funding for development. Shame on them. In an interview with Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum, EU Special Representative to Sudan Pekka Haavisto said European states have fulfilled their Oslo pledges, but the money has not been released because of World Bank bureaucracy. Full story ST 19 Jan 2007.

Note, news reports from a few years ago said the $4.5 billion pledged would be tied to Darfur peace being agreed. So it looks like World Bank strings can be pulled and delayed to aid international diplomatic pressure on Sudan.

Here's a thought, what if South Sudan votes to break away and take its oil with it, and fighting breaks out again ... what's the point in investing $4.5b on development that might end up being destroyed. Sudanese people are their own worst enemy.

German Siemens to pull out of Sudan

German technologies group Siemens is planning to withdraw from Sudan, in view of the current humanitarian situation in Darfur. Swiss technologies company ABB stopped doing business in Sudan at the beginning of the year until further notice, saying that the political and economic risks had become too great. Full story ST 18 Jan 2007.

Note, Siemens built the gas chambers for Germany's concentration camps during WWII. For that reason, I've never purchased anything by Siemens.

Citizens' movement influences Darfur (Nicholas Kristof)

Nicholas Kristof op-ed (via Sun Jan 18/2007) Citizens' movement influences Darfur) - excerpt:

Let's have no illusions about how much pressure will be necessary to stop the slaughter, but let's also celebrate this moment. Bashir has blinked, showing that it just may be possible to fight genocide with moral courage and lawn signs.

Inquiry into 'lost' Sudan funds (BBC Jonah Fisher)

Report by Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Khartoum (Via POTP) - excerpt:

The government of southern Sudan has launched an inquiry into what happened to $60m (£30.5m) it received in 2005.

A panel has been set up to trace the money President Omar al-Bashir said was given to former southern rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Mr Bashir is accused of backing militias that still operate in the south.

As I recall, some news reports a few years ago suggested John Garang consciously spent much money on modernising his army, money intended for development.

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