South Sudan militia threatens not to disband

Going by various reports over the past year, and a recent statement by US Deputy Defence Secretary Robert Zoellick, it seems the regime in Khartoum might not have complete control over Sudan's militias.

Arab tribal leaders in the Sudan are a law unto themselves. They lord it over vast regions and rule by fear and benevolence. UN envoy Jan Pronk recently suggested that talks, involving all sides, include the tribal leaders. Libyan leader Col Gadhaffi has also been helping to mediate and broker peace.

It stands to reason Khartoum must fear retribution if Sudan's militias are forcibly disarmed or turned over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). One can imagine they fear foreign troops - and think twice about turning up at meetings where leaders might be hauled away for questioning by the ICC.

Some news reports say the ICC is mobile and could set up court within Sudan to call upon witnesses. The ICC may only be interested in certain individuals, not all 51 suspects listed by UN commission. A few news reports have said if Sudan proves it is capable of bringing the suspected war criminals to a court in the Sudan, there would be no need for the ICC to handle the case. But the reports never explain how the suspected war criminals are to be brought to court. Maybe it's a job for the African Union.

Here is another problem that news reporters have not made much of. January's north-south peace deal, which foreign donors this month pledged billions of dollars to support, did not address the problem of militias or the ethnic divisions within the south, says an AFP report at the Sudan Tribune April 25, 2005.

None of the government-backed militias turned up at last week's south-south dialogue conference in Kenya [details in April 25 post here below]. According to the above AFP report, SPLM says Khartoum ordered the boycott.

Also, Major General Paulino Matip, leader of a government-backed group of militias in South Sudan, said his South Sudan Defence Forces (SSDF) would not disarm unless it is included in the security arrangements of the peace deal between Khartoum and the SPLM, reports said Monday.

"The SPLM is not the only power in the south," Matip was quoted as saying by the English-language daily Khartoum Monitor.

The SSDF fought alongside the government against the SPLM during the last years of the more than two-decade-long civil war.

UPDATE April 26:

Note, SSUDA/SSDF Press Release April 22, 2005 on south-south dialogue, states: 'This move is a declaration of war on SSDF, the south Sudan United alliance (SSUDA) and its military wing the South Sudan Defense Force (SSDF) will not honor it.'

See also, South Sudan Democratic Forum-Canada Press Release April 22, 2005 titled 'The People of the South Will Die Again'.

[via GIF with thanks]
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Some southern Sudan leaders fear Garang's monopoly

A number of southern politicians have expressed their opposition to John Garang's monopoly of power in the south and their discontent with the outcome of the talks, particularly since most of the armed militias in the south are allied to the Khartoum government and were absent from last week's south-south dialogue conference in Kenya.

Full Story via Sudan Tribune, April 26, 2005.
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Sudanese opposition parties differ over formation of new alliance

At a recent meeting in Eritrea, a sharp dispute broke out between the armed opposition factions of the Beja and Free Lions, JEM, and the SLM on one hand and the leader of the Ummah Party reformist wing, Mubarak al-Fadl al-Mahdi on the other hand.

According to the independent Al-Khartoum daily newspaper, the reason for the dispute was the call by Mubarak on the armed factions to form an alternative wide-based opposition front to replace the National Democratic Alliance, (NDA).

Full Story via Sudan Tribune, April 24, 2005.
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Sudan allows freer aid access

26 Apr 2005: Reuters by Opheera McDoom. Sudan on Tuesday announced new procedures to simplify aid access to the country. Excerpt:

It would immediately begin registration of all aid agencies working in Sudan. Goods they bring into the country will be exempted from customs and taxes. Permission would no longer be needed to travel to areas where there are no security concerns. The UN have a separate agreement with the government about its operations in the country.

Special procedures to deal with the Darfur humanitarian crisis, would continue for another three months at least. Aid workers travelling to Darfur are guaranteed visas within 48 hours. That and other procedures to facilitate aid to Darfur, were put in place after an agreement in May last year with the UN.
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Sudan says mortality rates in Darfur camps had fallen

Health Minister Ahmed Ballal Osman said that mortality rates in the camps in Darfur had fallen below the emergency threshold to less than one per 10,000. "This is now considered a normal threshold for mortality," he said.

The World Health Organisation is undertaking a second mortality survey in conjunction with aid agencies and the ministry of health in the Darfur camps. A previous survey in August last year found about 10,000 were dying each month in the camps.

Conditions have since improved for those in the camps, although outside the camps many affected by the conflict are still without aid.
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UNCHR says about 20,000 out of 2 million had returned to Darfur

Of the 200,000 refugees who fled the fighting across the border into Chad, UNHCR said on Tuesday that 20,000 people had returned to Darfur.

But it said it was concerned by the recent burning of abandoned villages, a clear warning to those returnees not to try to go back to their homes.



Photo: UNCHR report : what remains of Seraf, an abandoned village in West Darfur that was burnt to the ground last week. Ceramic pots once used to store grain lay blackened and broken. (UNHCR/K.McKinsey)

Charred village sends message of terror to displaced Darfurians

Here is a copy of a UNCHR report from Seraf, Sudan, April 26, 2005:

The acrid smell of fresh embers hung in the air and clouds of flies swarmed through the sweltering afternoon air as Ibrahim Adam poked silently through the remains of what had been his grain storage hut. Finally he held aloft a 30-cm steel stake formerly used for tethering his donkey - the blackened piece of metal is all that remains of the life he once led in this Darfur village.

Ibrahim, once a prosperous tailor, led a UNHCR team last week to the freshly torched village of Seraf, an already abandoned village he said was burned to the ground four days earlier by men he calls Arabs or Janjaweed militias.

"They are telling us not to come back to our original village," he said in a voice devoid of emotion. "They want to push us to go to Chad, out of the country. They want to stay here instead of us."

"It's very symbolic," agreed a UNHCR staff member who went to Seraf with Ibrahim. "It's not pragmatic because the village was already empty of people. The message is: 'Don't think life is going to go back to normal.' It is a dramatic way of making the point they (the original inhabitants) are not welcome here."

Last year, during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month from October to November, some 55 abandoned villages were burned around Masteri, an agglomeration of nearly 100 villages 50 km south of El Geneina, capital of West Darfur state. In recent days, the UN refugee agency has received reports that the burning of abandoned villages has resumed.

This development comes as some brave displaced people - about 20,000 out of two million - have taken the chance of going back to resume life in the villages they fled during the conflict that broke out in the Darfur region of western Sudan in February 2003.

This recent spate of arson "is a continuing message - 'Don't even try to come back to your villages to pick up your possessions, collect grass or take up farming again'," said the UNHCR staffer.

Full Story via UNCHR April 26, 2005.
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UNHCR on abandoned villages burned in Darfur, Sudan

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at the press briefing, on 26 April 2005, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva:

UNHCR is alarmed by the fact that abandoned villages in West Darfur are once again being burned to discourage the people who once lived there from returning home. At the end of last week, a resident of Seraf Village (12 kms south of Masteri, which itself is 50 kms south of El Geneina, capital of West Darfur) took our staff inspect the village, which he said had been burned the previous Monday (April 18).

This man told us the 200 families of Seraf had fled attacks by Janjaweed militias a year ago. Then on Monday last week, they saw smoke and feared their village was being burned. All that remains now are broken grain storage jars and blackened mud-brick shells of houses, the thatching having turned to ashes.

This gratuitous act is clearly a message to the former residents not to return home. We are concerned because acts like this - on top of the displacement of some 2 million people from their homes - threaten to change the social and demographic structure of Darfur irrevocably.

Actions like these also demonstrate the value of UNHCR's mobile protection teams, which have conducted more than 100 missions within West Darfur to find and arrange protection for the most vulnerable people, especially women who have been raped.

Last year, during Ramadan from October to November, some 55 abandoned villages were burned around Masteri, an agglomeration of nearly 100 villages. Now the burning of villages seems to have resumed.

This development comes as some 20,000 people have already taken the brave step of going back to their villages in Darfur from their refuge in Chad and from larger towns and villages within Darfur. We are working to improve life for those who do choose to go home to selected areas, although we do not want to send the signal that it is now safe for all Darfuris to return home.

Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) via ReliefWeb
Date: 26 Apr 2005.

Interviews: Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Archbishop of Khartoum - Bishop Paride Taban of the Diocese of Torit in South Sudan

Photo: Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Archbishop of Khartoum

In an interview January 2005, the Cardinal of Khartoum said:

"The Government of Sudan set themselves the target of getting Christianity out of the country by the year 2000. We have foiled their plan ... so far."

However, the cardinal is quick to point out that the struggle for the Church's survival is still far from won. He says of the militant forces influential within Sudan's regime:

"To drive us out still remains the objective of our oppressors."

Also, the cardinal says countries seeking a deal with President Bashir of Sudan over Darfur risk becoming victims of a publicity stunt by the government. He believes the Bashir government wants to whip up public outrage about Darfur to intimidate rivals and enemies and silence them in the face of Sudanese oppression.

He adds: "The government want to send out a message to the opposition groups in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan that the whole world is against them but they are not going to back down."

Further reading:

February 18, 2005: John Pontifex the press officer of Aid to the Church in Need reflects on a visit to the town of Wau in war torn Sudan prior to the peace accord signed in early 2005 with Australian journalist Elizabeth Dougherty - Two million dead in a land of pain and misery.
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Sudan: Economy used for genocide - Bishop Torit appealed for help in 2002

Bishop Paride Taban of the Diocese of Torit in South Sudan visited Aid to the Church in Need in Koenigstein, Germany. Here are some excerpts from an interview by Christine du Coudray (June 6, 2002) - published online July 12, 2002.

[Note, in the interview he explained he'd asked the international community to withdraw from the drilling from the oil until peace comes because, he says: "we see, that oil is not a blessing for our people. We as the Church are united for the cause of peace of Sudan. Up to now only the politicians are involved, they leave the very people, who are to decide of their rights always kept aside. Religion and government should be separated in order to take away the Islamic law. At present there is not respect for the people of the South. They only are black slaves."]


Photo: Bishop Paride Taban of the Diocese of Torit in South Sudan, who says "We as a Church know that neither the Sudan government nor the SPLA shall win the war".

"Religion and government should be separated in order to take away the Islamic law", he says.

Here are some excerpts from the Q&A interview, mentioned above:

Interviewer's question (Q). Does it mean today that the oil production is the main reason of this genocide?

Bishop Taban's answer (A): It is one of the most important reasons that should immediately be stopped: because now the population of Upper Nile is going to be wiped out. Another reason is that now the government has enough money from the revenue of the oil, which is used to purchase sophisticated weapons. Previously the government was asking money from other Islamic fundamentalist countries like Iran, Iraq.

Q. Why should the population in these areas disappear?

A. The Dutch have to clear the area for the oil company and I feel that these people are also supporting the rebels. So, they only think to clear the area, they are not interested in the population. They are interested in the land, which has got oil.

Q. Do you think that the silence or the lack of interest, surrounding the situation is due to the fact that companies from different Western countries are involved in this oil production?

A. Everybody is after economy, thinking of economy but they don't think about the life of people. We had last year a meeting with the "Talisman" and told them to withdraw. They said, well, they are having a development. We objected, that we did not see any development in that area.

Q. What is "Talisman"?

A. An organisation from Canada, an oil company. We told them to stop and to wait until peace comes back for continuing. And we know, that there are other companies from Malaysia, China ... We have warned them, we have asked them, we have appealed to their governments through other Bishop Conferences like in America, Canada to convince them for these companies to be stopped.

Q. What is happening now regarding your diocese, which is caught between the government of Khartoum and the rebels of Uganda, called the Lord's Resistance army?

A. It is ridiculous to see the very government of Sudan who arms the Lord Resistance Army and gives them very sophisticated weapons, even those anti tanks, to invite the Uganda defence people forces to come and attack the Lord's Resistance Army inside the Sudan ... Many people lost their lives already. In the diocese of Torit now nearly 9.000 families have been displaced by the Lord's Resistance Army and in May alone, they have killed nearly 500 people. The war between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Uganda People Defence Forces is going on in my own diocese. And the victims are my people, that's why we are appealing to the international community to help us because we are helpless. Also the OLS (Operation Life Sudan at the UN) gave this place as a place very dangerous, it means that no envoy is allowed to go there. It is only the Diocese of Torit, which is committed to the life of the people, which can work in that area. We thank CRS (Catholic Relief Service), who manage to send some little food in that area but it is not enough.

Please click here to read interview in full.

Sudan constitution boycott threatened

Dr John Garang, leader of the SPLM, is ready to participate in the Darfur peace talks, says a report today at Sudan Tribune. He is calling for a similar approach to the one used in reaching the Naivasha agreement.

The report also says the Khartoum based Al-Shari al-Siyasi claims Dr Garang is playing an important role in delaying the Darfur peace talks until he is sworn in as vice-president.

A new constitution is crucial to clear the way for the formation of a national unity government and mark the beginning of a six-year interim period called for in the January 9 peace accord that ended 21 years of north-south fighting.

The Gulf Times reports today that a boycott of Sudan's constitution is threatened.

One wonders how it will be possible for his new government to be formalised within the next two months.
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Garang faced with new challenges

Violence has broken out among various factions in south Sudan who are fearful that under an SPLM government, their rights may not be recognised while others are demanding for equal distribution of resources, writes Eliud Miring'uh at eaststandard.net April 24. Excerpt:

Some of the southerners, formerly opposed to SPLM have landed key cabinet appointments in the government of President Mohamed El Bashir, an obvious example being the current second Vice President, Prof. Moses Machar.

SPLM faces a rebellion from several factions who claim to have been left out when Garang hammered a peace deal with El Bashir. This reality is what necessitated the convening of a special forum last week in Nairobi dubbed "South-South Dialogue" where representatives from various factions, religious leaders, and civil society met to seek for reconciliation even as SPLM prepares to form a government.

Note, the report ends by saying:

"Despite Garang's persuasive words, a clear picture emerged during the forum; namely that all is not well among various factions. This has been cemented by reports of fresh fighting in the Upper Blue Nile as it emerged that some communities now claim they were not involved in signing the Nairobi accord and whatever was deliberated in Mbagathi is not bidding to their course."

Photo: Former President Moi greets Sudanese first vice president Dr John Garang de Mabior, the designated first Vice President of New Sudan and leader of the SPLM, during the closing ceremony of the south-south forum in Nairobi, last week, which was sponsored by the Moi Africa Institute.

The meeting held at the Kenya College of Communications Technology (KCCT), Mbagathi was convened under the auspices of Moi Africa Institute where intense negotiations took place during the three-day event. Former President Daniel arap Moi and Kenya's Special Envoy to the Sudan Peace Talks, Lt Gen. (Rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo played a key role as they struggled to unite the parties.

At the end of the forum special resolutions were read out detailing power sharing, elections, wealth sharing, and security but it was clear the delegates could not agree on the location of their new capital between Juba and Rembek. Full Story.

UPDATE April 25: Courtesy Sudan Tribune, please click here for the "Text of the Final Communique of the South-South dialogue conference: THE COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN SUDAN - April 21, 2005 Kenya College of Communication Technology, Mbagathi-Nairobi."
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Sudan's last democratically elected prime minister called for a South African model

Here are some excerpts from an interesting interview report by Jean-Jacques Cornish at Sudan Tribune April 25. The interview gives some insight into the complexity of the situation in Sudan and how much work is still ahead. Note, Sadiq Al-Mahdi is an Oxford educated economist and, at 31, was the youngest Prime Minister of Sudan and the last to be democratically elected. He says Sudan is at the stage that South Africa was when the former president FW de Klerk freed Nelson Mandela:

Sadiq Al-Mahdi who was deposed by President Omar al-Bashir in a 1989 coup, spent eight years in jail under both Al-Bashir and former dictator Gafaar Numeiry. He believes the much- heralded peace deal signed last January between the government and the SPLM/A is merely the beginning of addressing Sudan's problems.

Sadiq al-Mahdi, Sudan's last democratically elected prime minister, called for a South African model of negotiation, constitution-building and reconciliation in his country, which has experienced war for all but 10 years since gaining independence more than half a century ago.

"Sudan is at the stage that South Africa was when former president [FW] de Klerk freed Nelson Mandela," he told the Mail & Guardian, in an exclusive interview during his maiden visit to South Africa, where he would seek Pretoria's official intervention.

"We still have to go through the equivalent of a Codesa [Convention for a Democratic South Africa] process and we also need a truth and reconciliation exercise," he said.

"We need to address past grievances in a non-vindictive way. That is the genius of the South African experience. Forgive, but don't forget. The TRC successfully involved the religious dimension. Religion in public affairs addresses certain spiritual, moral and ethical aspects absent in secular politics. These are important bridge builders."


Photo: Sadiq Al-Mahdi. The Umma party that he leads has made its mark opposing dictatorships in Sudan. It has recently shown a rise in popular support. Umma won 10 of 12 elections held recently on university campuses. Its next major test of strength will be elections scheduled in three years in terms of Sudan's north-south peace deal.

Sadiq Al-Mahdi, an Oxford-educated economist, who was Sudan's youngest prime minister at 31, said the government and SPLM/A are currently involved in a "happy-go-lucky exercise of taking the spoils in Sudan.

"The international community is happy with a success story in the peace deal and doesn't want to look beyond it. But this apparent utopia won't work. The deal that has been made is short-sighted: Hobson's choice. We need to build an inclusive system that includes more than the government and SPLM/A. People cannot see things in proper reality now, but they will. Wishful thinking is no substitute for reality," he said.
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South Sudan: Swiss takes charge of UN safety in Sudan

A Swiss officer is leading a team in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, to provide security for UN peacekeeping soldiers in south of the country.

Colonel Jacques Baud took up his office, which is scheduled to last for 12 months, on April 25. His 20-man team is responsible for analysing the situation in Sudan and for the security of the UN mission. The team will not only focus on the political development of the entire country, but also liaise with civil and military authorities and aid organisations.

Baud said the situation in the western Sudanese region of Darfur will also be monitored. Baud will work directly under Jan Pronk, UN General-Secretary Kofi Annan's deputy. - via Swissinfo.


Photo: Baud is responsible for the safety of UN peacekeepers in Sudan (RDB)
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The Untold Stories of Darfur

A UNESCO-supported production team travelled recently to Darfur to start shooting "The Children of Darfur", a youth documentary about the daily stories of children living in Darfur's refugee camps.

TV director Camilla Nielsson (Denmark) reports:

"It is the hardest political environment I have ever shot in, and tensions in the camp and with the military affects our shooting every day. The sandstorms and the 45 degrees are not helping either; however we have had 3.5 days in the camp with cameras now. I'm filming in Kalma, the biggest camp in Darfur, with 150.000 people. We have found a great character, 15 year old Somaya, who fled her village 11 months ago, when her school was attacked and 17 students, including her cousin were killed. We are telling her story - as well as we can with the time and security constraints".

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Plumpy'nut aids fight against hunger

Nutriset is a food company in France, started up by Michel Lescanne in 1986 to make food for humanitarian aid. One of the most popular products for use in emergencies is a sweet spread. It is made with peanuts, sugar, fats, minerals and vitamins. It is called Plumpy'nut.

Plumpy'nut can be given to families without the need to go to feeding centers. It comes ready to eat. It does not have to be mixed with water, the way dry milk does. Clean drinking water is often in short supply in crisis situations. Nutriset says Plumpy'nut can stay fresh for two years.



The American group Save the Children is using it to help fight hunger among refugees from the violence in the Darfur area of Sudan. The Wall Street Journal reported that so far, workers have given out more than three hundred metric tons of Plumpy'nut. Aid officials told the newspaper that the product has helped cut malnutrition rates in western Sudan in half.

Nutriset works directly with UN agencies and other organizations. Its products are not marketed through businesses. But it does want to organize a system of independent local production of Plumpy'nut. See Nutriset.org. - via VOA April 24, 2005 by Jill Moss.
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Top UN refugee official wraps up Darfur visit pledging aid for conflict's victims

Wendy Chamberlin has completed a five-day visit to the victims of the fighting in Darfur with a pledge to do all in her agency's power to help those who have fled the brutal conflict when they decide it is safe enough to return home.

"We, too, look forward to the day you can return to Darfur," she told some of the 21,000 refugees at Touloum camp in eastern Chad, a mere fraction of 200,000 Sudanese who have fled across the border since rebels took up arms, partly in protest at the distribution of economic resources two years ago.

Most of the refugees' requests focused on improving their daily lives, especially for their children. "We want more food, water, firewood and also education for our children, high schools even," refugee leaders told the Acting High Commissioner.

[Note, women and children represent at least 80 per cent of the refugee population in the camps in eastern Chad. The men sometimes go back to the border area in order to take care of the cattle or to check on their land and remaining properties in Darfur.]

UPDATE April 25: UNCHR news report via Reuters Security, funding crucial for Sudan/Chad situation, says Chamberlin:

Chamberlin shared her observations on Omdurman es Salaam, a camp on the outskirts of Khartoum that houses 120,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), many of them from southern Sudan who have been there since the mid-1980s. "The conditions are very bad there, sometimes even worse than in Darfur, and certainly worse than in Chad," she noted. "What really disturbed us is that 13,000 houses have recently been destroyed there, affecting 17,000 families"

The camp has serious health problems, with 22 percent of the deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases. Sixty-seven percent of the IDPs are unemployed, surviving on the generosity of other IDPs, the local population or humanitarian assistance.

In Darfur, Chamberlin visited a camp near Zalingi, where she asked the IDPs what their three most important concerns were. The reply - "Security, security, security." She underlined that the IDPs, especially the women, highly praised the role of the African Union soldiers who escort them when they venture out of the camp to collect wood,

She described the case of an eight-year-old IDP girl in one camp near El Geneina, Darfur. "This girl had been repeatedly raped, night after night. We of course gave her immediate attention and cared for her. But we went beyond that. We also try to put in place protection processes so that other children will be protected as well. We have established a child-safe centre in this camp and if we have more funds, we have plans to build up similar structures in other camps."

Chamberlin added that UNHCR has a unique role to play in protection, but it cannot fully meet its goals because "we are limited by funds". "In Darfur, we asked for $30 million but only received $2 million for the moment. So we are still looking for $28 million to implement our protection role over there."

In Chad, where 200,000 Sudanese refugees live in 11 UNHCR camps, UNHCR needs over $80 million but has only received $30 million. And for southern Sudan, which counts more than 4.5 million IDPs, the agency is asking for $61 million but has received less than $9 million.
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Daily News Brief

See GIF's daily news round up for April 23-24.

And keep on scrolling at Passion of the Present and Coalition for Darfur.

United Nations Sudan Situation Report April 19, 2005

The following is a copy in full of an email received today giving the latest situation report by United Nations personnel on the ground in Sudan:

Political Affairs:

P/DSRSG Zerihoun is in Nairobi to attend the start of the South-South dialogue.

A delegation from UNMIS military contingent led by the Deputy Force commander traveled to Juba on 18 April to visit the JMCO complex and the site of the tented camp. Whilst there, they were able to meet with the Secretary General (and future Governor of Equatoria) of the SPLM who was chairing a 5 Day conference marking the official return of the SPLM to Juba.

General Humanitarian

OCHA Wau held a meeting on 18 April with all NGOs and UN agencies in the area to discuss assessments and returnee issues.

Protection

Continuing violence near Thur, S. Darfur, has caused the flow of IDPs into Kass, with 2,500 arriving over the past week. WFP/IOM and cooperating partners have finished the Habila and Kulbus re-registrations in W. Darfur. They report that the numbers have increased significantly due to their registration of local residents and nomads. WFP reported that Kulbus figures have increased roughly from 29,000 to 40,000 individuals. Habila figures have reportedly increased from 9,000 to 17,000 individuals.

In Kebkabiya, N. Darfur, the AMIS human rights unit has commenced closer cooperation with the AMIS CivPol in efforts to enhance effective policing and ensure that human rights abuses reported to the police are well documented and followed up. In turn, this will also enhance follow up of GBV cases which have not been adequately documented or followed up by the authorities.

The AU CivPol agreed to provide additional support for monitoring the situation in the Kalma camp as well as the newly identified Salam camp, including firewood patrols, should equipment arrive.

Health

Following reports of increase in bloody diarrhoea cases in Abu Shouk and Zam Zam Camps, N. Darfur, WHO conducted an assessment in the two camps during the reporting period. Preliminary results of the assessments indicate that cases are five times higher in the area for new arrivals than other areas within the two camps. This is possibly due to overcrowding and poor sanitation situation in the new arrival areas. Further investigations are underway and final results of the assessments will be shared among partners.

FMoH decided to delay measles vaccinations in South Darfur until after the polio campaign, which was also delayed until the end of June.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of acute jaundice cases in Saniafandu, where cases reported have more than doubled in the past week.

Health and nutrition agencies in S. Darfur warn of a steady increase in malnutrition despite regular GFD. There is concern that there will be a catastrophe if WFP reduced their rations further.

Food/NFIs

WFP monthly food distribution for N. Darfur is ongoing in Zam Zam and Dar Zaghawa. It was further reported at Sunday’s OCHA coordination meeting that food distribution in Tawilla would commence immediately. Water and sanitation

Agencies operating in the N. Darfur camps have expressed concern over sanitation conditions as volume of pests will increase during the forthcoming rainy season. Consequently, UNICEF plans to supply the SMoH with 1,500 litres of pesticides for vector control to spray the Abu Shouk, Zam Zam, Kassab, Kebkabiya and Saraf Omra IDP sites on a weekly basis. This quantity of pesticides is scheduled to arrive from Khartoum next week.

On April 17 th, OCHA and the visiting mission from the Swedish MoFA did a brief visit to Galab IDP settlement, N. Darfur. During the visit, IDPs reported that water is one of the major problems facing the IDP population in Galab, mentioning that only two hand pumps serve the total announced population of IDPs (12,000 individuals) around the settlement. They requested additional water points to improve water supply in the area as soon as possible.

Returns

Concern remains that IDPs originally from West Darfur are being pressured to return to Wadi Saleh or Mukjar localities, the Governor's 'Return Committee' is offering return or relocation to West Darfur with financial incentives, despite clear understanding of the MCM agreement.

Assesments

The Umkadada (N. Darfur) inter-agency assessment has been re-scheduled to take place from 23-29 April 2005.

Insecurity

A civilian Land Rover van was attacked by armed bandits at Tabra village 15km East of Tawilla on 16 April 05. One person was reported killed and another injured.

On 17 April a commercial vehicle travelling from El Geneina towards El Faseir was reportedly stopped 10 km prior to Tawilla. The vehicle was taken although the driver and assistant were released.

The security situation in Higilega and Kish Kish villages around Tine, W. Darfur, remains unstable due to the threat from Arab militia activities in the general area.

Angabou village, S. Darfur, was reportedly attacked by unidentified gunmen believed to be Arab Militia. One person was injured and the attackers made away with 200 Sheep.

Reports from Kutum, N. Darfur, indicate an increase in shooting incidents in the last few days, reportedly causing an unspecified number of casualties. The incidents are attributed to a large number of Arab militia reportedly operating around Kutum town.

Further to the UXO explosion in Jebel Moon, W. Darfur, two children were killed when a UXO they were playing with detonated. One was killed instantly, the other died upon arrival at El Geneina from an emergency AU airlift. Two other children were injured as a result of the incident and are currently being treated. The UN has called off a security assessment to Tawil and Kilekil that was scheduled for 18 April as they are accessed through Jebel Moon.

On 14 April, two female employees of an NGO suffered a serious assault during an NFI distribution in Krenik, W. Darfur, possibly linked to opposition to the agency’s presence by a local traditional leader. The police were present during the distribution, but fled the scene when it turned violent. The women were subsequently treated for their injuries.

Boston Globe on Sudan and Eric Reeves: Ailing professor fights for Darfur's dead

The Boston Globe has a great piece today featuring an interview with American professor of English and Sudan expert, Eric Reeves. Regular Sudan watchers will know of Eric Reeves' reports and his website at sudanreeves.org.

Often in our writings, many of us bloggers give off quite a lot about ourselves, warts and all, which is what makes the blogosphere so special and unique. If you follow a blog closely enough, you get a good sense of the person behind the blog, even without speaking in person or seeing pictures.

Now, today through the Boston Globe interview, we get a real glimpse of Eric Reeves, the person. The article tells us about his twofold battle. One with Darfur and mortality rates, and the other with leukemia which he was diagnosed with in 2003, shortly after visiting the Sudan. It came as a shock and made me feel sad. I had no idea he was ill.

Last summer, I emailed him to check population figures in Darfur [around 6.5 million by the way] and he kindly replied straight away. I have frequently linked to his reports over the past year, even though I've not always agreed with the push for military intervention. [I agree with a British government official when he said such a move during the past year would stir up every jihadist - it could set the tinderbox of Africa alight and cause a bloodbath. I am however very much in favour of John Garang's suggestion that the SPLM, Government of Sudan and AU/UN each contribute 10,000 troops for a joint peace mission in Darfur - and I love Jim Moore's great idea for us in the blogosphere to support such a mission along with the Genocide Intervention Fund.]

Although nobody close to me has been diagnosed with leukemia, most of the symptoms seem identical to the illness I've suffered since 1999 [a severe form of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, known in the U.S. as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, for which there is currently no treatment or cure].

My heart goes out to him and I applaud him and his drive and his laptop for being a great example to anyone - even those suffering long term chronic illness - who, through the right use of today's communications technology, need not be defined by class, colour or physical ability but what is in their heart and mind.

God bless you Eric Reeves. You are a great inspiration. Here's wishing you all the very best. Long may you continue to stay strong and speak up for those in the Sudan whose voices will never be heard.

Full story at Boston.com April 24, 2005: 'Ailing professor fights for Darfur's dead'.



In another fascinating piece on Eric Reeves [see Smith Alumnae Spring 2005: 'I Couldn't Leave These People'] Elsie Gibson writes:

"Eric Reeves explains, the Sudanese crisis is a manmade disaster that is complicated by politics, religion, poverty, racism, breakdown of rule of law, geographic isolation, lack of infrastructure, decades of conflict, and, not insignificantly, oil development.

For Eric Reeves the tragedy in Sudan is so horrific, so morally wrong, and so ignored by the world that he just can't sit by and watch it unfold. With words - and the Internet - as his tools, the English professor has thrown himself into awakening the world to one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history."
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Darfur's Real Death Toll

Note, Eric Reeves is credited in a report at today's Washington Post titled Darfur's Real Death Toll.

Further reading:
 
April 27, 2005 The Man Nobody Knows by Eugene Oregon at Coalition for Darfur blog.

Warlords seen as spoilers of Sudan peace process

Here is some disconcerting news. Top Sudanese militia leaders failed to show up for talks in neighbouring Kenya this week, prompting fears of a possible return to war in the south of the country.

Gabriel Tanginya and Paulino Matib, who are also senior officers in the Sudanese army, control much of Upper Nile, the oil-rich state on the border with northern Sudan.

Both men are known for their hatred of the rebel SPLM/A which signed a peace deal with the Islamic regime in Khartoum in January.

Before the signing of the peace deal in January, political analysts had warned of a possible attempt to undermine the agreement if the estimated 36 armed and political groups operating in the south were excluded from the negotiations.

But both the government and SPLM/A had ignored the appeals to include the militias in the talks, mediated by the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

IGAD comprises Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia.

Full Story via Sudan Tribune April 21, 2005.
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African Union's Darfur peace talks to restart in early May

The African Union will reconvene its faltering peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur's rebel groups in the first two weeks of May, a spokeswoman for the AU chairman said Saturday. Full Story AFP April 23.
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Hornets' nest of tribal hatreds in Darfur

Note tribal hatreds in Darfur. See UK Telegraph report by David Blair in Nyala, South Darfur, April 23, 2005. Excerpt:

Even if the rebels and the regime signed a peace accord and refugees could return to their villages, they would harbour a hatred of the Arab tribes and a desire for revenge.

Mohammed Ahmed Adam, a lecturer at Nyala University in Darfur, said: "The only solution is to stop this disease from spreading to new generations."
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If they find us, they will kill us . . . fear and flight in a desert bolthole

Last month, after more reports of rape of local women by Janjaweed were published, government officials warned aid agencies that if more such "unsubstantiated" stories emerged their local staff would be lashed.

It is virtually impossible to prove rape as the Government has ruled that a doctor's report is not sufficient. Raped women instead are often accused of being adulterers and face charges themselves.

See full story in London Times by Jonathan Clayton in Darfur, West Sudan, April 23.


Photo of Janjaweed.

Colonel Anthony Mundubo, an African Union commander in Zalengei, southern Darfur, dismissed government promises to disarm the Janjaweed as lip service.

"We have no doubts, the Government of Sudan has trained and equipped the Janjaweed," he said.
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Khartoum to put an end to militia activities in regions that it controls

Today, Sudan vowed to rein in pro-Khartoum militias threatening a landmark north-south peace deal as representatives from various southern Sudanese factions prepared to meet to discuss the logistics of reconciliation.

Sudanese Second Vice President Moses Machar said ahead of the meeting that Khartoum would put to an end to militia activities in regions that it controls, notably Eastern and Western Upper Nile states in central Sudan.
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"Khartoum is ready to ally with Satan if it can protect its own interests"

China is now dependent on Sudan for seven per cent of all its oil imports.

CNPC's annual report discloses that about half of all its overseas oil comes from Sudan. It deployed 10,000 Chinese workers to build a 900-mile pipeline, linking Heglig oilfield in Kordofan province with Port Sudan on the Red Sea. Hence Beijing has gone to great efforts to shield Sudan's President Bashir.

Freshly painted billboards in Khartoum carry pictures of smiling Chinese oil workers and the slogan: "CNPC - Your close friend and faithful partner".

Read more in UK Telegraph by David Blair in Khartoum, April 23, 2005. Excerpt:

A metallic maze of chimneys, pipes and vents glitters on the horizon in the desert outside Khartoum, dominating the landscape for miles around.

This new oil refinery is the jewel in the crown of Sudan's military regime. It forms the vital artery of a thriving oil industry that poured £1 billion into government coffers last year.

Without this windfall gain - likely to be far larger this year - President Omar al-Bashir could not maintain his military machine, let alone wage war against rebels in the western region of Darfur. Nor could he hope to withstand the international pressure that his bloody campaign in Darfur has brought upon him.

Moreover, the oil that started to flow as recently as 1999 has given President Bashir an indispensable international ally.

Almost unnoticed by the outside world, China has become the key player in Sudan's oil industry.

Beijing has invested £8 billion in Sudanese oil through the China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), a state-owned monolith. The cost of Khartoum's new refinery alone was about £350 million.

Freshly painted billboards in Khartoum carry pictures of smiling Chinese oil workers and the slogan: "CNPC - Your close friend and faithful partner".

But this faithful friend is secretive about its stake in Africa's largest country. China's embassy in Khartoum and its commercial office declined to talk about oil. A CNPC spokesman said: "We are a shareholder in a number of operating companies here. We conduct our operations through them. If you want to learn more, you must contact the mines and energy ministry."

Beijing needs Sudan because its appetite for oil is insatiable. China's economic boom means that oil consumption is forecast to grow by at least 10 per cent every year for the foreseeable future. If so, China's domestic reserves will be depleted in the next two decades. So the quest for overseas oil is one of Beijing's central goals. On Thursday China signed a "strategic partnership" with Nigeria, a major oil exporter, and has oil interests in at least three other African countries.

In its scramble for Africa, China portrays itself as a more benign partner than the colonial powers and the modern-day multinational companies.

President Hu Jintao told an Asia-Africa summit in Jakarta yesterday: "In pursuit of world peace and common development, China will always stand by, and work through thick and thin, with developing countries."

America has already snapped-up the world's largest reserves. Saudi Arabia and Iraq - with 370 billion barrels between them, 45 per cent of the world's total - are effectively closed to China.

Sudan, by contrast, is a no-go area for western oil companies. American investment was officially banned in 1997 and European multinationals steer clear of the avalanche of protest that would accompany any dealings with Mr al-Bashir's regime. China, however, has no such scruples.

So far, Sudan has only 563 million barrels of proven reserves, but the energy ministry estimates that at least five billion barrels lie beneath its deserts.

Sudan's few independent voices say this has brought disastrous consequences.

"The crisis in Sudan is being fuelled by the issue of oil," said William Ezekiel, editor of the Khartoum Monitor. "The government is ready to ally with Satan if it can protect its own interests."
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Leaders praise Asia-Africa deal

Today, the BBC says the Asia-Africa summit has ended with what the organisers say is a historic deal to build economic and politics ties between the two continents.

About 80 leaders, representing two-thirds of the world's population, gathered at the meeting in Jakarta.
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China funds Africa Union's peace efforts

Well, here's something good from China. On Friday it donated 400,000 US dollars to the African Union (AU) in support of the continent's peace efforts.

China's Assistant Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng handed over the donation in Addis Ababa to AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare. At the handover, Lu said the stated sum was granted to the AU in support of its ongoing peace initiatives particularly in Darfur, western Sudan.

Konare said the support demonstrates China's determination to assist the AU in resolving conflicts on the continent.

Meanwhile, officials from the Chinese embassy said Lu and Konare exchanged views on issues of mutual interest including the reform of the United Nations system, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and Africa's debt, among others. Source: Xinhua April 23, 2005.
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China decides to join the UN peacekeeping operation in Sudan

This news will not be well received by John Garang, leader of SPLM/A. [Previous reports have said he is against Chinese troops being part of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Sudan as China is onside with Khartoum to protect its oil interests]:

Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his Sudanese counterpart Omar el-Bashir in Khartoum on Saturday and reached consensus on further consolidating and expanding their mutually-beneficial cooperation. During the visit today, the Chinese President said:

"The Chinese government supports Sudan's north-south peace process and has decided to join the UN peace-keeping operation in Sudan to provide necessary guarantees for the process." Full Story at China View via Sudan Tribune April 23, 2005.
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Sudan opposition to get say in constitution-official

April 23 Aljazeera report confirms Sudan's constitution committee to draft an interim Sudanese constitution has been formed; a key step in implementing the peace deal between Khartoum and southern rebels. Excerpt:

A new constitution is crucial as it would clear the way for the formation of a national unity government and mark the beginning of a six-year interim period called for in the January 9 peace accord signed in Nairobi.

The January peace deal allows for power sharing in government, giving the NCP 52 percent and the SPLM 28 percent of all posts. Northern opposition parties get 14 percent and non-SPLM southern forces six percent. SPLM and NCP had given up 10 seats between them to have only 38 of the 60 seats in the constitutional commission, a little over 63 percent. It will allow opposition parties some say, if small, in the shaping of the constitution.

Work of the commission, due to begin on Saturday, had been delayed until at least Thursday, to allow the Cairo talks to finish and because Sudan had invited several foreign presidents to the commission's first day of work. The NCP, which dominates both government and parliament, was restructuring to allow senior government ministers to take party posts.

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir would become party president and appoint about three vice presidents, Omar said, adding his position and the secretariat he heads would no longer exist. Party officials from other areas of the country would be also be drawn deeper into the decision-making process, he said, adding that he would like to retire but would stay on if the party asked him to.

The process would most likely be implemented once the new national government of unity is formed. "We think it will be more appropriate to make it coincide with the change of the national government," Omar said.
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"Pulitzer Prize" winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine



This photo is the "Pulitzer Prize" winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan famine. The picture depicts a famine stricken child crawling towards a United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away.

The vulture is waiting for the child to die so it can eat it. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, not even the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken.

Three months later he commited suicide due to depression.

[via Moo-sic and Madness! with thanks]
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UNHCR predicts bleak future for millions of people uprooted from Darfur

Oh dear, here we go again. This seems like a news report from this time last year. All that's changed is they are not talking about thousands of people, but millions:

April 20, 2005, El Geneina, Sudan UNHCR chief appeals for international aid for desperate Darfurians.

Today, April 23, the acting UN High Commissioner for Refugees Wendy Chamberlin predicted a bleak future for millions of civilians uprooted from homes in Darfur and called for an immediate rise in international aid. News report excerpt:

On Wednesday, after visiting desperate women living under trees and families huddled in miserable tiny twig shelters, she called on the international community to contribute more money for humanitarian relief in Sudan's Darfur region.

"These people desperately, desperately need the kind of assistance we provide," she said in West Darfur on the third day of a five-day visit to the region. "UN agencies simply do not have the funding to provide them the assistance they desperately need to survive."

Chamberlin said that so far the UNHCR had received just two million dollars of the 30 million needed for the rest of the year. "Appeals are simply not being answered ... I don't see a short-term solution for Darfur."

The World Food Programme warned Wednesday of a food shortage due to the funding shortfall and announced it would for the first time halve non-cereal rations in Darfur.

Due to "a drastic shortage of funds, the WFP will have to cut by half the non-cereal part of the daily ration for more than a million people, starting from May," a UN agency's spokeswoman told reporters.
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Chad refugees face water shortage

A BBC report today says camps housing 200,000 Sudanese refugees who fled to eastern Chad to escape the fighting in Darfur are running critically short of water.

In some camps, water supplies to the refugees are already being reduced.
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Good questions re: Darfur

Here is a copy of an email sent to Joanne at Passion of the Present. If you can throw any light on some answers, please email Jim so he can share it with his readers. Thanks. [Note above post - re China - says American investment was officially banned in 1997]

Dear Joanne,

While I am happy to see the Senate has approved the Darfur Accountability Act, I would like to know what it means when it refers to sanctions against the "petroleum" sector.  Do any of your readers know?

Also, does anyone know if any of the money that has been appropriated by the USA in the past for Darfur relief has actually been spent and how?

Thanks,

Sheryl
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Thanks to Sudan Watchers

Thank you to Genocide Intervention Fund for publicising excerpt from recent post here at Sudan Watch and Passion of the Present. Copy:

"Sudan Watch: South Sudan: SPLM/A willing and ready to deploy 10,000 of its troops to Darfur. Note on the Passion of the Present website says “Ok, here is a really interesting idea, highlighted today by Ingrid Jones over at the terrific Sudanwatch.com. Now combine this with the Genocide Intervention Fund, and we might have something.”

See how well GIF is doing with Press Coverage.

[Please note the URL of this blog is http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com - not Sudanwatch.com]
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Thought for the Day

See post at Readuponit re Sudanese Ambassador confronted by students.

On following link to Little Green Footballs, I noticed a comment on Darfur, by Zack [I guess Lizardoids are LGF readers] - here is a copy:

"Although I doubt many "anti-war" goons will read this, there is something I'd like to ask them.
Unlike Iraq, the conflict in Darfur is being handled your way (and France's & most of the EU's way).

Like the results?

Perhaps a Lizardoid you know will ask that question for me."
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Noteworthy quote on Darfur



"Nobody that wants to be on the ground is not on the ground." - Charles Snyder, head of U.S. State Department's Office of Sudan Programs, April 2005.

Bloggers unite to support Darfur peacekeeping mission - a troika of 30,000 forces from Sudan, New Sudan and UN/AU

My most favourite blogger Jim Moore (who, sad to say, hasn't blogged much since this great post) is back on track with another brilliant big gun idea.

Here it is, in the following copy of his latest post at Passion of the Present April 21, titled "Sudanwatch on the SPLM's offer to help in Darfur..and hey, maybe the Genocide Intervention Fund should raise money for the SPLM/A to intervene in Darfur.."

Ok, here is a really interesting idea, highlighted by Ingrid Jones over at the terrific Sudan Watch blog. Now combine this with the Genocide Intervention Fund, and we might have something.

South Sudan: SPLM/A willing and ready to deploy 10,000 of its troops to Darfur

On April 11, 2005 southern Sudan former rebel group SPLM/A issued a statement making clear its position on UN resolution 1593 [re ICC] rejected by Khartoum, and reaffirming its offer to help with security in Darfur as well as assisting Darfur and eastern Sudan to achieve a settlement along the lines of the comprehensive peace agreement for southern Sudan.

According to the statement, the SPLM/A stands in solidarity with all the marginalised people of Sudan and urges both the UN and Government of Sudan to sit down to agree on the next steps to resolve the impasse in a manner that will achieve both peace and justice in Darfur. Excerpt:

"The SPLM wishes also to reaffirm its willingness and readiness to help on the two tracts of security and political settlement in Darfur. In this regard the SPLM renews its offer of deploying 10,000 SPLA troops in Darfur drawn from its component of the Joint Integrated Units (JIU's) that are stipulated in the CPA. Under this scheme, the GOS would also deploy 10,000 troops. From its component of the JIU's while the AU upgrades its present contingent in Darfur to 10,000 troops. A tripartite command structure from GOS, SPLM and AU would then be formed to command the combined force, with logistical support from the international community. This combined force would be robust enough to provide security, stabilize Darfur and enhance prospects for a fair and just political settlement as well as forestall foreign interventions."

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Open Letters to President of Sudan Blog

Here's pinging a note to Jim: Thanks for above post - great - just what I needed. A few days ago, I was on the verge of giving up blogging about Darfur. Posting nearly every day for one year seemed pointless and too disheartening. So many rubbish news reports and propaganda around. Politicians and bloggers don't have much to say. It was sickening seeing Darfur news reports churned out again like a repeat from last year ... shortage of food ... short of funds ... rainy season coming ... janjaweed still attacking. Out of frustration, I experimented with starting up a blog to post "Open Letters to the President of Sudan" in a lateral thinking effort to gain some understanding of what is really going on and why peace is taking so long. I even toyed with the idea of sending President Bashir a copy of Mahatma Gandhi's Autobiography "The Story of My Experiments With Truth" via Amazon.com. But within 24 hours, I deleted the whole thing after realising what a complete waste of time and energy it would be trying to make contact with someone who doesn't even care to understand his own people, nevermind us. I'll email you later.]
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A troika of 30,000 forces from Sudan, New Sudan and UN/AU

Last year, when John Garang first proposed an equal amount of troops, say 10,000 each, from SPLM/A, the Government of Sudan and African Union [or UN, sorry I can't recall exactly] I thought it was a great idea that might take another year to come to fruition. At that time, we thought there'd be enough AU and UN troops on the ground in Darfur by now to help the refugees return home.

Could the troika or trimvirate become a reality in two months time? With the right amount of pressure it might. How else is anarchy in Darfur to be quelled and law and order restored? Despite many politicians and diplomats working behind the scenes, helping to bring warring parties together for talks, tribal leaders included, the long awaited 1,000 AU troops for Darfur have still not arrived. [Note too here below, FT.com report says key warlords, crucial for peace in Sudan, did not turn up for talks. Pity.]

Surely a serious troika/trimvirate would be better than the military intervention option that activisits are pushing for. A force that is united to bring peace and unite Sudan would receive tons of support from the UN, EU and US [and NATO if asked by the AU] to help with disarmament and restore law and order in a fair and decent professional manner.
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Definitions of troika and triumvirate

See definitions of troika and triumvirate on the Web.
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Found on the Internet - source unknown

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

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

Today, April 22, the German parliament gave the green light to send 75 soldiers to Sudan as part of a UN mission to secure a January peace accord with southern rebels.

The deployment, initially set for six months, would be limited to southern and eastern Sudan based on a UN Security Council resolution passed in late March and approved by Khartoum this month.

The troops, mainly military observers, will join a group of 750 UN observers who form part of the contingent of 10,000 UN peacekeepers.

While the Germans will not offer any direct help to Darfur in the west of the country, they will be able to liaise with African Union troops deployed there. - via ReliefWeb Berlin April 22 (AFP)
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UK to send troops - EU ponders using troops to help quell Darfur strife

Guy Dinmore and Hubert Wetzel in Washington and Daniel Dombey, in Vilnius are doing some good reporting at FT.com.

Here is an excerpt from their latest report at the FT April 22, with additional reporting by Rob Crilly in Nairobi. [Note it says "Tony Blair, the prime minister, had made plans to send a UK contingent after the summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised nations he is to host in early July."]:

"French and German forces could be sent to stop the violence in Sudan's Darfur region as part of a European Union peacekeeping mission that is one of several ideas to be discussed by EU foreign ministers next week, officials said yesterday.

The proposed EU peacekeeping force would support an African Union observer mission made up largely of Nigerian and Rwandan troops already in the region but in too few numbers to have a significant impact.

The EU contingent, if agreed, was likely to give logistics support to the African observers but EU ground forces had not been ruled out, provided there was the consent of the Sudanese government and the AU, the officials said.

Analysts in Washington were sceptical of either party being able to agree or that the EU would find consensus or the available troops.

EU foreign ministers have Darfur on their agenda at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. Belgium's foreign minister, Karel de Gucht, discussed the issue in Washington this week, a Belgian spokesman said. Mr de Gucht told a separate meeting that the main issue was whether to send ground forces or just help with logistics such as airlift, helicopters and communications.

According to one participant who asked not to be named, Mr de Gucht suggested that Tony Blair, the prime minister, had made plans to send a UK contingent after the summit meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised nations he is to host in early July.

An EU official noted there was new diplomatic momentum to take action in Darfur following a successful donors' conference last week in Oslo to firm up a peace agreement signed in January to end Sudan's separate north-south civil war.

The first UN troops have started arriving in south Sudan to enforce the peace deal ending 21 years of war. Meanwhile in Nairobi attempts to reconcile warring militias with the main rebel movement and the Khartoum government ended with an appeal for unity despite the absence of key warlords.

Observers said that without figures such as Gabriel Tanginya and Paulino Matip, who both command militia blamed for abducting civilians, reconciliation attempts would be worthless."
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University of California letter-writing campaign for divestment begins

Students at UCLA are advocating pulling assets out of businesses in Sudan. Their letter-writing campaign for divestment begins today April 22.

Students will mail letters today to the University of California president and treasurer asking them to investigate the university's financial holdings and relinquish stocks held in companies that do business in Sudan, if such investment is revealed in their investigation.

Those participating in this week's letter-writing campaign, organised by the Darfur Action Committee believe that divestment can be an effective tool in persuading the country's government to change its policies, said Bridget Smith, a fourth-year international development studies student.

Adam Rosenthal, a second-year law student at UC Davis and the student regent designate for the UC Board of Regents, said it is important to know if the university holds investments in Sudan. "We have a responsibility that at least our books are clean of (the Sudanese government's) horrific policies," he said.

Divestment is a difficult policy for the UC to adopt because the university does not invest in companies individually, but rather holds stocks in an index fund comprised of a broad range of companies determined automatically by their size and nature in the market, said Trey Davis, a spokesman for the UC Office of the President.

"It's difficult to remove certain companies from an index without destroying the financial rationale for the index," he said.

Earlier this month, Harvard University announced its decision to divest financial holdings amounting to $4.4 million in PetroChina Company Limited because of the company's ties to the government in Sudan.

Edmond Keller, a UCLA political science professor, said he expects other universities will also divest, creating a "domino effect." If the divestment campaign is widespread internationally it can cause significant changes in Sudan, Keller said.

Allowing more peacekeeping forces to protect citizens in Sudan would be one significant goal that divestment efforts can potentially realise, he added.

In previous weeks, students have addressed letters to California senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and their respective representatives asking them to sign on to the Darfur Accountability Act, which will increase diplomatic pressures on the Bush administration to address the crisis in Darfur.

Both senators and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., have co-signed the legislation, though there is no indication that efforts made by student groups prompted them to do so.
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CNPC will not inject Sudan into PetroChina-source

On the subject of global citizen activism and divestment campaigns, note this copy of a report from Singapore, April 20 Reuters:

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) will leave its oilfields in politically risky Sudan out of the assets it plans to inject into its flagship listed unit PetroChina, a source close to the plan said.

The Sudanese assets accounted for more than half of the portfolio's 12.88 million tonnes of output in 2003, and according to Deutsche Bank, they account for 52 percent of CNPC's overseas crude reserves of 1.76 billion barrels.

"The Sudanese assets are not expected to be included," the source, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters on Wednesday.

PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer, said last month it might buy multi-billion dollar overseas assets from its state-owned parent. But it did not give details.

PetroChina has few assets abroad, and its crude output is flagging in ageing oil fields. A purchase of all of CNPC's overseas assets in one hit would have boosted PetroChina's output by up to 15 percent.

Analysts have expressed concerns that an injection of CNPC's Sudan assets would increase PetroChina's risk profile. [Heh.]
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Sudan's SPLM condemns govt use of force to quell students protest

A report from Khartoum yesterday, April 21 via Sudan Tribune says the SPLM led by John Garang has officially protested against the government use of force to quell students demonstrations staged for more than a week in Khartoum. Excerpt:

According to the Khartoum based newspaper Al-Mshaheer, the SPLM said it rejected any present effort aimed at toppling the regime in Khartoum "through confrontation and revolution incited by the demonstrations. "The SPLM is for reconciliation when dealing with the country's issues", it further said.

Pointing out at the students' demonstrations in Khartoum, the SPLM official spokesman, Yasir Arman, said the SPLM would reject any confrontation with the government in order to topple it. He said the time had come to implement the peace agreement.

In a discussion held in Khartoum yesterday between SPLM leaders, civil society activists and political forces, Arman said the SPLM was committed to cooperate with the ruling National Congress and "it should go on until the end with an open heart and mind".

[Let's hope they mean what they say. Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service - SudanTribune April 22, 2005]
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Warm thanks to Sudan Watch readers

Thank you to Bidisha Banerjee for kindly mentionting this blog Sudan Watch in a post at Slate Magazine April 20 (my birthday, nice surprise thanks) and to the many others who link and email messsages. The Slate post got noticed in Las Vegas.

Hi here to Waveflux too ;)

South Sudan: SPLM/A willing and ready to deploy 10,000 of its troops to Darfur

On April 11, 2005 southern Sudan former rebel group SPLM/A issued a statement making clear its position on UN resolution 1593 [re ICC] rejected by Khartoum, and reaffirming its offer to help with security in Darfur as well as assisting Darfur and eastern Sudan to achieve a settlement along the lines of the comprehensive peace agreement for southern Sudan.

According to the statement, the SPLM/A stands in solidarity with all the marginalised people of Sudan and urges both the UN and Government of Sudan to sit down to agree on the next steps to resolve the impasse in a manner that will achieve both peace and justice in Darfur. Excerpt:

The SPLM wishes also to reaffirm its willingness and readiness to help on the two tracts of security and political settlement in Darfur. In this regard the SPLM renews its offer of deploying 10,000 SPLA troops in Darfur drawn from its component of the Joint Integrated Units (JIU's) that are stipulated in the CPA. Under this scheme, the GOS would also deploy 10,000 troops. From its component of the JIU's while the AU upgrades its present contingent in Darfur to 10,000 troops. A tripartite command structure from GOS, SPLM and AU would then be formed to command the combined force, with logistical support from the international community. This combined force would be robust enough to provide security, stabilize Darfur and enhance prospects for a fair and just political settlement as well as forestall foreign interventions.

Somaliazation of Sudan

Note, final point No. 6, in statement above - also at SPLMToday - contains the phrase "Somaliacization of Sudan." It is a typo. The word should read "Somaliazation." A quick search on google shows Somaliazation means 'the division, partition of a country'.
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UN sees AU as best choice to settle Darfur situation

Radia Achouri, spokeswoman for UN Advanced Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), said in Khartoum yesterday, April 20, that the UN sees the African Union (AU) as the best choice to settle the situation in Darfur.

At a press conference, Achouri backed her claims by citing the AU's experience in African affairs, as well as the capability and wisdom it showed in handling the security situation in Darfur.

Achouri said the AU acted as a mediator between the conflicting parties of Darfur and between disputed tribes to prevent any possible clashes. She stressed there is a need for the upcoming meeting of the AU's security council to adopt a resolution to increase the number of AU monitoring forces in Darfur. - via (Xinhua) April 20, 2005
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UN Commission approves Sudan resolution and calls for increased UN force in Darfur

The UN Human Rights Commission today, April 21, unanimously adopted a milder resolution condemning "continued, widespread and systematic" violations by both sides in Darfur, without directly blaming Khartoum for abuse or mentioning war crimes.

It also called on the Sudanese government to disarm allied militia "and to stop supporting them", called for an increased UN monitoring force in Darfur, and upgraded the status of a UN human rights expert for a year.

The resolution had support from Sudan and other African nations, the US, the European Union and others. It was approved after the EU withrdrew a more stiffly worded document.

The 53-member Commission, effectively rallied around a strengthened African motion, which also called on the government and rebels in Darfur to resume peace talks, respect a ceasefire agreement and investigate crimes.

Khartoum had warned the UN this week against appointing a special human rights rapporteur for Sudan, arguing such an "irrational" move would only complicate the Darfur crisis. But it backed down Thursday, allowing a UN "special rapporteur" to replace the existing "independent expert" with a one-year mandate.

Shortly before the draft was due to be debated in the Commission, a Luxembourg diplomat said cooperation with the African group and Sudan had "produced an agreement which offers the best chance of halting human rights violations in Sudan, which we are concerned about and which we condemn".

Commenting on the resolution passed Thursday, the UN High Commisioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, said: "The substance seems very appropriate."

US delegation chief Rudy Boschwitz gave full backing to the resolution. "That it condemns those responsible for atrocities, including the government of Sudan, and that it provides for a strong mechanism for investigating ongoing human rights abuses and bringing about their end means that this Commission is, unlike last year at this time, doing its job responsibly," he added.

The EU motion withdrawn Thursday had sought condemnation of "the fact that most attacks have been deliberately and indiscriminately directed against civilians, many of them under the direct responsibility or tolerated by the government of Sudan". It had also warned that "continuing, widespread and systematic violations of human rights" in Darfur "may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity".

The final resolution was the result of weeks of heavy negotiations between the EU, the US and African nations.

The Africans agreed to remove wording that praised the Sudanese governments steps to improve the situation in Darfur, while the Western countries dropped specific condemnation of the Sudanese government. - via AP Geneva Apr 21, 2005.
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El-Waha in El Fasher will be the Falluja of Sudan

Note, the UN Situation Report for April 6 [published here during that week] states:

UNMIS officials held an introductory meeting in El Fasher with Muslim leaders from North Darfur, including the Director General of the Ministry of Social and Cultural Affairs.

During the meeting, UNMIS explained its mandate in assisting civil society in reconciliation. All participants showed a willingness to cooperate, and scheduled further information sharing meetings for the near future.

The local radio station in El Fasher announced that in a meeting with tribal leaders on 4 April, the Commissioner of El-Waha locality in El Fasher (a locality of nomadic tribes in North and part of South Darfur) rejected Security Council Resolution 1593, and proclaimed that El-Waha will be the Falluja of Sudan if any of its people are taken to the ICC.

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US risks fuelling militant Islam in Sahara

Note this excerpt from an article April 11, 2005 [via geeskaafrika.com] by Nick Tatters all, titled "US risks fuelling militant Islam in Sahara":

"The United States will only fuel a rise in Islamic militancy in countries bordering the Sahara desert if it takes a heavy-handed approach to fighting terrorism in the region, an influential think tank says.

Proselytizing Pakistani clerics, an Algerian fundamentalist group allied to al Qaeda and growing resentment of US foreign policy were causes for concern but did not make West Africa a hotbed of terrorism, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said on Thursday.

"There are enough indicators to justify caution and greater western involvement out of security interests, but it has to be done more carefully than it has been so far," ICG's West Africa project director Mike McGovern said in a report.

Mindful of the al Qaeda training camps that emerged in Afghanistan, some US officials say countries like Mali, Niger, Chad and Mauritania, which are among the world's poorest, make similarly fertile hunting ground for militants seeking recruits.

US Special Forces and military experts have trained soldiers in all four countries as part of efforts to help them fight the threat in the region's vast swathes of desert. But a military policy that offers no alternative livelihoods to already marginalised nomadic populations risked causing resentment and radicalising locals further, ICG said. Full Story.
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NATO ready to help Darfur if asked by AU

NATO is ready to help end the crisis in Darfur if asked for assistance by the African Union, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said Thursday, April 21.

The 26-nation NATO military alliance would not be sending soldiers into Darfur, Scheffer underlined at a meeting of alliance foreign ministers in Vilnius. But the organisation could provide planning and logistical support to the African Union in its efforts to end the crisis, he said.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier disagreed that there was a role for NATO in Darfur and stressed that Africans should retain the lead in peace efforts. "NATO does not have a calling to be the gendarme of the world," he told a news conference at the same meeting.

General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stressed the aim was "not to have NATO boots on the ground" but to offer support.
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UN troops arrive in Sudan

A report today, April 21, from Khartoum, confirms more than 40 United Nations troops arrived in Sudan as the vanguard of a 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping force that is to support a January peace agreement which ended 21 years of civil war in the south of the country, a UN spokesperson said.

Radhia Achouri, spokesperson for UN special representative for Sudan Jan Pronk, told reporters the 44 staff officers from the multinational force arrived on Wednesday, April 20, 2005.
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Australian troops head to Sudan

The Australian government announced April 20 that it has approved fifteen Australian Defence Force personnel to be deployed for an initial period of 12 months as part of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

The Defence Minister Robert Hill says the group will include logistics experts, military observers and air movement specialists, and that some of them will leave Australia within days. Excerpt from Kim Landers' interview in World today April 20 with Robert Hill who said of the Australian troops:

"They're specialist roles. Three of them I know are in relation to air movements, managing, guiding the air movements of the force. The total military force including the infantry I think is about 10,000, so the logistic challenges of such a force are really quite considerable.

I suspect that the UN will be in Sudan for a long time. It's of course been a civil war that's gone on for decades; it is an historical opportunity. The fact that the international community is responding to support the peace agreement I think is very important and it is likely that we'll be requested to stay longer, we may well be requested to provide different specialised elements during the course of the UN program there.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says the UN mission that the Australians will be a part of, will also play a major role in supporting the African Union's mission to end the violence in Darfur.

Australian troops have served in UN peacekeeping missions in Africa before. Similar sized contingents have served in Mozambique between 1994 and 2002 and also in Ethiopia and Eritrea, a mission which ended earlier this year."

[Note, the UN Security Council authorised the establishment of UNMIS on March 24, 2005, after the government of Sudan and the SPLM agreed to end a civil war that has lasted for more than 20 years]
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Toyota Land Cruisers for agencies in Darfur

75 Toyota Land cruisers financed by ECHO have been approved - all of the vehicles must be used exclusively in the Darfurs.
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African Union keen to double Darfur force, says Rwanda

Excerpt from a Reuters report March 18, 2005:

"The AU is seeking to double its forces in Darfur to about 6,000 troops, a number that could stabilise Sudan's troubled western region, Rwanda's foreign minister said on Friday.

With security rapidly deteriorating, the commander of AU troops in Darfur has told Rwandan officials that a 6,000-strong force would be able to secure all major refugee camps and roads, Rwanda's Foreign Minister Charles Murigande said.

"They have asked us if we are willing to increase our participation and we have promised that we are willing. We are willing to give more troops to southern Darfur," Murigande told Reuters in an interview during a visit to Singapore.

The Nigerian commander of the AU's force in Darfur, Festus Okonkwo, told Rwandan President Paul Kagame that 6,000 troops would be enough to "bring the level of violence to probably what would be acceptable", Murigande said.

"He is talking from experience because where you have the AU force deployed, violence has stopped. Where you still have violence is in areas where you do not have AU forces," he said.
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Sudanese FM proposes "road map" to USA on Darfur

April 18, 2005 report from Khartoum (SUNA) - excerpt:

Foreign Affairs Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail revealed that the proposals the government presented to the US Administration on how to resolve the Darfur crisis were written proposals - an eight-point road map.

Regarding the interest by SPLM to participate in the Darfur peace talks at Abuja, Ismail said the government would welcome any efforts to resolve the problem, pointing out that the SPLM would be part of the government in two months time, and that if the problem would still rage on by then, the SPLM would take part in any policy on how to resolve the Darfur problem. Also, the SPLM, he said, would be part of any governmental delegation in charge of resolving the Darfur problem.

Mr Ismail said Resolution 1593 is being dealt with by the Justice Ministry which is studying it from a legal point of view and how Sudan should deal with it. However, Resolution 1590 on the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to monitor the ceasefire in the South is being dealt with by the Foreign Ministry, he explained.

Re the AU mediation between the government and the Security Council, Ismail pointed out that it was not a mediation. Simply, he explained, Resolution 1593 gave the AU a role which is not less important than the role of the ICC, and therefore the AU is only playing the role that it is supposed to be playing to resolve the Darfur problem. The position is clear, he added, any solution must be reached inside Sudan. Therefore, any suggestion that the talks should be held in a foreign capital is out of the question, he said.

Within this context, he added, the government is continuously in contact with African leaders to find a solution. For this reason an envoy of Nigerian President Obasanjo would be arriving in the country today, and Senegalese President Abdallah Wade would be making a stop over today on his way to kuwait, he said.

Eritrean president says "war is imminent"

Eriteria is on the war path with Ethiopia. A BBC news report published at Sudan Tribune today April 21 says Sudan accuses Eriterea of wanting to create an opposition party to overthrow the Government of Sudan. Excerpt:

"All able-bodied residents of Senafe southern Eritrea have been instructed to dig trenches and, according to our source, with the message of "war is inevitable" being carried at the regional levels throughout the nation, a sense of foreboding has engulfed Eritrea.

Relations between Eritrea and Sudan are tense with the two governments frequently accusing each other of supporting opposition movements on the other's soil.

The border between the two countries has been officially closed since October 2002, when Khartoum accused Asmara of supporting an offensive led by Sudanese rebels near Kassala, in eastern Sudan.
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Ethiopia-Eritrea: UN investigates clashes on border

A report today from ReliefWeb April 21 says UN is investigating clashes on the border.
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Panel of army, party chiefs urges Eritreans to be ready for "any eventualities"

April 18 report from Eritrea via (ERINA) says a panel of army, party chiefs urged Eritreans to be read for any eventuality, fight against the enemy's psychological warfare, avoid dependence on aid and achieve food security.
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Eritrea determined to form new opposition front

April 18 Khartoum news report via Sudan Tribune claims the secretary-general of the ruling Nationa Congress (NC) Ibrahim Ahmad Omar has accused the Eritrean government of striving to create an opposition alliance to replace the Sudanese government and obstruct current efforts for reaching an agreement between the government and the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani and currently based in Cairo.

He said that the Eritrean regime and Israel had begun to establish military training camps for the rebels and were harbouring leaders of the said alternative alliance, the Sudanese Al-Khartoum newspaper reported.
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Eritrean president holds talks with Sudanese opposition chairman

April 15 news report from Asmara, Eritrea (ERINA) confirms President Isaias Afwerki on April 14 held talks with Maulana Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani, Chairman of the Sudanese National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the objective situation in Sudan.

In the meeting, the President reiterated that Eritrea would continue its efforts for promoting a comprehensive political solution to the Sudanese problem.