Mar 16 2006 Gunmen kill one in attack on UNHCR compound in S. Sudan - Because of the attack, UNHCR suspended plans to start repatriating Sudanese refugees next week from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Yei region, the statement said.
"This attack just underscores the difficulties UNHCR faces in our operations in south Sudan where we are trying to create an environment for thousands of refugees in neighbouring countries to be able to return home and stay home," said U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.
Update: U.N.: 2 dead, 2 wounded at South Sudan post
UPI report Mar 17, 2006 - The attack was on a post UNHCR set up in 2004 to prepare for the repatriation following a peace accord between the Khartoum government and southern rebels.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Sudanese air force bombed villages of Donkey Dreisa and Omgonya in South Darfur last month?
Sudan's air force has resumed bombing Darfur villages, claims More4News - an offshoot of Channel 4 TV here in the UK. More4News is available only via a digital box. I do not subscribe to digital TV and was unable to view the broadcast. Many thanks to Eugene at Coalition for Darfur in the US for alerting me to the news and the following report at More4News website, copied here in full:
Evidence of Sudan's bombing
More4 News has obtained evidence the Sudanese air force has resumed aerial bombardment of villages in Darfur.
It comes in breach of a ceasefire and no-fly zone agreed more than a year ago.
Last week we filmed charred and blackened huts in several villages which had been recently set on fire by Janjaweed militiamen confirming reports of an increase in attacks since the beginning of the year.
But in the village of Donkey Dreisa, south of Nyala, the damage was clearly different buildings had been reduced to rubble by bombardment which villagers told us came from Sudanese air force Antonov jets.
More 4 News was told that the attack on Donkey Dreisa on February 17th followed earlier aerial bombardment of villages near the town of Omgonya, also in South Darfur.
Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development told More 4 News he was very concerned to hear the news.
"We were aware there had been attacks in Gereida in February but these are the first reports that I have heard that there may have been attacks from the air."
Watch the report on More 4 News at 8pm.
Click here to watch the report and the Tony Benn interview [it is probably a typo and should read "Hilary" Benn, I use Apple Mac and am unable to access the reports]
- - -
WFP Monthly Situation Report Feb 2006
Highlights of report by UN World Food Programme, 16 March 2006 courtesy ReliefWeb.
Evidence of Sudan's bombing
More4 News has obtained evidence the Sudanese air force has resumed aerial bombardment of villages in Darfur.
It comes in breach of a ceasefire and no-fly zone agreed more than a year ago.
Last week we filmed charred and blackened huts in several villages which had been recently set on fire by Janjaweed militiamen confirming reports of an increase in attacks since the beginning of the year.
But in the village of Donkey Dreisa, south of Nyala, the damage was clearly different buildings had been reduced to rubble by bombardment which villagers told us came from Sudanese air force Antonov jets.
More 4 News was told that the attack on Donkey Dreisa on February 17th followed earlier aerial bombardment of villages near the town of Omgonya, also in South Darfur.
Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for International Development told More 4 News he was very concerned to hear the news.
"We were aware there had been attacks in Gereida in February but these are the first reports that I have heard that there may have been attacks from the air."
Watch the report on More 4 News at 8pm.
Click here to watch the report and the Tony Benn interview [it is probably a typo and should read "Hilary" Benn, I use Apple Mac and am unable to access the reports]
- - -
WFP Monthly Situation Report Feb 2006
Highlights of report by UN World Food Programme, 16 March 2006 courtesy ReliefWeb.
Oxfam: AU should call for AMIS mandate that prioritises civilian protection
Thanks to Bruschetta Boy for his blog entry at Aaronovitch Watch saying:
Military intervention would bring out all the jihadists and set the tinder box of Africa alight. Fearless Arab warriors, with great horse and camel riding skills, who can read the sands like the back of their hands and subsist on next to nothing, are a force to be reckoned with in the Sudan, a huge blistering hot country with rainy seasons, shifting sands and mud, the size of Europe. [See Vegetation Map of Sudan]
Military intervention would result in aid workers being dismissed from the country, making it impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to those most in need. Millions of Sudanese people could perish, defeating the object of intervention.
All military interventions have an objective, usually to oust existing regimes. Sudan is not a failed state. Until UN reform clarifies matters re sovereignty, UN members should not, without a UN resolution, invade any country in order to dictate who governs and how it is run. Meanwhile, outsiders can only offer support and provide help where it is needed and accepted.
Photo: African Union (AU) soldiers parade at their base in el-Geneina in Sudan's West Darfur state, March 16, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera Mcdoom)
On March 10, 2006 ReliefWeb published an article by Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam International. The piece, entitled In Darfur, time is running out is reprinted here in full as it reflects this blog author's view - especially the last paragraph where it says "equipping AMIS with more funds and a strengthened mandate would send a clear message to the displaced millions that their immediate safety is our foremost concern."
"In Darfur, time is running out" By Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam International
It is now nearly three years since newspapers and televisions were first filled with images of the violence and mass displacements in Darfur. Yet today nearly two million people remain in camps, over a million more are dependent on humanitarian aid, and civilians face daily threats of violence.
The conflict will not be put on hold for the next nine months. Irrespective of any future UN involvement, AMIS needs more troops, more funding and a stronger mandate, and it needs them now.
AMIS has done an admirable job in extremely difficult circumstances. Many of the enormous camps for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) -- some the size of small cities -- are now relatively secure thanks in large part to the AU presence. In camps such as Kalma in south Darfur, thousands of women are now able to go out and collect much needed firewood under the watch of AU patrols. To do so before the arrival of the patrols was risking assault, or worse, death.
But outside these camps, and in areas where the AU force is not present, people cannot move around without fear of harassment and attack. Villagers -- many unable to reach camps because the journey is too dangerous -- live in perpetual fear. For those fortunate enough to make it to the camps, they wish for the day they can return to their villages -- a sign that the conflict would be coming to an end. But for the moment the insecurity makes any talk of returning home an impossible dream.
Darfur, a region the size of Texas, is one of the least developed regions of Africa and is now experiencing what the UN has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. And yet the AU is expected to keep more than three million civilians safe with fewer than 7,000 poorly equipped troops.
Even successful initiatives such as the firewood patrols have been limited. In most camps, the AU does not have the capability to undertake patrols day and night, so after dark displaced people are once again exposed to danger.
Humanitarian access, upon which half the population in Darfur is dependent, has also been affected by the failure to stem the violence. Half of Oxfam's programs now have to be accessed by air because roads are too insecure.
The most urgent priority is to equip AMIS with a proactive, robust mandate that prioritizes civilian protection and allows AMIS greater flexibility to implement it. The Darfur context is much more complex, insecure and unpredictable than that in which the current defensive mandate was agreed in late 2004.
To effectively protect civilians the AU will also need a much larger, stronger force. At a bare minimum it needs enough troops to enable a 24-hour, 7 days a week presence in the camps. Top UN officials have spoken of a UN force needing up to 20,000 troops. There is no reason why the AU should have to make do with any less.
The international community has a vital role to play in this. While countries such as Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa have contributed significant numbers of personnel, AMIS is reliant on international funding and a donor conference is planned before the end of the month.
In the meantime however, the AU should call for the mandate to be strengthened and should voluntarily provide troops to staff the mission, while international donors provide increased funds with which to implement this expansion. Britain recently pledged a further 20 million British pounds to the AU force, but more will be needed if a difference is really to be made.
Amid all the talk of handing over to the UN, international governments are in danger of adopting an attitude of winding down the AU mission. This must not be allowed to happen. The coming months are crucial for Darfur: without immediately strengthening AMIS the situation on the ground could plummet new depths.
Equipping AMIS with more funds and a strengthened mandate would send a clear message to the displaced millions that their immediate safety is our foremost concern. It would also tell warring parties that the continued violence is not acceptable. On the other hand, maintaining AMIS in its present form -- under-funded, ill-equipped and lacking sufficient personnel -- is effectively telling millions of civilians that their suffering is going to get even worse.
Photo: Nigerian African Union (AU) soldiers parade at their base in el-Geneina in Sudan's Western Darfur state, March 16, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera Mcdoom)
"Sudan Watch is an excellent portal for news headlines from Sudan. The author is basically Decent in orientation but currently believes that a reinforced African Union force could be sufficient to restore peace to Darfur. The blog is pretty much free of editorial spin though and is entirely worth reading for anyone who is planning on talking a lot about Darfur in their column."Some readers may be interested to know Sudan Watch blog author has believed all along that a reinforced African Union force with an expanded mandate is preferable to military intervention (an act of war) by international forces and/or NATO.
Military intervention would bring out all the jihadists and set the tinder box of Africa alight. Fearless Arab warriors, with great horse and camel riding skills, who can read the sands like the back of their hands and subsist on next to nothing, are a force to be reckoned with in the Sudan, a huge blistering hot country with rainy seasons, shifting sands and mud, the size of Europe. [See Vegetation Map of Sudan]
Military intervention would result in aid workers being dismissed from the country, making it impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to those most in need. Millions of Sudanese people could perish, defeating the object of intervention.
All military interventions have an objective, usually to oust existing regimes. Sudan is not a failed state. Until UN reform clarifies matters re sovereignty, UN members should not, without a UN resolution, invade any country in order to dictate who governs and how it is run. Meanwhile, outsiders can only offer support and provide help where it is needed and accepted.
Photo: African Union (AU) soldiers parade at their base in el-Geneina in Sudan's West Darfur state, March 16, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera Mcdoom)
On March 10, 2006 ReliefWeb published an article by Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam International. The piece, entitled In Darfur, time is running out is reprinted here in full as it reflects this blog author's view - especially the last paragraph where it says "equipping AMIS with more funds and a strengthened mandate would send a clear message to the displaced millions that their immediate safety is our foremost concern."
"In Darfur, time is running out" By Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam International
It is now nearly three years since newspapers and televisions were first filled with images of the violence and mass displacements in Darfur. Yet today nearly two million people remain in camps, over a million more are dependent on humanitarian aid, and civilians face daily threats of violence.
The conflict will not be put on hold for the next nine months. Irrespective of any future UN involvement, AMIS needs more troops, more funding and a stronger mandate, and it needs them now.
AMIS has done an admirable job in extremely difficult circumstances. Many of the enormous camps for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) -- some the size of small cities -- are now relatively secure thanks in large part to the AU presence. In camps such as Kalma in south Darfur, thousands of women are now able to go out and collect much needed firewood under the watch of AU patrols. To do so before the arrival of the patrols was risking assault, or worse, death.
But outside these camps, and in areas where the AU force is not present, people cannot move around without fear of harassment and attack. Villagers -- many unable to reach camps because the journey is too dangerous -- live in perpetual fear. For those fortunate enough to make it to the camps, they wish for the day they can return to their villages -- a sign that the conflict would be coming to an end. But for the moment the insecurity makes any talk of returning home an impossible dream.
Darfur, a region the size of Texas, is one of the least developed regions of Africa and is now experiencing what the UN has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. And yet the AU is expected to keep more than three million civilians safe with fewer than 7,000 poorly equipped troops.
Even successful initiatives such as the firewood patrols have been limited. In most camps, the AU does not have the capability to undertake patrols day and night, so after dark displaced people are once again exposed to danger.
Humanitarian access, upon which half the population in Darfur is dependent, has also been affected by the failure to stem the violence. Half of Oxfam's programs now have to be accessed by air because roads are too insecure.
The most urgent priority is to equip AMIS with a proactive, robust mandate that prioritizes civilian protection and allows AMIS greater flexibility to implement it. The Darfur context is much more complex, insecure and unpredictable than that in which the current defensive mandate was agreed in late 2004.
To effectively protect civilians the AU will also need a much larger, stronger force. At a bare minimum it needs enough troops to enable a 24-hour, 7 days a week presence in the camps. Top UN officials have spoken of a UN force needing up to 20,000 troops. There is no reason why the AU should have to make do with any less.
The international community has a vital role to play in this. While countries such as Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa have contributed significant numbers of personnel, AMIS is reliant on international funding and a donor conference is planned before the end of the month.
In the meantime however, the AU should call for the mandate to be strengthened and should voluntarily provide troops to staff the mission, while international donors provide increased funds with which to implement this expansion. Britain recently pledged a further 20 million British pounds to the AU force, but more will be needed if a difference is really to be made.
Amid all the talk of handing over to the UN, international governments are in danger of adopting an attitude of winding down the AU mission. This must not be allowed to happen. The coming months are crucial for Darfur: without immediately strengthening AMIS the situation on the ground could plummet new depths.
Equipping AMIS with more funds and a strengthened mandate would send a clear message to the displaced millions that their immediate safety is our foremost concern. It would also tell warring parties that the continued violence is not acceptable. On the other hand, maintaining AMIS in its present form -- under-funded, ill-equipped and lacking sufficient personnel -- is effectively telling millions of civilians that their suffering is going to get even worse.
Photo: Nigerian African Union (AU) soldiers parade at their base in el-Geneina in Sudan's Western Darfur state, March 16, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera Mcdoom)
Focus must remain on civilian protection in Darfur - UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the success of the AU mission's handover to the UN would require the support of the Sudanese government, reports IRIN 15 Mar 2006.
Also, he said that without an effective ceasefire, any international security presence in Darfur "will have to be mandated and equipped to take robust action to protect civilians at risk."
Note, the report points out the UN has been forced to restrict the movements of relief workers in parts of Western Darfur and to cut staff levels in the region. [via PoTP with thanks]
Also, he said that without an effective ceasefire, any international security presence in Darfur "will have to be mandated and equipped to take robust action to protect civilians at risk."
Note, the report points out the UN has been forced to restrict the movements of relief workers in parts of Western Darfur and to cut staff levels in the region. [via PoTP with thanks]
Simon Deng and Manute Bol walking to end Darfur's conflict
Former Sudanese slave Simon Deng has begun a 300 mile (482km) walk in the United States calling for action to end Darfur's crisis and slavery in Sudan.
He is being joined on his "Freedom Walk" from New York to Washington DC by fellow countryman, the seven foot seven inch ex-NBA basketballer Manute Bol.
Photo: Both Deng and Bol experienced the civil war in the south. Full story (BBC) 16 March 2006.
He is being joined on his "Freedom Walk" from New York to Washington DC by fellow countryman, the seven foot seven inch ex-NBA basketballer Manute Bol.
Photo: Both Deng and Bol experienced the civil war in the south. Full story (BBC) 16 March 2006.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves
Watch a short movie about the situation in Darfur and help HOPE stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
HOPE asks us to sign their petition calling for a UN appointed diplomat of the highest international stature to lead a peace process in Darfur. Click here to read more about their case for an envoy.
200,000 signatories are needed to represent those who have perished in Darfur and cannot speak for themselves. I have signed the petition and, so far, am the 191st person to do so. Please add your name to the list.
HOPE asks us to sign their petition calling for a UN appointed diplomat of the highest international stature to lead a peace process in Darfur. Click here to read more about their case for an envoy.
200,000 signatories are needed to represent those who have perished in Darfur and cannot speak for themselves. I have signed the petition and, so far, am the 191st person to do so. Please add your name to the list.
UN envoy cites tribal cleansing in Darfur by militiamen trying to take over lands of other tribes in Sudan
Times of Oman cites Reuters as the source of a report from Khartoum today that quotes UN special envoy Jan Pronk as saying "the security situation in Darfur is 'grim' as fighting is going on a daily basis," Jan Pronk told reporters in his weekly press briefing at the Khartoum headquaters of the UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Excerpt:
Note, above report explains Pronk lamented that no progress has been made at negotiations in Abuja:
"Villages in South Darfur are being attacked by militiamen on camel-back, killing about 400 persons since last February," said the UN envoy, warning of what he termed "tribal cleansing, with people chasing others in different parts of Darfur."Sudan's VP Taha in Tripoli meeting with Darfur rebel leaders
Instead of blaming the government or the rebel movements, Pronk said this "cleansing" was being conducted by militiamen he did not identify "for private, political or economic reasons to take over lands of other tribes.
"The security situation will remain grim and will deteriorate further if peace is not reached in Darfur," he said.
Note, above report explains Pronk lamented that no progress has been made at negotiations in Abuja:
When asked to comment on a recent meeting in Tripoli of Vice President Ali Osman Taha with Darfur rebel leaders, Pronk said Abuja "will continue to be the only venue of the (inter-Sudanese) negotiations."
Asked about recent statements by Sudanese officials that they will take steps to speed up the peace process, Pronk said: "I have heard this but I have not seen on the ground such steps which have to be translated into decisions in the negotiations. I hope such steps will be made in the right direction and in the right place (Abuja)." - Reuters.
Warlordism on the increase - More troops in Darfur not much of a solution - Sudan's tribal: Janjaweed and major tribes have to be part of peace talks
Hedi Annabi, a UN assistant secretary general for peacekeeping, said he was not disturbed by the AU decision to extend its Darfur mission through September as UN planners had said all along it would take six to nine months to assemble, equip and deploy a UN force.
So, when will Sudan's Janjaweed and all major tribes representing millions of displaced people attend the Darfur peace talks? How can there be peace in Sudan if tribal leaders are not part of the talks? Who disarms first, the rebels or the Janjaweed?
Darfur is tribal says Julie Flint and the tribes have to be part of the solution ... "there are those in the American administration who have been urging a loya jirga-type meeting with the genuine representatives of the people of Darfur in the driving seat rather than the principals currently in Abuja, but they have not been heeded."
Even 20,000 UN troops can't be expected to control a region larger than France
Fareed Zakaria's article in March 20, 2006 issue of Newsweek says "Khartoum will try corruption, coercion, force, anything' to derail peace talks on the killing in Darfur, a Sudanese activist named Mudawi Ibrahim Adam warns." Further excerpt:
" ... Mudawi isn't clamoring for military intervention. "Simply putting more troops, or better troops in, is not much of a solution," says Mudawi. "They will have some effect in lessening the violence, but only for a while. Look at what has happened with the African Union peacekeepers. At first they seemed effective, and within a few months they were being ambushed, having their jeeps stolen, and security got much worse." Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick does not dispute that assessment. "The African Union forces have done a tremendous job," he said last week. "But they came in to enforce a ceasefire, and that ceasefire has broken down." The AU's 7,000 peacekeepers - or even 20,000 U.N. troops - can't be expected to control a region larger than France.
Mudawi holds scant hope for the current peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria. "The parties from Darfur are not really represented," he says. "The Khartoum government is there, but it has no interest in having the talks succeed. Relatively few of the Janjaweed or the other tribes are there. And no one is representing the 2 million people who have been displaced and are living in camps. They have separate but crucial claims that have to be placed on the table." Mudawi wants talks with all major tribes represented. But, he argues, only the presence of a senior American figure at the table can offset the maneuverings of the Sudanese government. "Khartoum will try corruption, coercion, force, anything to derail such talks," he says. "Only international pressure could counteract this."
- - -
Warlordism on the increase - Pronk calls on Sudanese government to stop arming the militias
Mar 2 2006 IRIN report says UN envoy Jan Pronk urged the SLA to stop its attacks, as they provoked counter-reactions with "bad consequences for their people". He also called on the government to stop arming the militias. The report explains:
As local commanders did not necessarily take orders from their leaders anymore and "warlordism" was on the increase, the solution to certain conflicts had to be found at the local level.
"I believe more and more in reconciliation talks on the ground in Darfur and not only in Abuja," Pronk added. "You cannot replace Abuja, but now that the rebel movements are so fragmented, you could also have some regional reconciliation efforts in order to solve local conflicts."
"The UN could support and participate in such processes," he said, "but only when the process is fair and tribes can themselves decide who will represent them, and as long as all parties welcome the participation of the UN."
In the meantime, the UN would continue to support the AU and help its peacekeepers strengthen their protection activities.
"They now have 7,000 troops on the ground and wanted to expand it to 12,000," Pronk said. "I think we need more than 12,000 troops and that is a way in which the UN could help."
Even if the international community decided to take stronger action to protect the civilian population, however, it would take time before tangible changes would be seen on the ground.
- - -
Warlords Seen as Spoilers in Sudan
Note Stanford University Lecture Spoilers in Peace Processes.
So, when will Sudan's Janjaweed and all major tribes representing millions of displaced people attend the Darfur peace talks? How can there be peace in Sudan if tribal leaders are not part of the talks? Who disarms first, the rebels or the Janjaweed?
Darfur is tribal says Julie Flint and the tribes have to be part of the solution ... "there are those in the American administration who have been urging a loya jirga-type meeting with the genuine representatives of the people of Darfur in the driving seat rather than the principals currently in Abuja, but they have not been heeded."
Even 20,000 UN troops can't be expected to control a region larger than France
Fareed Zakaria's article in March 20, 2006 issue of Newsweek says "Khartoum will try corruption, coercion, force, anything' to derail peace talks on the killing in Darfur, a Sudanese activist named Mudawi Ibrahim Adam warns." Further excerpt:
" ... Mudawi isn't clamoring for military intervention. "Simply putting more troops, or better troops in, is not much of a solution," says Mudawi. "They will have some effect in lessening the violence, but only for a while. Look at what has happened with the African Union peacekeepers. At first they seemed effective, and within a few months they were being ambushed, having their jeeps stolen, and security got much worse." Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick does not dispute that assessment. "The African Union forces have done a tremendous job," he said last week. "But they came in to enforce a ceasefire, and that ceasefire has broken down." The AU's 7,000 peacekeepers - or even 20,000 U.N. troops - can't be expected to control a region larger than France.
Mudawi holds scant hope for the current peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria. "The parties from Darfur are not really represented," he says. "The Khartoum government is there, but it has no interest in having the talks succeed. Relatively few of the Janjaweed or the other tribes are there. And no one is representing the 2 million people who have been displaced and are living in camps. They have separate but crucial claims that have to be placed on the table." Mudawi wants talks with all major tribes represented. But, he argues, only the presence of a senior American figure at the table can offset the maneuverings of the Sudanese government. "Khartoum will try corruption, coercion, force, anything to derail such talks," he says. "Only international pressure could counteract this."
- - -
Warlordism on the increase - Pronk calls on Sudanese government to stop arming the militias
Mar 2 2006 IRIN report says UN envoy Jan Pronk urged the SLA to stop its attacks, as they provoked counter-reactions with "bad consequences for their people". He also called on the government to stop arming the militias. The report explains:
As local commanders did not necessarily take orders from their leaders anymore and "warlordism" was on the increase, the solution to certain conflicts had to be found at the local level.
"I believe more and more in reconciliation talks on the ground in Darfur and not only in Abuja," Pronk added. "You cannot replace Abuja, but now that the rebel movements are so fragmented, you could also have some regional reconciliation efforts in order to solve local conflicts."
"The UN could support and participate in such processes," he said, "but only when the process is fair and tribes can themselves decide who will represent them, and as long as all parties welcome the participation of the UN."
In the meantime, the UN would continue to support the AU and help its peacekeepers strengthen their protection activities.
"They now have 7,000 troops on the ground and wanted to expand it to 12,000," Pronk said. "I think we need more than 12,000 troops and that is a way in which the UN could help."
Even if the international community decided to take stronger action to protect the civilian population, however, it would take time before tangible changes would be seen on the ground.
- - -
Warlords Seen as Spoilers in Sudan
Note Stanford University Lecture Spoilers in Peace Processes.
Enhanced Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement (EHCA): AU wants Darfur fighters to withdraw to clearly identified areas with buffer zones between
News Article by IRIN March 13, 2006 reports AU mediators in the Darfur peace talks have proposed putting rival forces in Darfur behind buffer zones after ceasefire agreements have been repeatedly ignored. Excerpt:
The warring sides first signed a ceasefire accord in the Chadian capital N'djamena in April 2004. But nearly two years on, mediators said on Sunday that that agreement lacks sufficient details to be effective and a new proposal - dubbed the "Enhanced Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement" - has been drafted and presented to the warring sides.
"The [draft] agreement specifies that the forces of the government and the two movements withdraw their forces to clearly identified areas, with buffer zones between them," mediators said in a statement.
The main objectives of the new proposals are "the demilitarisation of humanitarian supply routes and camps for displaced people," mediators said.
Sudanese government and rebel officials confirmed they have received the new proposals and would respond as demanded by the mediators. AU officials said urgent action was required from the belligerents to halt the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Darfur.
"The government and the movements first signed a ceasefire agreement almost two years ago, but they never stopped fighting," said Sam Ibok, head of the AU mediation team, who called conditions unacceptable. "Today, the humanitarian agencies in Darfur are reaching fewer people than they did when that ceasefire agreement was signed."
Gaddafi will urge Sudanese President al-Bashir to hold direct talks with Darfur rebel leaders
The Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa said on Sunday that the League is working in coordination with the African Union to resolve major issues in Africa including the Darfur crisis and stressed on the importance of the upcoming summit in Cairo, during which leaders of Egypt, Sudan, and Libya will discuss Darfur, reports KUNA/st March 13, 2006.
Responding to journalists after a meeting with the visiting speaker of the Sudan's National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Taher, Mousa said that he respects the decision made by the AU Peace and Security Council to extend the peacekeeping mission of the union in Darfur to six more months.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Sunday welcomed the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council to turn over peacekeeping in Darfur to the UN, reports Xinhua/st March 13, 2006. Excerpt:
Libyan leader continues great efforts to broker peace for Darfur
Libyan leader Col Gaddafi reiterated on Monday that Libya rejected any foreign intervention in Darfur without the permission of the Sudanese government and the AU, according to news from the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
Gaddafi told the press that Libya would bring forward a proposal to peacefully resolve the Darfur conflict in the summit meeting to be attended by Egypt, Sudan and Libya in Cairo next Monday reports AND/Xinhua March 15, 2006. Excerpt:
Sudan's VP Taha opposes AU terms on Darfur
Sudan opposes AU terms on Darfur reports Aljazeera March 15, 2006.
Sudan opposed UN force for Darfur even after September - Taha reports Sudan Tribune March 15, 2006.
- - -
West backs AU's Darfur plan
The EU has committed $60 million (about R360 million) and the US $120 million (about R720 million) towards sustaining Amis until September. The EU, UN and particularly the US have indicated they will back up the AU's demands, with targeted sanctions against individuals fomenting violence in Darfur.
The AU has set April 30 as the deadline for concluding a peace agreement in Darfur. Full report Mercury Foreign Service/IOL March 15, 2006.
- - -
Sudan's top negotiator expects Darfur peace deal soon
The Presidential Advisor and head of the government delegation for Darfur peace talks in Abuja, Majzoub Al-Khalifa, said that he expects the two parties to talks to sign a political agreement during the current round of talks, ending the Darfur crisis, reports Sudan Tribune March 14, 2006 - excerpt:
Security Council welcomes African decision to transform Darfur force
News Article by UN News Centre posted on March 13, 2006 says the Security Council March 13 welcomed the decision of the African Union to support, in principle, the transition of the AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur to a UN operation
Responding to journalists after a meeting with the visiting speaker of the Sudan's National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Taher, Mousa said that he respects the decision made by the AU Peace and Security Council to extend the peacekeeping mission of the union in Darfur to six more months.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Sunday welcomed the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council to turn over peacekeeping in Darfur to the UN, reports Xinhua/st March 13, 2006. Excerpt:
"The foreign minister praised (the council for) reaffirming the African Union's role in supervising the peace process in Darfur and that African troops should be the backbone of the new peacekeeping mission," Abul Gheit was quoted as saying by a Foreign Ministry spokesman.Note, two Darfur rebel leaders arrived in Abuja for peace talks, a sign that the rebel groups understood the negotiations had reached a critical point, reports Sudan Tribune March 13, 2006.
The Egyptian top diplomat hoped that all parties involved in the Darfur dispute would thrash out a peace agreement as soon as possible and urged the international community to offer necessary help, the spokesman added.
Libyan leader continues great efforts to broker peace for Darfur
Libyan leader Col Gaddafi reiterated on Monday that Libya rejected any foreign intervention in Darfur without the permission of the Sudanese government and the AU, according to news from the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
Gaddafi told the press that Libya would bring forward a proposal to peacefully resolve the Darfur conflict in the summit meeting to be attended by Egypt, Sudan and Libya in Cairo next Monday reports AND/Xinhua March 15, 2006. Excerpt:
He had held talks with Darfur rebel leaders on this issue recently, said Gaddafi, adding that Libya had announced and would reiterate its stance of supporting the Sudanese government in rejecting foreign intervention.- - -
He will urge Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir to hold direct talks with rebel leaders, so as to find a proper way to end the conflict.
Gaddafi said the rebel leaders welcomed Bashir as the Sudanese president and agreed to settle the conflict peacefully.
He added that the rebels hoped to maintain Sudan's territorial integrity on condition that their request of sharing power and wealth is fulfilled.
Sudan's VP Taha opposes AU terms on Darfur
Sudan opposes AU terms on Darfur reports Aljazeera March 15, 2006.
Sudan opposed UN force for Darfur even after September - Taha reports Sudan Tribune March 15, 2006.
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West backs AU's Darfur plan
The EU has committed $60 million (about R360 million) and the US $120 million (about R720 million) towards sustaining Amis until September. The EU, UN and particularly the US have indicated they will back up the AU's demands, with targeted sanctions against individuals fomenting violence in Darfur.
The AU has set April 30 as the deadline for concluding a peace agreement in Darfur. Full report Mercury Foreign Service/IOL March 15, 2006.
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Sudan's top negotiator expects Darfur peace deal soon
The Presidential Advisor and head of the government delegation for Darfur peace talks in Abuja, Majzoub Al-Khalifa, said that he expects the two parties to talks to sign a political agreement during the current round of talks, ending the Darfur crisis, reports Sudan Tribune March 14, 2006 - excerpt:
At a press conference he held Tuesday at the Sudan News Agency, Al-Khalifa, said that wide strides have been made concerning the sharing of wealth and power and the security arrangements' files.- - -
He further added that there are still pending issues such as the structure of government in Darfur, the representation of Darfur in the Presidency institution and the civil service, the resettlement of the refugees and the displaced people, the compensations and development.
Al-Khalifa indicated that the progress in the security arrangements' file is confronted by difficulties pertinent to the commitment to N'djamena ceasefire protocol, the security and humanitarian agreements, the confrontations between the armed forces and tribal disputes.
He ruled out the possibility of promotion of the government delegation at Abuja delegation, stressing that the government is negotiating as a national unity government and in accordance with a national perspective.
He lauded the contribution of Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) to push ahead the negotiation process..
Security Council welcomes African decision to transform Darfur force
News Article by UN News Centre posted on March 13, 2006 says the Security Council March 13 welcomed the decision of the African Union to support, in principle, the transition of the AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur to a UN operation
"The Security Council commended the African Union for the successful deployment of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and AMIS' role in reducing large-scale organized violence in Darfur," Council President Cesar Mayoral of Argentina told the press after the body was briefed by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi.
Mr. Mayoral also expressed strong support for the AU's role in the Darfur peace talks in Abuja, underlining that "political settlement is key to peace in Sudan and that the AU should maintain leadership in the Abuja process."
Deteriorating security in Darfur in recent months has prevented aid in reaching more than a million victims of Sudan's vicious three-year-old conflict, in which fighting between government forces, pro-government militias and rebels has killed some 180,000 people and displaced 2 million others.
The current UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS), deployed to support the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed about a year ago for south Sudan, has a mandate from the UN Security Council to provide some support to AMIS in Darfur.
However violence continues to flare, prompting the Security Council to consider augmenting the AU force under the UN, and, last month, to consider sanctioning individuals deemed to be a threat to the peace or to human rights in the area.
The Council is having a public meeting on Darfur on 21 March, to which it is inviting Salim Salim, the mediator of the Abuja talks, Ambassador Mayoral said.
Libya to host summit on Darfur - Sudan, Egypt leaders to attend
"There are now consultations and efforts are being exerted with all the Sudanese parties to solve the problem of Darfur," a Libyan source said, reports Reuters Mar 15, 2006:
Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will attend the summit due to take place in Tripoli in coming days, the source said, without giving an exact date.
"Libya hopes to find a solution within six months within the African context," the source added.
Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will attend the summit due to take place in Tripoli in coming days, the source said, without giving an exact date.
"Libya hopes to find a solution within six months within the African context," the source added.
Sudan closes offices of rights group
The Sudanese human rights organisation SUDO said on Wednesday the West Darfur authorities had closed down three of its offices because it did not like its work overcoming divisions in the troubled region, reports Reuters March 15, 2006.
Arrest and torture of IDPs from Otash IDP camp, south Darfur
Human Rights Alert by Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) March 15, 2006 announces arrest and torture of two IDPs from Otash IDP camp, south Darfur Hashim Abdella Targiya, male, 18 yrs and Alsayid Adam Haroun, male, 32 yrs. Both from Zaghawa tribe.
Chad's President Deby was sponsored by Khartoum and helped into power by the French secret services
Analyst Andrew Manley explains why Chadian President Idriss Deby has appeared increasingly vulnerable in a piece written for the BBC March 15, 2006 shortly before Chad's government announced it had foiled an attempted coup.
UPI reports the president's twin nephews and a general, who had defected to the rebels, were blamed for the coup attempt. The rebels are led by the United Front for Democratic Change under Mahamat Nour from bases in Darfur on Sudan's border with Chad.
UPI reports the president's twin nephews and a general, who had defected to the rebels, were blamed for the coup attempt. The rebels are led by the United Front for Democratic Change under Mahamat Nour from bases in Darfur on Sudan's border with Chad.
Internal displacement toll in south and north Darfur continues to mount
Internal displacement toll in Darfur continues to mount, particularly in areas outside Gereida town in southern Darfur and between Nyala and Al Fashir in the north, reports Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre March 15, 2006:
Photo: View of desert outside El-Fashir, northern Darfur, Sudan from African Union helicopter. (Andrew Heavens)
Fighting mainly between government-backed militias and the rebel SLA caused 10,000 people to flee their homes and seek refuge in Gereida in February, adding to the 80,000 IDPs already living there in camps.
Humanitarian access continues to be severely hampered in many parts of Darfur because of insecurity and harassment by the warring parties. ICRC, for example, reported that it took three weeks to access the IDPs in Gereida with food and other essential items.
Photo: View of desert outside El-Fashir, northern Darfur, Sudan from African Union helicopter. (Andrew Heavens)
Eastern Sudan rebels accuse Khartoum of fomenting tension
Sudanese rebels on Tuesday accused the government of fomenting tension in the eastern part of the country, a restive belt through which an oil pipeline to the country's largest port passes, reports AFP/st Mar 15, 2006.
Note, the article says Eastern rebel offical Abdalla Hamid threw cold water on the prospects of a planned Libya sponsored peace talks between Khartoum and east Sudanese rebels, which were called off last month following disagreements over Eritrea's participation.
Note, the article says Eastern rebel offical Abdalla Hamid threw cold water on the prospects of a planned Libya sponsored peace talks between Khartoum and east Sudanese rebels, which were called off last month following disagreements over Eritrea's participation.
Japan extends donation to provide vehicles for removing landmines in Sudan
The Government of Japan has supplied the Swiss Organisation for Land-Mines (FSD) with a donation to provide four vehicles which specially designed for the removal of land-mines in Sudan.
Full story at ReliefWeb via Suna.
Full story at ReliefWeb via Suna.
UN Jobs - International Job Vacancies in Sudan
Note the increasing number of Vacancies in Sudan. Link is now in sidebar here at Sudan Watch.
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Click here for Feb. 06, 2009 Multiple vacancies announcement: local Sudanese needed in Southern Sudan's Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, and Warrap States.
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Click here for Feb. 06, 2009 Multiple vacancies announcement: local Sudanese needed in Southern Sudan's Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, and Warrap States.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Insurers pay out on Garang crash
An insurance firm says it will pay Uganda $3m for the presidential helicopter that crashed killing former Sudanese rebel leader John Garang, reports BBC March 14, 2006 - excerpt:
"I hope this puts an end to the whole affair," said Ugandan Foreign Minister Ezra Suruma. "We deeply regret this incident happened but there was nothing we could do to stop it."
"An insurer will not pay out if he has doubts as to the nature of the accident," managing director Bola Ososamya told the Associated Press.
Both Mr Garang's SPLM group and the government said at the time they believed the crash had been an accident.
"I hope this puts an end to the whole affair," said Ugandan Foreign Minister Ezra Suruma. "We deeply regret this incident happened but there was nothing we could do to stop it."
"An insurer will not pay out if he has doubts as to the nature of the accident," managing director Bola Ososamya told the Associated Press.
Both Mr Garang's SPLM group and the government said at the time they believed the crash had been an accident.
Sudan court frees 8 Turabi party members
Arabic News.com March 14, 2006 report via Sudan.Net says Sudan court frees 8 Turabi party members. Excerpt:
A Sudanese court found not guilty 8 out of 18 members of the opposition People's Congress party who were recently arrested by the authorities for possible involvement in plans violating general security.
They were charged those detained men on charge of conspiracy in order to topple the regime in the country, provoke war against the state, intention to use violence, and committing damaging operations as well as having unlicensed weapons.
The court justified its decision to that initial evidence was not provided to support the accusations. A matter which was considered by the defense lawyers as a victory for justice.
Meantime, the leader of the People's Congress party Sheikh Hassan al-Turabi said commenting on the court's decision that the rules that control the country by using special and security laws are still in effect in the country (and have not changed).
Turabi said that the foreign pressures on the government were behind what he called lifting the pressure off his supporters. He said that the country has to change its political composition otherwise not all people in Sudan will feel safe.
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