Wednesday, June 28, 2006

African Union Mission in Darfur ends September 30, 2006

According to an unsourced article at the SudanTribune (Paris) June 27, 2006, a press statement says a faction within SLM-Minnawi suspends Darfur Peace Agreement implementation provoking a tacit split against its leader Minni Minnawi who signed the peace deal.

Also today, an Associated Press report via Sudan Tribune tells us UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan hopes AU will pressure Sudan on UN peacekeepers - excerpt:
Despite al-Bashir's rejection of a UN force, Annan said he is not giving up ... "In politics, words like 'never' and 'forever' do not exist," Annan told reporters. "We have seen leaders say lots of things, but they also find reasons and ways to adapt, to shift, to change direction, and often forget that they have used the word 'never.'"
Surely such a statement coming from Kofi Annan is music to the rebels' ears. UN mediation and UN troops are what the Darfur rebels have wanted all along.

Surely such reports, along with the army of rebel supporters in America - not to mention their calls for UN troops - bolsters the rebels, giving them the confidence to hold out. Who is really on the side of the long suffering civilians in Sudan? There's a big pot of gold at stake for rebels. Three years of war in Darfur have now passed while another generation of Sudanese youngsters grow up without ever receiving an education. If those children resort to making a living through theft and murder (many in Darfur's SLA rebel group are as young as 16) when will the cycle of violence, fighting and war in the Sudan ever be broken?

Today, a BBC report reminds us the AU Darfur mission ends in three months - excerpt:
The peacekeepers will leave by the end of September [30] even if there is no agreement on replacing it with a United Nations force, an AU meeting agreed.

Sudan is vehemently against this move, but UN boss Kofi Annan hopes to change their mind at this weekend's AU summit.

South Africa's foreign minister said the AU did not have the money to continue even if it wanted to.

But the UN head of peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, says the UN is committed to bolstering the AU mission.

"Whatever happens our mandate ends on 30 September unless there are new developments in the discussions between the Sudan and the UN," said South Africa's Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlaminini Zuma, who chaired an AU Peace and Security Council meeting on the subject.

"For us that mandate should end and the UN should be the one who takes over."

The meeting took place ahead of an AU heads of state summit in The Gambia.

In a separate move, the head of UN peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno has said the UN will strengthen its support for the AU Darfur mission. But, he gave no details.

"We believe that the United Nations can help the African mission," he told reporters at the UN after returning from an assessment mission in Sudan.

"We did not get any objection from the government of Sudan so we are going to work in earnest on that."
See comments at BBC's Have Your Say: What should the African Union leaders do?

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Think Piece: Will UN troops in Darfur make things more "humanitarian" than they are right now?

Another great blog entry by Drima, The Sudanese Thinker: Bashir & Kofi Anan: The Head Banging Continues. Excerpt:
Even the American troops in Iraq are having trouble controling terrorists and the insurgency and you think your great almighty UN troops will have it easy in Darfur? The answer is NO! You talk about intervention because of humanitarian purposes. I guess when your troops get sent they will make things more "humanitarian" than they are right now. How sweet and caring? I do realize many of you out there are supporting intervention and I sincerely thank you all for that. Do you know why? It's because I know your intentions are sincere. I know you mean well and I know you want to help but I ask you all to step back for a while and stop reading so called "facts" about Darfur. If I were reading those same "facts" my position would be like yours and that's why I don't blame you. I blame those making money publishing such "great knowledge" for all of us to consume. I blame those leveraging this issue to make a name for themselves.
- - -

June 26 2006 Reuters report - Congo militia threaten to execute UN peacekeepers: Congolese militia linked to gunmen holding seven Nepalese U.N. peacekeepers hostage on Monday threatened to order their execution after clashes last week.

June 27 2006 BBC Chad rebels 'launch CAR attack': Peacekeepers from a regional body were also involved in the clashes with "heavily armed" rebels in the north, the interior ministry says.

Sudanese President condemns West's meddling

Sudan Prez Condemns West Meddling - Prensa Latina. June 27, 2006 - excerpt:
Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir slammed the West interference in his country through the UN with the pretext of imposing peace in Darfur, which is rich in oil, diamonds, uranium and minerals.

In a meeting with deputies of the governing National Congress Party, in presence of some ministers, Al Bashir asserted he would rather be a leader of the resistance than a president of a nation where multinational forces are deployed.

The Sudanese president made it clear he would not allow stationing blue helmets in Darfur, as that zone cannot be become an Iraq, where the UN-backed West has solved nothing.

I really regret the United Nations has joined the tricks of powerful governments to intervene in Sudan, especially in Darfur, he noted.

Al Bashir also urged rebel groups in Sudan's west to join the peace agreements of May 13, 2006.
- - -

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Photo released by the United Nations shows refugees at the Kalma Camp in south Darfur, in 2005. Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir said his country could assume peacekeeping operations in war-torn Darfur, state media reported, in a fresh rebuff of the UN's deployment plan. (AFP/UN-HO/File/Evan Schneider 26 June 2006)

Human Rights Watch wants more troops in Darfur

From Human Rights Watch: Darfur: Send More Troops to Protect Civilians [via CFD] excerpt:
African leaders meeting at the African Union summit on July 1 and 2 must contribute more troops to protect civilians in Darfur and urge Sudan to consent to a UN force in Darfur, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the leaders.

"Violence is rising, and additional African forces are needed to reinforce the 7,000 troops now on the ground, so they can better protect civilians," Peter Takirambudde, said Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The AU council must equip AMIS to robustly and proactively protect civilians," said Takirambudde. "The alarming deterioration in security in Darfur means that even if Khartoum agrees to a UN force tomorrow, AMIS needs more support and capacity now." [edit]

The Sudanese government initially said it would support the transition to a UN force, but only after a peace agreement was reached; now it has reneged on that commitment. On June 20, President Omar al-Bashir said Sudan would never allow UN troops into Darfur, even though a UN force of almost 10,000 is already in Sudan to support the 2005 peace agreement ending the 21-year war waged mostly in the south.

"African leaders should tell Khartoum to accept a UN force," said Takirambudde. "The AU has transferred to UN forces in Burundi and elsewhere in Africa; why should Sudan be different?"
[When did the Sudanese government say it would support the transition to a UN force? How can the Sudanese government renege on a commitment it never made? See June 22 2006 Sudan Watch entry: Human Rights Watch incorrectly says Khartoum is backtracking]

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Photo: An African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) platoon leaves Zamzam base to patrol just south of El-Fasher in Darfur, 09 June 2006. Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir said his country could assume peacekeeping operations in Darfur, state media reported, in a fresh rebuff of the UN's deployment plan. (AFP/File/Charles Onians 26 June 2006)

Chad: Deployment by UN urged by Amnesty International and France

The UN must consider deploying international forces to eastern Chad, both Amnesty International and the French government are warning, the Financial Times reported June 27, 2006.

See full report Chad: Deployment by UN Urged [via CFD, with thanks]

Note the report points out that France is advocating the possibility of international policing in the camps and aerial surveillance.

Chad/CAR: Chadian rebels attack Central African Republic

Chadian rebels have launched a raid in NE Central African Republic, clashing with government troops and African peacekeepers, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, Reuters, AFP, BBC reported. Excerpt:
A BBC correspondent says rebels from Chad and CAR have formed an alliance.

The BBC's Joseph Benamsse in the CAR capital, Bangui, says the Chadian rebels want to be left alone in the remote northern region.
[via Coalition for Darfur, with thanks]

Brian Steidle writes a book about his experience in Sudan

Dartmouth Online Brother and Sister Tackle Crisis via CFD. Excerpt:
Before earning her Masters in Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business in 2001, Wallace graduated from the University of Virginia and then went on to work for an investment banking firm that specialized in development in poor countries. While at Tuck, she founded the Allwin Initiative for Corporate Citizenship, aimed at promoting corporate responsibility and ethics. She started the non-profit organization Global Grassroots, which seeks to promote women's rights and combat poverty in the third world, and she is in the process of completing a documentary film illustrating the plight of female refugees who fled Darfur.

Her brother, after graduating from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1999, joined the United States Marine Corps and completed his service in 2003. He scanned the internet for a job that interested him, and after touring the world with the Marines, he looked beyond desk jobs.

"I don't know where the trigger is on the stapler," he quipped.

Steidle applied for a position with the Joint Military Commission in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan and received his acceptance and plane tickets within days. After working his way up to Senior Operations Officer, he moved west in Sudan to work for the African Union in Darfur. In March 2005 he testified in Congress and is now writing a book to be published this spring about his experiences in Sudan.

International Crisis Group stands by its irresponsible analysis - Dave Mozersky is ICG's Sudan researcher

June 26, 2006 Reuters/WP report excerpt:
The International Crisis Group 'Policy Briefing' on Darfur contains some serious errors of fact and interpretation, which are extremely unhelpful to the process of implementation," the AU said in a seven-page reply, seen by Reuters on Monday.

ICG said it stood by its analysis:

"The security situation continues to be extremely worrisome," said Dave Mozersky, ICG's Sudan researcher.

"Implementation of the (deal) is likely to be challenged by a combination of government unwillingness, rebel divisions and unwillingness of the international community to stand up for a sufficiently robust peacekeeping force," he added.
[Who do these foreign armchair critics think they are, undermining fragile peace talks and ceasefire agreements?]

Jun 25 2006 AU reacts to ICG report on Darfur peace deal - Bravo to the African Union for its speedy response to serious misinformation published by International Crisis Group; More meddlesome armchair critics

Jun 25 2006 What matters is what the majority of Sudanese think the UN's intentions are - so far they all believe the UN's intentions are sinister - Why spread and market such garbage? This isn't helpful. In order to solve a problem, one must understand it well first. Such distorted information only adds to the problem.

Jun 26 2006 United Nations Sudan Situation Report 24 - 25 Jun 2006

United Nations Sudan Situation Report 24 - 25 Jun 2006

Report by United Nations Country Team in Sudan 25 June 2006, via ReliefWeb. Security situation:

North Darfur
UNDSS reported that the Head of SAF Military Intelligence (MI) for the Darfurs indicated that all UNMIS flights coming into the Darfurs will be prohibited from landing. All UNMIS aircraft that are now based in the Darfurs will not be granted permission to take off except in emergency and medical situations with prior special permission from MI. UNDSS advised that until further notice UNMIS Air Operations will suspend all flights coming into the Darfurs.

South Darfur
NSTR

West Darfur
On 23 June, Chadian armed Opposition Group (CAOG) force moved from El Geneina towards the border area. The local population observed CAOG force with about 30-50 vehicles near Dockit Hills (approximately 1 km east of Adi Kong). On 24 June, clashes were reported between CAOG and the Chadian army (FANT) in the vicinity of Tandulti (45 km NW of El Geneina), Gellu (30 km NW of El Geneina) and Adi Kong (25 km W of El Geneina).

Monday, June 26, 2006

SPLM northern sector spokesperson Walid Hamid resigns

The SPLM's spokesperson of the northern sector, Walid Hamid, resigned last Thursday. Different sources within the SPLM said there are ongoing discussions to persuade him to withdrew his decision.

Hamid attributed his resignation to “the organisational dysfunction within the SPLM institutions. - SudanTribune article (unsourced) 27 June 2006.

Thousands of protestors gathered in Khartoum to protest against UN and its proposed peacekeepers

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A demonstration (see above AFP/Isam al-Hag photo) was organised in Khartoum during which thousands of pro-regime youths chanted slogans against the world body and its plans to deploy Nato-backed peacekeepers to Darfur, Sapa-AFP (Mohammed Ali Seed, Khartoum) reported June 26, 2006. Excerpt:
Up to 5,000 protesters, mainly from the youth and student organisations of the ruling National Congress, gathered in front of parliament in Khartoum Sunday to protest against the proposed deployment.

"Down, Down United Nations", "Down, Down, USA", "We will not be ruled by the CIA", they chanted, as some of them torched a life-size dummy with the words UN and USA inscribed on it.

"The experience of foreign intervention in other countries, including Iraq, shows that it is not in the interest of the people," Ali Yehya, the speaker of the Council of States, the upper house of parliament, told the crowds.
[via IOL, CFD, POTP, with thanks]

Sudanese burn effigy of Sudan President

Photo (Sudan Watch archives) Sudanese residents living in the Chadian capital N'djamena burn an effigy representing Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir, Friday, April 21, 2006 during a protest condemning the situation in Darfur.

Khartoum demo

Photo: Thousands of Sudanese protest against UN force Mar 8, 2006. See full report Protests over Darfur peacekeepers.

Feb 28 2006 UN envoy Jan Pronk cites Al-Qaeda threats to his own life and non-African UN troops deployed to Sudan's Darfur

Mar 8 2006 Sudanese students offers reward for head of UN envoy

Mar 24 2006 Jan Pronk's weblog accuses Sudanese government of a political campaign against the United Nations

May 7 2006 Protests greet UN's Egeland in Darfur, before Gereida visit

Sudan removes suspension of UN operations in Darfur

Storm in a tea cup? Whenever strange news stories like this appear, it makes one wonder if it's blown out of proportion by Khartoum to deflect the media away from a bigger story, like a Janjaweed attack or GoS bombing raid. [Afterthought: or a flap about something else going. I guess we'll never know what really goes on behind the scenes of a civil war]

A few minutes ago, IRIN reported that UNMIS air operations have suspended all Darfur flights until further notice, after the head of military intelligence of the Sudanese armed forces indicated that all UNMIS flights coming to Darfur would be prohibited from landing.

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Photo: Rebel commander, Suleiman Mohamed Jamous, was the humanitarian coordinator for the SLM/A before it split in November 2005 and the main rebel contact for the approximately 14,000 humanitarian aid workers in Darfur. Jamous was a member of Minni Minnawi's SLM/A faction who signed the Darfur Peace Agreement on 5 May, but was imprisoned by that same faction for his opposition to the peace deal. (IRIN)

Shortly after the above report hit the news wires, an unsourced article at Sudan Tribune June 26, 2006 appeared, saying:
The Sudanese Foreign Minister spokesperson Jamal Ibrahim said in an interview with the French Language RFI, that the head of the United Nation Mission in Sudan Jan Pronk had indicated in a meeting Monday that the transport of Darfur rebel leader Suleiman Jamous was made in good faith and in humanitarian bases.

He further said Pronk had reiterated his engagement to respect agreement between Sudan and the United Nation and to notify details of UN flights to the Sudanese aviation authorities as it is stipulated in the agreement.

"Sudan has accepted the clarifications presented by the UN envoy and the suspension is removed" said the Sudanese official.
Some ten minutes later, the Sudan Tribune had edited its report with a correction notice. The report now states the following text (which sounds more plausible because from what I'd gathered yesterday, Mr Pronk is currently in Europe, not Sudan) and instead of Mr Pronk's photo depicted earlier, shows this one of Taye-Brook Zerihoun:

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Sudan removes suspension of UN operations in Darfur - Correction: Please note that the meeting was held with Mr Taye-Brook Zerihoun, the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

The Sudanese Foreign Minister spokesperson Jamal Ibrahim said in an interview with the French Language RFI, that the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, had indicated in a meeting Monday with acting Foreign Minister Sidiq Mutaraf that the transport of Darfur rebel leader Suleiman Jamous was made in good faith and in humanitarian bases.

He further said Zerihoum had reiterated his engagement to respect agreement between Sudan and the United Nation and to notify details of UN flights to the Sudanese aviation authorities as it is stipulated in the agreement.

"Sudan has accepted the clarifications presented by the UN deputy envoy and the suspension is removed" said the Sudanese official.
Note, I'm taking this opportunity to say the Sudan Tribune regularly publishes reprints of reports without crediting sources. It's annoying to have to work the sources of their reprints. Why don't they name their sources? It makes them appear sloppy and dodgy. The word plagiarism [the act of appropriating the literary composition of another author, or excerpts, ideas, or passages therefrom, and passing the material off as one's own creation] springs to mind here.

Half an hour later, Sudan Tribune published a fresh reprint entitled Sudan lifts suspension of UN operations in Darfur.

Here's another peeve about the Sudan Tribune: not knowing who is behind it and why they feel the need to remain anonymous. Simply listing themselves as "Sudan Tribune.com Ltd," their "About us" says:
"SudanTribune is a non profit web site based in France. Its goals are to promote plural information, democratic and free debate on Sudan. Contacts: More information, comments ... please contact us [they simply provide an email address contact@sudantribune.com]
Webhosting information:
Agence des Medias Numerique
AMEN
12-14 Rond Point Des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris
Tel: 0033 892 55 66 77
I am noting this issue now because it has niggled me for a few years and I'm starting to notice biases in their selection of reports, especially when it comes to particular rebel groups. I hate propaganda. This is a personal weblog, I can say whatever I wish. I do not claim to be a writer, journalist, whaterver. I'm not trying to manipulate news. I'm simply interested in learning the truth of matters and, as far as is possible, to know what is really going on. I do not care to be indoctrinated by people with hidden agendas and/or a religious and/or political bent.

Southern Sudan is emerging as a strong contender for investors interested in emerging markets

Copy of article at The Standard - Business News Propertywatch 22 June 2006 - Boom across the border:

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As peace returns to Southern Sudan, a property market boom is in the making. Kenneth Kwama was there to find out who's in the race

Charles Anyama has always wanted to move opposite the crowd.

In 2000, when most investors were still hesitant to venture in war-torn South Sudan, he decided to set up an investment and property company there.

The company -- Nile Bay General Works -- now has a dominant presence in Juba's real estate scene and is one of Southern Sudan biggest developers.

Southern Sudan is emerging as a strong contender for investors interested in emerging markets.

Business was not good until last year when Sudanese leaders signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) treaty, giving both business and peace a chance.

"Since then many Kenyans have flocked in here to invest in the real estate business," Anyama says. "Just like in Nairobi, the commercial property market in Southern Sudan is alive and booming."

The change in fortunes is attributed to an influx of United Nations staff, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and relief agencies-all competing for housing and office space. An Sh14 billion multi-donor trust fund, set up by the international community, to aid the reconstruction of the war-ravaged region, has aided the process.

Exorbitant monthly rents

The region should be a strong contender for investors interested in emerging markets. It's biggest city, Juba, has a winning combination of what valuers price. Liberal tax regimes, good return on investment and now, security.

Lack of expertise among locals has left Kenyan property developers, including construction companies and sub-contractors, competing among themselves. Hundreds of up-coming construction sites dot downtown neighbourhoods. In most places, the houses under construction have either been booked or paid for.

Prospective tenants and buyers have been forced to offer sweetheart deals to developers and landowners, exorbitant monthly rents, with several years of contracted stay.

Some Kenyans with extra bucks to spare are in there big time, hoping to fetch quick returns. The majority are property developers who have either been edged out of the Kenyan market by stiff competition or are simply looking for quick returns on their investments.

One Kenyan investor, Rose Nyamunga, is running a restaurant with cottages that cost between US$120 and US$150. Her immediate plan is to built apartments in the 20-acre plot that she co-owns with a native Sudanese in Juba.

"The good thing about building in Juba is that you are guaranteed of tenants," she says. This is because demand is not only higher than the supply but is growing at a faster pace.

International attention

Nyamunga says a number of businesspeople, especially from the US are settling in Southern Sudan with the result that housing and rent prices are skyrocketing.

Her desire to build apartments has been fired by the fact that most rental property in Juba is either temporary or semi-permanent. She gives the example of her restaurant, Rock City that has had to operate in tents. Even the cottages have been constructed from this material.

"I think it would make more business sense to have something more decent and durable," she says.

But while most investors may be dreaming of a property market that will offer high yields and capital growth at the same time, Anyama says identifying the right market is vital to realising such dreams.

"With so much international attention on Sudan as an emerging property market, it is difficult to know where to begin," he says. Anyama says this is the reason he and his partners decided to set up the company to guide investors on the Sudanese property market.

Anyama says the requirement by Sudanese investment law that any foreigner wishing to own property should partner with a Sudanese is spoiling the party.

Big gamble

This has left the vast market to a few daring real estate developers, mostly from Kenya, Uganda and Eritrea. To some extent, the small number of investors in real estate has meant that demand for housing has outstripped supply and is driving up rental yields.

"Others say it's risky to invest here, but I think the risk is worth taking," he adds.

"What you need to do is to seek professional advice, work with reliable agents and always be willing to do your homework."

Though Sudan's property market could be a bit difficult to navigate, Anyama says it is possible to link up with locals as required by law and start on a property that is sure to yield high returns.

Investing in such property markets can be a big gamble but this comes along whenever one is investing in any new territory. For those daring enough to take the risk, the returns are far higher than what one could dream of in more secure markets such as Kenya's.

A one-bedroom apartment, just 10 minutes drive outside Juba, where some Eritreans have put up residential houses goes for about US$1000.

"The rental yields are very high and one is almost guaranteed healthy returns compared to what property of that kind could yield in Nairobi," says Anyama.

Speculators' market

The downside, however, is that constructing a house in Juba is not an easy task.

The cost of building materials, which are mainly sourced from Kenya and Uganda, is high. Labour is also expensive and one needs about US$70 (about Sh5,000) to hire a plumber for just one day.

Part of these costs are, however, set to come down with the entry of Kenyan firms such East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) into the market. EAPCC's Managing Director Zakayo Ole Mapelu says the company is exploring ways of reducing overhead costs to make its products competitive.

One major concern with Juba is that it is a speculators' market with various investors teaming up with locals -- as is required by the country's investment law -- to put up houses.

"The biggest impediment to owning property in Southern Sudan is that land belongs to the community," Anyama says.

Good research

This means you can't buy from an individual, but developers are allowed to lease for long periods and even renew the leases. One should, however, understand that all property markets, not just those that are emerging, carry risks.

The key to success of any investment is good research. Patrick Jakino, a Kenyan investor, who owns a construction company-Building Concepts and has been working for the regional government as a consultant, says gathering as much information as possible and keeping up to date with market trends is vital to making a smooth investment.

Gathering of such information would also help one move smoothly into other towns like Rumbek and Yei, which are also magnets for traders and other workers.

"It is important to get the facts right. While the potential to make immediate returns on investment is always there, there is also possibility of business getting disrupted by sporadic violence," warns Jakino.

Despite these fears, developers are optimistic.

They speculate that 10 years down the road, Sudan's property market will also take off in much the same way as Kenya's has over the past five years. But the rewards, it seems, will only be there for those brave enough to start early.

Further reading

2nd International Investment & Trade Conference for Sudan 12 - 14 September, 2006, Khartoum.

East Standard article - Society: Sudan here we come by Kenneth Kwama.

June 26 2006 IPS - South Sudanese teenager transforms pain into art: A repatriation exercise started by the UNHCR in December has seen only 1,500 refugees head home - a fraction of the total number of Sudanese in Kenya. Kakuma camp in the north-west of the country has over 90,000 refugees, mostly from Sudan. "There is no infrastructure, no schools, and the international community needs to be involved in these development projects," UNHCR head Antonio Guterres said of the situation in Sudan while addressing reporters in Nairobi, June 18.

Libyan leader to meet Darfur rebel groups July 2, 2006

Unsourced article (Tripoli) at Sudan Tribune dated June 24, 2006 says Libyan leader to meet Darfur rebel groups next month - excerpt:
The Libyan leader invited the different Darfur rebel groups in a bid to convince opposed groups to sign the African Union brokered Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja on 5 May.

Reliable sources confirmed the participation of the three Darfur rebel groups saying delegations are heading to Tripoli to attend a meeting convened by the Libyan leader Muammer Gadhafi to discuss the reasons of their refusal to sign Darfur Peace Agreement. The meeting is planned for Sunday 2 July.

The rebel SLM al-Nur faction and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) refuse to sign Darfur Peace Agreement, saying Khartoum has to meet crucial demands related to militias' disarmament, power sharing and individual compensations for Darfur affected civilians.

Rebel sources said "without genuine guaranties from Gadhafi on how Khartoum will meet their demands" the two rebel groups will reject the Libyan initiative.

The holdout rebel groups, particularly SLM-al-Nur, intend to exploit the after 5 May mounting popularity and the regular protests organized by the Darfurians in western Sudan and Khartoum against the signed peace deal, to demand full satisfaction to their demands.

Minawi approves the Libyan move as he is in difficulty with the rejection of a deal that he signed without the approval of his delegation and faces probable troubles within his group.

Earlier in June, the Sudanese First Vice-President Salva Kiir tried to hold such meeting but the holdout rebel groups rejected his initiative only Minawi went to the meeting in southern Sudan.

2nd International Investment & Trade Conference for Sudan

2nd International Investment & Trade Conference for Sudan, 12 - 14 September 2006, Friendship Hall, Khartoum, Sudan, held under the auspices of The Ministry of Investment of Sudan. See website Sudan Invest 2006.
Source: Boxed advertisement at top of Sudan Tribune articles.

Sudan says it could assume Darfur peacekeeping mission - SPLM proposal of joint force of 10,000 GoS/SPLM troops to help AU

Unsourced SudanTribune article dated June 25, 2006 (KHARTOUM) says the Sudanese government reiterated its rejection of the UN force, affirming its readiness to assume peacekeeping mission in Darfur if the African Union does not extend its mission in Darfur after the 30 September. Excerpt::
The Sudanese cabinet has renewed its refuse to the transfer of the African Union forces mission in Darfur to international forces. This came in the regular meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by the President Omer al-Bashir.

The Council of Ministers asserted Sudan readiness to assume the task of peace keeping if the African Union abandoned its mandate in Darfur.

Sudanese Junior Finance minister, Lhual Deng, renewed Thursday SPLM proposal of the deployment of a joint unit of 10,000 Sudanese army and SPLA saying it could help a beleaguered African Union force keep the peace in Darfur.

Deng was speaking after two days of talks in The Hague by representatives of the main rebel group, the government and international organizations including the U.N., World Bank and African Union on rebuilding Darfur.

The mandate of AU struggling 7,000-strong force in Darfur will expire on September 30.

Sudan rejects the U.N. mission saying it would attract foreign fighters and ignite an Iraq-style conflict.

Some critics say Khartoum objects because it fears U.N. soldiers may be used to arrest officials likely to be indicted by the International Criminal Court investigating alleged war crimes in Darfur.

An African Union-mediated May 5 peace deal for Sudan’s west was signed by only one of three rebel negotiating factions in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Sudanese military delegation continues it visit to Pakistan

Sudanese Lt-Gen Staff Mohamed Faiz Youcef Ahmadani, deputy chief of staff of the Land Forces for Operations and Training, and his 12-member entourage continue their visit to Pakistan, hold meetings with military officials, visiting army establishements, says an unsourced SudanTribune article from Rawalpindi (Pakistan?) dated June 25, 2006 - excerpt:
The Sudanese Lt-Gen Ahmadani called on Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Ehsanul Haq and spent a busy day here on Saturday.

They visited the Joint Staff Headquarters, General Headquarters (GHQ), Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POS) Wah and Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Pakistani newspaper The News reported.

During their visit to the Joint Staff Headquarter, Lt-Gen Ahmadani and his delegation called on Gen Ehsanul Haq, remained with him for some time and discussed matters of professional interest.

At the GHQ the delegation called on Inspector-General Training and Evaluation Lt Mohamed Masood Aslam and discussed matters of professional interest during the meeting.

Earlier, the Sudanese delegation visited POD at Wah and the HIT. They went round various shops and appreciated the standard of defence productions.
Note, June 22 2006 Telegraph UK report by David Blair claims Pakistani terrorist groups in Darfur vow to fight UN force.

Sudanese FM says SLA-Minnawi's rebel Suleiman Jamous had face covered during transfer by UN officials

Excerpt from unsourced Sudan Tribune article (Khartoum) dated June 25, 2006 - Sudan summons UN envoy to explain logistical help to rebel leader:
Foreign ministry spokesman Jamal Mohamed Ibrahim said that UN envoy Jan Pronk had been summoned to give an explanation Monday of the alleged helicopter ride given to the Darfur rebel leader.

The foreign ministry said Suleiman Jamous, a dissident member from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)-Minawi, was taken Saturday from the main Darfur town of Al-Fasher to South Kordofan state on a UN helicopter flight.

On 20 May, Jamous, who was the former SLM-Minawi humanitarian coordinator, had been arrested and tortured by his group for opposition to the Darfur Peace Agreement.

He was released to the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from Muzbat on 22 June 2006. He was taken to Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, where he remained under UN protection. UN human rights monitors were allowed to visit him on 14 June 2006.

According to a humanitarian source, Jamous was appreciated by the UN and ONGs aid workers in Darfur for his good collaboration and competence.

"It was clear that the act was planned to take place behind the back of the Sudanese authorities," a statement issued late Saturday said.

Ibrahim said the rebel leader had his face covered during the transfer, in what he said was a clear indication that the UN officials travelling on the same flight were attempting to hide the man from the authorities.

The foreign ministry said it considered the incident "a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and a violation of the agreement under which the UN operates in Sudan."

UN spokesperson Radhia Achouri said she could not confirm that the rebel leader had indeed travelled on a UN flight and refused to comment on Khartoum’s reaction.

The holdout SLM led by Abdelwahid al-Nur condemned the UN suspension, saying Khartoum was determined to continue killing the people Darfur.

"By suspending the UN mission in Darfur, the government of Sudan is preparing to finalize the last chapter of its genocidal policy in the absence of the direct supervision of the international community," the faction’s spokesperson Jaffer Monro charged in a press statement.

He called on the world body to expedite the deployment of UN peacekeepers.
June 26 2006 Belfast Telegraph - Sudan pulls plug on UN operations in war-torn Darfur - "He was picked up by the UN helicopter between el-Fasher and Musbat," Mr Ibrahim said, referring to areas in North Darfur. "The authorities were not consulted, no permission was asked for, and it was clear negligence," he said, adding it was a "flagrant violation" of the sovereignty of Sudan.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Darfur national Special Court fails-IJT

International Justice Tribune article (Paris) 26 June 2006:
On June 13, 2005, a week after the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) had announced the opening of an investigation into Darfur, the Sudanese government created a special court with the intention of trying "160 suspects."

In his report to the Security Council one year later, the ICC prosecutor stated, "So far the Special Court has conducted six trials of less than thirty suspects. The cases include four incidents of armed robbery, one incident of receipt of stolen goods, two cases of possession of firearms without a license, one case of intentional wounding, two cases of murder and one case of rape. [...]

The President of the Special Court has stated that no cases involving serious violations of international humanitarian law were ready for trial and that the six cases selected were in fact chosen from the case files lying before the ordinary Courts."

In a report published on June 8, Human Rights Watch counted thirteen cases before the three chambers of the Darfur special court. One of these trials, being held in Nyala, involved the murder of 28 people on October 23, 2005 by Janjawid militias in the village of Tama. However, the three defendants - two border intelligence officers and one civilian - were acquitted of murder and convicted for theft.

The other cases are mostly ordinary criminal matters. According to Human Rights Watch, "Unless there is a reversal of policy on the part of Khartoum and real political will to punish past atrocities and prevent further crimes, the [Special Court on Darfur] will continue to fail to provide any form of accountability or justice for the crimes in Darfur. This failure is all the more stark given that the ICC will only prosecute a limited number of cases and cannot, by itself, provide justice to the thousands of victims of crimes in Darfur."

UN suspension will be lifted when SRSG Jan Pronk clarifies UNMIS' position says Sudanese FM

Further to this morning's news - Sudan suspends UN work in Darfur over UN airlift of SLA-Minnawi's Suleiman Jamous - a report at Xinhua/ST this evening reveals UN denies being informed of suspension; Sudanese FM says the suspension will be lifted when SRSG Jan Pronk clarifies UNMIS' position. Excerpt:
A UN spokesperson denied here on Sunday that the world body had been officially informed of the Sudanese government's decision to suspend UN activities in the country's troubled western region of Darfur.

"We have not received any formal or official notification on the decision from the Sudanese government," Radhia Achouri, spokeswoman of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), told Xinhua.

"We cannot make comments on what we have seen in the press media," the spokeswoman added.

Meanwhile, a Sudanese official source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the decision to suspend UN activities in Darfur was made because an UN helicopter had transported Suleiman Adam Jamous, a senior member of a Darfur rebel group who rejected a peace agreement, without consultations with the Sudanese government.

He also said that since Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Sudan Jan Pronk was currently in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry was to summon another UNMIS official instead to clarify the incident.

On Saturday night, the Sudanese government ordered Darfur local authorities to suspend UN activities in the region except humanitarian work of the World Food Program (WFP) and other international aid agencies.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that the government had to take this decision because the UNMIS overstepped its mandate by airlifting the leader of the Darfur rebel movement al-Fashir to Masbad and then to Kadugli. All of the three towns were located in Darfur.

"The suspension will be lifted when the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Sudan (Pronk) clarifies the UNMIS' position," the statement added.

What matters is what the majority of Sudanese think the UN's intentions are - so far they all believe the UN's intentions are sinister

Here is a copy of a blog entry by a brilliant young male Sudanese student in Malaysia who very amusingly blogs under the name of Drima at The Sudanese Thinker. After two years of blogging Darfur, it's a relief for me to read Drima's take on Darfur as it echoes most of what I am saying or thinking here. I thought I was a lone voice. Thanks Drima. Keep on blogging!
They're Banging Their Heads Against One Another

Reinforce the damn AU you retards. The AU knows peace in Sudan is vital to peace in countries surrounding it so they should present a stronger commitment from their side given the current situation. A few days ago Omar Al-Bashir said he will never allow UN troops as long as he was in power. When you read what he said in Arabic, you can immediately tell he's very serious since his language was strong.
I swear that there will not be any international military intervention in Darfur as long as I am in power
The UN's intention doesn't matter. What matters is what the majority of Sudanese think the UN's intentions are and so far they all believe the UN's intentions are sinister. They believe it is a Jewish conspiracy. Emotions are very stirred up right now. I called a friend in Sudan and he told me there were random demonstrations in Khartoum against the deployment of UN troops. Nothing major anyways. The only reason the Sudanese opposition supports the UN troops is because they want to see the Sudanese government go down down and further down to their knees. They want to see officials being arrested and they want to see havock being recked on them. I would love to see the same thing but not at the expense of the hundreds of thousands of innocents in Darfur. No way!

The best part is that the UN and the South African President are all pretending they didn't hear what Bashir said. They're not taking him seriously. There's still a lot of time left in which endless things can happen. You still remember the troops can only be deployed early next year right? With the clear clash that I see now, I have a feeling things might turn worst. Nobody wants to listen to anybody. Everybody chooses what they want to believe and the different beliefs seen so far are very opposing. They're becoming more opposing by the day. That's why I'm worried.
LightSpeed1.1.jpg

Photo: Drima Heading Into the Unknown

Excerpt from Drima's blog entry Darfur: the Situation So Far June 2006:
Meanwhile I'm really getting p*ssed off and mad at the amount of garbage so called self-proclaimed professionals are churning out about the Darfur conflict. I have no idea where on earth they get their so called facts. They're on a mission to marginalize the former terrorism harboring Sudanese government as much as possible. They're using this conflict and blowing it out of proportions to pin every single tiny problem on the Sudanese government. Hey, guess what? Fine by me because believe me I'm certainly no fan of my "most favorite" corrupted dictatorship that is the greatest disease Sudan has ever known aka the bloody Sudanese government. However why not marginalize it the proper way? Why spread and market such garbage? This isn't helpful. In order to solve a problem, one must understand it well first. Such distorted information only adds to the problem.

AU reacts to ICG report on Darfur peace deal

Bravo to the African Union for its speedy response to serious misinformation published by International Crisis Group. See report at Sudan Tribune June 25, 2006 AU reacts to ICG report on Darfur peace deal - excerpt:
The African Union reacted to a report issued last week by the International Crisis Group "Darfur's Fragile Peace Agreement" on the signed peace deal between the Sudanese government and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi.

The African Union in the following press statement tries to respond to the issues raised in the ICG report:

"The Darfur Peace Agreement, signed on 5 May, faces many difficulties of implementation. Efforts by the Parties, the African Union and international partners are not assisted by serious misrepresentation of the contents, process and context of the DPA. Unfortunately, the International Crisis Group "Policy Briefing" on Darfur contains some serious errors of fact and interpretation, which are extremely unhelpful to the process of implementation.

This press release seeks to correct the errors of fact and interpretation in the ICG Report. [edit]

The AU expresses its regret at the misrepresentations of the DPA in the ICG Report of 20 June and its hope that the ICG will correct those factual errors without delay.
Note, when ICG's report appeared a few days ago, I decided against publishing it until something else emerged that refuted the erroneous misleading statements made by ICG, enabling me to blog more balanced information. I am more than irked at ICG. As far as I am concerned, ICG's name is mud. Last year, when I vented about them here at Sudan Watch, I decided to take what they say with a pinch of salt. In my eyes they have no credibility. If ever I feel up to it, I shall get on their case here and look into what's behind ICG's perspective and why in an effort to try and understand who, as an unelected body, they think they are.

MORE MEDDLESOME ARMCHAIR CRITICS

Excerpt from June 23, 2006 Sapa report via Africast US presses for international force in Darfur::
In a report released on Tuesday, the International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended that the UN adopt a binding resolution on the matter.

"The Security Council should authorise deployment of a robust UN force, starting with a rapid reaction component, ... by 1 October 2006," with a clear mandate to "use all necessary means to protect civilians, ... including to act militarily as necessary," the group said.

Other analysts prescribed sanctions for Khartoum.

"It is time to put serious sanctions on the Sudanese government," said Princeton Lyman of the Council on Foreign Relations. "There will be resistance from China and Russia, but one has to confront them on this issue, because if the Security Council vote a peacekeeping operation and the Sudanese resist, there has to be some reaction from the council."
IRIN report Concerns Over Implementation of Peace Deal - via Coalition for Darfur:
"There is nothing, there is no progress on the implementation of the DPA," Hafiz Mohamed, Sudan programme director for the London-based advocacy group Justice Africa, said. "That is a great worry - a lot needs to be done." [edit]

"For there to be peace, the deadlines set by the Darfur Peace Agreement must be followed," said Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director of Human Rights First. "In the month since the peace agreement was signed, the people of Darfur have not seen a cessation of violence. Instead, in some parts of Darfur there's actually been a major escalation of the violence," Byrnes noted.

"You can blame the government for it, but Minni Minnawi’s group also deserves some of the blame, due to its lack of cohesion - the movement continues to splinter," Mohamed said.
[Note, no criticism of SLM-Nur or JEM]

"The right question should be: Why should international forces come into Darfur; what are the reasons for such an intervention?" - Bashir

Note these two quotes from June 23 Sapa report via Africast - US presses for international force in Darfur:
"The right question should be: Why should international forces come into Darfur; what are the reasons for such an intervention?" Beshir told reporters.

"You either get the approval of the government, as the government did for the African Union force and the Nato support, or you invade, and that's a very big, serious challenge," Zoellick said.

Save Darfur Coalition (Washington, DC) responds to Sudanese President

Save Darfur Coalition (Washington, DC) Press Release June 22, 2006 - via AllAfrica - excerpt:
"President Bashir's comments are as predictable as they are preposterous," said Save Darfur Coalition spokesperson Alex Meixner. "Earlier this year, Bashir said that he would not allow a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur because there was no peace agreement to keep. Now that an agreement has been signed, he's creating new excuses to keep the international community from ending the crisis he created."
[What a load of twaddle. As if the so-called "international community" can end the Darfur crisis! Only the Sudanese rebels and tribal leaders can do that. You can draw a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. You can't force peace on people who don't want peace. When was there ever peace in Sudan?]

SLM-Nur statement on suspension of UN mission in Darfur

Sudan Liberation Movement/Army Press Statement by Jaffer Monro, Spokesperson and Press Secretary, June 25, 2006.
For more info on this statement, please contact
Nouri Abdalla, SLM
Satellite phone: +8821643333465
Email: nouriabdalla@yahoo.com

[These guys, using words like "breathtaking" and "genocidal" sound like Eric Reeves! See his June 24, 2006 opinion piece entitled Khartoum Adamantly Refuses Urgently Required UN Forces in Darfur]

Sudan suspends UN work in Darfur over UN airlift of SLA-Minnawi's Suleiman to S Kordofan

BBC report today Sunday, 25 June 2006, 08:14 GMT 09:14 UK:
Sudan has ordered the United Nations to partially suspend its operations in the conflict-hit Darfur region.

Khartoum accuses the UN of giving a helicopter lift to a rebel leader who opposes a recent peace deal.

The ban does not affect the work of the UN children's agency, Unicef, or of the World Food Programme, another UN body.

The UN is conducting the world's largest humanitarian operation in Darfur, where up to 300,000 people have died in three years of civil war.
[I've just awoken to this news. Not yet had a chance to check out other reports. More later]

By Reuters' Opheera McDoom... [link via POTP with thanks]

Sudan has suspended the work of a U.N. mission in its violent Darfur region after accusing the world body of transporting a rebel leader who opposes a recent peace deal, a Sudanese official said on Sunday.

"The suspension applies for all of Darfur and this will continue until we get an explanation," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Jamal Ibrahim.

He said the ban was imposed because a U.N. helicopter had moved rebel leader Suleiman Adam Jamous, who rejects a peace deal signed on May 5.

It excludes two bodies affiliated to the U.N. mission, the World Food Programme and the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF), Ibrahim said.

U.N. spokeswoman Radhia Achouri said the mission had not received any formal communication from the government.

"We have also seen the media reports but we have not received any formal and official confirmation of this from the government of Sudan," she said.

She declined to comment on whether the United Nations had moved rebel leader Jamous in a helicopter.

After three years of revolt in Sudan's remote west, tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million forced into miserable camps, creating one of the worst humanitarian crises and sparking the world's largest aid operation.

Only one of three rebel factions negotiating in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, signed the African Union-mediated deal and tens of thousands in Darfur have demonstrated, at times violently, against it.

They say it does not meet their basic demands of proper compensation for war victims or enough political posts and the rebels want to monitor the disarmament of pro-government militias, known locally as Janjaweed.

Elderly Jamous was the respected humanitarian coordinator for the main rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) before it split in November last year. He was the main contact for the more than 14,000 aid workers in the region.

"He was picked up by the U.N. helicopter between el-Fasher and Musbat," Ibrahim said, referring to areas in North Darfur.

"The authorities were not consulted, no permission was asked for and it was clear negligence," he said, adding it was a 'flagrant violation' of the sovereignty of Sudan.

The leader of the SLA faction who signed the deal, Minni Arcua Minnawi, had imprisoned Jamous for his opposition to the deal, rights groups and other rebel leaders said.

U.N. officials and other rights groups had been involved in securing his release.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Darfur ceasefire Joint Commission holds first meeting

The Darfur Joint Commission today at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa held its first meeting since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on the 5 May 2006. The meeting is to be reconvened soon after the AU Summit in Banjul. - Full report Sudan Tribune 25 June 2006.

Sudan disarms Janjaweed militia - Annan and Bashir at AU summit July 1-2

More than 750 militiamen handed over their arms in a ceremony attended by representatives of the UN, AU and the American and British embassies, IslamOnline reported June 24, 2006.
The government vowed to help improve the living conditions of those who have handed over their arms, said Al-Jazeera correspondent.

This is the first disarming bid since the signing of a peace agreement, brokered by the Africa Union, in the Nigerian capital on May 5.
Note, in a related development, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he would try again to persuade Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir to accept a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur when they meet at an African Union summit in Gambia next week:
Annan said he had spoken to Bashir by telephone and received the same negative response given to Jean-Marie Guehenno, the head of UN peacekeeping, on the need for a force in Darfur.

"I got the same message, but we have agreed to continue the dialogue, and also to meet in Banjul," he said, referring to the capital of Gambia where the AU is holding a July 1-2 summit.

The AU's chief executive, Alpha Oumar Konare, said Thursday after meeting Bashir that Sudan "is not rejecting the role of the U.N., but they want to clarify what will be the nature of this force."

Friday, June 23, 2006

Many in Darfur's SLA rebel group are as young as 16

David Blair's Darfur diary (4) UK Telegraph June 23, 2006 - excerpt:
We drive across the desert to Galap, an area of Northern Darfur province controlled by rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Another checkpoint manned by government soldiers marks the front line between opposing forces. Here, the soldiers wave us through. They wear t-shirts, dark glasses, camouflage trousers and flip-flops. This crazy dress code is adopted by the fighting men on both sides of this war.
sla1.jpg
After this checkpoint, we cross about five miles of "no-man's land", empty of people and all signs of habitation save for one ruined and abandoned village. Then an SLA checkpoint marks our entry into rebel-held territory.

Once again, we are welcomed by a rag-tag bunch of SLA fighters, many of them child soldiers. I ask one 16-year-old how long he has spent with the rebels. "Three years," he says. "Have you ever been to school?" I ask. He gives me a blank look. "No, there was no chance for that," he replies.

"The idea of UN peacekeepers supporting an African Union mission would be something that has never been done before" says UN's Head of Peacekeeping

June 23, 2006 Sudan Tribune unsourced article - excerpt:
"There is a risk of major violence," the UN head of peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Gehenno, told reporters at the end of a two-week assessment mission to Darfur. "The risk of fragmentation, of a new cycle of violence, after the rainy season, is quite real, very real." [Sudan Watch Ed: Makes one wonder if the rebels will create even more violence just to get UN troops onside]

Gehenno, the AU's peace commissioner Said Djinnit, and about 40 officials from both organizations were mandated by the UN Security Council to study the prospects for replacing the AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur by a larger, better equipped UN force. They held hundreds of meetings in the western Sudan region.

The AU force needs "a more robust mandate, but also more robust support from the United Nations," the AU's Djinnit said at the press conference with Gehenno.

"The UN is not in the business of colonizing any country," Gehenno said Thursday, a day after he met al-Bashir.

"As long as the government of Sudan does not accept a (UN) mission, there will not be one. It's as simple as that," he said.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday that he hoped al-Bashir would change his mind. "The talks continue, and I hope ultimately we will be able to convince them to accept a UN force," Annan told reporters in Geneva.

Gehenno said the immediate priority was to support the AU troops in Darfur, and hinted this could be the door to the UN's entry. "The idea of UN peacekeepers supporting an African Union mission would be something that has never been done before," he said.

UN may assist in a way that is acceptable to the Sudanese government - Mbeki

June 23, 2006 Mail & Guardian report by Jean-Jacques Cornish - excerpt:
Al Bashir took full advantage of the spotlight, and the presence of AU and UN fact-finding teams in Sudan, to vent his spleen on the issue of peacekeepers.

He said they would be neo--colonialists and accused Jewish organisations of pushing for their deployment. "The UN Security Council decided on deployment of international forces in Darfur under Chapter Seven after we have reached a peace agreement that has ended a crisis the West has branded as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," said Al Bashir.

"We know everything. We know their agenda. We have our own bugging and monitoring systems through which we ascertained that those forces are coming with a colonial agenda, they are coming not for keeping peace but to remain in Darfur as forces of occupation."

He rejected the argument that the AU cannot finance a large enough peacekeeping force in Sudan. "They kept silent when the Arab League offered to finance the AU operations and they have not asked themselves how those operations are financed at present.

"We know that the UN has no money. Recently UN humanitarian envoy Jan Egeland said his organisation could not find funds for financing humanitarian operations. How is it going to finance those forces of occupation?" asked Al Bashir.

Mbeki insisted that the purpose of his visit to Khartoum was not to reinforce the need for blue helmets in Darfur.

"The AU should continue discharging its mandate in Darfur while the UN may assist in a way that is acceptable to the Sudanese government," said Mbeki. "The Sudan is an important country in the continent and anything that happens in it will have an impact in Africa."

He commended both Al Bashir and the former rebel Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement for the progress made in implementing the comprehensive peace agreement, but pointedly added that there are outstanding issues that need to be tackled.

The South African leader was in Khartoum to get the latest information to report to the African Union summit in Banjul next week.

South Africa heads the AU committee for the reconstruction of Sudan and is the current chair of the AU Peace and Security Council.

Democracy and security in Africa - Lord Triesman

Source: Government of the United Kingdom [via ReliefWeb]
Date: 22 Jun 2006
Democracy and security in Africa - Triesman
Event: Chatham House Africa Programme
Location: London
Speech Date: 21 Jun 2006
Speaker: Lord Triesman

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Human Rights Watch incorrectly says Khartoum is backtracking

In an interview June 22, 2006, Human Rights Watch (HRW) Deputy Director for Africa, Georgette Gagnon tells Voice of America English to Africa reporter Howard Lesser:
"There seems to be some disconnect. Obviously, we must remember that when the Darfur peace agreement was being negotiated, the Khartoum government said that it would accept UN troops to come in and monitor a peace agreement. Now, it's backtracking."
This is not true. From what I have gathered here at Sudan Watch (see a small sample of reports listed here below - many more in Sudan Watch archives) Khartoum never once said that it would accept UN troops in Darfur. Khartoum is not backtracking. It said it would consider and discuss when the UN-AU assessment team completed its findings and, clearly, the final decision rested with Sudan's President al-Bashir. I challenge Human Rights Watch to point out when and where the Sudanese Government agreed to accept UN troops in Darfur and monitor a peace agreement. [VOA report via POTP, with thanks]

Further reading

Apr 15 2006 Sudanese president meets with UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations - Sudanese President al-Bashir reiterated refusal on Saturday of deploying international forces in Darfur to take over the peacekeeping mission of the African Union. "Sudan is persistent in its position refusing the handover of the AU mission in Darfur to the United Nations," the president told the UN official, according to the sources. Meanwhile, the sources said that al-Bashir and Annabi reached an agreement during the meeting that a technical team would be sent by the UN to Khartoum to conduct consultations with the government on a possible "smooth and natural transfer of the African mission" after the mandate of the AU peacekeeping forces expires on Sept. 30.

Apr 26 2006 Sudan: Government opposes UN force in Darfur at this time, UN Security Council is told

May 7 2006 Protests greet UN's Egeland in Darfur, before Gereida visit - a spokesman for the Sudanese government suggested that Sudan would welcome U.N. peacekeepers, but a foreign ministry spokesman told Reuters on Sunday that the government had not yet decided whether to allow the so-called "blue helmets" into the region.

May 7 2006: Sudan says undecided about UN peacekeepers in Darfur - Jamal Muhammad Ibrahim told Reuters media reports saying Sudan would welcome  UN peacekeepers were untrue. "This is not accurate. I don't know who made this  statement. ... It has to come after an assessment by the Sudan government.

Apr 29 2006 TEXT- Draft of Darfur Peace Agreement

May 16 2006 UN Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1679 (2006) paving way for UN force in Darfur - a resolution calling for the deployment on the ground of a joint UN/AU Technical Assessment Team to Darfur ... in continuous consultation with the Government of National Unity of Sudan

May 19 2006 Annan dispatches Brahimi and Annabi to Khartoum to press Sudan's government to allow UN military planners into Darfur

May 22 2006 Fears Janjaweed will turn on Sudanese government if they try to take their arms by force - There is a very real fear that the Janjaweed, whose tribes were equally marginalised by Khartoum in the past, will turn on the government if they try to take their arms by force

May 23 2006 UN chief talks with Sudan's president on UN peacekeeping operation - Troops, by themselves, cannot be the full answer - Asked whether States were prepared to contribute personnel to a UN mission in Darfur, the peacekeeping chief said a number "have expressed a measure of interest" but noted that none would make a commitment in the absence of a Security Council mandate and clear information about the situation on the ground. "No country is going to start spending money preparing its troops for a possible deployment until it knows that this deployment is going to happen for real," he said

May 24 2006 Khartoum talks fail to meet UN Security Council deadline: Sudan is now in violation of international law - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's veteran troubleshooter Lakhdar Brahimi and UN peacekeeping chief Hedi Annabi began talks in Khartoum on Tuesday to break the deadlock but, as the UN Security Council deadline expired on Wednesday, no agreement was reached, Reuters reported today:"The assessment mission is still not decided upon by the government of Sudan," said presidential advisor Majzoub al-Khalifa after his meeting with Brahimi and Annabi. The UN resolution was passed under chapter seven meaning Sudan was now in violation of international law

May 25 2006 Sudan agrees on UN/AU Darfur assessment mission - Mr Brahimi said a joint UN and AU team would arrive in the next few days. Sudan still does not accept that a UN force in Darfur is inevitable. At a press briefing in Khartoum, FM Lam Akol said that further political discussion was needed, and that only after those meetings could technical preparations be made

May 25 2006 Sudan rejects UN military role in Darfur - Sudanese FM Lam Akol said on Wednesday that his country would not allow the UN to play a military role in Darfur. Lam Akol made the remarks during a meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi. "The foreign minister explained Sudan's view on the recent UN Security Council resolution, affirming that the Darfur peace agreement does not provide in its security arrangements any role for the UN or any other party except the African Union," the spokesman told reporters. Presidential advisor Majzoub al-Khalifa told reporters following his meeting with the UN envoy that the Sudanese government did not accept the deployment of international forces in Darfur under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which authorizes the use of force if the Security Council resolution is not complied with

Jun 6 2006 UN Security Council delegation in Khartoum meets Sudanese President al-Bashir - The delegation will also seek the support of the Sudanese government to allow a UN force to take over the peacekeeping mission from 7,000 underfunded African Union (AU) troops

Jun 6 2006 Sudan will consult with respective political parties to discuss findings of UN military assessment mission next week

Jun 9 2006 Joint UN-AU team of 40 arrive in Khartoum today to begin planning for strengthening AU Mission in Darfur - The team of 40 people from the UN and the African Union is being led by Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno and will visit Darfur and hold talks with senior government officials over a period of 18 days, said Jim Landale, a spokesman for the UN mission. "The goal of the mission is to look at what can be done to strengthen the African Union force mission now and plan for a possible takeover by a United Nations peacekeeping mission," Landale said today in an interview in Khartoum

Jun 10 2006 What Sudan really fears is UN troops may be used to arrest officials and militia likely to be indicted by the ICC investigating war crimes in Darfur - Akol said military and other technical experts from the team would be leaving for Darfur on Tuesday. Asked if the Sudanese government's position had changed, he said: "Any decisions of any sort will be taken after that," referring to the team's trip to Darfur. The joint mission will return to Khartoum for further talks after visiting Darfur. The mission, which arrived on Friday, is expected to last around 18 days. Akol said the joint team could not tell Khartoum what the mandate and aim of a possible U.N. mission in Darfur would be until after they had visited the region and assessed what was required

Jun 15 2006 International Criminal Court Prosecutor briefs UN Security Council on Darfur, says will not draw conclusions on genocide until investigation complete - June 14, 2006 UN report: International Criminal Court Prosecutor briefs Security Council on Darfur, says will not draw conclusions on genocide until investigation complete - Luis Moreno-Ocampo tells Council, given scale, complexity of crimes, anticipates prosecuting 'sequence of cases, rather than a single case'

Jun 20 2006 Sudanese President Bashir rejects international military intervention in Darfur - "I swear that there will not be any international military intervention in Darfur as long as I am in power," Mr Bashir was quoted as telling a meeting of his ruling National Congress late on Monday

Jun 21 2006 Sudan opposes UN in Darfur because it fears too many of its allies will end up in an international criminal court - Turabi

Jun 22 2006 VOA ICC probe finds evidence of atrocities committed by both the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia and rebel forces

Khartoum's discussing sending joint GOS/SPLA force of 10,000 troops to back up AU and help disarm Arab militias

Excerpt from Reuters report by Emma Thomasson 22 June 2006:
Junior Minister Deng said instead of UN forces Khartoum was discussing sending about 10,000 troops to back up the AU and help disarm the Arab militias.

He said the soldiers could come from the joint force that includes former rebel fighters from southern Sudan. Former rebels from the south joined a national unity government after a deal in 2005 ended a protracted north-south civil war.
Related reports

Jan 15 2006 Sudan proposes formation of joint army force of GOS/Rebel/AU troops for Darfur and offers to partly finance AU troops in Darfur - includes links following reports:

Apr 21 2005 South Sudan: SPLM/A willing and ready to deploy 10,000 of its troops to Darfur

Apr 22 2005 Bloggers unite to support Darfur peacekeeping mission - a troika of 30,000 forces from Sudan, New Sudan and UN/AU

Oct 07 2005 John Garang proposed joint force of 30,000 AU/GOS/SPLMA troops for Darfur

Jun 02 2006 Khartoum Monitor/Embassy of Sudan: Sudan to Establish Joint Integrated Forces With Ex-Rebels - Spokesperson for the JDB, Maj-Gen Majdhub Rahama, in a statement to Khartoum Monitor disclosed arrangements for preparing a 15,000 joint integrated forces shared equally by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the SPLA in order to function as an international force if required.

Jun 22 2006 AP report via Sudan Tribune: Joint army-rebel force could bolster AU troops in Darfur - Sudan - Speaking to reporters, Deng reiterated the Sudanese government's objection to allowing U.N. peacekeepers into Darfur. "People jump to UN troops as if they are the answer to everything," he said. Deng said a unit comprised of 5,000 members of the Sudan Armed Forces and 5,000 fighters from the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army could beef up the African Union mission, which has failed to rein in more than three years of violence. "These troops can be used to ... maintain law and order in Darfur," Deng said, adding that such units already exist elsewhere in Sudan.

UN food agency $3.5 million construction project to build 25 schools in southern Sudan

As noted here previously, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur reportedly costs $1 billion per year. Look what can be achieved with a fraction of that sum. UN World Food Programme has launched a $3.5 million construction project to build 25 schools in southern Sudan, where primary school attendance rates are the lowest in the world, UN News Centre reported today:
The project will employ 100 teachers and cater to over 10,000 students and complements WFP's School Feeding Programme, which aims to increase school enrolment and attendance by giving children a free meal when they go to class.

WFP has partnered up with the Norwegian Refugee Council and German Development Corporation to build four schools following donations from the US, UK and the Netherlands.
I doubt the Darfur insurgents ever wonder how many schools could be built for the $1 billion their violence costs. Moronic guerrillas. Who do they think they are holding a country and millions of defenceless women and children to ransom? None of them are fit to represent their people or even govern. Bah. Puke. They make me sick.

Football in Darfur

Photo: ZamZam camp, a Sudanese boy kicks a football as World Cup fever grips the continent, with Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Tunisia in Germany. (BBC Africa in pictures 10-16 June 2006)

Only 20 per cent of children in southern Sudan attend primary school. Of those who do, just one third are girls.

Japan pledged $100m to help Sudan

Emergency grant aid for humanitarian assistance to the Darfur region, Sudan - ReliefWeb 22 June 2006.

Nigeria continues to persuade Darfur rebel groups to endorse peace

Nigeria will continue to work for the acceptance of the recent peace agreement on Darfur by all stakeholders in the region, the state-owned News Agency of Nigeria reported on Thursday. - People's Daily Online 22 June 2006.

Annan says more pressure needed to be placed on rebel holdouts who have rejected peace moves

"I still think a United Nations peacekeeping force will be needed to help the parties implement the peace agreement and help provide security for the internally displaced," Annan told journalists in Geneva today.

He also said more pressure needed to be placed on rebel holdouts who have rejected peace moves.

Full report Sudan Tribune 22 June 2006.

ICC probe finds evidence of atrocities committed by both the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia and rebel forces

The following editorial at VOA News - War Crimes In Darfur reflects the views of the United States Government.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says that he anticipates bringing war crimes charges against those who have committed atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan. Luis Moreno Ocampo says his office is able to document thousands of killings of civilians, including "a significant number of large-scale massacres, with hundreds of victims in each incident."

According to Mr. Ocampo's report, a large number of victims and witnesses "reported that men perceived to be from the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups were deliberately targeted." The report says "there are eye-witness accounts that the perpetrators made statements reinforcing the targeted nature of the attacks, such as 'we will kill all blacks' and 'we will drive you out of this land'." Mr. Ocampo's probe finds evidence of atrocities committed by both the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia and rebel forces.

Fighting broke out in Darfur in 2003, after rebels complained that the region had been marginalized by the central government. Rebels affiliated with the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement attacked Sudanese government facilities. The government-backed Janjaweed militia responded by attacking civilians in Darfur. Homes and farms were burned, wells poisoned, and women raped.

President George W. Bush says the situation in Darfur "remains dire":

"About two-hundred-thousand people have died from conflict, famine, and disease. And more than two-million were forced into camps inside and outside their country, unable to plant crops, or rebuild their villages. I've called this massive violence an act of genocide, because no other word captures the extent of this tragedy."

"The U.S. "will not turn away from this tragedy," says President Bush. He says the U.S. "will call genocide by its rightful name, and we will stand up for the innocent until the peace of Darfur is secured."
[I find the timing of such reports rather curious when they appear in tandem with news of US calls for UN troops in Darfur, knowing that Sudan opposes a UN force in Darfur because it fears too many of its allies will end up in an international criminal court]

June 21 2006 US presses Sudan to accept UN force

June 22 2006 Annan says more pressure needed to be placed on rebel holdouts who have rejected peace moves - "I still think a United Nations peacekeeping force will be needed to help the parties implement the peace agreement and help provide security for the internally displaced," Annan told journalists in Geneva today.

Pakistani terrorist groups in Darfur vow to fight UN force

Two terrorist groups, styling themselves the "Jihad Brigade" and the "Darfur Blood Organisation", have already emerged in Darfur, vowing to fight any UN deployment.

UN officials say that Pakistanis have recently arrived in Darfur and are believed to lead the two new groups. But their strength is probably no more than a few score.

Full report Telegraph by David Blair in Khartoum 22 June 2006.

Historic photo of Sudanese opposition leaders, including Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi, brought together by the UN

Here is 'Picture Of The Week' from Jan Pronk's Weblog June 10, 2006 showing Sudanese opposition leaders, including Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi, brought together by the UN. Following caption authored by Mr Pronk of The Netherlands who is Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Sudan, leading the UN peace keeping operation (UNMIS - www.unmis.org).

Historic photo of Sudanese opposition leaders, including Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi, brought together by the UN

Photo: Sudanese opposition leaders, including Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi, brought together by the UN.
The United Nations Security Council, visiting Sudan early June, invited Sudanese opposition leaders to discuss the prospects of peace.

See from left to right Ali Mahmoud Hassanien, Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Unionis Party (DUP), Mohammed Ibrahim Nugud, Chairman of the Sudan Communist Party, Hassan Abdallah Al-Turabi, Chairman of the Popular National Congress Party (PNCP) and AL-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, Chairman of the Umma Party. The Chairman of the DUP, Al- Mergani, still keeps his residence in Egypt.

Al-Turabi sitting next to Al-Mahdi is rather unique. The Islamist Al-Turabi was the auctor intellectualis behind the military coup at the end of the ninety eighties which brought an end to the regime of Al-Mahdi. The latter had been Prime Minister after the democratic elections of 1986.

The Islamist Al-Turabi supported the regime of President Bashir many years. He was arrested and jailed when the Bashir regime changed its ideological orientation. Mid last year, after the formation of the Government of National Unity, which brought together Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement of John Garang and Salve Kiir, Al-Turabi was set free. He directly started to severely provoke the government and surprised many people by taking rather liberal positions in matters concerning Islam. Elections are foreseen for 2008. It is uncertain how much support the various opposition parties will get, in particular because of the emergence of the SPLM, the Darfurian SLM and of course the NCP itself. [For greatly magnified view, click on original image at Jan Pronk's Weblog]
Jun 1 2005 Sudanese opposition leader [Sadiq al-Mahdi] to boycott interim government

May 14 2006 Sudan's Turabi condemns Darfur Peace Agreement - Al Turabi Is a Chameleon

Jun 3 2006 Al-Mahdi calls on Darfur rebels to adopt "civil jihad" to press Khartoum into convening all-inclusive conference - Unused water and Roseires Dam

Historic photo: Joseph Kony (LRA), exposed - First picture, after more than a decade - Pronk

Jan Pronk, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Sudan, who is leading the UN peace keeping operation in southern Sudan, discusses "how to approach the Lord's Resistance Army? Is it possible to defeat them militarily or should we try to find a political solution? What comes first: justice or peace? Who should decide?"

Read more at Jan Pronk Weblog June 19, 2006.

Joseph Kony (LRA), exposed

First picture, after more than a decade, of Joseph Kony, leader of the nefarious Lord Resistance Army. The picture shows Kony (l), and his second in command Vince Otty (r). In the middle: Riek Machar, Vice President Government of South Sudan".

Kony has asked the Government of Southern Sudan to facilitate talks between him and President Museveni of Uganda, claiming that he would wish to put an end to his twenty year war with Uganda. Kony and Otty have been indicted by the International Criminal Court.

Photo and text courtesy May 30, 2006 Jan Pronk Weblog - for much larger view, click on original image.

June 21 2006 Sudan wants ICC Kony trial delayed. [Note, the U.S. views Kony's LRA as a terrorist organisation]

Israeli Foreign Ministry mentions al-Qaeda presence in Sudan

Israeli authorities have given assurances that none [Sudanese refugees] will be sent back to Sudan, where they could face execution for having set foot in Israel, and say they hope to expand the house-arrest program now running on collective farms.

But "when al-Qaeda has a presence in Sudan, all of the refugees have to be very carefully screened," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev. "No one can expect that Israel is the right solution to the Sudanese refugees." - Full report by Carolynne Wheeler globeandmail.com June 22, 2006.

Jun 10 2006 Al-Qaeda criticised Khartoum as "spineless" for allowing UN-AU assessment mission into Sudan

SPLA deploys troops in Khartoum

At least 320 SPLA soldiers arrived in Khartoum from Kassala on Saturday and were deployed at the republican guard garrison at Soba Aradi area, the Sudan Radio Service (SRS) reported.

There are now a total of 1,500 SPLA soldiers deployed in different areas of Khartoum as stipulated in the CPA.

Some of the troops will be deployed in Soba Aradhi, fifteen kilometres south of Khartoum. The rest will be deployed in the Jebel Aulia IDP camp, forty kilometres south of Khartoum.

The_first_batch_of_SPLA_.jpg

Photo: The first batch of the troops of the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) arrive in Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, July 18, 2005, ready to form the joint peacekeeping force. (AP)

Full report ST/SRS 21 June 2006. [via OromiaTimes blog - with thanks]

Mbeki: S Africa wants to see UN assist in a way agreed by Khartoum and AU

Sudanese President al-Bashir told a news conference with Mbeki that UN forces were unacceptable because they would come to Sudan with colonial and imperial ambitions.

"We do not reject the United Nations, but in no way will we accept UN troops because ... these troops have an imperial and colonial agenda. Changing this mission to the United Nations will never happen, never ever happen," he said.

Bashir said "if the UN is realy serious to deal with us they had to come before taking their decision under chapter seven and talk with us".

Mbeki said South Africa wanted to see the United Nations assist in a way agreed by the government and the African Union.

Mbeki fails to persuade Bashir of accepting UN force in Darfur

Photo: S. Africa's President Thabo Mbeki (L) and his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan al-Bashir address the media in Sudan's capital Khartoum June 20, 2006. (Reuters) Full report Sudan Tribune June 22, 2006.

UPDATE: June 22 2006 Reuters report via Sudan Tribune - Sudan has not shut door on UN troops - South Africa : Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, South Africa's FM, told Reuters that Sudan's main complaint was that the UN had consulted virtually everyone on the Darfur situation but ignored Khartoum. "Khartoum's concern was that the UN had never discussed the deployment with Sudan as a country. The UN talked to the AU, to us, and to everyone else but not to the Sudanese and they felt that was not right," Dlamini Zuma said.
"That was the cause of the suspicion by the Sudanese of what the UN's motives might be. They are not against the UN but they need to be convinced that the deployment is necessary."

Darfur rebels block peacekeepers in N Darfur - UNMIS gains access to Suleiman Jamous - UN Sudan Situation Report 13 - 20 Jun 2006

North Darfur: Despite the overall decline of violence in Darfur since the signing of the DPA, due to the reduction in clashes between the Government and SLA forces, banditry, rape, cattle rustling and targeted attacks on INGO compounds and UN convoys, as well as the African Union, continue to pose a threat to peace. During the reporting period, North Darfur was particularly restive, witnessing the spectacular abduction of six IOM staff by the SLM/A-Wahid in Irgue, 50km West of Kutum. The concerned staff were released after a day, following the joint intervention of the UN and AU. In addition, on 14 June, an AMIS patrol was detained for several hours by the SLM/A-Wahid in Kaguro, 43km Southeast of Kebkabiya. The group cited non-acceptance of the DPA as their general grievance. Furthermore, they requested the AU to obtain express permission from the SLM/A leadership in El-Fasher, before undertaking any further patrols.

This week also saw renewed inter-SLM/A fighting in Kulkul and Korma on 12 and 13 June, respectively. Although the fighting in Kulkul, currently under the control of SLM/A-Wahid, was instigated by the SLM/A-Minawi, the incidents in Korma appear to have been sparked by a SLM/A-Wahid offensive, probably in a bid to regain lost territory. No details of the latter attack, or the number of casualties, are currently known. UNMIS will continue to encourage and support AMIS in the implementation of its mandate, including resuming its vital operations around the Kalma, Abou Shouk and Zalingei camps.

For the first time since his most recent detention, UNMIS gained access to SLM/A stalwart, Suleiman Jamous, on 15 June. During his meeting with Mr. Minawi on 16 June, SRSG Pronk discussed Mr. Jamous' Release for the purposes of obtaining medical treatment. Mr. Minawi promised to free Jamous, through the UN. - United Nations Sudan Situation Report 13 - 20 Jun 2006 via ReliefWeb 20 June 2006.

Infighting among rebel factions cuts off over 100,000 people from aid - Rebels warn DPA will collapse without UN force

Excerpt from AP report by Alfred de Montesquiou via CBS June 22, 2006 UN head of peacekeeping downplays Sudan rejection of troops to calm Darfur:
"Obviously, we would like to hear a different opinion," UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Gehenno told The Associated Press shortly after meeting al-Bashir. "We want to believe that this is not the end of the road."

Gehenno was ending a two-week visit to Darfur and Khartoum with some 40 UN and African Union experts to plan for a large UN force to take over peacekeeping in Darfur. Gehenno said he had assured the Sudanese president that the UN had no "hidden agenda." "There are many misunderstandings about the UN's goals in Darfur that we are trying to solve with the Sudanese government," said Gehenno.

Gehenno said the priority would be to strengthen the 7,000-strong AU force. He confirmed that the UN still hoped to send its own peacekeeping mission by early 2007. The chief peacekeeper also insisted that UN peacekeepers would "only go to Darfur in full cooperation from the Sudanese government." There has been "a slight improvement" in the situation since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement last month between the region's main rebel group and the government, Gehenno said. But he said the situation was precarious and infighting among rebel factions had cut off over 100,000 people from humanitarian assistance.

Presidential adviser Majzoub Khalifa said the government believes letting in the UN could destablize Sudan. "We do not want Darfur to become a new Iraq," he said, claiming tribal leaders in Darfur had warned authorities they would form insurgency groups against UN peacekeepers.

President Bush, who has called for the United Nations to take over peacekeeping in Darfur, reiterated Wednesday that he viewed the government-backed attacks on civilians there as genocide. "I care deeply about those who have been afflicted by these renegade bands of people who are raping and murdering," he said at a summit with European leaders in Vienna. In Washington, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli pressed for Sudan to accept the U.N. force. "As long as violence continues in Darfur, the Sudanese Government is going to be held responsible, regardless of the circumstances," the spokesman said.

Deploying UN troops is crucial to salvaging the brittle peace deal signed by the Sudanese government and the main Darfur rebel movement, which has warned the agreement will collapse without the peacekeeping force.

No peacekeeping mission will succeed in Darfur unless warring parties are genuinely ready for peace

Excerpt from FT report by Andrew England June 22 2006:
"Yes they [the UN] have better logistics and resources, but can they bring the magic?" asks one AU officer. "People's expectations have to be managed."

He pointed out the UN's failure to take action during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and fiascos in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where UN troops failed to prevent the massacre of civilians and the capture of towns by rebels, shattering any credibility it had there.

In spite of the challenges, AU officers argue their presence has made a difference. "I believe if you check from the time we arrived in 2004 to date, in the face of glaring constraints, we have achieved a lot," says Colonel Ladan Yusuf, an AU sector commander.

Ultimately, all agree that no operation will succeed in Darfur unless the warring parties are genuinely ready for peace. The region is awash with weapons and its residents bear arms as others "carry mobile phones", an officer says. And UN officials are expressing concern about the level of expectations that could come with a UN operation.