Pronk fears a major offensive is about to be unleashed as Sudanese military prepare a major mobilization in Darfur to coincide with end of Ramadan

Radio Netherlands report - Jan Pronk has no regrets - by Perro de Jong 25 Oct 2006 (Ed: To highlight a point, I've emboldened some text here]

Jan Pronk has no regrets. The UN envoy - and former Dutch cooperation development minister - was expelled from Sudan for making critical remarks about the Sudanese army in his weblog.

Some Dutch commentators thought this was rather foolish behaviour for a mediator, but the Dutch government and the United Nations still stand by him.

When asked whether a weblog is a suitable medium, Mr Pronk replied: "It's what you say, not where you say it. In my weblog I say exactly the same as I do at press conferences. I understand that what the Sudanese government objected to was my comment about the army. That was in the newspapers long ago."

Neutrality

He denies that this was abandoning his position of neutrality as a mediator in the Darfur conflict. "I had already been extremely critical. And that included the rebels themselves - for violating the ceasefire. Not all the rebel movements, just some of them. They know that, I told them quite clearly. So the UN is completely neutral and, as its representative, so am I."

He believes the real reasons for his expulsion are less obvious. "The military are still looking for a military solution. I have regularly pointed this out and they don't like it. At the moment that last thing they need is a prying busybody like me. They have been preparing a major mobilization in Darfur to coincide with the end of Ramadan. Troop concentrations are developing. Planes and soldiers from the south are being deployed to Darfur. I'm afraid a major offensive is about to be unleashed."

Consequences

Relations between Jan Pronk and the government in Khartoum have been poor for some time. And the army is a particularly sensitive subject in Sudan. The question then is whether Mr Pronk wasn't fully aware what the consequences of his criticisms would be and whether that should be regarded as a bad thing. After years of trying to get the conflict onto the agenda of the international community, Darfur is suddenly the topic of the day.

The call for a UN peacekeeping force is becoming louder. The United States has been behind sending an international force for some time, but the Sudanese government has constantly resisted the idea. So far the United Nations has allowed the African Union to carry out peacekeeping duties. The Africans could form the nucleus of an international force, according to a spokesman for the US State Department reacting to Mr Pronk's departure, but for a "robust" mission real UN troops are needed.

Timing

The UN envoy himself denies he deliberately engineered his own expulsion. The fact that his boss, Secretary General Kofi Annan, will soon be leaving the UN and a new envoy to Sudan will be chosen is just a coincidence according to Mr Pronk.

However, he does concede that the timing of his departure could have been worse: "It's good it has happened now, it gives us a chance to prevent the big offensive. We need international attention to stop the conflict escalating further."

Even if Jan Pronk never returns to Sudan at least he has succeeded in that part of his mission.

Yes, he certainly has. I can't imagine many people not supporting him or his position. No matter what Khartoum say, Mr Pronk is still UN SRSG for Sudan - whether he is there or not. I hope he keeps on blogging. Looking forward to reading his next blog entry.

CBS News Video: Searching For Jacob in Darfur

See CBS News video report online Searching For Jacob.

Drima of The Sudanese Thinker reviews CBS "60 Minutes" Piece on Darfur & Bush's Relationship With Bashir; and explains the terrible Darfur war is more complex than the simple 'Darfur is a genocide that needs to be stopped': people must know the root causes ie. water shortage, tribalism and huge corruption by the dictatorial NCP.

Funding foils bid for more AU troops in Darfur

Reuters report by Andrew Cawthorne (via Business Day) 25 Oct 2006:

The African Union (AU) was far from adding 4000 troops to its stretched Darfur force because of a lack of funds, peace and security director Geofrey Mugumya said yesterday.

African states were willing to contribute more troops to the union's controversial 7000-strong force in Sudan, but lacked the funds needed to do so, Mugumya said in Addis Ababa yesterday.

He said pledges of financial support were not materialising -- citing the Arab League's nonpayment of a pledged $50m.

"Sometimes you get promises (of funds), but they are not translated into reality," he said at the union's headquarters in Ethiopia.

"African countries are willing to give any amount of troops for peacekeeping ... (but) I'm telling you, that might be impossible," Mugumya said.

The union's troop expansion was seen by diplomats as a stop-gap before a possible mission transfer to United Nations (UN) troops. Sudan is strongly opposed to a UN presence in Darfur, saying such a deployment could be a precursor to regime change.

The conflict has killed an estimated 200000 people and displaced another 2,5-million since 2003.

Despite Khartoum's opposition to UN entry after the AU mission's mandate ends on December 31, the union is struggling to rotate battalions, let alone add the planned six more at a cost of about $80m.

Mugumya was more upbeat, however, about the likelihood of a Ugandan-led African peacekeeping mission in Somalia. It would be tasked with bolstering an interim government challenged by the rise of powerful Islamists.

"Ugandan forces are ready and will go if the arms embargo is lifted or modified," he said. He said the UN Security Council was meeting next month to consider such a change - a prerequisite for a Somali intervention.

The Mogadishu-based Islamists have threatened to fight foreign troops, and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has said such intervention would justify jihad (holy war).

But Mugumya insisted that an African force would calm the situation, rather than inflame it.

Sudan 'is arming rebels' in Chad (BBC)

Oct 25 2006 BBC report - excerpt:

Sudan's government is arming rebels in Chad, the government has alleged amid reports that rebels are moving towards the Chadian capital, N'Djamena.

Chad's foreign minister said the proof was the firing of a missile at a French reconnaissance plane in the east.

The rebels began their offensive in the east at the weekend but are now said to be near the central town of Mongo.

A BBC correspondent in N'Djamena says tanks are stationed in key areas, such as outside the presidential palace.

Troops have been recalled to base despite the Muslim holiday of Eid - the biggest festival of the year in Chad.

The BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Chad says the outskirts of the capital are said to have been heavily fortified with government troops, but she says reports of the rebels' location are changing almost hour by hour.

Rapid advance

"These rebels entered Chad from Sudan and they could only have procured this type of military equipment within the sight of and with the knowledge of the Sudanese authorities. Sudan cannot deny it," Chadian Foreign Minister Ahmar Allami told AFP news agency.

GUARDIAN'S JONATHAN STEELE/SUDANESE PRESIDENT OMAR HASSAN AL-BASHIR INTERVIEW: Sudan would allow doubling of Darfur force

Click here to visit Guardian Unlimited 25 Oct 2006 and read Full transcript of Jonathan Steele's interview with the Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

Related reports [more to be added here later]

Oct 25 2006 Sudan Tribune has published a reprint of Jonathan Steele's report, under a different title: Sudan's president is willing to accept more AU forces.

Oct 25 2006 Reuters via IOL - Sudan open to peacekeepers under AU's control:

Sudan would be open to more peacekeepers with a beefed up mandate to police Darfur as long as the force remains under African Union (AU) control, Sudan's president Omar Hassan al-Bashir told a British newspaper.

Bashir, who has resisted international pressure to allow UN peacekeepers to take over from the AU mission, told the Guardian in an interview that he would allow the European Union or the United Nations to provide logistical support.

Asked if the AU could double its troop strength to 20 000, Bashir said: "We have no objection to the AU increasing its troops, strengthening its mandate, or receiving logistical support from the EU, the UN or the Arab League for that matter, but this must of course be done in consultation with the government of national unity."

Bashir: Sudan has no objection to more AU troops, strengthening mandate, or receiving logistical support from EU, UN or AL

Sudan's President Bashir has no objection to more troops and a stronger AMIS mandate with logistical support from EU, UN, AL, and says there would be "integrated police units" to protect and help IDPs return home. See Angola Press news report entitled ENGLAND: Sudan open to AU peacekeepers increase, refusing UN troops: president:

LONDON, 10/25 - Sudan has "no objection" to the increase of the number of African Union (AU) peacekeepers in the troubled Darfur region, but will refuse any UN troops, warning that such a move would become "part of the conflict."

Sudan has "no objection to the AU increasing its troops, strengthening its mandate, or receiving logistical support from the EU, the UN, or the Arab League for that matter," Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed El-Bashir said in an interview published in The Guardian on Wednesday.

However, the president said that foreign troops imposed by the United Nations in Darfur could lead to "such troops becoming the target of attacks and part of the conflict, not the solution."

He also urged Britain and the United States to stop "applying pressure (on Sudan) the way it is being done now -- to the wrong party at the wrong time."

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Aug. 31 calling for the deployment of more than 20,000 international peacekeepers to replace the underfunded 7,800 AU forces in Darfur.

But the Sudanese government has rejected the mission transfer, saying it was a violation of Sudan's sovereignty and an effort by the West to re-colonize the African oil producing country.

Sudan, a Muslim-dominated nation with nearly 40 percent of its population Arabs, is located in north Africa and is a member state of both the pan-Arab forum and the African Union.

In Sudan's western region of Darfur, rebel groups took up arms against the government in early 2003, accusing Khartoum of marginalizing the region.

Last month, the AU Peace and Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the 7,800-strong AU forces in Darfur to Dec. 31, calling on Arab countries and the international community to provide necessary help for the forces.

The president also noted that there would be "integrated police units" to protect the displaced people affected by the conflict, and to help them to return home.

Pronk: Sudanese military trampling over DPA and still trying to gain military victory

Speaking from his native Netherlands, Mr Pronk said Sudan had broken its own peace agreement in Darfur. - BBC
- - -

Oct 25 2006 IOL by Alexandra Hudson, Amsterdam - Pronk stands firm on Sudan comments. Excerpt:

Top United Nations envoy Jan Pronk said on Tuesday that he had no regrets about comments he made concerning the situation in Darfur which led to his expulsion from Sudan, and said he hoped he could return to the country.

"I am still the special envoy to Sudan - just now not in Sudan itself," he told Dutch radio station BNR Nieuwsradio in his first interview since leaving Khartoum.

Pronk told BNR the information was widely available and it was not the weblog itself that lay behind his expulsion.

"The main thing is that a peace accord was signed in Darfur but the military are trampling all over it and are still trying to gain a military victory," he said.

"I have been trying constantly over the last months to expose this and this doesn't suit them."

Asked whether he should have been more diplomatic, Pronk replied: "I was extremely careful".

Pronk said he had kept to three rules in his work - never to talk about conversations, to be balanced and fair, and not to criticise individuals.

The last days had been nerve-racking, he said, while the Sudanese government weighed whether to expel him.

Barbarians.



In this file picture, U.N. envoy Jan Pronk answers questions after a meeting of the U.N. Security Council where he described the deteriorating security situation in southern Sudan and in the country's western Darfur region, at the United Nations, in New York, March 21, 2006. Sudan on Sunday ordered Pronk to leave the country within three days following comments he made that the army's morale was low after suffering two major defeats in the violent Darfur region. (Chip East/Reuters)

Pronk said he had offended elements in Sudanese govt "who continue to seek a military solution and don't want anybody peering over their shoulders"

Not sure if it is my imagination but President Bashir is starting to sound unhinged. Oct 25 2006 AP report via Guardian - Sudan President Criticizes Foreign Media. Excerpt:

Sudan's president lashed out Tuesday at foreign media and relief groups operating in violence-plagued Darfur, implying that aid organizations serving the region's 2.5 million displaced people could face expulsion.

Sudan's government was working to "rid (refugee) camps of those exploiting the suffering of the people, those suspicious organizations who are part of a series of conspiracies," the official news agency quoted al-Bashir as saying during a speech at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

"We have promised before God not to let Darfurians' suffering be a pretext for foreign intervention or a subject for hostile media," al-Bashir said according to SUNA.

In Amsterdam, Pronk said Tuesday he was merely repeating what he had read in a local newspaper.

"I didn't do anything but repeat an open secret ... as a call to the rebels: You have won twice now. You'll lose the third time. So now you must abide by the cease-fire, by the peace accord. Don't attack," Pronk told the Dutch state broadcaster NOS.

Pronk said he had offended elements within the Sudanese government "who continue to seek a military solution and don't want anybody peering over their shoulders."

Pronk stopped in the Netherlands, his home country, en route to New York to consult with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan has said he still has full confidence in Pronk, the U.N.'s special representative in Sudan for more than two years.

Associated Press Writer Toby Sterling contributed to this report from Amsterdam.

Sudanese Army officials threatened UN SRSG Pronk with expulsion weeks ago

Oct 24 2006 Washington Times report by Betsy Pisik and Anton Foek [via CFD] - excerpt:

Jan Pronk, the senior U.N. envoy to Sudan, said in a telephone interview that he sensed Khartoum was getting ready to expel him weeks before an announcement Sunday that he had been given three days to leave Sudan because of remarks on his personal Web site.

Mr. Pronk said in the interview that he was not surprised by the edict.

"During the past few weeks it was obvious they had something in mind," he said, noting that Sudanese Army officials had threatened him with expulsion weeks ago after he had published information or opinions the government found objectionable.

He also said the Sudanese government had "put a prize on my head through a student newspaper last year. That was after I proposed replacing the African peacekeepers in Darfur with U.N. forces."

African Union 'saddened' by UN envoy's expulsion

The African Union President, Alpha Oumar Konare, said he was "saddened" by the Sudanese government's decision to expel the UN special envoy Jan Pronk from the country.

In a note published today, Konare underlines the importance of Pronk's work "in favor of security and human rights, and the constant efforts for the promotion of reconciliation and the achievement of lasting peace in Sudan". - MISNA via Spero 24 Oct 2006.

African diplomats may be urging a reconsideration of UN Resolution to enable Khartoum to accept UN troops in Darfur

Oct 24 2006 The Guardian Nigeria via African News Dimension - excerpt:

Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Aminu Wali, confirmed to The Guardian that efforts by the two West African foreign ministers were being affected by the latest misunderstanding between the UN envoy and the government of Sudan.

But Wali said a mini AU summit that would include Nigeria's President Obasanjo is still on the cards towards arriving at a lasting solution to the Darfur crisis.

African diplomats who have been working with the UN and Arab League to resolve the crisis, according to sources, may now be urging a reconsideration of the Security Council resolution on Sudan, which is being perceived in Khartoum as if the UN were taking over the sovereignty of the government of Sudan.

Source said such a compromise might enable the Sudanese government accept international troops in Darfur to help halt the crisis.

During last month's UN General Assembly meeting in New York, African heads of state and ministers met at the AU office in New York, with the Sudanese President Omar Bashir.

After the meeting, a top U.S. official on Africa, Dr. Jendayi Frazer, said the session could have benefited from the frank comments of President Obasanjo, who was unavoidably absent.

UN's Pronk says has no regrets over Sudan comments

Oct 24 2006 Reuters report Amsterdam:

Top U.N. envoy Jan Pronk said on Tuesday he had no regrets about comments he made about the situation in Darfur which led to his expulsion by the Sudanese government, and said he hoped he could return to the country.

Pronk left Sudan on Monday after he published comments on his Web site saying the Sudanese army lost two major battles to rebels in North Darfur and morale was low, infuriating Sudan's powerful armed forces who called Pronk a threat to security.

The Dutchman told Dutch radio station BNR Nieuwsradio in an interview that the information was widely available and it was not the Weblog itself that lay behind his expulsion.

"Over there it is not about where you say something, but what you say," he said.

"The main thing is that a peace accord was signed in Darfur but the military are trampling all over it and are still trying to gain a military victory. I have been trying constantly over the last months to expose this and this doesn't suit them."

Great to read he hopes to return to Sudan.

Missile fired at French plane in Chad - Paris

Thanks to a Sudan Watch reader named Tom for sending in a news story from French radio, published here earlier today - now confirmed by Reuters via ST: Missile fired at French plane in Chad - Paris - excerpt:

A ground-to-air missile was fired at a French military aircraft on a reconnaissance mission in eastern Chad, but missed its target, the French armed forces said on Tuesday.

"Yesterday morning an Atlantique 2 patrol plane on an observation mission in eastern Chad detected a missile being fired. The plane was not hit," armed forces spokesman Christophe Prazuck said, adding that it was not known who fired the missile.

France, whose air force fired a warning shot on the rebel column as it advanced on N'Djamena in April, said it was "very attached to the stability of Chad" and following events closely.

War In Sudan? Not Where the Oil Wealth Flows (NYT)

Via Radar Online 24 Oct 2006:

This, too, is Sudan:

Just a few hundred miles from war and destruction, the New York Times reports "young, rich Sudanese, wearing ripped jeans and fancy gym shoes, sit outside licking scoops of ice cream as an outdoor air-conditioning system sprays a cooling veil of mist. Around the corner is a new BMW dealership unloading $165,000 cars."

New investment in Sudan is literally redrawing Khartoum's skyline. A 24-story, five-star hotel being built by the Libyan government on the banks of the Nile is nearly finished. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein for The New York Times)



A $140 million Coca-Cola factory churns out 100,000 bottles of Coke, Sprite and Fanta per hour, with Coke syrup legally exported to Sudan under an exemption for food and medicine. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein for The New York Times)



As one of the world's worst atrocities unfolds in Darfur, some 600 miles to the west, young women enjoy the good life at the Ozone Cafe in Khartoum, including ice cream and outdoor air-conditioning. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein for The New York Times)



A Khartoum resident shops to piped-in Sudanese elevator music at the Hypermarket, a superstore in the city's first real mall. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein for The New York Times)

Source: NYT report by JEFFREY GETTLEMAN 24 Oct 2006.

Pronk expulsion creates rift in Sudanese govt

Oct 24 2006 Khartoum, VOA report by Noel King - excerpt:

Partners in Sudan's unity government say the ruling National Congress Party expelled Pronk without their consent.

Mohamed Bashir - a spokesman for Darfur's Sudan Liberation Movement, which signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government in May - called the decision a failure on the part of the ruling party.

"No matter what Mr. Pronk does or says, he represents the UN and not himself," he said. "Under the circumstances any decision against him should be done after a wider consultation, at least within the Government of National Unity and take into consideration the ongoing difficulty between Sudan and the UN."

The former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which commands an autonomous government in southern Sudan, has also said it was not consulted about the decision.

SPLM representatives were not available for comment. But, according to news reports, top southern officials have condemned the decision to expel Pronk.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the National Congress Party and the SPLM has long been marred by tensions over wealth and power sharing.

Southern analyst Abendego Akok, of the Juba University Center for Peace and Justice Studies, says the decision to expel Pronk may further exacerbate tensions between northern Sudan and its former southern foes.

"The NCP has a larger share in the government. They can take any decision without referring to any partner," he said. "The transitional government, if they want to take decisions, they should consult the others before they take any decisions because this will widen the gap between them."

The United Nations stands behind Pronk, saying it still considers him to be the secretary-general's representative to Sudan.

Note, Mr Pronk is head of the UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Currently, some 10,000 UN peacekeepers are in southern Sudan as part of the south's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). To date, the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) has no section on peacekeepers. Over the past week, I've seen news of a handful of UN personnel arriving in Darfur to support the AU's mission (AMIS).

Chad says UFDD rebels attack second eastern town - French army plane has been a target of a SolAir missile in E Chad

Reuters report via Sudan Tribune 24 Oct 2006 - excerpt:

A newly formed rebel group has attacked a second town in eastern Chad a day after briefly seizing a settlement near the border with Sudan, the central African country's government said on Tuesday.

Armed men attacked Am Timan on Monday afternoon, 24 hours after taking the town of Goz Beida and then being repelled by government forces, Communication Minister Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor said.

"The security forces are following the movements of these adventurers, whose objective is simply to show their presence on the ground and take advantage of the fact that the towns they have besieged do not have any significant military presence," he said.

The insurgents, calling themselves the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) -- the latest in a string of titles grouping various rebel factions -- have said they want polls to end the rule of President Idriss Deby.

Note this comment received here today at Sudan Watch:

tom has left a new comment on your post "Sudanese army is receiving military support from Chadian rebels based in Sudan, while Darfur rebels are supported by Chad":

I just heard on the French TV, TV5, that a French Army plane ("de reconaissance") has been the target of a SolAir missile in Eastern Chad... The plane would have been able to return to its base undamaged.
That would prove, once again, that France is helping Chadian government in their current fightings with rebels.

http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/10/sudanese-army-is-receiving-military.html

[Ed: Somewhere here in Sudan Watch archives are news reports of French troops formally helping Chad, in official agreement with the Chadian government]

Sep 28 2006 AP report - Chirac: Sudanese government has no choice but to accept UN peacekeepers

Apr 13 2006 Reuters France supports Deby - Chad says rebel attack on capital N'Djamena defeated

Sep 28 2005 IRIN Janjaweed attack E Chad: French troops step up patrols

Next UN chief promises to end "crisis of confidence"

The following report tells us the next United Nations secretary-general has promised to end a "crisis of confidence" and heal divisions hampering the work of the world body. South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon, who takes over from Kofi Annan on January 1, said rebuilding trust in the UN must be a top priority.



Photo: Newly elected United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addresses the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. Ban has promised to end a "crisis of confidence" and heal divisions hampering the work of the world body. (AFP)

Oct 24 2006 AFP report via Turkish Press - Next UN chief promises to end "crisis of confidence" - excerpt:

The security and humanitarian crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur, the flare-ups in the Middle East and conflicts in Africa also called for concerted responses, Ban said.

As secretary-general, he added, he intends to seek an active role in finding a peaceful settlement of the North Korean nuclear issue.

Ban, only the second Asian secretary-general since U Thant in 1961-71, promised to listen to suggestions on better ways to get things done.

"And fully in line with the national character and values of my home country, I will do so with humility, honesty and our trademark 'can do' spirit."

Jan Pronk photos: Explaining the Darfur Peace Agreement

See photos at Jan Pronk's Weblog Oct 21, 2006 and caption "Explaining the Darfur Peace Agreement on various occasions in the field."



One of the photos (see above) shows Mr Pronk with a microphone, tirelessly working to help broker peace. He's led an incredible two years in Sudan and packed them with amazing experiences.



Photo of UN helicopter in Darfur, western Sudan. (Jan Pronk Weblog/Paula Souverijn-Eisenberg)

and this, captioned: "Liria, Central Equatoria, Southern Sudan October 7, 2006"

Pronk: U.N. envoy's blunt blogging got him kicked out of Sudan

Excerpt from USATODAY editorial 24 Oct 2006:

Pronk's blog might have violated United Nations' standards about separating personal views from official duties. But the episode is far more important for the deeper - and disturbing - truths it reveals.

First, the Sudanese government, for all its denials, is involved in making Darfur's horrors worse even as it denies that to the outside world. And second, its agenda is to prevent effective international intervention.

For two years, Pronk has pushed the Sudanese to allow an international presence and to stop the orgy of rapes and killings. No doubt they are hoping his successor will be less outspoken; instead, the episode harshly spotlights what the Sudanese government is getting away with in Darfur.

What now? Not only was Jan Pronk one of the few who knew what was really going on in Sudan, he was a voice of those suffering in Sudan and the only civil servant willing to risk his neck over the past year to tell the world what is really going on in Darfur and warn of what needs to be done. Note, he was in favour of bolstering the African Union's mission in Darfur.



Photo: Chief U.N. Envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk of the Netherlands, speaks during a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan in this Thursday, Sept 21, 2006 file photo. The Sudanese government on Sunday Oct. 22, 2006 gave Pronk three days to leave the country, Sudan's official news agency reported whilst giving no reason for the order, but Pronk drew sharp criticism from the Sudanese military this month after writing in a personal Web log that government forces had suffered serious losses recently at the hands of rebels in Darfur. (AP Photo/Abdel Raouf)

Blogosphere picks up on UN envoy Jan Pronk being kicked out of Sudan for blogging

Instapundit picks up on Jan Pronk's blogging and is happy to hear that the Sudanese "government's doing badly, given that it's trying to accomplish a genocide" - and quotes this from Austin Bay's blog entry entitled Sudan/Pronk kicked out for blogging:

"He [Pronk] blogged the truth and the Sudan government now says 'goodbye'."

Note this comment by Dusty:

"Jan Pronk. He blogs Sudan so the MSM [mainstream media] doesn't have to."

Heh. How insightful. It's all so true!

See July 1, 2006 Sudan Watch Jan Pronk's blog entry picked up by the press: UN envoy calls for changes to Darfur peace plan (Reuters); UN envoy attacks Darfur agreement (BBC)

Note also, Outrage over Sudan's dictator poised to lead Africa.

Bloggers comments (more later - if and when I find them)

Oct 22 2006 Drima The Sudanese Thinker - Jan Pronk Told to Leave in 3 Days!: "...UPDATE: I was thinking. If the NCP is willing to kick out Jan Pronk over one tiny post in his blog, what the hell will they do to me if they find out about this blog?! Lord have mercy on me. Sigh! :-( ..." [Heh Drima. I was thinking the same about this blog! Now and then, in lapses of patience, I've called them baboons, cretins, buffoons and flea brained camel faced morons!]

Oct 23 2006 Black Kush - Sudan expels UN envoy Jan Pronk: "...Take it from me. The government will relent in the end and allow him to stay. This is high class politick...." [I agree, but have read reports that say Mr Pronk's position at the UN changes at the end of this year when SG Annan's tenure expires]

Oct 23 2006 Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth - Jan Pronk booted out of Sudan???????? - Hitler didn’t want anyone reporting on his genocidal tendancies either. [True!]

Oct 23 2006 Opinio Juris - When Diplomats Blog: "...Perhaps the UN wanted to give Pronk freedom to speak more candidly by describing the blog as personal reflections. That insulates the organization from criticism, and yet frees the diplomat to pursue a more effective strategy of public condemnation. I would suspect that this is the true agenda..." [I agree]

Oct 23 2006 Black Kush - NCP and SPLM: strange bed fellows: "...Now they are trading blows again. The SPLM claimed they were not consulted when Khartoum expelled the UN special envoy Jan Pronk. Being part of the government, where were the decisions made? Are there many governments in Khartoum? Now it is Khartoum's turn to slam the SPLM. The NCP said the visit of the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to Juba was wrong. Since Sudan is still one country, any president visiting should come through Khartoum and meet president Bashir first. Who is wrong and who is right?" [Good questions]

Oct 23 2006 Boing Boing - UN Envoy in Sudan booted after blogging about Darfur: links to Jerotus' Diplomat blogs reality and Sudan is not amused [Ed: Scroll down the last day of entries here and you will see Mr Pronk has not actually lost his position, the UN still considers him as SRSG in Sudan]

Oct 24 2006 A real life blogging Google Answers Researcher (GAR) notes a question about Legality of Coup Plot - see Google Question of the Day (or Week): UN envoy to Sudan expelled after blogging

Oct 24 2006 A Cloud In Trousers - Le Blog Diplomatique: Further reports reveal that Jan Pronk still has Kofi Annan's every confidence and is still the special envoy to Sudan. Happy birthday to the UN.

Oct 25 2006 Jen alic for ISN Security Watch - Darfur diplomacy 'blogged': " ...And so the pressure remains capped. ... Perhaps this will be Pronk's next personal blog rant."

Top UN official under fire for blogging truth in Sudan

Excerpt from VOA News 23 Oct 2006:

Pronk was ordered to leave Khartoum Sunday, after he posted an entry on his Internet weblog saying Sudan's armed forces had been badly beaten in two recent battles with rebels in Darfur, suffering heavy casualties. The entry reported troop morale had sunk, and several commanders had been fired.

The weblog has embarrassed U.N. officials. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric last Friday emphasized that the views expressed are Pronk's, and do not reflect those of the U.N. or Secretary-General Annan.

Dujarric Monday refused to characterize Pronk's departure from Khartoum as an expulsion. He said the envoy is returning for consultations, and retains Mr. Annan's full confidence.

He said, "The secretary-general has asked Mr. Pronk to come back, and Mr. Pronk will have discussions with the Secretary-General and other senior officials when he's here. But what needs to be clearly stated is that he continues to be the special representative of the secretary general in serving with the full support of the secretary-general in that capacity."

Pronk is a 66-year-old former Dutch Cabinet minister. He has been a powerful presence as Mr. Annan's special envoy, speaking frankly about the violence in Darfur, which the United States and others describe as genocide.

Pronk has sharply criticized Khartoum for allowing Arab militias known as janjaweed to carry out ethnic cleansing operations in the vast western Sudanese region. He has described internally displaced people in Darfur as "victims of Arab racism."

Pronk remains UN envoy to Sudan: spokesman

Excerpt from China's Xinhua 24 Oct 2006:

[Chief UN spokesman] Dujarric said Pronk had only been called to New York for consultations and would continue to serve as the special representative of the secretary-general. He said Pronk will arrive in New York Wednesday.

- - -

Excerpt from KUNA's news report 23 Oct 2006 - Annan's invitation to Pronk "temporary":

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Pronk remains Annan's special envoy for Sudan. Annan still has confidence in him. He was called in for consultations to review with him a letter the Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol Ajawin sent to him Sunday.

In that letter Ajawin said the government "is of the view that the purposes of realizing peace and stability can better be served by other international civil servants who are dedicated and ready to adhere to the objectives of the UN Charter, possess the ability and determination to respect international law and sensitive to the sovereignty and integrity of the nations in which they serve".

Therefore, the letter added, the government "remains committed and will cooperate" with Pronk's replacement.

Ha! Respect, sensitivity, integrity?!! The fact that they even contemplated the expulsion of Mr Pronk (head of UN mission in Sudan and great friend of Sudan) tells us they do not know the meaning of those words. Cretinous morons.

Pronk has Annan's full support: spokesman

Mr Pronk left Khartoum yesterday and will arrive in New York tomorrow for talks with Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General. A spokesman said last night that he had Mr Annan's full support. - Times 24 Oct 2006.

UN envoy does the right thing

Let us now praise UN envoys when they do the right thing. UN representative Jan Pronk is being expelled from the Sudan for telling the truth about its murderous activities on his blog (according to the Washington Post). Read more... by J Lewis of The American Thinker.com, 22 Oct 2006.

Diplomacy with Sudan over Darfur "not Dead": Analyst

Oct 23 2006 Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa report - Diplomacy With Sudan Over Darfur "not Dead": Analyst [via Playfuls.com] excerpt:

With the ongoing diplomatic tit-for-tat between Sudan and the international community, some observers have called for stricter measures to urge Khartoum to accept the UN mission.

Economic sanctions have been proposed, with the International Crisis Group, a conflict analysis think-tank, calling for the overseas assets of Sudanese legislators to be frozen. Human Rights Watch, a New-York based rights watchdog, did the same.

US condemns Sudan's expulsion of UN envoy

Oct 23 2006 The News - International:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday condemned Sudan's expulsion of a top United Nations envoy as "unfortunate in the extreme," and pledged to consult with UN chief Kofi Annan.

Sudan told Annan's special representative Jan Pronk to leave the country on Sunday, accusing him of overstepping his mandate.

"It is unfortunate in the extreme," Rice told reporters. The outspoken envoy acknowledged in a statement that he had been asked to leave. He said he would fly to New York Monday "for consultations" with Annan, two days ahead of the three-day deadline for his expulsion.

Pronk said he had a meeting Sunday with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Karti, who gave him a letter addressed to Annan informing him that the government considers the envoy's mission in Sudan "terminated".

UN's Jan Pronk in Sudan: The end of an insider's blog?

Excerpt from Andrew Stroehlein' commentary Oct 23, 2006 - Reuters AlertNet - Darfur: The end of an insider's blog?

"... But there has been something unique about Pronk's blog. While it hasn't been as casually written or as frequently updated as many bloggers' fare, it has provided a running log of a high-level diplomat's thinking quite unlike anything we have seen elsewhere. What other top envoy dealing with such delicate matters of conflict resolution regularly pens such an ongoing account and commentary?

Given the subject matter, it is fairly incredible that Pronk has managed to keep his blog going for nearly a year. If it disappears, those of us following Sudan will lose a valuable window into peace efforts there.

I hope Jan Pronk's blog does not disappear! It was unique and one of my favourites. Couldn't get a RSS feed into my newsreader but used to visit almost every day. I wonder what will happen now. Maybe Mr Pronk will manage to do just as much good from inside Europe.

Apart from feeling disgusted, I'm not sure what to think of the situation. Maybe some personal sanctions and travel bans on entering Europe and the US will now be in order - starting at the top of the Sudanese government, including family members AND rebel leaders. The thought of any of those people spending wads of money, travelling in style and enjoying a visit here in Europe makes feel sick. Bon voyage Mr Pronk. Hope to hear from you on the other side! Keep on blogging!!

UN envoy prepares Sudan exit after expulsion

Reuters report via ST - UN envoy prepares Sudan exit after expulsion - excerpt:

Described by a U.N. source as "somewhat bemused" Pronk cancelled his travel plans for the rest of the week and will head to New York on Monday following a summons from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He will not return.

Some observers questioned whether the expulsion was little more than political theater because Pronk, as Annan's political appointee, was likely to lose his position when Annan left the world body at the end of the year.

"Mr. Pronk ... his period is nearly finished so it is more political maneuver than genuine political action from the government," said el-Bagir.

Others said Pronk himself may have made a political move to "go out with a bang." Only three months earlier Pronk had similar problems with comments he wrote on his blog that changes needed to be made to the Darfur peace deal, signed in May by only one of three negotiating rebel factions.

"He is very savvy. He must have known what the government's reaction would be to this," said one diplomat who declined to be named. One U.N. source said Pronk had already been warned by U.N. headquarters in New York about his blog."

I loved Jan Pronk's blog and photos. I wonder what his next blog entry will say! I hope he waves a two fingered goodbye to Khartoum, when he's safely in the air.

South Sudan slams move, deepening unity govt rift

Oct 23 2006 AFP report via Gulf Times:

The autonomous government of southern Sudan yesterday denounced Khartoum's expulsion of UN envoy Jan Pronk, deepening rifts in Sudan's unity government formed after a north-south peace deal last year.

The Government of Southern Sudan said it had not been consulted on Pronk's expulsion, which it said was a "wrong decision" that could worsen deteriorating conditions in the troubled western Darfur region.

And it said the move could hurt the federal administration, created in 2005 between Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's ruling National Congress Party and the south's ex-rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A).

"It is a wrong decision and it is taking Sudan more and more to the brink of confrontation with the international community," said Yasser Arman, the spokesman for the southern Sudanese government.

"More importantly, it will aggravate the situation in Darfur rather than looking for solutions in partnership with the international community," he said. "Expelling Jan Pronk will not resolve the issue at hand, meaning Darfur."

Arman, speaking from south Sudan's capital of Juba, complained the southern partners had not been consulted on a matter that directly relates to its signing of the January 2005 peace deal with Khartoum.

"Jan Pronk came to Sudan as a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement," he said, referring to the accord that ended Sudan’s 21-year north-south civil war. "The government should have consulted the SPLM before expelling him."

"The worrying situation is that there is a growing tendency in the National Congress Party to undermine the CPA," Arman said, urging an immediate ceasefire in Darfur and co-operation between Khartoum and the international community.

Under the terms of the north-south accord, which ended what was then Africa’s longest-running conflict, the SPLM/A was given positions in the Khartoum government, including the post of first vice president and foreign minister.

But the two sides have since argued over numerous issues, including Darfur, where the government of south Sudan supports the deployment of UN peacekeepers and Khartoum is vehemently opposed.

The north-south war claimed at least 1.5mn lives and displaced some 4mn people.

Sudan dictatorial shift and Pronk's expulsion

Oct 23 2006 ST Sudan Tribune Editorial - excerpt:

Nowadays, Sudan is not ruled by a political party, Sudan is governed by one man and his generals.

For Khartoum it is a question of the survival of a dictatorial regime, for us it is the realization of peace and democratic transition in the country.

Darfur NRF denounces UN Pronk expulsion

Oct 23 2006 ST NRF Press Statement - Expelletion of Jan Pronk Gives Way for Albahsir's Chemical Warfare in Darfur - excerpt:

The NRF strongly denounces the callous decision of the Government of Sudan to expel UN Envoy Jan Pronk from Sudan. It is not a simple coincidence that this decision has been made at the very moment when the new offensive of the Khartoum regime in Darfur has been launched.

I was thinking the same, and about a similar thing that happened a while ago to the UN's Jan Egeland. Note the rebels have taken the opportunity to spread word of wmd's.

Pronk leaving for New York to consult with Annan

Los Angeles Times excerpt:

Pronk could not be reached Sunday for comment. An aide, Sajin Khan, confirmed the expulsion order and said that he would have a response after Pronk had consulted with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

In New York, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Pronk had been asked to come to New York for the consultation, the Associated Press reported.

Darfur rebels say militias attack villages

Reuters report via ReliefWeb - excerpt:

"The Janjaweed attacked villages in Nena yesterday and raped two girls ... aged 16 and 18," said Jar el-Naby, a rebel commander in North Darfur.

"Government troops are also mobilising in this area, and we are prepared for an attack," Naby said.

Nena is about 100 kilometres northwest of el-Fasher, Darfur's main town. Janjaweed, derived loosely from the Arabic for devils on horseback, are militias accused of a campaign of rape, pillage and murder which Washington calls genocide.

Khartoum denies genocide and any links to Janjaweed, calling them bandits.

One African Union source confirmed the heavy build-up of troops around the area in North Darfur, which has seen fighting between the rebels and government over the past few months.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a press release that thousands of civilians in neighbouring eastern Chad had fled cross-border Janjaweed attacks.

"The new wave of attacks across the Chad/Sudan border started on 3 October and have continued since then," Amnesty said in a press release on Saturday. "Dozens of people have been killed and some 3,000 have fled in the past week." It called on the Chadian government to deploy more troops along the long and porous border until U.N. peacekeepers deployed in Darfur.

Sudanese army has succeeded in removing a man who spoke openly about the government's continuing role in atrocities (BBC)

Oct 23 2006 BBC report - UN envoy prepares to leave Sudan - excerpt:

The head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, Jan Pronk, is expected to leave the country after being ordered out by the government.

The expulsion was ordered after Mr Pronk wrote in his blog that Sudan's army had suffered defeats in the Darfur region and its morale was low.

Mr Pronk's relations with the Sudanese government were shaky before this row.

Sudan's government had given Mr Pronk until midday Wednesday to leave, but UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has recalled him to New York for consultations.

'Creating problems'

It was Mr Pronk's comments on his personal website that angered the Sudanese government.

"Morale in the government army in north Darfur has gone down," he wrote. "Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight."

He said the Sudanese army had lost two major battles recently to rebel groups in the western region and that Arab militias - who have been accused of atrocities - were being mobilised in violation of UN resolutions.

The army led calls for Mr Pronk's expulsion, calling his remarks psychological warfare.

Junior Foreign Minister Sammani al-Wasila told the BBC that Mr Pronk had strayed beyond his mandate and lost his neutrality.

"It is not his right to comment," he said. "His role as personal envoy to the secretary general means he should be neutral to help solving problems, rather than creating problems."

Darfur conflict

Britain has condemned Mr Pronk's expulsion and urged Sudan to reconsider.

"This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan," said Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman.

In Brussels, European Union spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said: "The presence of the United Nations is vital to hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Darfur region."

Sudan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, told the BBC that it was Mr Pronk, not the UN, that was the problem.

"It is not the United Nation's activities in Sudan," he said. "They are welcome."

'No free voices'

There was also opposition to the move within Sudan.

"It is a wrong decision which is going to worsen the situation of Darfur instead of solving it," said Yasser Arman, the spokesman for the southern Sudanese government.

And Khalil Ibrahim, a senior member of the rebel National Redemption Front, told Reuters news agency the decision came from the army.

"They don't want to leave any free voices in Sudan," he said.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher says that although in theory there is a coalition government in Khartoum, this episode has illustrated just how strong the military remains.

Their pride hurt by Mr Pronk's comments, the Sudanese army has succeeded in removing a man who spoke openly about the government's continuing role in atrocities, our correspondent says.

Annan reviewing Sudan's request for withdrawal of UN envoy

Via POTP - Sudan expels UN official for blog revealing Darfur military defeats / Annan reviewing Sudan's request for withdrawal of UN envoy - spokesman:

By Warren Hoge of the New York Times

Sudan's government ordered the chief United Nations envoy out of the country today [Sunday], saying he was an enemy of the country and its armed forces.

Secretary General Kofi Annan said that he was reviewing the letter from the Khartoum government and had requested the envoy, Jan Pronk, to return to New York for "consultations."

The Sudanese order said he had to leave by Wednesday. United Nations officials confirmed he would depart before then.

Mr. Pronk, a blunt-spoken former Dutch cabinet minister, has been outspoken in reporting on the killings, rapes and other atrocities in Darfur, the region in the western part of Sudan where 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes.

He has become increasingly pointed in his comments because of the rise in violence across the area despite a May peace accord between the Sudanese government and a major rebel group, and because of the government's refusal to grant permission for a new United Nations force to take over peacekeeping in the country from the overstretched African Union.

Mr. Pronk is known as a forceful presence at the United Nations from his frequent appearances before the Security Council, where he characteristically delivers unflinching accounts of the continuing mayhem and political breakdowns in Sudan in a rhetorical style that includes finger-jabbing and dramatic pauses for emphasis.

Sudan's action against him was apparently provoked by an entry he made in his personal blog - www.janpronk.nl - last weekend that said Sudan's armed forces had suffered two major defeats with extensive casualties against rebels in Darfur in the past six weeks. He also reported that generals had been cashiered, that morale had sunk and that the government had collaborated with the feared Janjaweed Arab militias, which are held responsible for pillaging villages and killing and raping their residents.

The Sudanese armed forces on Thursday cited the blog entry in calling Mr. Pronk a threat to national security and asking that he be expelled.

The fact that one of its top officials has put sensitive findings in a personal blog has embarrassed the United Nations and put its officials in an awkward position. When the matter arose Friday, United Nations officials resisted rebuking Mr. Pronk for the practice for fear that it would appear to be a vote of no confidence in the mission, rather than just in his professional lapse.

Questioned repeatedly on Friday over whether the United Nations stood by the statements in Mr. Pronk's blog, Stephane Dujarric, Mr. Annan's spokesman, said, "Those views are expressed by Pronk, are his personal views."

Mr. Dujarric indicated that this was not the first time a problem with Mr. Pronk's blog had come up. "There have been a number of discussions with Mr. Pronk regarding his blog and the expectation of all staff members to exercise proper judgment in what they write in their blogs," he said.

In a statement distributed by the official Sudanese news agency today, the country's Foreign Ministry accused Mr. Pronk of demonstrating "enmity to the Sudanese government and the armed forces" and of involvement in activities "that are incompatible with his mission."

The activity in question was apparently a trip that Mr. Pronk made into Darfur to make direct contact with rebels.

In a blog entry on Oct. 14, Mr. Pronk wrote that losses by the Sudanese armed forces in two recent battles "seem to have been very high. Reports speak about hundreds of casualties in each of the two battles with many wounded and many taken prisoner."

"The morale in the government army in North Darfur has gone down," the blog entry continued. "Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight. The government has responded by directing more troops and equipment from elsewhere to the region and by mobilizing Arab militia."

Victor Tanner, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advance International Studies who returned from Sudan a week ago, said the blog's references to defeats suffered by the Sudanese army had caused a furor there.

"Comments on the disarray that seemed to be reigning within the Sudanese armed forces was an amazing thing to see in the blog of a U.N. official," he said. "Refreshing but wild."

"That the armed forces had suffered these losses was something that everybody was talking about as a rumor swarming around Khartoum and Darfur, but it took on a new reality and became 'the truth' when it was uttered in print by Pronk."

In Washington, the State Department said it was withholding comment until it learned more from Khartoum about the incident.

Amnnesty International in New York said it "condemns in the strongest terms" the ouster of Mr. Pronk. "By declaring Mr. Pronk persona non grata, Khartoum has once again demonstrated heinous dispassion toward the well-being of its own citizens," the organization said.

In London, the Foreign Office also denounced the Sudanese move and called for it to be reversed. "This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan," said Lord David Triesman, a foreign office minister. "I call upon the government of Sudan to reconsider its decision."

In what has become a tense standoff with the United Nations, Sudan has adamantly refused to accept the deployment of 22,000 United Nations soldiers and police officers despite public outcries over the increasing danger to the residents of Darfur.

The force, called for in a Security Council resolution on Aug. 31, would replace the 7,200-member African Union force that has admitted it does not have the resources to curb the violence in Darfur. In light of Sudan’s defiance, the African Union agreed a month ago to strengthen the force and extend its presence in Sudan until Dec. 31.

Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, has characterized the United Nations plan as an American-inspired plot to recolonize his country and plunder its oil, and he has threatened to attack any soldiers sent to Darfur.

At the United Nations in September, Mr. Bashir said the reports of deaths and displacements in Darfur were "fictions" spread by international aid groups and Jewish organizations to raise money to benefit Israel.

And commenting on the international campaign that has arisen to try to end the violence in Darfur, he said, "Those who made the publicity, who mobilized the people, invariably are Jewish organizations."

From the UN News Service...

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has requested his senior envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, to come to New York for consultations after the country's Government officially requested his withdrawal today [Sunday].

On Friday, a UN spokesman was asked about comments on Mr. Pronk's blog as well as reports that Sudan was declaring him persona non grata. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the views expressed on the blog were personal, and that the Government had presented no official request concerning Mr. Pronk.

Today, in a statement released in New York, the spokesman said Mr. Annan had this morning received a letter from the Government of Sudan requesting Mr. Pronk's withdrawal.

"The Secretary-General is reviewing the letter and has, in the meantime, requested Mr. Pronk to come to New York for consultations," Mr. Dujarric said.

A profile feature from SAPA/AFP...

United Nations envoy Jan Pronk, who has been ordered to leave Sudan after he criticised the government's handling of the Darfur crisis, is a veteran diplomat with a direct approach.

An international diplomat for most of his working life, the 66-year-old is an example of a UN envoy who is not afraid to speak his mind and get emotionally involved in his work.

Since the former Dutch minister of development aid was appointed UN envoy for Sudan in 2004, his relations with Khartoum have been difficult.

Pronk has openly called Sudan a "police state" and said refugees in Darfur were victims of "Arabic racism".

In an interview in March in Dutch news magazine Vrij Nederland, Pronk said he was not worried about a possible backlash.

"The most important thing is that all parties see us as impartial... I say harsh things to the Sudanese government but also to the rebels," he explained.

The final straw was Pronk's personal weblog entry of October 14 that said that the Sudanese army had suffered major losses and that the army was working with militias linked to the Janjaweed, a pro-government militia accused of gross abuses against ethnic minority civilians in Darfur.

During his political career in the Netherlands, Pronk has always stood out as a man of principles in a political landscape dominated by pragmatism and consensus.

An economist, Pronk started his political career as a member of parliament for the PDVA labour party in 1971. In 1973 he became minister of development cooperation a post he held in three different cabinets, the last from 1994 until 1998.

Between the 1970s and 2002 he held a variety of Dutch political posts and spent six years as deputy secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

Observers says Pronk's direct style may have been a contributing factor in naming him the UN envoy to Sudan. He is often credited with keeping the crisis there high on the international agenda.

God bless Mr Pronk and keep him well. He deserves a medal.

Sudanese army is receiving military support from Chadian rebels based in Sudan, while Darfur rebels are supported by Chad

Oct 23 2006 Independent report by Africa Correspondent Steve Bloomfield - excerpt:

Pronk also warned that a confrontation between Sudan and its neighbour to the west, Chad, was becoming a possibility. The Sudanese army is receiving military support from Chadian rebels based in Sudan, while the Darfur rebels are supported by Chad.

Sudan expels UN official for blog revealing Darfur military defeats

The buffoons running Sudan have shot themselves in the foot trying to expel UN SRSG Jan Pronk. Hopefully, this latest fiasco will show the Khartoum regime for what it is, and result in an agreement on UN troops for an "AU Plus" peackeeping force in Darfur.

It's difficult to believe more than a few people would approve of Khartoum's move to expel Mr Pronk. In fact it's a wonder how anyone can take Khartoum seriously anymore. Bashir's days now seem numbered. For his outfit to stay in power (better the devil you know) I thought it needed onside both the AU and UN. Surely people in southern Sudan (and its government!) won't take kindly to Khartoum's latest move to hurt relations with the UN and expel Mr Pronk who heads up the UN's peacekeeping in the region. Maybe soon we'll see press photos of Sudanese people marching with placards in support of Jan Pronk/UN!

Oct 23 2006 Guardian report by Jonathan Steele - excerpt:

The highly unusual expulsion of a UN official is likely to sour relations between Khartoum and the UN, which were already tense because of Sudan's refusal to accept a security council resolution calling for 20,000 troops to move into Darfur to protect civilians. Ironically, Mr Pronk had made it clear he personally agreed with Sudan's position that African Union troops could do the job just as well, provided they had proper funds and equipment. He was also a critic of the Bush administration for its confrontational line towards Khartoum.

Mr Pronk, 66, had a reputation for being outspoken as a minister in two Dutch governments but he took the unusual step of writing a regular weblog after his appointment as Mr Annan's special representative in Khartoum two years ago. This seems to have been his main sin. The weblog in which he often described the war in Darfur in graphic terms without the usual caution of a diplomat became required reading for everyone watching Sudan's war-torn western region closely.

The Sudanese government has admitted suffering two recent setbacks on the battlefield, at Um Sidir to the north of the main town El Fasher, and again near the Chadian border two weeks ago. But Mr Pronk's weblog gave new details. "The losses seem to have been very high," he wrote.

"Reports speak about hundreds of casualties in each of the two battles with many wounded and many taken as prisoner. The morale in the government army in north Darfur has gone down.

"Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight. The government has responded by directing more troops and equipment from elsewhere to the region and by mobilizing Arab militia. This is a dangerous development. Security council resolutions which forbid armed mobilisation are being violated. The use of militia with ties with the Janjaweed recalls the events in 2003 and 2004. During that period of the conflict systematic militia attacks, supported or at least allowed by the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces], led to atrocious crimes."

Foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadiq explained the expulsion as resulting from "the latest statements issued by Mr Pronk on his website regarding severe criticism of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the fact that he said the government of Sudan is not implementing the Darfur peace agreement".

Mr Sadiq said rebels would consider Mr Pronk's comments as encouragement to continue their military campaign.

Mr Pronk also annoyed the army by crossing frontlines and meeting rebel leaders in Darfur this month, although he made it clear on his weblog that he urged them to accept a ceasefire and think about signing the peace deal brokered in May.

He wrote: "In a mass meeting with them - I counted about 300 military commanders and political officials - they promised not to attack the Sudanese Armed Forces ... I demanded more: stop considering AMIS, the African Union Peace Keeping Force, as your enemy. Guarantee that bandits and rogue commanders no longer harass aid workers and steal their vehicles. Do not reject the Darfur Peace Agreement, but consider this text as a basis for peace, as a starting point for further talks."

For stricken Darfur, threat of all-out war (Lydia Polgreen)

Oct 22 2006 Chad-Sudan border - NYT/IHT Lydia Polgreen report - excerpt:

The prospect of new negotiations for a settlement have dimmed. And the involvement of Chad and now the Central African Republic, where Sudan is reportedly supporting more rebels against the Chad government, is spawning a complex, interlinked set of conflicts among some of the least stable countries in the heart of Africa.

The conflict could stretch on indefinitely.

"Clearly Khartoum is still intent on pursing a military solution, and just because the latest offensive seems to have hit a roadblock doesn't mean they are going to give up," Thomas-Jensen said. "The strategy in the past has always been to arm and train and support local militia groups. In all of this the consequences form a humanitarian standpoint are devastating."

In Darfur, he said, it is ultimately the civilians who will pay the highest price.

EU official says UN presence in Darfur is vital to civilians there

AP report via IHT 22 Oct 2006 - excerpt:

The European Union on Sunday criticized Sudan's decision to order the chief U.N. envoy out of the country, arguing the role of the United Nations is key to resolving the crisis in Darfur.

"The presence of the United Nations is vital to hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Darfur region," said Amadeu Altafaj Tardio, a spokesman for the EU Commission.

The order for U.N. envoy Jan Pronk to leave within three days will likely further complicate efforts to end the crisis in the strife-torn region of western Sudan, he said.

Jan Pronk's views on his blog were personal - UN

FT.com excerpt:

Mr Pronk has previously used his blog to criticise the peace agreement saying it needed to be amended to rectify a flaw.

Officials in Mr Pronk's office were not available for comment.

UN officials in New York have previously said Mr Pronk's views on the website were personal, adding there were no rules appertaining to blogs by senior officials. Sudan is a notoriously difficult place for diplomats to work as the government has a reputation for manipulation and saying one thing while doing another.

Britain denounces Sudan expulsion

Oct 22 2006 icUxbridge:

In London, Foreign Office minister Lord Triesman said: "The British Government condemns the decision to expel the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Sudan.

"This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan.

"I call upon the Government of Sudan to reconsider its decision."

Khartoum considers Jan Pronk's mission in Sudan over

Reuters report by Opheera McDoom, via Swissinfo 22 Oct 2006:

Sudan on Sunday ordered top U.N. envoy Jan Pronk to leave the country within three days following comments he made that the army's morale was low after suffering two major defeats in the violent Darfur region.

"The government ... considers Jan Pronk's mission ... in Sudan over and Mr. Pronk has to leave Sudanese soil within 72 hours from midday on Sunday," a Foreign Ministry statement obtained by Reuters said.

"The reason is the latest statements issued by Mr. Pronk on his Web site regarding severe criticism of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the fact that he said the government of Sudan is not implementing the Darfur peace agreement," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig.

Foreign Ministry officials met with Pronk on Sunday and informed him of the decision, he added. The ministry said Khartoum would continue to cooperate with the United Nations.

In New York, a spokesman said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked Pronk to return to headquarters immediately for consultations but made no comment on the dispute.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Annan had received a letter on Sunday from Sudan asking him to withdraw Pronk.

Pronk has previously had problems with the government because of comments he published on his Web log www.janpronk.nl. The latest blog entry said Darfur rebels had beaten the army in two major battles in the last two months.

He said generals had been sacked, morale was low and soldiers were refusing to fight in North Darfur. The army was furious and issued a statement on Friday calling Pronk a danger to the nation's security.

One army source said they were asking President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the commander-in-chief of the army, to expel Pronk.

Al-Sadig said rebels would consider Pronk's comments as encouragement to continue their military campaign.

"GOVERNOR-GENERAL"

Khalil Ibrahim, a senior member of the rebel National Redemption Front (NRF), told Reuters the decision to expel Pronk did not come from politicians but was a diktat from the army.

"They don't want to leave any free voices in Sudan. ... Jan Pronk was the voice of those suffering in Darfur," he said.

Pronk, 66, a former Netherlands development minister, served several terms in the Dutch parliament and was in the cabinet under two prime ministers. Annan named him U.N. special representative for Sudan in June 2004.

Pronk is known in Sudan for his dedication to his job but also his blunt comments, which irked some parties. He has been outspoken about Sudan's refusal to allow a U.N. force into Darfur where violence has mounted in recent months.

Sudanese privately call him the "governor-general" of Khartoum, a reference to the former British colonial ruler.

Ibrahim said although he has had conflicts with Pronk, he considered the U.N. official fair and unbiased.

"The government could not bribe him with money or contain him and that is why they want him out," he added.

Sudan orders UN SRSG Jan Pronk to leave within 3 days

Reuters report via POTP - excerpt:

Sudan on Sunday ordered top U.N. envoy Jan Pronk to leave the country within three days following comments he made that the army's morale was low after suffering two major defeats in the violent Darfur region.

"He has until mid-noon on Wednesday to leave," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig. He added the reason was Pronk's comments on the army.

Last week the Sudanese military said Pronk's continued presence in Sudan represented a "military danger to the armed forces".

The military statement accused Pronk of undermining the army by "casting doubt on the ability of the Sudanese Armed Forces to protect the Sudanese people and defend the state".

Pronk's blog, www.janpronk.nl, had said army morale was low in North Darfur after two defeats at the hands of a new rebel alliance called the National Redemption Front (NRF).

South Sudan denounces Pronk expulsion

Oct 22 2006 AFP report via ST - excerpt:

"It is a wrong decision and it is taking Sudan more and more to the brink of confrontation with the international community," said Yasir Arman, Yasir Arman, deputy secretary-general of the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

"More importantly, it will aggravate the situation in Darfur rather than looking for solutions in partnership with the international community," he said. "Expelling Jan Pronk will not resolve the issue at hand, meaning Darfur."

"Jan Pronk came to Sudan as a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement," he said, referring to the accord that ended Sudan's 21-year north-south civil war. "The government should have consulted the SPLM before expelling him."

Khartoum regime = buffoons. I feel sorry for Mr Pronk and his family.

Sudan orders UN SRSG Jan Pronk to leave

Marie Heuze, chief spokeswoman for the U.N. in Geneva, said she could not comment on the order but noted that Pronk's comments were on his private blog and reflect "only his personal views."

Full story by AP writer Mohamed Osman - via Guardian 22 Oct 2006.

African Union welcomes Eastern Sudan peace deal

On October 14 the Sudanese government and rebels from the Eastern Front signed a peace accord that was negotiated with Eritrean help and is aimed at ending a 12-year armed conflict. - ST 22 Oct 2006.

Jan Pronk - Weblog: Peace in Eastern Sudan

A breakthrough: Peace in Eastern Sudan. This week the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement has been signed in Asmara. Will it last?

Read more... by UN SRSG Jan Pronk in his blog entry Oct 21, 2006.

Sudan masses troops for decisive strike against Darfur rebels

News report by Gethin Chamberlain Oct 21, 2006 (AL-FASHER) Sunday Telegraph via ST 22 Oct 2006:

The soldier pushed at the bomb with his foot, rolling it through the dust towards the white Russian-built Antonov aircraft standing on the runway of Al Fasher airport.

A Sudanese army soldier sits next to weapons and ammunition at an outpost in Sudan's northern Darfur town of Tawilla May 17, 2006. (Reuters)
The plane was being loaded for another bombing run, as Sudanese government forces gear up for a military onslaught when Ramadan ends today or tomorrow.

Crude but effective, the Antonovs are back in the air over the villages of Darfur, just as they were during the initial pogroms that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than two million. When they reach their targets, the soldiers lower the ramps and kick out the bombs -- which look like munitions used in the Second World War -- to explode on those below.

New arrivals at the El Salaam camp outside Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, describe how the Antonovs and helicopter gunships attacked their villages, forcing them to flee.

"I saw about 10 bombs falling," said Adam Ishag, who fled his village of Hila Babkeir after it came under attack. "They exploded beside the houses and two were destroyed. We took the children and we ran away."

The troubled western region of Sudan is entering a new and dangerous period. The Darfur Peace Agreement, signed in the Nigerian capital Abuja in May, largely at the urging of the international community, is widely perceived to have failed. Fighting has escalated and the rebel groups, which splintered acrimoniously after the signing, are once again looking to present a united front.

In recent weeks, the Sudanese government has been engaged in a frenetic game of diplomatic brinkmanship, trying to convince the international community that there is no need for a United Nations peacekeeping mission to Darfur, approved by the Security Council in August. Yet despite that, its army and its Arab militia allies, the Janjaweed, are reported to be massing in the north. The rebels, and UN officials, believe that a major attack is imminent.

Planes carrying soldiers have poured into Al Fasher airport, bringing with them vast quantities of weapons. On Wednesday evening, traffic in the centre of town ground to a halt as a military convoy, perhaps 100 vehicles long, rolled by - some packed with men, others with machineguns and rocket launchers.

Both the government and the rebels - many now fighting under the banner of the newly formed National Redemption Front - fear that if the UN does take over from the hopelessly stretched African Union (AU) force, then there will be little chance of seizing more territory. If they have to renegotiate the peace agreement, they intend to do so from a position of strength.

"It is a stand-off with the US and some European governments, including Britain," said Ghazi Atabani, a Sudanese presidential adviser, in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph last week. His government argues that it is now fighting a legitimate "war on terror" against those who refused to sign up to the peace deal. But Mr Atabani conceded that talks would have to come. "Even if you win the military battle, it is a loss," he said. "In the end, it will just lead to another rebellion."

Yet military victory itself is far from certain. UN and AU sources report that the Sudanese army is demoralised and vulnerable. It has suffered two heavy defeats in the past month - including one in which 3,000 troops were reportedly routed in 20 minutes.

Unlike the earlier war in southern Sudan, which pitched mainly Muslim government forces against Christian and animist rebels, Darfur is an almost exclusively Muslim conflict. "It is not a question of religion this time, it is a question of power," said Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, an aid worker and fierce critic of the government.

The AU has said it does not want to stay on after December 31, when its mandate runs out. And there appears no prospect of a UN force of 22,500 troops arriving before spring.

For those caught in the middle, life is looking desperate. Aid workers cannot operate effectively; at least a dozen have been killed since the peace deal was signed. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that 500,000 people are now cut off from aid.

"Life has always been precarious in Darfur," said a spokesman. "It will never be an easy place to live. But it doesn't have to be the living hell it is now."

AU's Ibok holds talks with Darfur field leaders

From Bahrain News Agency Khartoum Oct 21 2006:

African Union Commission to Darfur head, Sam Ibok, said his negotiations with armed factions field leaders tackled means of moving the peace process through joint efforts instead of violence.

Ibok told Radio Sudan this evening that the groups that have not signed the Abuja peace agreement, confirmed that they were supporting the peace option and that they were ready to negotiate in order to achieve peace and stability in Darfur. He described his meetings with the group leaders as positive and added that he was informed on the situation in Darfur.

UK's Blair appeals for Darfur deal

Oct 20 2006 ePolitix.com:

The prime minister has pressed EU colleagues to put on a united front in calling for a peace agreement in Darfur.

Tony Blair was on Friday addressing the EU summit in Lahti on the subject at short notice after making a request to the Finnish presidency.

Downing Street said Blair made the move because "he believes we are at a critical time" in international efforts to stop the violence in Sudan.

The appeal came as African Union ministers were meeting the Sudanese government in Khartoum.

"We need to send a clear message of support from the EU today," the prime minister's official spokesman said.

Blair was setting out a three-pronged strategy for a lasting peace.

Firstly to stop military action immediately, secondly to allow a UN force in and thirdly for the Sudanese government to engage in peace talks.

"We have tried to do this with the Sudanese government," the spokesman said.

"If that does not prove possible we are going to have to use pressure.

"That is not our preferred strategy... but the situation in Sudan is just not sustainable."

The government also dismissed a suggestion that more African Union troops could be deployed instead of the UN force Sudan is resisting.

The spokesman said the AU had "valiantly tried" to stop the violence but "hasn't been able to be as effective as it should be".

China's move to strengthen workers' rights is undermined by U.S. corporations

From A human rights weblog 20 Oct 2006:

Last week, the New York Times reported that U.S.-based corporations are trying to stop a proposed law that would protect Chinese workers.

China's new draft labor policy would crack down on sweatshop abuse and strengthen important human and labor rights by improving pay, treatment, health and safety, and other standards for Chinese workers.

However, U.S. corporations such as Wal-Mart, Google, UPS, Microsoft, Nike, AT&T, and Intel, acting through U.S. business organizations like the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the U.S.-China Business Council are actively lobbying against the new labor legislation. And they're threatening to take their factories elsewhere.

Charming.

UN's Egeland to step down to spend more time with family

UN's Jan Egeland has announced his intention to step down this year, reports said Friday. "My contract lasts until March next year, but I have notified the UN Secretary General that I will leave my present position before the end of the year," Egeland told Oslo daily Aftenposten. - CFD

Arab League might be willing to dispatch troops to Darfur in lieu of UN force?

Jerry Fowler, in his blog entry Grasping at the Last Straw?, notes the Washington Post acknowledged that in the face of continuing Sudanese opposition, "the fact is that the United Nations is not going to fight its way into Darfur."

Since the Arab League might be willing to dispatch troops to Darfur in lieu of a UN force, Jerry wonders if the Arabs are in fact serious. Me too.

David Blair visits Djibouti: Foreign troops guard oil gateway

How many Western soldiers can you fit inside a tiny African country? This question ran through my mind as I had breakfast in Djibouti this morning...

There are Western troops all over the place.

Read more by David Blair at Telegraph Blogs 20 Oct 2006.

US's Rice affirms US commitment to ensuring Sudan's unity

AP report via International Herald Tribune - excerpt:

US special envoy Andrew Natsios finished a week-long visit to Sudan on Friday by saying he had pressed the government for an effective peacekeeping force and a political settlement in Darfur, as well as the "protection of non-combatants from further atrocities."

Oct 20 2006 KUNA:

US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice said on Friday that her country was committed to working with Sudan's government to ensure its unity, peace and stability.

In a letter to her Sudanese counterpart Lam Akol, Rice stressed that Washington would continue its efforts to ensure implementing the two accords relevant to implementing peace in Darfur and the southern region.

In a press statement, spokesman for Sudan's Foreign Ministry Ali Al-Sadeq quoted Rice's hope that US-Sudanese efforts would ensure peace in Darfur and support Sudan's unity.

Rice's letter came after a one-week visit to Sudan by US special envoy to Sudan Andrew Natsios who met with a number of officials, civic leaders and local societies.

Speaking to the press, Natsios said as this was his first visit to Sudan, he wanted to understand the situation by observing it, noting that he conveyed the US Administration's view that called for deploying UN forces in Darfur.

Natsios departed to Egypt to meet local officials and the Arab League's executives. Upon returning to the US, he would inform President George W. Bush and Rice about the visit's outcome.

Sudanese officials who met Natsios affirmed their cabinet's stance that rejected the notion of sending any international troops to Sudan, but they expressed the government's desire to continue talks with the US and international society.

Natsios was appointed by US President George W. Bush as Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance and Special Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sudan. He formerly headed the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

On August 31, the UN Security-Council (UNSC) issued resolution 1706 stipulating the deployment of international forces in Darfur to replace the African Union's troops whose mandate would expire at the end of 2006. Sudan's government rejected the resolution by saying the existence of such forces would threaten the nation's sovereignty.

Noble Prize Winning economist Muhammad Yunus lifts millions of people from poverty

Good news via Miss Mabrouk of Egypt:

The inspirational economist Muhammad Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize today for helping lift millions of his fellow Bangladeshis from poverty through a pioneering scheme that lends tiny amounts of money to the very poorest of borrowers.

Musa the Shoeshine Boy hasn't enough money to go to school in Juba, S Sudan

See Musa the Shoeshine Boy at Sudan Man blog.

New UN chief elected

Congratulations to the new UN Secretary General, the South Korean Ban Ki-moon, 62. [via Black Kush]

Sudan denies directing Janjaweed

Oct 18 2006 BBC report says a Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman told the BBC his government was instead working hard to try to disarm the Janjaweed militia in Darfur.

The problem with Sudan. Part 1: the system - Decentralization is the answer?

How do you run a country of 2.5 million square km, 33.3 million people, 7 times the size of Germany, with more than 400 spoken languages and dialects, multiracial, and with lots of resources?

Managing the huge country from the center had been one gigantic failure. What the country had never tried is federation. Give the different regions the right to govern themselves in partial autonomy, but retain important ministries. I believe it is the best solution to a recurring phenomenon. Decentralization is the answer.

When each region runs its own affairs, none will think of breaking away as an independent state, hopefully.

Read more at Black Kush blog - The problem with Sudan. Part 1: the system.

EU leaders call on Sudan to accept UN force in Darfur

European Union leaders today called on Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur.

"The UN operation is the only viable and realistic option for peacekeeping in Darfur," Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen said at a news conference during a one-day summit of European leaders. "We are all very deeply concerned about the situation."

Full story Evening Echo (Ireland) 20 Oct 2006.

UK's Blair urges push for Darfur ceasefire

UK International Development Secretary Hilary Benn has suggested that the Janjaweed might be getting help from the Sudanese government.

Full story PA via Guardian 20 Oct 2006.

Sudanese sovereignty integrity must be observed - Russia

See Free Republic's reprint of Sudan Tribune report 20 Oct 2006 - and comments.

Sudan asks Russia $1 billion military equipment loan

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Sudanese Defense Minister Abdelrahim Hussein on Thursday 19 October. The Sudanese official asked Russia to sell military jets and helicopters to his county.

Moscow has not given any reply yet.

Full story Sudan Tribune 20 Oct 2006.

Sudanese army declares UN's Pronk persona non grata

How ridiculous. Biting the hand that feeds you. Oct 20 2006 AFP report via Sudan Tribune - excerpt:

The Sudanese military declared UN special envoy Jan Pronk persona non grata, accusing him of "waging war against the armed forces," in the latest escalation in a war of words between Khartoum and the international community.

The general command accused Pronk, UN secretary general Kofi Annan's special representative (SRSG) in Sudan, of "openly intruding in the armed forces' affair".

It considers the envoy's presence and movements in Sudan "a military threat that adversely affects the performance of the armed forces and (he) has therefore become a persona non grata," a statement said.

It complained that the envoy had travelled around Sudan without government permission and dealt with rebel groups fighting the military in the western region of Darfur.

It also accused Pronk of "waging psychological warfare on the armed forces by propagating erroneous information that casts doubts about the capability of the armed forces in maintaining security and defending the country."

On Wednesday, the United Nations's daily Sudan internet bulletin spoke of mounting tensions between Pronk and the military over his reporting of setbacks for the army in Darfur.

"On October 17, the Sudan armed forces (SAF) spokesman strongly criticized SRSG Pronk describing him as "aggressive and lacking credibility," the bulletin said.

"This came about following the SRSG's recent statements on SAF suffering heavy losses in Darfur," it added.

"The spokesperson commented that the SAF are currently fighting Chadian troops who use helicopters to support the rebels with munitions. Further he denied the occurrence of mutiny among SAF troops."

Pronk was reported to have said that the army had suffered two defeats and lost hundreds of troops in fighting with rebels in North Darfur, that several generals had been sacked and that the army was being forced to turn to its feared Janjaweed militia allies as troops were refusing to go to the front.

A senior general called for Pronk's swift deportation.

"The presence of Jan Pronk in the Sudan constitutes a threat to the Sudan's national security and an immediate decision for his deportation from the Sudan should therefore be taken," former armed forces spokesman General Mohammed Beshir Suleiman told the official SUNA news agency.

The envoy "has gone beyond the boundaries of his responsiblilities and duties," said Suleiman, charging that Pronk was abusing his position to attempt to force Sudan to accept a UN Security Council resolution authorising the despatch of 20,000 UN peacekeepers to Darfur to replace an African Union force.

"The envoy, with this statement, intended to prove that the armed forces and the African Union forces have failed in keeping peace and that the national army is incapable of protecting the civilians against rebel attacks, and thus to pave the way for implementation of Resolution 1706," he said.

The United Nations comprises 191 countries. Anyone working for the UN at Jan Pronk's level is bound to be a decent hardworking person, trying their best to help broker peace. Sudan ought to be grateful to Jan Pronk and the UN. Overall, it seems to me, the Sudanese aren't doing themselves any favours in the world's media spotlight, making themselves appear stupid and unappreciative, lacking in empathy. Morons and barbarians, still living in the Dark Ages.

UN's Pronk is a danger for Sudan's national security - army

Sudan Tribune attributes the following report to Xinhua.

UN's Pronk is a danger for Sudan's national security - army - Oct 19, 2006 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese army said that Jan Pronk, the pecial representative of the UN Secretary General Koffi Annan in Sudan, was not welcomed, indicating that he constitute a danger of the national security.

In a statement on Thursday, the High Command of the Sudanese Armed Forces condemned that "the flagrant interference of Pronk in the Sudanese army's affairs which is equivalent to a war against the army".

It stressed that "Pronk's existence and his movements, including his contacts with the rebels and his visits without the Sudanese government's approval, constitute a military danger which has negatively affected the army's work."

The statement also accused the UN top envoy in Sudan of launching a psychological war on the Sudanese army by spreading fabricated false information doubting the army's capability to maintain the security and stability of the country.

Meanwhile, a retired army officer Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Bashir Suleiman told the official SUNA news agency that Pronk's recent remarks on the Sudanese army had "obviously over passed its authority and responsibility", calling on the government to take firm steps to expel Pronk from Sudan.

He stressed that Pronk statement comes as part of general plan aiming to serve the objectives of international powers that pushed for the adoption of UN resolution 1706 and insist on its implementation in Darfur.

The mains purpose of Pronk's speech is to lay the road of the implementation of UN resolution 1706 by insisting on the incapacity of the Sudanese state to protect its population from the attacks of the armed rebel groups, the Sudanese army spokesperson explained.

Pronk wrote in his personal weblog on Saturday that the Sudanese army had lost two major battles in Darfur, one in Umm Sidir last month and the other in Karakaya last week, and suffered heavy casualties.

The Sudanese army was probably receiving support from Chadian rebels on Sudanese soil, while the Darfurian rebel groups were supported by the Chadian authorities, he added.

To read Pronk's comment please go at : http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article18192

(ST/Xinhua)

Note the report quotes a Sudanese army spokesperson as saying: "The Sudanese army was probably receiving support from Chadian rebels on Sudanese soil, while the Darfurian rebel groups were supported by the Chadian authorities." Right now, maybe it is too late at night and I need to sleep, I can't get my head around that statement.

BBC's repentant Janjaweed is a fraud - Sudan

Sapa-AFP report via IOL 19 Oct 2006 - excerpt:

Khartoum - Khartoum denied ever supporting Darfur's feared Janjaweed militia on Thursday and charged that a repentant militiaman who described the regime's atrocities to British media was not credible.

"This individual has made declarations in the hope of being granted political asylum in Britain and I believe this weakens his credibility," foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Saddek told reporters.

The BBC detailed Sudanese government support for the Janjaweed Wednesday, citing an interview with a former militiaman now living in London who admitted killing innocent civilians in Darfur.

"The government supports no armed militia in Darfur and is cooperating with the United Nations and other organisations to restore peace and security," Saddek said, reiterating the regime's longstanding denials that it sponsored the Janjaweed.

"On the contrary, the government is bent on disarming them,"

For his part, State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Mohammed Haroun charged that the report "was part of a campaign aimed at deploying international forces in Darfur".

Excerpts: Ex-Janjaweed fighter story (BBC)

A former member of Sudan's pro-government militias, the Janjaweed, has told the BBC's Newsnight programme that ministers in Khartoum gave orders for the activities of his unit in the Darfur region, which included killings and rape. Click here for excerpts of the interview with ex-fighter "Ali", who is now living in London.

Read more via Eric Reeves' commentary at Guardian's Comment is Free, entitled Death in Darfur. [via CFD with thanks]

Salva Kiir and al-Mirghani to mediate with Darfur rebels

Big news. The first Vice President Salva Kiir Mayadrit and the Chairperson of the National Democratic Alliance Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani will lead a Sudanese initiative hold a new round of talks with Darfur hold rebels in Asmara.

Full story ST 17 Oct 2006.