A hollow 'breakthrough' (David Blair)

The new agreement signed in Addis Ababa for a Darfur peacekeeping force has been hailed as a "breakthrough" by Tony Blair, among others. I fear it is nothing of the sort. The full text of this deal is very illuminating.

Read more at Telegraph Blogs: David Blair: November 2006: A hollow 'breakthrough'

NGO's and UN's Egeland blocked in Darfur by government

Nov 17 2006 Reuters report via ST - excerpt:

Witnesses said the eight camps around el-Geneina town have been infiltrated by armed men terrorising residents who fled their homes three years ago to seek refuge from violence.

"There are NGOs here who have half their staff sitting in Khartoum ... they have no travel permit, they do not get a visa, they have to spend more of their time doing paperwork than helping the people," he [UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland] said.

"The Sudanese should help us help their people, not prevent us helping their people," he said.

Note, the report reminds us there are an estimated 2.5 million refugees in camps in Darfur and across the border in Chad.

Welthungerhilfe pulling staff out of Darfur

Nov 18 2006 via The Daily Star - Agencies report - excerpt:

The German relief organization Welthungerhilfe said on Friday it was pulling its staff out of Sudan's Darfur region for safety reasons as fighting flared along the country's border with Chad.

Eighteen aid workers have been running a feeding scheme for 300,000 refugees in Birmaza near the border. "Renewed cross-border fighting is threatening to destabilize the whole region," Joerg Heinrich, the organization's project leader for Sudan, said. "We can no longer leave our colleagues in this danger."

Sudan's UN ambassador: "There will be no UN peacekeepers in Darfur"

Nov 17 2006 AFP report Questions emerge about Sudan's stance on mixed Darfur force - excerpt:

Questions have emerged about UN chief Kofi Annan's announcement that Sudan had accepted in principle a hybrid African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission for its troubled Darfur region.

The late Thursday announcement here took many by surprise as Khartoum has repeatedly and vehemently rejected any UN role in Darfur and insisted that only the current AU force can operate there.

Diplomats and observers who attended the Annan-led talks that led to the apparent compromise said Khartoum's stance was not entirely clear, as Sudanese officials repeated that no UN peacekeepers would be allowed on the ground.

One diplomat said Sudan had succeeded in preventing the world body from playing a significant role by agreeing to UN logistical and technical support for the AU mission known as AMIS but ruling out all but African personnel.

"It was a victory for Sudan, which has won a commitment that the command of the peacekeeping force will never be with the UN," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "Sudan remains in a position of force."

"For the moment, there is no guarantee of any major progress, except that everyone, even the Chinese and the South Africans, support it," the diplomat said, referring to the "hybrid" force concept promoted by Annan.

"The whole question is what the Sudanese want: either they want peace and should accept this since we're no longer talking about a UN operation or they are stalling, hoping AMIS will leave and give them a military option," he said.

The compromise proposal is to be presented soon to the UN Security Council and will also be discussed at a summit of leaders from the 15 members of the AU Peace and Security Council set for November 24 in Congo-Brazzaville.

The three-phase plan aims to boost the cash-strapped and undermanned AMIS with major UN support while the third phase envisions merging the force with a UN mission that will be predominantly African, according to the agreement.

In his announcement, Annan made clear that Khartoum had agreed only "in principle" to phase three, "pending clarification of the size of the force."

Sudanese officials firmly insist that no UN peacekeepers will be deployed in Darfur, where some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced in three years of fighting between local rebels and government-backed militia.

"The whole approach is to support AMIS with logistic support," said Sudan's UN ambassador Abdulmahmoud Abduhaleem. "The UN is saying they want to deploy 17,000 troops, we say it should be less, and only African troops under an African command.

"There will be no UN peacekeepers in Darfur," he said.

One international observer who was at Thursday's meeting in Addis Ababa said the Sudanese would likely take a great deal of time in determining an acceptable force level, possibly waiting for Annan's year-end departure.

"The Sudanese have no interest in conceding knowing that Kofi Annan is about to leave," the observer said on condition of anonymity. "They are playing for show."

Still, AU Peace and Security Council commissioner Said Djinnit said the African Union was pleased that a potential solution to its mission's funding and manpower woes had been reached.

"All the parties fell into agreement on the compromise formula, except for Sudan on certain points," he said.

"Through this plan we will now be able to ensure lasting and appropriate financing for AMIS without which it would not have been able to work if we waited much longer," Djinnit said. "The credibility of Africa goes from there."

Sudan accepts UN 'help' in Darfur but no talk about a mixed force or UN taking command

Nov 17 2006 BBC report - excerpt:

Sudan says it welcomes the United Nations' support for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur but denies the UN will take command.

On Thursday, UN chief Kofi Annan had said a compromise had been reached for a hybrid UN-AU force, to break the deadlock over the Darfur mission.

President Omar al-Bashir told state TV: "The government of Sudan welcomes all financial, material, logistic or technical assistance from the UN in order to strengthen the AU mission in Darfur."

His Foreign Minister Lam Akol specified that "there should be no talk about a mixed force".

He told the BBC there would be no UN troops.

Following a meeting on Darfur in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Mr Annan had said: "The troops should be sourced from Africa as far as possible and the command and control structure would be provided by the UN."

UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland has cut short his trip to Darfur after Sudan's government told him it would be too dangerous for him to travel outside the region's major towns.

A further possible area of disagreement on the peacekeeping mission is the size of the new force.

The UN also wants a force of 17,000 troops, while Sudan says 12,000 would be enough.

There are currently some 7,000 AU troops in Darfur.

Note, 12,000 AU peacekeepers were always on the cards for next year.

A man holds a bow and machete

Photo and caption from Sudan Tribune article 17 Nov 2006 Darfur refugees in Chad risk water shortages.



A man holds a bow and a machete for defence after fleeing the conflict in the east, near Goz-Beida, on the border with Sudan.

Darfur to be "invaders' graveyard" - Sudan defence minister

Xinhua report via ST 17 Nov 2006 - excerpt:

While addressing officers and soldiers of the western military area in Niyala, south Darfur, Sudanese Defence Minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein said that "Darfur will be the invaders' graveyard if the (United Nations) Security Council thinks about implementing Resolution 1706," the official SUNA news agency reported.

The defense minister stressed the capability of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to impose the security and defend the nation and its citizens, adding that the slogan of the SAF in Darfur was to "wipe out the rebellion and spread the dignity of the country".

He said that Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir was confident of the command of the SAF and its ability to carry out its duties without making pretexts for foreign interference.

The Sudanese defense minister made the remarks on the same day that the African Union (AU) and the UN were holding a joint meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to reconsider the best way of terminating the bloody conflicts in Darfur.

Links: Dr Gloria White-Hammond

Excellent set of links re Dr Gloria White-Hammond. See Mount Holyoke College: Migrations - Resources.

Oxfam: Darfur refugees in Chad risk water shortages

Nov 17 2006 AFP report via ST - Darfur refugees in Chad risk water shortages - excerpt:

Roland Van Hauwermeiren, head of Oxfam's operations in eastern Chad, said in a statement that Oxfam's pumping station in Goz Beida, where many displaced are arriving, is already working at full capacity for the refugee camp.

Following a visit Tuesday to Goz Beida, where more than 4,000 Chadians have arrived since last week, he warned that rations would have to be slashed if there is no more water in the ground.

"As we cannot deprive these new arrivals of water, we will have to find other solutions, such as reducing the water available every day or trucking in water, until the security situation stabilizes and people are comfortable going home," Van Hauwermeiren said.

The state of the Chadian displaced was alarming, Van Hauwermeiren said.

"Many have arrived with nothing, and are camping under trees in a state of shock,' he said.

"People I have spoken with say that in all of their years, they cannot remember things being this bad, with such hatred and destruction choking them out of their homes," said Van Hauwermeiren.

"Everyone wants to go home to their crops and to their regular lives but are too afraid to even consider it. The feelings of desperation among the people are overwhelming," he said.

News and Blogs from Sudan

Just found this great blog ::::I've Left Copenhagen for Uganda::::: linking to news and blogs from Sudan.

UN Annan: Sudan 'backs' Darfur force plan

Mr Annan told reporters: 'It is agreed in principle that, pending clarification of the size of the force, we should be able to take it forward.'

UN'S THREE-STEP DARFUR PLAN

1) AU $21m support package
2) Deploy several hundred soldiers and police
3) Hybrid force with substantial UN command and control

Full story BBC 17 Nov 2006.
- - -

Nov 14 2006 AP report via ST - UN Darfur proposal could mean joint UN/AU operation: But whether Khartoum would approve the U.N.'s third step - "an A.U.-U.N. hybrid operation" with both organizations jointly appointing key decision-makers including the force commander - remains to be seen.

Nov 16 2006 AFP report via ST - Sudan supports 'hybrid' UN-AU Darfur force - Annan.

Nov 17 2006 AFP report via ST - US welcomes Sudan agreement on Darfur: "This agreement paves the way for a joint AU/UN peacekeeping force for Darfur composed primarily of and led by Africans, and commanded, supported and funded by the UN," Johndroe said.

Salva Kiir fears war return to S. Sudan if Darfur crisis continues

See full text TALKS WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS - Asharq Al-Awsat Interviews Sudan's First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit 13/11/2006 - By Mohammed al-Hassan Ahmad and Mustafa Sirri in London.



Photo: British Prime Minister Tony Blair shakes hands with Sudanese Vice-President Salva Kiir Mayardit in London Oct 31, 2006. (Sudan Tribune)

Sudan Man: Rumours of exploding radios and bicycles!

Rob of Sudan Man's blogging rumours of exploding radios and bicycles!

Darfur rebels welcome Nuer "courageous" support

Nov 14 2006 NRF Press Release says "NRF Welcomes Courageous Support offered by Nuer Community in North America."

I stopped reading it after the first paragraph because it crows about victory. Darfur is one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Everyone is a loser.

See Nov 13 2006 Nuer elders call for peaceful resolution of Darfur conflict.

UN Annan calls crisis meeting on Darfur

Nov 14 2006 Bloomberg report by Ed Johnson - excerpt:

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has invited the Security Council's five permanent members to meet this week with the Sudanese government to address the crisis in Darfur.

The League of Arab States, the European Union and representatives from Congo, Gabon and Egypt have also been invited to the talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Nov 16, to be hosted by Annan and the African Union, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York yesterday.

Security in the western Sudanese region remains "volatile" with at least 37 people killed in recent days by Arab militiamen, some of whom were backed by Sudanese military vehicles, Dujarric said, according to a statement on the UN's Web site.

At the weekend, about 300 armed militiamen backed by 18 Sudanese military vehicles attacked a refugee camp in the village of Sirba in west Darfur, killing 31 people and injuring 18 others, the UN said. Arab militias attacked three villages in north Darfur on Nov. 10 killing six civilians, including four children, the UN said.

The talks in the Ethiopian capital aim to "move the peace process decisively forward," Dujarric said. The five permanent members of the Security Council are the U.S. U.K., Russia, China and France.

The Anglo-Zulu war - A Lesson Learned?

To mark Remembrance Day 11 Nov 2006. See great blog entry by the Telegraph's Africa Correspondent David Blair 13 Nov 2006 The Anglo-Zulu war - the stuff of legends. In the comments, a reader replies:

"A Lesson Not Learned. The lesson of Islandlwana is that a modern, well armed, military force, if ineptly led, can be defeated, even destroyed, by a motivated, well led, yet primitively armed native force. This lesson was again taught in Viet Nam."

Another comment says:

"Isandlwana was in one respect not an extaordinary battle. The Zulu warrior was superior at close quarters to the British infantryman. This in turn makes the defence of Rorke's Drift an even more amazing achievement. Remembrance Day may be a commemoration of wars fought since 1914 but we do well to remember the soliders of both sides who perished in the Anglo-Zulu Wars."

Note, David Blair's commentary mentions Rorke's Drift. Zulu is one of my favourite films. As a child (and military dependent) I spent three years living in the jungle outside Nairobi during the Mau Mau war. Last year, a Sudan Watch reader (and ex soldier, British Army) emailed me saying, quote:

"In 1983 I drove to Rorke's Drift as I was in [the area] Natal and it changed my life in many ways. I spent a whole day sitting in the camp where it really all took place, a very moving experience. The crickets were singing and the ground crackling as it only can in Africa. Totally deserted and on my own, I walked around and remembered the film, found old cartridge boxes broken and rotten in shallow scrapes in the ground broken down walls and litter. You might imagine no one had been there since it happened, eventually I found the remnants, the building with scraps of rotten linen hanging at window, roofs long since gone, and sat and cried, Ah memories see your perception changes but not with memories as strong as these.

Ten years later I was passing again and wanted to revisit this time with my ex wife and found it turned into a tourist attraction with stuffed dummies with bayonets and a curio shop, and I went ballistic at the sacrilege of destroying something so precious and was thrown out for a raving lunatic Englishman. It still brings a lump to my throat.

Picture: This Heroic Little Garrison, Defence of Rorke's Drift. By Chris Collingwood. Men of the 24th of foot, or 2nd Warwickshire regiment (later in 1881 to become the South Wales Borderers) repel the massed Zulus attempting to smash through the mealie bag entrenchment. http://www.war-art.com/defence_of_rorkes_drift.htm

Defence of Rorke's Drift

After the British Defeat and the Zulu victory at isandhlwana. Zulu Chief Cetawayo entered northern Natal that night. On a tributary of the Tugela River stood the British garrison of 140 troops under the command of Lt Chard at Rorke's Drift. the Zulu force of 4,000 attacked the garrison repeatedly, using their assagais, (also with Rifles form the hillside, taken form the dead British troops at isandhlwana.) The attacks lasted all night through 22nd into the 23rd. in the morning the Zulu withdrew, but only having lost 400 dead in the fighting. The British suffered 25 casualties. for this achievement of holding rorkes drift a total of 11 Victoria Crosses were received.

"Zulu", Col. John Chard V.C. defender of Rorkes Drift

I need to double check details in below caption. It's difficult to believe Col Chard was so young. Sorry caption does not tell us the location of Col Chard's grave, pictured here - found on internet)



Photo: Lieutenant John Rouse Merlot Chard, VC, Royal Engineers.
Born 21st December 1879, died 1st November 1897.
Col Chard won his Victoria Cross at Rorke's Drift, immortalised in the film "Zulu"
The battle of Rorke's Drift started at 4.20 pm on the 22nd January 1879, and finished at 4.00 am the following morning.
It is recorded that the defenders of Rorke's Drift fired more than 21,000 rounds of ammunition. (Source: Bob Cooper)



The Remembrance Day Poppy & In Flanders Fields Poem

Inspiration for the Poem. On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.

In Flanders Fields

John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.



The poppy is the recognized symbol of remembrance for war dead. The flower owes its significance to the poem In Flanders Fields, written by Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John McCrae, a doctor with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, in the midst of the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium, in May 1915.

The poppy references in the first and last stanzas of the most widely read and oft-quoted poem of the war contributed to the flower's status as an emblem of remembrance and a symbol of new growth amidst the devastation of war.

Two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month because that was the time (in Britain) when the armistice became effective. The two minutes recall World War I and World War II. Before 1945 the silence was for one minute, and today some ceremonies still only have one minute of silence despite this.

In the United Kingdom, although two minutes' silence is observed on November 11 itself, the main observance is on the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Sunday. - Wikipedia

UPDATE: David Blair, in Robbed of remembrance, tells us:

As far as I know, the dead of the Battle of Isandlwana were never individually identified. There are no headstones for each fallen soldier.

Instead, the bones of the dead – British and Zulu alike - were interred in 269 stone cairns scattered about the battlefield. These cairns were repainted quite recently and looked in good enough condition to me.

Chad declares state of emergency

Chad's government has declared a state of emergency in most of the country, following a series of ethnic clashes.

At least 300 people have been killed this month, in violence between Arabs and black Africans, officials say. - BBC

UN to give African troops in Sudan $77 mln

Good news. Reuters report via ST - excerpt:

"We have agreed on two packages of support worth around $77 million for the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS)," Hedi Annabi, a U.N. assistant secretary general for peace-keeping operations, told reporters after a meeting of UN, AU and Sudanese officials at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Annabi said $22 million would go towards funding military staff officers, police advisers and civilian personnel to strengthen the chain of command of AMIS.

A second tranche of $55 million go towards equipment and personnel and a specialised support unit.

"The government of Sudan has agreed to the deployment of the two packages," he added.

Nuer elders call for peaceful resolution of Darfur conflict

Nov 11 2006 Press Release (via ST) by Nuer elders in Europe, Canada, U.S. and Australia. Excerpt:

We call on both the GONU and the NRF to demonstrate statesmanship by rising above parochial and personal differences to resolve the problem so that the international aid agencies would have an opportunity to avert the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Nuer elders are more than willing to mediate between both sides if officially invited. The need to end the flight of innocent civilians in Darfur is a concern of every Sudanese.

We also require both GONU and NRF to respect basic human rights enshrined in international treaties signed by the state of Sudan. Commission of crimes against humanity by any group in Darfur runs contrary to international treaties and leads to violations of the right to life, security of the person and pursuit of happiness.

We therefore call upon all ethnic communities in the Sudan to resolve their differences via peaceful means in order to transform the country from a failed state to a peaceful one that is capable of resolving political and socio-economic conditions, which caused most conflicts in Sudan.

For Contact:

Eng. Daniel Koat Mathews,

Chair person of Nuer elders in Diaspora, Former Governor of greater Upper Nile, (Unity, Jonglei & the Upper Nile States), Former Commander & Secretary for Peace, SSIM/A, Former representative of SPLM/A in Scandinavia based in Sweden prior to the Nasir Declaration, Former mediator between Anya-Nya II and the SPLM/A (1987).

Email: turial37@hotmail.com

Tel +46 218 142, cell phone +46 768003362

France provides $1m for AMIS

Nov 12 2006 via ST - France calls for comprehensive settlement of Darfur crisis.

French FM announced that his country would provide additional 1million euros (about 1.28 million U.S. dollars) for AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur.

AU launches Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation

10 Nov 2006 AMIS Press Release via ST.

Sudan, UN agree to set up tripartite mechanism on Darfur

Nov 12 2006 People's Daily Online:

Sudan and the United Nations on Saturday agreed to set up a tripartite mechanism to study ways of providing supports to strengthen the African Union forces in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig told Xinhua the agreement on the tripartite mechanism, which will bring together the Sudanese government, the UN and the African Union (AU), was reached during a meeting between Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi, the UN assistance secretary general for peacekeeping operations.

"The mission of the tripartite mechanism is to exchange information and to deliver the supports which the UN has promised to provide for the AU peacekeeping forces in Darfur," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Al-Sadig noted that Lam Akol and Hedi Annabi also discussed the situation on the borders between Sudan and Chad and the Central Africa, adding that the UN was going to send an investigation team to evaluate the situation there.

French FM suggests UN command with African general

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy conferred with Egyptian officials Sunday ahead of a trip to Khartoum aimed at finding a compromise with Sudan on the deployment of peacekeepers in Darfur.

The French diplomat held talks with Khartoum's Egyptian allies in a bid to explore new solutions after the Sudanese government made it clear it would reject a UN force in war-ravaged Darfur.

"We would like a UN command with an African general," Douste-Blazy said in Cairo before his meeting with President Hosni Mubarak.

Full story by AFP via ST 12 Nov 2006.

Increase AU force efficiency is our "priority" - French FM

Nov 11 2006 AFP report - excerpt:

[French FM} Douste-Blazy will meet with Abul Gheit on Saturday and with President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday. He is also to talk with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa, before heading for Khartoum for talks with Beshir.

On Monday, he is due to travel to Darfur on a fact-finding mission and to hold talks with AU, UN and non-governmental organisation officials on the spot.

Security Council cancels trip to discuss Darfur force

A delegation of eight envoys, led by Britain, was to have taken part in meetings on Monday with Sudanese officials and African Union officials at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

But differences emerged about whether the group had a mandate to engage in discussions, the size of the delegation and whether the visit should supersede a planned trip to Addis three days later from Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his staff, the envoys said.

Full story Reuters 10 Nov 2006 via ST.

British Diplomat: "Security Council cannot impose international forces on Sudan"

Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English) 9 Nov 2006 by Mina Al-Oraibi:

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- A high-ranking British diplomat acknowledged yesterday that if Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir continues to refuse the deployment of UN forces in Darfur then the UN Security Council (UNSC) cannot force him to do so "or occupy Sudan." He added that the "international community must in this case shoulder the responsibility and assist the African Union (AU) to broaden the mission of its forces there."

The diplomat, who spoke to Asharq al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, stressed that "the Sudanese Government is responsible for the deterioration in Darfur and the UN cannot be held responsible for that." But in his answer to a question on whether this means taking measures against the Sudanese Government for its refusal to deploy international forces, the diplomat stated, "In this case, the international community will be compelled to shoulder its responsibilities and assist the AU to broaden its mission."

Speaking at a meeting with a group of Arab and Iranian correspondents yesterday, the British diplomat also affirmed that "The AU has done a good job but the challenge is greater than what its forces can control." He recalled that the AU has not been asked for a military operation of this size since its establishment and added, In addition to the international forces' expertise in this matter, the UN Security Council (UNSC) is seeking to deploy UN forces that do not require a special budget but rather (finance it) from the budget allocated for the UN peacekeeping operations. He added that the UNSC is trying to persuade the Sudanese president to accept the international forces before 24 November, the date for the AU's meeting to discuss a renewal of its forces' mission in Sudan. He noted British Prime Minister Tony Blair's willingness to attend a "meeting of leaders to discuss this issue."

China can pressure Africa to reform - UK minister

Nov 10 2006 Dow Jones report via ST - excerpt:

African countries will benefit from Chinese investment if China acts as a responsible world player by pressuring governments there to reform, U.K. Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State David Triesman told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday in an interview.

The Group of Eight's African aid efforts, agreed upon last year at its Gleneagles summit in Scotland, have helped to improve the continent "on balance," said Triesman, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's minister for Africa. But some nations such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, despite drawing Chinese investment in their rich natural resources, have significantly regressed, he said.

China's diplomacy in Africa is "an incredibly private process," Triesman said, but he added that increasing pressure for reforms would have practical benefits even from a purely business perspective.

"They've tended to say, 'We've come along with investment and without any ideological baggage," Triesman said. But by promoting good governance and the rule of law, he added, China would increase the overall security of African countries "and improve the return on investment."

The minister's remarks follow the unprecedented Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit last week in China, where the Chinese government and representatives from 48 African countries signed deals worth $1.9 billion.

In a declaration read at the end of the forum, participants pledged a partnership based on "political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges."

Minister, envoys discuss Arab participation in S. Sudan development

The meeting with the Emarati envoy discussed possibilities for the Emirates to contribute in the construction of the infrastructure of southern Sudan.

Full story Nov 4 2006 via Sudan Tribune.

Japanese FM urges Sudan to accept UN forces for Darfur

Kyodo report excerpt (Nov 6 2006 via ST):

Japan urged Sudan on Monday to accept the deployment of a U.N. mission to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region in line with a U.N. Security Council resolution, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso made his call in a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Lam Akol Ajawin, who is currently visiting Japan.

Aso was quoted as saying Japan finds it desirable for peacekeeping operations in Darfur to be taken over by the United Nations as the African Union Mission in Sudan, commonly referred to as AMIS, may not be adequate for the job.

The Sudanese foreign minister said in response that his country is by no means hostile to the United Nations but that it wants to resolve the issue on its own as any deployment will infringe on its sovereignty, the official said.

The foreign minister added that Sudan intends to resolve the issue by expanding AMIS, in an implicit refusal of Japan's call for Sudan to accept the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

Irish FM warns Sudan over Darfur deaths

The Sudanese Government will be held personally responsibly for any further deaths in war-ravaged Darfur, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern warned today. See full story by Irish Examiner Nov 7 2006 via Sudan Tribune.

French FM to press Sudan on Darfur

Nov 10 2006 Reuters report excerpt:

France's foreign minister, who has repeatedly called on Khartoum to let U.N. peacekeepers into Darfur, will visit Sudan next week to speed up the search for a solution to the humanitarian crisis there, his ministry said.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will visit the Sudanese capital on Sunday, where he expects to meet President Omar Hassan al-Bashir before travelling to Darfur on Monday, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"This visit takes place in the context of the move led by France with its partners from the international community to accelerate the settlement of the Darfur crisis," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

UN council sending group to AU meeting in Ethiopia re AMIS

Nov 10 2006 AP report via OR UN council sending group to Ethiopia by Alexandra Olson, AP Writer:

The U.N. Security Council U.N. Security Council is sending a delegation to a key African Union meeting with Sudan on Monday with a message that it still backs the U.N. takeover of peacekeeping in conflict-wracked Darfur, the council president said Thursday.

Sudanese and AU officials are starting a series of meetings in Ethiopia's capital on Monday to discuss the future of the 7,000-member AU force, whose mandate expires on Dec. 31.

"The purpose of this mission is to have a dialogue conducive to the implementation of Resolution 1706," which was adopted on Aug. 31 and authorizes the U.N. takeover of peacekeeping efforts, he said after the council discussed the mission late Thursday.

He said the delegation will be led by Britain, whose U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry led a Security Council mission to Sudan and neighboring Chad in June. Hedi Annabi, the assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, left for Sudan on Thursday for talks with the Sudanese government ahead of the meeting, said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Sudan's U.N. ambassador made clear his country would not accept any U.N. participation beyond the material and logistical support to the AU forces.

"(U.N.) forces will not be accepted in anyway. No blue helmets, only African Union forces, expanded, intensified, enhanced, augmented through the support of the United Nations ," said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem.

On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the United Nations wanted to go beyond the $22 million support package approved for the AU mission "to ensure that we do have an effective force on the ground."

Sudanese FM talks with next UN chief

Nov 9 2006 AFP report via ST - Sudan's FM opposes UN peacekeepers in Darfur - excerpt:

Sudan's foreign minister said Thursday he was opposed to the United Nations' plan to send peacekeepers to Darfur, after talks with his South Korean counterpart Ban Ki-moon, the next UN chief.

"I don't understand why the UN tries to send troops to Darfur," Lam Akol Ajawin told South Korea's Yonhap news agency, adding that the African Union should continue to take command in handling the crisis in Darfur.

"We also want a speedy resolution to the issue. But it is a matter to be handled by the Sudanese government and the African Union," said Ajawin, who is on a two-day trip to Seoul as part of a tour of Asia that also took him to Japan.

"We are resolved to address it, as shown in the peace talks in Abuja that started in 2004."

UPDATE: See Nov 7 2006 INTERVIEW-Next U.N. chief pledges swift action on Darfur.

INTERVIEW-Next U.N. chief pledges swift action on Darfur

Nov 7 2006 Reuters - excerpt:

The U.N. secretary-general elect, South Korea's Ban Ki-Moon, said on Tuesday he aimed to meet Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir as soon as possible to break the deadlock over U.N. peacekeepers going to Darfur.

Ban, who takes office on Jan. 1, said the international community and the United Nations in particular needed to halt the violence in Sudan's western Darfur region "before it's too late".

"I'm going to meet Sudanese leaders and other African leaders to help resolve this Darfur crisis before it's too late," Ban told Reuters in an interview in Seoul.

Asked if he planned to meet Bashir, Ban replied: "I hope I'll be able to meet him as soon as possible; but I'll try to meet the foreign minister first."

See Nov 10 2006 - Sudan's FM talks with next U.N. chief.

Controls tighten on media and aid workers in Darfur

Authorities also obstruct aid staff working in Darfur with a myriad permit requests, although Khartoum has promised in writing to provide free access for the humanitarian community.

"They make it very clear. They want to drastically reduce the number of NGOs in Darfur, and regain control," said one Western aid worker who asked to remain anonymous to protect her organisation, which is under threat of expulsion.

Full story by Opheera McDoom, Reuters, 8 Nov 2006.

Eritrea says ready to mediate between Sudan govt, Darfur rebels

Eritrea expressed readiness to mediate between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups opposed to Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja in May.

Full story ST 4 Nov 2006.

UN report says international community had to provide more equipment and support to AMIS

Reuters report via Gulf Times 6 Nov 2006 Sudan failed to disarm militias, UN report says.

Note, the report - prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the basis of witness accounts - is due to be released shortly. It says "the international community had to provide more equipment and support to a struggling African Union force that is failing to stem the violence in Darfur."

White House drops support for UN peace force in Darfur - Eritrea as go between to renegotiate DPA?

Nov 5 2006 AFP report - White House drops support for UN peace force in Darfur - (via Taipei Times):

In a major policy reversal, Washington's special envoy for Sudan has confirmed the US is backing away from demands for deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to halt what it has called genocide in the the war-torn region of Darfur.

Andrew Natsios, US President George W. Bush's personal envoy to Sudan, said Washington and other Western governments were looking for an "alternate way" to deal with the violence in Darfur which has left at least 200,000 people dead and 2.5 million homeless in the past three-and-a-half years.

It was the first public admission that the US was reconsidering its backing for an Aug. 31 UN Security Council resolution, which Washington sponsored, demanding the immediate deployment of some 20,000 UN troops to replace an ineffective African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir rejected the UN demand and refused to meet with Natsios during a visit to Khartoum last week, the US envoy said in an interview with the US National Holocaust Memorial Museum which was posted on the memorial's Web site on Friday.

Natsios said Beshir was furious over Bush's renewal last week of US financial sanctions imposed on Sudan for its handling of regional conflicts, including Darfur, and alleged support for international terrorists.

"They were quite upset about [it], so much so that they canceled my meeting with President Beshir," he said.

At a White House meeting with Natsios on Wednesday, Bush said he was reviewing the US approach to the Darfur crisis, described as the first genocide of the 21st century, but he refused to provide details.

A UN-brokered peace agreement signed in May with one of the rebel groups brought hope for an end to the carnage, but ultimately failed when other groups refused to sign.

Since then government-allied forces have renewed offensives in the region, with the UN reporting on Friday that scores of civilians had been massacred in refugee camps in the region over the past few days.

Under pressure from European allies and human rights groups, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made Darfur a major US foreign policy priority in the middle of this year, insisting that only a UN "blue-helmeted" force would have the financial and political clout to stop the killing.

But Besher has refused to budge.

At a summit of African leaders in Beijing on Friday, the Sudanese leader said accepting UN troops in Darfur would lead to a debacle similar to Iraq.

Natsios now says the UN role is no longer essential.

"Our real interest here is not what it is called or what it looks like in terms of its helmet, but how robust and how efficient it is," he said.

Washington could accept either a strengthened African Union force or one led by Arab or Muslim nations, possibly backed by UN financial or logistical support, he said.

Another element of the new US approach is to use African mediation -- Natsios mentioned Eritrea as a potential go between -- to renegotiate the May peace agreement in a bid to draw in other rebel groups.

Sudan's Mustafa Ismail to be in charge of Darfur file

Smiley is back.

Mustafa Ismail to be in charge of Darfur file:

Sudan has removed Majzoub al-Khalifa, the presidential advisor from the file of Darfur. He has been replaced by Mustafa Osman Ismail, a Sudanese newspaper disclosed Saturday.

Note, the report tells us Mr Ismail: "who was very hostile to Eritrea in the past, has learnt to appreciate work besides the Eritrean mediators and president Asias Afwerki."

French Total pays $1.5m pa to maintain Sudan's oil rights

Oct 3 2006 Dow Jones report via ST. Excerpt:

Total spokeswoman Patricia Marie confirmed the company is paying the Sudanese government but wouldn't disclose how much. She added that the government had guaranteed the money would be spent on social programs benefiting the people of southern Sudan, including scholarships to students.

China pledges billions to Africa

Nov 4 2006 AP report via CBS - excerpt:

"Chinese assistance to Africa is sincere, unselfish and has no strings attached," Premier Wen Jiabao said at a gathering of Chinese and African entrepreneurs held as part of the conference.

President Hu Jintao pledged to double China's aid to Africa from its 2006 level by 2009.

Assist AU to do better job - China critical to finding solution in Darfur: UN Pronk

Nov 1 2006 AFP report AFP report via ST - excerpt:

"Some members of the (United Nations) Security Council have some leverage," Pronk told the BBC.

"If there is any country which could play an important role, it is China ... China never put a lot of pressure (on Sudan). The pressure came in particular from the other members of the Security Council."

Pronk also said that "debt relief (and) the lifting of the trade sanctions, could help easing the situation. It might bring the government of Sudan to a U-turn in its own position."

He advised against strong pressure on the country, however, and instead backed a stronger African Union force in Sudan along with diplomatic help from the United Nations.

"Don't put too much pressure on the Sudanese, because they have a habit of hitting back," Pronk told the broadcaster.

"Too much pressure is not very effective. Assist the African Union to do a better job, more resources in particular, so that you have, by more support to the African Union, a gradual transition.

"The difficulty is, the dilemma, how to respect the sovereignty of a nation and to, secondly, protect the people within a nation.

"That is a hell of a job. There is only one international organsation who can do so and that is the United Nations," he said.

UN's Pronk continues blogging: "Persona non grata. Some facts"

Good news. UN SRSG Jan Pronk continues blogging even though he is no longer on the ground in Sudan itself. Here is a copy of Mr Pronk's latest commentary at Jan Pronk Weblog November 4, 2006:

On October 22 I was told by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Karti, that the Government of National Unity of Sudan had decided to consider my mission as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the Sudan as terminated. They requested me to leave the territory of Sudan within 72 hours. I responded that I would report this to Secretary General Kofi Annan and that I would wait for his instructions. At the same time I informed Minister Karti that I would advise the Secretary General to instruct me to return to New York for consultations. I was indeed requested by the Secretary General to held consultations in New York and also to brief the Security Council. This I did on 27 October. See my address to the Council on this website.

In an official letter, signed by the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lam Akol (SPLM), the government presented a number of reasons for its decision. The letter has been made public. The Government is of the opinion that I have interfered unwarrentedly "in matters that do not fall within (my) mandate" and "acted in a way incompatible with the impartial and international nature of (my) duties or inconsistent with the spirit of (my) assignment". The letter then continues as follows: "Regrettably, Mr. Jan Pronk had developed a history of a pattern of hostility against the Government of the Sudan and its armed forces. He has repeatedly abused the powers of his office (and) violated his terms of engagement".

This is not true. I have never expressed hostility against the Government of Sudan and the armed forces. I have reported about their actions, criticized them when necessary and praised them when appropriate. I have even tried, more than once, to gain some international understanding for the position of the Government and have sought ways and means to foster cooperation between the Government of Sudan and the international community in order to protect innocent citizens.

The Government has illustrated its position by referring to my visit to Tawila, four days earlier. According to the letter I "made statements that the Government of the Sudan did not implement the Darfur Peace Accord (DPA) and is deceiving those who signed the DPA casting doubts about its achievements. He also stated that the Government of the Sudan is biased and is siding with the Arab Janjaweed with the purpose of cleansing the African tribes. ... Mr. Jan Pronk is now enticing, aiding and abetting the armed groups, signatories to the DPA to break away from the peace process".

It is a fact that I have criticized the Government of Sudan for violating the DPA and the cease fire agreement implied by this accord. I have also said, time and again, that the Janjaweed should be disarmed rather than allowed to continue attacking villages, raping women and killing unarmed farmers. I have expressed this criticism repeatedly, in my reports to the Security Council, in my press conferences as well as in numerous discussions with members of the government. I was not the only one. At the same time I have also condemned atrocities and violations carried out by rebel movements. However, I have never enticed them to break away from the peace agreement. On the contrary, I always told them: "stick to it, do not throw away the child along with the bathwater, unite with the other movements, signatories as well as non-signatories. Unite with them not in order to fight, but to negotiate further, in order to improve the text of the agreement. Unite for peace, not war".

In order to persuade the movements I told them that, though they might think having won two battles against the Sudanese Armed Forces, the latter would be able of defeating them, because the Government was mobilizing new forces, coming from Southern Sudan. The Government was also incorporating Janjaweed and militia into the paramilitary Popular Defence Forces. This is what I wrote also in my weblog nr 35, which has been objected to by the Government. It was not meant as a negative comment about the armed forces, but as a criticism of the Government itself and a warning against further violations of both the Darfur Peace Agreement and Resolutions of the Security Council that forbid mobilisation for hostile purposes. A few days before the Government took the decision to consider my assignment terminated, I had stated to government officials seeking clarification about my remarks, that I had not intended to provoke or insult the army. I regretted that such a perception had arisen. I added that, if I had written untruths, I would be willing to correct them. I also offered to clarify my statements in a meeting with the Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces.

This was taken for granted. The Government must have understood that my criticism did not refer to the army itself, but to the political leadership responsible for the instructions to the army.

The Government has stated that I have "actually engaged in activities incompatible with (my) status and had needlessly and recklessly endangered and undermined the nascent Darfur peace process." In the view of the Government "the ultimate effect of (these) recent actions ... abrogates the legal and moral responsibilities of (my) position as a Special Representative, violates the UN Charter and compromises the neutrality and integrity of he United Nations." The opposite is true. I did not endanger or undermine the peace process. On the contrary, I was able to convince those rebel movements who had continued fighting to refrain from launching further attacks on the Government forces. This was a breakthrough. During my visit to Birmaza the rebel commanders committed themselves to a non-aggression posture. Their political leadership confirmed this later on. However, before I was able to bring this message to the authorities in Al Fashr and Khartoum, the military had already bombed the very area where I had met the commanders. It seemed as if the Government was not interested in peace with these rebel movements, but preferred to cherish a justification for further military action. In order to make this point, one week later another bombing attack took place, on the very day that I reported to the Security Council in New York.

It is not up to the Government of Sudan to declare that I may have taken steps beyond my mandate. Only the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Security Council, which has given the mandate for the UN peace mission in Sudan and Darfur, are in a position to provide such a judgement. Both have rejected the decision of the Government to consider my mission terminated. In my most recent address to the Council, which I delivered on 27 October, I stated that in July this year I had already informed the Secretary General that I would not seek an extension of my present tenure after 31 December 2006. The Secretary General has decided that, in spite of the position taken by the Government, I should indeed continue my work till that date. This decision is meant to underscore that it is only up to the Secretary General himself to terminate an assignment. The Charter of the UN, the Convention on the Principles and Immunities of the UN and the Status of the Forces Agreement between the UN and the Government of Sudan do not allow for UN officials to be declared persona non grata. In the meantime Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Bashir of Sudan have agreed that I will return to Sudan for a short period, so that I can make orderly arrangements for handing over the leadership of the UN Mission in Sudan to the Officer in Charge, my present Deputy Taye Zerihoun. I intend to do so as soon as I receive the green light.

My position is not important. In the letter mentioned above the Government has "(reassured) the United Nations and the international community of Sudan's continued cooperation and commitment ... in accordance with the agreements concluded with the United Nations and the recognized principles of international law". That is a promise. The international community should see to it that this promise will be kept. The Mission of the United Nations in Sudan should no longer be hindered by the Sudanese bureaucracy or by National Security in the implementation of its mandate, its humanitarian work and the monitoring of the peace agreements. Even more important is that the international community should make clear to the Government of Sudan that adherence to principles of international law means that the signing of peace agreements and cease fire agreements implies an obligation to refrain from hostile military action.

So, thanks to Mr Pronk's blogging, we now we know that: "The Charter of the UN, the Convention on the Principles and Immunities of the UN and the Status of the Forces Agreement between the UN and the Government of Sudan do not allow for UN officials to be declared persona non grata."

Intermission

Back soon.



The biggest port city in Sudan-PortSudan (photo and caption by Sudanese photographer Vit Hassan).

Final chance for Sudan on Darfur: Blair

Nov 1 2006 AFP report via Gulf Times. Excerpt:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Sudan yesterday that it faces a "crunch point" and will be internationally isolated if it fails to act over Darfur within weeks, his spokesman said.

Blair held talks with Sudanese Vice President General Salva Kiir Mayardit as the country faces strong international pressure to replace the African Union force in its troubled western Darfur region with up to 20,000 UN peacekeepers.

President Omar al-Bashir has rejected the plan, claiming it is a US-led plot to invade the country.

"The important thing is that we give President Bashir one final chance to move to agree a deal or face the consequences of increasing isolation and we’re facing that crunch point," Blair's official spokesman said.

"What's important is that the Sudanese government has no doubt about the seriousness of that message."

Sudan faces "isolation if they don’t respond to the will of the international community", he added, saying that Blair wanted to see "clear progress" ahead of an African Union meeting in late November.

The Sudanese government would have been left "in no doubt" what Blair meant after yesterday's talks, the spokesman said.

Britain's premier also used the meeting to call for dialogue with dissident rebel groups to restart, he added.

One of Sudan's top peace negotiators, Culture and Tourism Minister Mohamed Yusif Abdallah, said elsewhere yesterday that the government was continuing talks with groups which had not signed up to the Abuja peace agreement.

US Bush warns Sudan to end Darfur conflict

Oct 31 2006 AP report via ST - excerpt:

Bush said a "credible and effective" international force is crucial to bringing peace to the region.

"The United States is going to work with the international community to come up with a single plan on how to address this issue and save lives," he said.

UK Blair to urge Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers in Darfur

Oct 31 2006 AP report via ST - excerpt:

Prime Minister Tony Blair will urge Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers for Darfur when he meets Tuesday with a Sudanese vice president, the prime minister's spokesman said.

Blair's official spokesman said the prime minister "believes that all sides should stop fighting, all sides should engage with the U.N. and the Sudanese government in particular should allow the U.N. to take over the operations of the African Union forces."

Chad army chief killed in battle

Note the following news report at Perth Now, from Reuters' correspondents in N'Djamena, mentions 'mercenaries at the service of Sudan.'

Oct 29 2006 Perth Now - Chad army chief killed in battle.

'I hate myself for being involved in this war' (Gethin Chamberlain)

Via POTP - a new feature by Gethin Chamberlain [one of the first correspondents to report on Darfur from the Chad-Sudan border], from Sunday's edition of the UK's Telegraph.

Bullets kicked up the dust in front of the armoured car. Another round flashed overhead, close enough for its high-pitched whine to be heard.

The African Union fuel convoy moving west across Darfur had driven straight into a firefight between the Sudanese army and rebels, in which the army was coming off worst. As mortar rounds exploded ahead, an injured government soldier crawled weakly towards his machine gun truck while another lay dead in front of a battered yellow lorry.

Three years after it attempted to quell a rebellion in its western Darfur region by unleashing a nomadic Arab militia known as the janjaweed – literally "devils on horseback" - Sudan's government has lost control of the war.

The suffering inflicted, in terms of hundreds of thousands dead and more than 2.5 million people displaced, has left Khartoum ostracised by the international community. More worrying for Sudan's President Omar al Bashir is that his army is demoralised and reluctant to fight on.

Sitting with his AK-47 at the guardhouse outside the Fata Burno camp for internally displaced people in north Darfur last week, Cpl Mohammed Adam Dahir said the army no longer had the stomach for the fight. "Even I hate myself, being involved in this war," he said. "Everyone wants it to end.

"I totally condemn what is going on. At the beginning of the war, I saw so many atrocities. I was helping to bury the dead. I don't want to stay in the army. I don't like it here because there is injustice and inequality. There is no protection for the civilians."

Cpl Dahir's words confirm the suspicions of Jan Pronk, the United Nations envoy, who was controversially expelled by Khartoum for claiming that Sudanese army morale was plummeting after defeat in two battles. The UN said [Friday], however, that Mr Pronk would return to the country until his contract expires at the end of the year.

The government had accused Mr Pronk of trying to undermine its authority, but the view given to The Sunday Telegraph from troops on the ground suggests that he was right about low morale. Cpl Dahir, 47, joined up 18 years ago and should be demobilising to rejoin the wife and five children he rarely sees. However, his commanders say that there are not enough soldiers and he must stay on.

Sixteen of them live in the rough brick building next to the camp. The army is supposed to send them food and water, but that stopped long ago.

"I am tired of it all," said his comrade, Cpl Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim. "I am worried about my family. They don't have enough food or money." None of the soldiers had seen the army attack civilians, they said. It was the janjaweed, their ostensible allies, who were to blame.

"What upsets me most is they kill the innocents and take their property," said Cpl Dahir. "The janjaweed are pro-government, but they go where there are people and animals and take the opportunity to fight for their own interests."

As he spoke, the secretary of the camp, Mohammed Yusuf Adam, reported that the janjaweed were in fields nearby, trying to steal livestock from locals. Cpl Dahir did not get up. "I will write a report and file it," he said. "Later I will take soldiers and try to drive them away."

An hour earlier, in the Kassab camp at Kutum, residents told African Union police that the janjaweed had snatched three women who were out collecting firewood that morning. Despite the fact that abducted women are usually raped, the police said they did not have the resources or authority to intervene.

What is happening in Darfur is not strictly genocide, but a scorched-earth policy in which the government has exploited ethnic and tribal rivalries. The result is that vast swathes of the country are depopulated. Crops go to seed next to burnt-out villages, where the population has fled to refugee camps around the main towns. Yet even there, they are not safe.

In August, the UN Security Council voted to send a 22,500-strong peacekeeping force to Darfur to take over when the African Union's mandate runs out on December 31. Few believe that it will meet that deadline, even if Khartoum drops its opposition.

Meanwhile, the African Union has to muddle through with its force of 7,000 soldiers. Hamstrung by obstacles placed in its path by Khartoum, it has neither the manpower nor the resources for the job, and cannot move along the roads without permission from the rebels or the government.

Every time it makes progress, an armed faction appears to complicate the situation further. "People need to be noble, they need to want peace," said Col Richard Lourens, the South African commander of the African Union force in Kutum, north Darfur.

"But there is a sneakiness in this country. It is like the HIV virus. Every time you build up immunity they change form."

It was one of his convoys that came under fire last week as The Sunday Telegraph travelled with it. Getting caught in the crossfire is a common hazard of their mission, as is getting bogged down on the rough, sandy roads.

"Going nowhere slowly," one of the soldiers joked, as the detachment prepared to spend another night by the roadside. It is the name of a popular South African television programme, but it could equally sum up the African Union mission.

"If I had another 1,000 men, then 'Wow'," said Col Lourens. "If the janjaweed broke wind, I would know they broke wind."

The African Union can barely make ends meet. The soldiers have not been paid since August and, at Kutum, they live on a monotonous diet of rice and goat.

Like many of his colleagues, Col Lourens would be happy if the UN dropped plans to send in its own force and instead funded an enhanced African Union force under a tough new mandate.

But while the diplomats wrangle, the warring factions continue to strengthen their hands.

"As long as the government of Sudan has power it will hold on to it," said Col Lourens. "But others also want land and power. They are prepared to see their people suffer and be displaced. Where is the will for peace?"

Sudanese First VP Kiir to London Sunday

Oct 29 2006 Sudan Tribune article:

Sudanese First vice-president will start one-week visit to the United Kingdom where he is expected to hold talks about peace implementation and Darfur crisis.

The First Vice - President and President of Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayadrit, is due to leave Sunday for London on a several-day visit to Britain.

Kiir would meet in London with the Prime Minister Tony Blair, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn.

Kiir is expected to discuss implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the SPLM and the Sudanese government in January 2005. The question of the pledged international aid to southern Sudan construction will be debated with British official.

Sources indicated that Tony Blair is eager to discuss Darfur crisis with the Sudanese First Vice President who has a different stance on UN forces deployment in Darfur.

Salva Kiir will hold a meeting with the Sudanese community in Britain.

The visit is the first of its kind since assuming his post.

UN sending mission to E Chad and the CAR

With the conflict in Darfur spilling into neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic, the UN said on Friday that it was sending a mission to both countries.

UN's undersecretary-general for peacekeeping Guehenno told the security council that the UN secretariat had carried out "an intensive planning process" to review options for a UN presence in eastern Chad and the CAR.

Guehenno said UN planning was based on a scenario that envisaged little or no improvement in the security situation in countries in the short-term, as well as continued obstacles to aid delivery, and no agreement on replacing the African Union force in Darfur with UN peacekeepers.

Full story News 24 (SA) 28 Oct 2006.

Wide praise from UN Security Council members for Pronk's willingness to speak frankly about Darfur

Oct 28 2006 VOA report via CFD - Pronk Accuses Sudan of Fresh Violations:

Pronk rejected Khartoum's contention that he had exceeded his mandate as special U.N. envoy, and said all information on his Web blog was obtained from the Sudanese media.

"It was very well known that soldiers were retreating, not willing to fight. That was public knowledge, that there was low morale, and I said that this resulted in which I deplored very much,in the incorporation of militia and janjaweed in the paramilitary forces, the militia and the janjaweed are not disciplined, they kill. If you steal camels, they kill, in retaliation, babies," he said.

After speaking to Pronk, Secretary-General Annan said he retains full confidence in the envoy. Mr. Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Pronk would keep his job until his contract runs out in December, despite his expulsion, and would make a brief symbolic return to Sudan next month.

"Mr. Pronk will return to Khartoum to organize an orderly handover to the officer in charge of the mission before returning to New York for debriefings, but will remain the special representative until the end of the year," he said.

Sudan's U.N. Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem says Khartoum considers Pronk "history", and accused him of abusive behavior. Speaking to reporters Friday, he did not rule out that Pronk might be allowed to visit Khartoum, but said he would not be recognized as a diplomat.

"We terminated his mandate, his responsibilities as the special envoy of the secretary general. It is our right to do so if somebody is threatening our national interest, and in any other capacity that is a totally different issue, but for us, his functions as special envoy of the secretary-general have ceased to exist," he said.

After Friday's Security Council briefing, the Council president for October, Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima defended Pronk and said there had been wide praise from members for his willingness to speak frankly about the dire conditions in Darfur.

"In a situation such as in Darfur, where hundreds of thousands of people have perished. And millions are suffering in dire humanitarian situations, that frankness, that outspokenness can come only from a man who has deep conviction and commitment," he said.

UN's Pronk says Sudan regime criticism led to his expulsion

Oct 27 2006 Gulfnews - agencies' report - excerpt:

[UN SRSG] Pronk said he was revealing the facts of the situation in his role as special envoy and did not intend to provoke or insult the military.

"I have been completely free ... to make the facts and analysis behind them known to everybody," he said. "It's not the issue of where you say something, it's the issue of what you are saying." He said he believes his "incessant criticism" of the fact that "the government continues to seek a military solution despite the fact a cease-fire agreement has been signed" was the reason he was ordered to leave.

Sudan has agreed UN will provide AMIS with logistical and material support, as well as military and police advisers

Oct 27 2006 AP report via IHT via POTP. Excerpt:

Jean-Marie Guehenno, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, told the Security Council on Friday the UN will provide the beleaguered African force with logistical and material support, as well as military and police advisers.

He said Sudan's president had agreed to the assistance package, and several military and police advisers had been deployed to Darfur last week, while others were ready for deployment.

In his address to the Security Council on Friday, [UN SRSG] Pronk again blamed the government for the continued violence, saying it is violating UN resolutions that bar air operations in Darfur and mobilizing more troops in the region.

"The government continues to violate the DPA (Darfur Peace Agreement) and other cease-fire agreements," Pronk said in remarks to the closed meeting that were made public.

He added, however, that he believed the war could be brought to an end.

"The road ahead is long and arduous," he said. "But I am convinced that peace is possible and that peacekeeping, under the guidance of the Security Council, remains the only credible solution."

India's air force contingent leaves to Sudan on UN peace mission

Oct 27 2006 Sudan Tribune article excerpt:

Addressing the Sudan bound Air Warriors, Air Vice Marshal Kumaria said, "You are the ambassadors of peace and the Nation has high expectations from you in terms of discipline, integrity and professional standards. Your predecessors have set high standards and you should be setting higher standards". Air Vice Marshal Kumaria also congratulated every member of the contingent for being selected for the mission.

As Drima would say, good luck peoples!

Blogging diplomats - Blogs, the new diplomacy?

Oct 26 2006 BBC report "Blogs - the new diplomacy?"

Note, the website for the Sudanese Embassy in The Netherlands seems to have disappeared. In the sidebar here at Sudan Watch, the link to an oil concessions map at the site has broken.

Intermission

Back soon.

-Water-



Women from a Ingasana tribe carrying water...

Taken near Chesan river, Eastern Sudan, close to Ethiopia.

(Photo and caption by Sudanese photographer Vit Hassan uploaded 26 Oct 2006)

UN's Pronk urged countries to push for a prolonged and beefed-up AU force

Oct 26 2006 CNN news report - Sudanese ambassador: U.N. envoy 'abused his authority' - excerpt:

"The plight of the people in Darfur is the making of the Sudanese," Pronk told CNN Correspondent Jeff Koinange in an interview Wednesday. "The people have been forgotten, neglected, marginalized. The government is responsible for using the army and Arab militia, which kill and kill and do not abide by any rule, let alone human rights rules."

In an October 14 blog entry, Pronk wrote: "First, the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] has lost two major battles -- last month in Umm Sidir and this week in Karakaya. The losses seem to have been very high. 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 [fired]; soldiers have refused to fight," the Dutch diplomat said.

On Thursday, Mohamad said Pronk was not truthful about the army, saying that Pronk relied on unverified third party accounts.

Note, the report reminds us Mr Pronk urged countries to push for a prolonged and beefed-up African Union force. What are Sudan's tribal leaders doing? What are their views? It'd be interesting to learn what they think.
- - -

Oct 27 2006 IRIN report - Sudan: Ambassador adamant Pronk stays out - Abdalhaleem disregarded Pronk's statements, describing them as "not faithful" to the Sudanese army. Pronk's comments, he said, reflected "things which he heard from some people about imaginary battles that had taken place". [If true, it would mean I've blogged imaginary battles. Don't think so]

Africa: $5 million prize for the Best Head of State

Via Global Voices Online:

Sanaga Peregrinations writes (Fr): "A $5 million prize for the best African head of state. The prize was created by Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim ... The winning head of state will have to leave power democratically, will have to have managed his country properly when it comes to security, health, education and economic development ... Some [including Transparency International] criticize the measure for resting responsibility for the bad governance of a country on the shoulders of a single man."

Imagine a $5m prize for a European Head of State. Doesn't seem right. There are other ways to laud and thank people for doing a great job. I prefer politicians and government officials to keep away from anything that whiffs of a bribe.

Eric Reeves is nuts

Note how Eric Reeves leads his readers into believing his rants have been published in The Guardian. Commentary of his, referred to in his latest vent) (hat tip CFD) appears online at the Guardian's "Comments is free" section, not, as he implies, the newspaper itself.

Reeves, through massively selective editing and cutting, twists words on so many reports, it's hard to know where to begin pulling his stuff to pieces. I did make a start but deleted it. Can't be bothered to give him any more air space because he's so nasty and has no compunction spreading dangerous damaging fabrications and lies about people and not revealing his sources. And he has the cheek to lead his readers into believing Jan Pronk is a rogue and liar! Reeves doesn't even imply such things about Nur's rebels!! Read the whole thing, if you can stomach it.

I say Eric Reeves is nuts. Send him to Khartoum in Jan Pronk's place and see if he has the guts to last more than five seconds!
- - -

Under its "Opinions" heading, the Sudan Tribune has published Reeves' commentary entitled Pronk's expulsion: Darfur, S. Sudan without UN critical presence: Khartoum Expels Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk: Another in a series of consequential blunders by the willful Pronk leaves Darfur and Southern Sudan without a critical UN diplomatic presence.
- - -

See Oct 26 2006 Head-to-head: Darfur situation (BBC): What do you think? Do you agree with Eric Reeves or Gamal Nkrumah? What should the international community do? Send your views to BBC using the link below.

China says it believes no govt "should interfere with other country's human rights and internal affairs"

Oct 26 2006 (BEIJING) news report via ST - excerpt:

In an interview this week with a French newspaper, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said Chinese banks ignore human rights and environmental standards when lending in Africa.

"We do not accept such criticism," Zhai Jun, an assistant foreign minister, said at a news conference.

China believes no government "should interfere with other country's human rights and internal affairs," Zhai said.

Note the report tells us Sudanese President Bashir will attend China-Africa Cooperation forum to be held in Beijing Nov 1-7. Apparently, all of the 49 African nations that have diplomatic relations with Beijing say they will attend, including more than 40 heads of state.

Sudan opens border with Eritrea

Via report at Sudan Tribune Oct 26, 2006 (KASSALA) - excerpt:

The Kassala State government has issued a decree to open the border with "the fraternal state of Eritrea" after the Eid-al-Fitr holiday (Friday), the Sudanese radio reported.

The Kasha governor, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, says under this presidential decree, the eastern states will enjoy security, and all the political entities would exercise their rights freely as stated in the constitution.

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 10-year armed conflict.

UN peacekeepers must be agreed by Sudan - China

Xinhua report via ST - excerpt:

Oct 26, 2006 (BEIJING) - China supports UN troops replacing the African Union (AU) peacekeepers in Darfur region of Sudan and holds that the peacekeeping operation must be agreed by the Sudanese government, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said here Thursday.

China is concerned over the turbulence in some parts of Sudan and the latest conditions of Sudanese people, spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular press conference.

China has always played a positive role in UN discussions on Sudan issues and China supports the UN to play a bigger role in the Darfur issue, Liu said.

The Sudanese government has some concerns about the UN peacekeeping troops replacing AU peacekeepers, which the international community needs to solve properly, the spokesman said.

"We have been trying to persuade the government of Sudan to take a flexible attitude on relevant issues," Liu said.

UN says Pronk's status remains unchanged - Sudan says Pronk is "history"

Oct 27 2006 Reuters report by Evelyn Leopold - Sudan says expelled UN envoy is "history" - excerpt:

Sudan's U.N. ambassador on Thursday said the expelled top U.N. envoy in his country, Jan Pronk, was "history" and that the United Nations should send a new representative.

"For us Mr. Pronk is history," Sudan's ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad told reporters. "He was not supportive, he was abusive and he became part of the problem not the solution."

Sudan's army last week called Pronk, Annan's special representative in Sudan, a threat to the country's national security.

"The Sudanese military is the custodian of the stability and the security of the country. Like any other country, what do you expect the military to do?" Mohamad said.

Although few expect Pronk to return to Khartoum, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the envoy "continues to serve with the full backing of the secretary-general and with his full confidence."

"We need to take things one step at a time," Dujarric said. "As far as we're concerned, his status remains unchanged."

Mohamad said Pronk far exceeded his brief. "Is it the mandate of Kofi Annan? Is it the mandate of Mr. Pronk to describe the morale of the army and the operations of the army and the killings of the army?"

Touchy little flowers eh? Flaming bullies more like. Trying to shut people up. They won't succeed so may as well embrace communications technology and start doing some explaining.

Tricycle Theatre, London - Darfur dramas reveal a fate worse than genocide

Michael Billington
Friday October 27, 2006
The Guardian:

Which theatre, other than the Tricycle, would commission a series of short plays about Darfur? And where else in London would you find such an intelligent post-show discussion about the extent of the crisis and the international response to it? It is a potent reminder that theatre, among its myriad other functions, has a mission to inform.

Ends tomorrow. Box office: 020-7328 1000.

Genocide Intervention Network calls for strong support for AU in Darfur

Genocide Intervention Network (GIF) argues for strong support for interim African Union peacekeepers and expanded UN Force. - ST 26 Oct 2006 - excerpt:

In July, Dr. Frazer [UN Assistant Sec for African Affairs] told a Darfur donors conference in Brussels that the United States "has been proactive in providing assistance" to the African Union and claimed, "a successful resolution to the situation in Darfur is one of the highest foreign policy priorities for President Bush." Yet she failed to follow this rhetoric with any pledge of new funds for the African Union - misleadingly claiming funds already appropriated by Congress were a new contribution.

"Unlike her earlier statements, we hope in this case Dr. Frazer's rhetoric will be followed by action and concrete support for the peacekeepers," says GI-Net Executive Director Mark Hanis. "At least $240 million from the United States alone will be required to support this vital firebreak against genocide," Hanis adds. "This is nearly four times current US funding for the African Union peacekeepers."

Even once the government of Sudan allows the UN peacekeeping force to expand from Southern Sudan into Darfur, a UN force will still take six to nine months to be mobilized.

"The African Union peacekeepers must be strongly supported through the interim - yet the current budget only supports six weeks of AU operations," Hanis says.

The European Union is also an integral part of the funding for AU peacekeepers, having donated $307 million this year, and the Arab League has pledged to help fund the peacekeeping effort as well.

Note, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has some 10,250 uniformed personnel currently serving in southern Sudan. In August 2006, the UN Security Council extended UNMIS mandate to include a further 17,050 peacekeepers - making a total of 27,300. The mandate for the AU Mission in Darfur (AMIS) expires 31 Dec 2006, which is why donor funding does not extend beyond the next six weeks. By the end of this year, donors - including Arab League countries - will be asked to support AMIS with a new strengthened mandate that Sudan said it would welcome.

UNMIS mandate increased to 27,300 uniformed personnel

The last few lines of UN News Centre report - Sudan: Annan confers with UN envoy Pronk after Government demands his withdrawal 26 Oct 2006 - tell us UNMIS has some 10,250 uniformed personnel in Sudan out of a total of up to 27,300 mandated when the Council expanded its mission in August.

Annan renews support for Jan Pronk who remains envoy for Sudan even though he was expelled

Oct 26 2006 dpa German Press Agency (via Raw Story) Annan renews support for envoy expelled by Sudan - excerpt:

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday reaffirmed his confidence in Jan Pronk.

Pronk, a Dutch diplomat, left Khartoum and arrived at UN headquarters in New York late Wednesday for consultations with Annan.

"The secretary-general has full confidence in Mr. Pronk," said spokesman Stephane Dujarric after Annan met with his envoy. Dujarric said Pronk remains the envoy for Sudan even though he was expelled.

UNESCO produced TV documentary on Darfur gets best investigative journalism award

"The Children of Darfur", directed by Denmark's Camilla Nielsson and produced by UNESCO, receives the International TV3 Actual Award today in Barcelona, Spain, a 10,000-euro first prize for outstanding examples of investigative journalism. - 26-10-2006 unesco (Paris)

AU's Konare regrets Sudan's decision to expel Pronk

Oct 25 2006 The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa) via allAfrica:

The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union Alpha Oumar Konare has expressed regret over the decision of the Government of the Sudan to expel the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the Sudan Jan Pronk.

According to an AU press release sent to ENA yesterday, Konare commended Pronk for his commitment to human security and human rights, as well as for his tireless efforts made to promote of reconciliation and lasting peace in the Sudan.

Konare urged all the Sudanese parties to refrain from any action that could jeopardize the peace process and, in particular, to put an immediate end to any military action which can only aggravate the security situation in Darfur.

Konare also appealed to the Sudanese parties to recommit themselves to the path of political dialogue as it is the only course to bring about lasting peace to Darfur and the Sudan at large.

So, what now? Waiting to see what UN SG Annan will say after his meeting today with Mr Pronk. Can't imagine what he'll say. There's only a few months left before Mr Annan's tenure expires, along with that of Jan Pronk's.

ANALYSIS-UN envoy expulsion exposes Sudan's fragile coalition (Opheera McDoom)

Oct 26 2006 Reuters AlertNet - Opheera McDoom ANALYSIS-UN envoy expulsion exposes Sudan's fragile coalition. Excerpt:

The leader of the only one of three negotiating rebel factions to sign the Darfur peace deal, Minni Arcua Minnawi, is now the fourth-ranking official in Sudan.

But his former rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) said it was not consulted about the move to expel Pronk, which has serious implications for U.N.-Sudanese relations.

"Any decision against (Pronk)... should have be done after a wider consultation within the government of national unity," said Mohamed Bashir, head of Minnawi's office.

A source close to Pronk said he was reassured by a foreign ministry official that the affair would blow over, only to be summoned by that same junior minister, Ali Karti, two days later to be given 72 hours to leave the country.

Karti, a member of Bashir's party, remains technically subordinate to Foreign Minister Lam Akol of the SPLM.

Outside government ranks, Darfur rebel leader Khalil Ibrahim said the expulsion proved the government was as dominated by the military as it was when it took over in a 1989 bloodless coup.

"This decision is one made by the army not by the government," Ibrahim told Reuters.

Bunch of gunslingers and murderers. They're all as bad as each other, except for Pronk of course.

Head-to-head: Darfur situation (BBC)

What do you think? Do you agree with Eric Reeves or Gamal Nkrumah? What should the international community do? Send your views to BBC using the link below.

See BBC's Head-to-head: Darfur situation - Gamal Nkrumah, the foreign editor of leading Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram, and Eric Reeves, professor at Smith College (Massachusetts) and a Sudan researcher and analyst, debate what action the international community should take over the worsening situation in Darfur. Excerpt:

Eric Reeves (MA, USA) says:

In the face of rapidly accelerating genocidal destruction in Darfur, and given the ongoing collapse of humanitarian operations in vast areas of this devastated region, the international community should issue an ultimatum to the National Islamic Front (National Congress Party) regime in Khartoum: Immediately accept the robust force stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 1706 (31 August, 2006) or face non-consensual deployment of the forces required to protect civilians and humanitarians.

Gamal Nkrumah (Cairo, Egypt) says:

The phrase "international community" is often used as a euphemism for the United States and other Western powers' political agendas. Non-consensual deployment of foreign, non-African troops, is a non-starter.

It is an act of aggression that infringes on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan.

About 7,000 African Union troops are deployed in Darfur

As stipulated by Resolution 1706, the deployment of foreign peacekeeping troops must have prior and explicit approval of the Sudanese authorities. Previous US-led military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq have aggravated the situation in the respective countries. The worse scenario is for Darfur to denigrate further into an Iraqi or Afghan quagmire.

The only way forward is to strengthen the African Union peacekeeping contingency in Darfur in both financial and logistical terms.

I agree with Gamal Nkrumah.

Expelled envoy not welcome back, says Sudan

Oct 26 2006 IOL (Mohamed Hasni) Khartoum - excerpt:

Sudan will not have any further dealings with expelled UN envoy Jan Pronk, regardless of what the United Nations may decide about his future, a senior official said Thursday.

"The decision to expel Jan Pronk is irrevocable because of positions he has taken that are incompatible with his mission in Sudan," foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadek told journalists.

"It is a decision of state and of the government that is not concerned with what the United Nations decides."

Not concerned with what the 191-member state UN decides? What is wrong with these people? They sound like Saddam Hussein and his comical Minister for Information, living in cloud cuckoo land.

Despite Genocide, Life is Good in Sudan

Fola of EthnicLoft blog picks up on the good life in Sudan and its standoffishness toward the world, especially the Western world.

US asks Arab govts to reassure Khartoum on mandate of UN force for Darfur

AP report via ST 26 Oct 2006 - US's Rice confers with UN's Annan as Darfur deteriorates - excerpt:

The Sudanese leader and other top officials have said they are concerned that the U.N. force could be used to track down and arrest leaders of the Sudanese government, McCormack [Rice's spokesman] said.

"We have said that this is not the mandate of this U.N., force," he said, and the United States has asked Arab governments to reassure them on that score.

"We ask them to do that in every way that they possibly can," McCormack said.

Switzerland's Jean Ziegler calls for UN intervention in Darfur

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Switzerland's Jean Ziegler, has demanded the organisation intervene in western Sudan's Darfur. - swissinfo 25 Oct 2006.

ICG's Prendergast shows frustration with slow UN action

Oct 25 2006 AFP report "US Shows Frustration with Slow UN Action" (via CFD). Excerpt:

John Prendergast, an expert at the non-governmental International Crisis Group, recently suggested that France and the United States impose a no-fly zone over Darfur and that the UN prepare "non consensual deployment" in case Khartoum persists in its refusal to accept UN peacekeepers.

Prendergast's suggestions irritated the anonymous senior US official.

"Now, I don't know who you are going to find around the world to shoot the way into Sudan. I don't know, maybe the International Crisis group or John Prendergast has an idea," the official said.

"That is the great thing about being in a think tank: You can suggest these ideas and criticize without actually having to implement the solution," he said.

Ha! Couldn't have said it better myself. Pity the US official was not named. Nicely line that - I'ved modified it for future use:

"That is the great thing about being [a non-Sudanese/non-African/non-Arab/activist/pundit/analyst/armchair critic/blogger/not on ground in Sudan] in a think tank: You can suggest these ideas and criticize without actually having to implement the solution."

Note, Mr Prendergast is featured in the video report "Searching For Jacob." See the clip online at CBS News.

US's Nastios says US would not dispatch troops to Sudan - No plan to deploy NATO forces in Darfur

Source: United Nations Country Team in Sudan
United Nations Sudan Bulletin 25 Oct 2006
Excerpt:

On 25 October, US envoy to Sudan Andrew Natsios said the US would not dispatch troops to Sudan, and there was no plan to deploy NATO forces in Darfur. Natsios said the US goal in Darfur was to improve the humanitarian situation by putting an end to the conflict there and enabling repatriation of refugees.

Sudan ready for next UN chief

Oct 25 2006 (SA) - Sudan ready for next UN chief:

Foreign minister Lam Akol was quoted as saying: "Sudan is ready to co-operate with the next UN secretary-general on the issue of Darfur within the limits of the organisation's mandate."

What arrogance. They act as if they were doing the world a favour!

FUC splinters - Analysts unsure of Chadian rebels intentions

dpa German Press Agency [via The Raw Story] Oct 25, 2006, Nairobi:

"This resurgence is not liable to prove as strong as it was in the April coup attempt," Richard Cornwell of the South-African based Institute for Strategic Studies told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The rebel groups involved in the recent attacks have split from the United Front for Change (FUC), which attempted to bring down the government in April.

"The alliance hasn't translated into a cohesive, united rebel group," said David Mozersky, a regional analyst with the International Crisis Group.

The attempted coup on the government of President Idriss Deby in April came ahead of elections the following month that returned Deby to power after 15 years as leader.

The rebels stormed into Ndjamena with about 150 trucks mounted with machine guns, but the coup failed after the Chadian army successfully suppressed the rebellion.

The rebels' goal was to force some sort of political reform in the impoverished central African country, said Cromwell.

"They wanted to persuade the government that the time had come to negotiate and have genuinely open discussions about the country's political future."

After Deby's re-election, he organized talks with his political opponents but excluded the rebel groups.

"Deby only extended the talks to include domestic political opposition parties. There is still no channel for resolving this conflict other than fighting," Mozersky said.

The rebels may be entering these small villages near Darfur only to reassert themselves and remind Ndjamena of their presence.

"It's quite likely that what we are seeing is a way for the rebels to keep themselves on the scene. They may feel constrained to resume some sort of activity," Cornwell said.

The end of the rainy season in eastern Chad also means the rebels have regained mobility, he noted.

On Wednesday, the Chadian government accused Sudan of arming the militias, a charge it has made in the past but one that Khartoum denies.

Sudan, on the other hand, accuses Deby's government of arming the rebels in the embattled Darfur region, and in turn fuelling a conflict that has killed tens of thousands.

And while both conflicts have their own domestic origins - Darfuri rebels claiming their home region remains underdeveloped and Chadian militants opposing Deby's dictatorship - analysts say the region's violence is completely interrelated.

"The Chadian rebels are a proxy of Khartoum just as Darfuri rebels are at a certain level a proxy of N'djamena," Mozersky said.

Deby, himself a former rebel leader, deposed his predecessor Hissene Habre in 1990. Like the FUC rebels who vow to overthrow him, the president based his own rebel movement in Darfur and enjoyed backing from Khartoum.

But no matter what the rebels' next move, Deby appears to be gearing up for a fresh attack. Following the coup attempt in April, to the World Bank's dismay, Deby's government spent millions of dollars of its oil revenue on helicopters it said was necessary to combat the insurgency.