A Sudanese rebel leader manipulates the ICC - URF's Abu Garda could be hiding a political ambition to "outdo his opponents"

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service on Wednesday, Bahar Idris Abu Garda claimed that he has no connection with the Haskanita attack in which 12 African Union’s soldiers were killed in 2007. Bahar Abu Garda spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Tripoli, Libya, two days after the hearing at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. See full report here below.

A Sudanese rebel leader manipulates the ICC

The leader of the Sudanese rebel group, United Resistance Front (URF), Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, appeared for the first time on Monday before the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is suspected of war crimes; an attack against peacekeeping soldiers in Darfur two years ago (2007). According to Roland Marchal, a researcher at the Center for International Studies and Research (CERI), Bahar Idriss Abu Garda’s voluntary court appearance could very well be hiding a political ambition to "outdo his opponents."

From Afrik.com Wednesday 20 May 2009, by Stéphanie Plasse:

The leader of the United Resistance Front (URF) Monday appeared, of his own accord, before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The first case of this kind ever recorded by the international court. Bahar Idriss Abu Garda is suspected of looting and leading - with two other rebel leaders - an attack against African Union peacekeeping forces in Haskanita, located in northern Darfur, on September 29, 2007. But the rebel leader of the URF, a breakaway faction of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), denies any involvement.

A political play

According to Roland Marchal, a political specialist on Africa and researcher at the Center for International Studies and Research (CERI), the rebel leader’s attitude betrays a political ambition. "Bahar Idriss Abu Garda came for two reasons. First, because he has evidence and trusts he will be exonerated for the attack. Secondly, because he wants to outdo his political opponents, including Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), by accusing him. This is to get rid of somebody politically," he says. The URF leader honoured his court summons when he arrived Sunday in the Netherlands. On November 20 2008, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the ICC had issued arrest warrants — or court summons if they agreed to surrender — against three rebel leaders for their role in the Haskanita attacks which killed 12 people.

At his hearing Monday, the URF leader urged Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir, to come and “face justice." But the researcher thinks he is trying to look good while “collaborating” with the International Criminal Court in a backdrop of total “indifference” from the head of state of his country, with respect to the arrest warrant issued against him in the month of March, 2009. According to his analysis, the ICC is, in this case scenario, a political tool. "It is not the fault of the Court if it is manipulated”. The “orchestration is almost inevitable” when justice is taken to a “politically unstable country”, said Roland Marchal. Since 2003, Darfur has been gripped by a civil war that has left 300 000 people dead and displaced about 2.7 million.

A first for the ICC

This voluntary appearance in court marks the first of its sort in the history of the ICC, at least under two circumstances. It is the first time that a Sudanese rebel leader appears before the Court. And it is also the first time that the ICC issues court summons and arrest warrants against persons who have killed peacekeeping soldiers. "Outside the political context, it is interesting to note that the Court protects and defends the peacekeepers who are there to ensure peace," says the researcher.

The President of the URF, Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, will have to wait for the judges’ decision, which will be made after the confirmation hearing on October 12, 2009. The drama continues…

- - -

From Sudan Radio Service Wednesday, 20 May 2009 (Nairobi/Tripoli):

The leader of the Darfur anti-government group, the United Front for Resistance, who appeared before the ICC for alleged war crimes on Monday, says that he went to The Hague voluntarily because he is innocent.

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service on Wednesday, Bahar Idris Abu Garda claimed that he has no connection with the Haskanita attack in which 12 African Union’s soldiers were killed in 2007.

Sudan Radio Service producer Hussein Halfawi spoke to Abu Garda.

Hussein Halfawi: Mr. Abu Garda, would you tell us about your experience in The Hague and why you went there?

[Abu Garda]: “As we know after the Haskanita incident, there were media rumors from some parties, especially from the group of the JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim, accusing some people, including myself, saying that our movement is involved in what had happened in Haskanita. We have refuted that and condemned the incident. Later, I discovered that my name was among the suspects. Because we really believe in the principle of justice, we should face justice, we can not call for others to be tried because they have committed crimes, but when we are among the suspects we get scared or lose the strength to face justice. So according to our belief in the principle of justice, I went to The Hague and am ready to face justice and defend myself. I know that I’m absolutely not involved in the Haskanita incident, so I went to The Hague for this issue and I appeared before the court and I have come back now.”

Hussein Halfawi: Mr. Abu Garda, the JEM senior official, al-Tahir al-Fakie, told the BBC that they advised and convinced you to go to The Hague voluntarily, is that true?

[Abu Garda ]: “Al-Tahir al-Fakie is a liar, he announced before that we gave information to the ICC and said Bahar Abu Garda is among the people who had committed the Haskinita crime. He is a liar. I have no connection at all with JEM. Unfortunately, they always try to benefit from any opportunity they get to pursue their interest. It was a silly and cheap attempt from JEM to benefit from this incident. I want to assure you through Sudan Radio Service that I have no connection or relation with Khalil Ibrahim’s group.”

Hussein Halfawi: Mr. Abu Garda, GONU has described your move as a conspiracy between the ICC and the anti-government groups against the president, what is your response to this?

[Abu Garda ]: “You know Halfawi, our main problem in Sudan is that the Government of Sudan and many others believe only in the idea of conspiracy, and that it is what has led to the eruption of conflict and prolonged conflicts in Sudan. They just hang their problems on the excuses of “conspiracy, foreign interference and the forces that are against Sudan”. These are the slogans they always use, which conspiracy? Is it possible that I have told the ICC to accuse me, I conspire against myself? The fact is I have been accused, and I have to defend myself.”

Hussein Halfawi: Most people view the ICC as a court which inspires fear, how is it that you so easily presented yourself before the court and in the same way you came out? What’s the message behind that?

[Abu Garda ]: “My message is, to any one who has been accused, that accusation does not mean being guilty of a crime. I know myself very well that I have not committed any crime, so I have to defend myself. So, my message to them all is to do the same thing, if they are really confident that the have not committed crimes or even if they did, they should face this fact and face justice.”

Bahar Abu Garda spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Tripoli, Libya, two days after the hearing at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

- - -

For the record, here is a copy (cached by Google) of a press release from ICC's website.

Press Release: 17.05.2009

Abu Garda arrived at the premises of the Court
ICC-CPI-20090517-PR413 عربي
Situation: Darfur, Sudan
Case: The Prosecutor v. Bahr Idriss Abu Garda

Abu Garda, suspected of having committed war crimes in Darfur Sudan, has voluntarily arrived in The Netherlands this afternoon in a commercial aircraft. After his arrival Abu Garda was notified by Court officials of the order to appear before the Pre-Trial Chamber I tomorrow at 3 p.m. Following a meeting with his legal counsel he was conducted to a location assigned by the Court for his stay in The Hague at 6.00 p.m.

The location that remains confidential is considered an extension of the Court’s premises. During his stay in the Netherlands Abu Garda has been ordered not to leave the premises of the Court without specific authorisation by the Chamber.

The Registrar of the Court, Mrs Silvana Arbia, welcomed his arrival: “The voluntary appearance of Abu Garda might serve to encourage other suspects currently at large to come before the Court to be heard with all guarantees of a fair trial”.

For the first time, the ICC Judges issued a summons to appear instead of an arrest warrant. The Judges of Pre Trial Chamber I were satisfied that Abu Garda will appear before the Court without the need to arrest him.

This complex operation would not have been possible without the cooperation of several States. “I am very grateful to the authorities of The Netherlands and other countries which have made possible this operation. Within the spirit of the Rome Statute, they have been continuously supportive to the work of the Court,” Mrs Arbia said.

Abu Garda, member of the Zaghawa tribe of Sudan, is charged with three war crimes allegedly committed during an attack carried out on 29 September 2007 against the African Union Mission in Sudan, a peace-keeping mission stationed at the Military Group Site Haskanita, Umm Kadada locality, North Darfur. During this attack twelve AMIS soldiers were allegedly killed and eight others were severely wounded.

“Today our thoughts are with peacekeepers and other workers of humanitarian organisations who provide essential security and help to support millions of people in countries facing armed conflicts,” said the Registrar.

At the suspect’s initial appearance, Judge Cuno Tarfusser (Italy), acting as single judge will inform him of the crimes which he is alleged to have committed and of his rights. After the hearing, Abu Garda is free to leave the country. He will be required to return to The Netherlands to attend a confirmation of charges hearing before trial which will be held within a reasonable time to determine whether or not there are substantial grounds to believe that he committed the crimes charged.

For further information please contact Ms Sonia Robla, Head of Public Information and Documentation Section at +31 (0)70 515 8089 or +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at sonia.robla@icc-cpi.int

- - -


Update: See Sudan Watch:

Monday, May 18, 2009 - Haskanita: Sudanese rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda appears at ICC

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - ICC charges URF Commander Bahar Idriss Abu Garda with murder, directing attacks and pillaging


Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - Sudanese and Chadian civilians getting away with murder and war crimes against peacekeepers

Southern Sudanese urged to go to work and to stop lounging around in the shade

From Sudan Radio Service Thursday, 21 May 2009 (Jonglei):

The director of a construction company is urging southern Sudanese to forget their differences and unite.

Leonard Dist spoke to Sudan Radio Service in Bor last week.

[Leonard Dist]: “If you do not know where you came from this morning, you do not know where you are going today. That means a lot. You understand there are so many ways to reason real. That’s why they have to realize where they came from. I always hear that your forefathers went through a lot to get to where you all are today and yet you want to have a challenge with your brother because he is not of the same culture or the same tribe? No!”

Dist urged people to go to work and to stop lounging around in the shade.

[Leonard Dist]: “The normal people, all they do is sit under trees and talk all day. What the **** they talk about I do not know. If you talk about doing something get up and go do it. They had all talked about it. You go do it. You get it done. They sit all day and talk about nothing.”

Leonard Dist was speaking angrily to Sudan Radio Service in Bor.

Japan is to build 17 bridges in Juba, S. Sudan

Japan has pledged to undertake a major engineering project in Juba.

From Sudan Radio Service Wednesday, 20 May 2009 (Khartoum):

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Tuesday, the Sudanese ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Stephen Wundu said the Japanese government has renewed its commitment to supporting development in Sudan.

[Stephen Wundu]: “Japan is to build seventeen bridges in Juba. The money has been approved and the contract has been signed and given out for building seventeen bridges in Juba.”

Ambassador Wundu said that Japan has shown itself to be deeply committed to supporting different aspects of Sudanese society.

[Stephen Wundu]: “The Japanese are not well-known for making false promises, they have made a commitment to support the DDR, they made a commitment to support the census and they made a commitment to support the democratization process and the elections. They have made a promise to support the referendum process. This information has been communicated to the Government of Sudan through the embassy and it has been passed on to the Government of southern Sudan.”

Ambassador Wundu also said the government and the people of Japan are also interested in other peace processes in the Sudan, such as the Doha initiative which is seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict in Darfur.

Sudan accuses France of being behind the recent Chadian attacks inside Sudan’s territory

The Minister of Information in GONU, Dr. Rabie Abdulaati told Sudan Radio Service that ”The Chadian government is being supported by certain countries, especially France. Chad is doing these things through France. There are foreign forces who are behind these accusations for the sake of realizing their agendas. I swear that the Chadian regime is just machinery used by the French government to do what ever it wants.”

From Sudan Radio Service Thursday, 21 May 2009 (N’Djamena):

The Chadian government says that their threat to conduct military operations inside Sudan’s territory come after confirmed reports that the Chadian anti-government groups backed by Sudan are preparing for another attack.

The Chadian Minister of Information, Mohamed Hussein, spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Thursday from N’Djamena.

[Mohamed Hussein]: ”The people who attacked Chad on 4th May, who are they and where did they came from? They are coming from Sudan, we are not just talking nonsense, they are present (the rebels) in Sudan and it is confirmed. Our first attack inside Sudan territory was successful. When our army returned, we informed the international community that our army came back to Chadian territory. On Sunday, our intelligence service intercepted a phone call between the rebels and the Sudanese army. They were saying that they got commands from the Sudanese authorities to regroup in eastern al-Geneina. According to this information, the Chadian Defense Minister threatened that if Sudan continues sending the rebels to attack Chad, we will not wait until they reach Chad, we will cross the border and scatter them inside Sudan, as Sudan is the one who has started first, not us.”

However the Government of National Unity has dismissed the allegations by Chadian officials, threatening to “crush” the Chadian army if they cross their border.

The advisor to the Minister of Information in GONU, Dr. Rabie Abdulaati, spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum.

[Rabie Abdulaati]: ”First of all, these are lies and baseless accusations, and have nothing to do with the reality. Sudan has never targeted Chad either through the opposition or by trespassing on Chadian territory. Sudan is capable of crushing the Chadian army and eliminating it. Otherwise Sudan wouldn’t have signed the Doha, Dakar and Libya declarations. Sudan see that there is no any comparison between it’s army and Chadian army, Chad is a very small country, so what the Chadian Minster of Information has said is baseless, Sudan does not need to conspire through phone calls, Chad knows it’s capacity and can't face Sudan in any case.”

Abdulaati went on to accuse France of being behind the recent Chadian attacks inside Sudan’s territory.

[Rabie Abdulaati]: ”The Chadian government is being supported by certain countries, especially France. Chad is doing these things through France. There are foreign forces who are behind these accusations for the sake of realizing their agendas. I swear that the Chadian regime is just machinery used by the French government to do what ever it wants.”

Since 2005, Chad and Sudan have often accused each other of supporting anti-government groups in their respective countries.

Gambian ICC Prosecutor tells African Commission "nobody cares for the Darfurians, they have no oil"

One wonders if there is something in the water at the ICC. If the following article quoting Deputy ICC Prosecutor Fatoumatta Bensouda is accurate, I don't know what to make of the part that I have marked in red. Google search on the words "oil in Darfur" and you will see that the top page shows Oil found in South Darfur [Sudan Watch, April 03, 2005]. The archives of Sudan Watch hold many reports of oil in Darfur and along the Chad-Sudan border. What on earth is the Deputy Prosecutor talking about when she says "Nobody cares for the Darfurians. They have no oil." If people at the ICC believe that there is no oil in Darfur, I wonder what they think is the reason behind rebel group leaders fighting for "their people" to live in hot barren God forsaken deserts that offer little to sustain life of any kind. Click here to view Mia Farrow's photo of Kalma camp in South Darfur, not a blade of grass in sight.

From Foroyaa.gm (Gambia) by Fabakary B. Ceesay on 20 May 2009:
Gambian ICC Prosecutor Addresses African Commission

Madam Fatoumatta Bensouda, a Deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Gambian national, on Friday 15th, addressed the African Commission on Human and People’s Right (ACHPR) on the theme, “A Global System of Justice for the Victims of the most serious crimes”.

In her deliberation, Madam Bensouda, first, said that, the most important beneficiaries of their work are the victims of gross human rights violations. She cited the Rome Statute that contains new fundamental provisions concerning victims of the most unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity. She said those crimes are so serious that they are of concern to the international community as a whole.

Deputy ICC prosecutor Bensouda said the purpose of the ICC is to put an end to these crimes and, as such, to bring justice through accountability to ensure redress for the victims and the affected populations. Other goals, she added, include the contribution to the prevention of such crimes and the victimization of other generations and communities.

“This is especially true for Africans. As you know, the Court has opened investigations into four situations, all within the African continent. Contrary to what some critics might say, this is not the sign of some sort of “Western bias” from the Court. In fact, as a Deputy Prosecutor, and as an African Woman, I am dismayed by suggestions that this Court is targeting Africans”, said Deputy Prosecutor Bensouda.

She noted the crucial role played by African countries in the negotiation of the Rome Statute of the Court, adding that the result of that process was a comprehensive treaty establishing the first Permanent International Criminal Court.

The Deputy Prosecutor said that Africa is the single largest region represented in the Assembly of State parties to the Rome Statute; that there are more African States membership to the Rome Statute than there are African States membership to the African Union (AU). She said the court will continue to work consistently for and with the victims and that it will do so following the evidence and the horrific trail of massive crimes.

Madam Bensouda listed the four Africans who have been indicted by the ICC, namely Thomas Lubanga Dyilo of DR Congo, Joseph Kony of Uganda, President Omar Al-Bashir of Sudan and Ahmed Harun, a Janjaweed leader in Darfur, Sudan. According to her, Lubanga is facing war crimes for having victimized thousands and thousands of children, boys and girls, turning them into killers, looters, sexual slavers; Kony and the other leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda, are indicted for using thousands of young children to kill their own families and destroy their own communities; that President Omar Al Bashir is indicted for the extermination of 2.5 million Africans in Darfur and Harun is facing war crimes for attacking his victims in camps on the orders of President Bashir with the help of the State apparatus to facilitate the criminal plans he (Harun) had for Darfur,.. Bensouda added that today in Darfur, a man is indicted by the ICC for attacking his victims in camps on orders of president Bashir with the command of the state apparatus to help and facilitate the criminal plans Ahmed Harun has for Darfur.

ICC Deputy Prosecutor told the session that due to the lack of execution of these pending arrest warrants, the LRA continues to commit horrible crimes upon a whole new generation of victims in Southern Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR) and the DRC. “This not acceptable,” she said.

She continued, “We are working for the African victims. Nobody cares for the Darfurians. They have no oil. Everything they had that was of value to them, their land, their homes, their crops, their families, has been taken from them by the government. Africans are tired of double standards. So are we. The ICC is a solution. It is based on only one standing, applicable to all, the law.”

Madam Bensouda said ‘the ICC is a fantastic new tool, a judicial tool, not a tool in the hands of politicians who think they can decide when to plug or unplug them.’

She underscored the need for a united voice of the international community to play its part in the enforcement of the court’s decisions with a louder voice.

“The law is not just for legal advisor, prosecutors and defence counsels. The law also applies to political leaders, military and negotiators. This is where the biggest challenges lie for the Rome system,” concluded Madam Bensouda.

A few of the many reports on Oil and Darfur from Sudan Watch archives:

Oil and Darfur

Chinese sign up with Eronat's Cliveden and Canada's Encana to explore oil in Chad

Friedhelm Eronat is behind Cliveden Sudan and Darfur oil deal

Mia Farrow's fast prompts Black Caucus to give up food "in solidarity with Darfur's people"

Imagine what the rebels think when they hear news that Mia Farrow's fast has prompted US Congressman Donald Payne to announce plans for his Black Caucus members to give up food "in solidarity with Darfur's people". Most of the rebels and their families are "Darfur's people". Ironically, by siding with the Darfur rebels, the publicity stunts of Mia Farrow et al are actually helping to prolong the agony and suffering of "Darfur's people".

From 3news.co.nz Thursday, 21 May 2009:
Mia Farrow's prompts Black Caucus to give up food

Members of America's Congressional Black Caucus are following Mia Farrow's lead and fasting for Sudanese refugees.

The actress was forced to give up a much-publicised awareness hunger strike earlier this month after 12 days when doctors warned her she'd be putting her health at great risk if she continued.

Farrow began her fast on 27 April and hoped to survive without food for 21 days as part of an effort to raise awareness of the plight of starving refugees in Sudan. But her fasting came to an end on 6 May when her doctor instructed her to stop immediately.

The Rosemary's Baby star's initial disappointment at not being able to complete the fast has been replaced by the pride her efforts were not in vain.

Virgin boss Richard Branson took over from her and staged a three-day fast for the cause, and now US Congressman Donald Payne has announced plans for his Black Caucus members to give up food "in solidarity with Darfur's people".

Payne, who started fasting last week, says, "I joined the Darfur Fast for Life because I wanted to stand in solidarity with the people of Darfur and to express my outrage at the ongoing crisis in the Sudan.

"In addition to my personal fasting, I am launching a Darfur Fast for Life Campaign on Capitol Hill to urge my colleagues to join me... It is my hope that our fasting will compel decision makers to act more decisively to put an end to the suffering of millions of innocent men, women and children in Darfur. We must do all we can until the violence, suffering, and displacement have ended."

See Sudan Watch 14 May 2009: Mia Farrow ends Darfur fast, Sir Richard Branson takes over

Sudan accuses Chad of sending troops to aid rebels - JEM has taken Sudan army base at Kornoi

Andrew Heavens, the author of the following two reports, tweeted on Monday, May 18, that he is "back from a four-hour trip to Darfur - invaluable insights gained". Also, on May 17 he tweeted: "Khartoum has run out of tonic water - the expats are restless."

Sudan accuses Chad of sending troops to aid rebels
From Reuters by Andrew Heavens, Monday, 18 May 2009:

* UN chief Ban urges Chad, Sudan to cease fighting
* Arab League's Moussa optimistic on Darfur peace outlook

EL FASHER, Sudan, May 18 (Reuters) - Sudan's top official in North Darfur accused Chad on Monday of sending troops into his territory to fight alongside Darfur rebels, raising the stakes in the simmering tension between the two countries.

North Darfur governor Osman Kebir said Chadian forces had reinforced fighters from Darfur's rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in an attack on the strategic town of Kornoi on Saturday.

Sudan accused Chad of carrying out three air strikes on its territory last week, calling the raids an "act of war."

However, this was the first occasion in recent times that it had said Chadian ground troops had breached its border.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon repeated his call for all parties to cease fighting, according to a statement from U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe.

"(Ban) underscores that there is no military solution to the situation in the sub-region and urges the governments of Chad and Sudan to refrain from any act that may lead to a further escalation of tensions," Okabe said.

Chad said on Sunday it had carried out the air raids, and fought near Sudan's border, to destroy anti-Chadian insurgents it said were taking refuge inside Sudan. It has so far not commented on Saturday's ground attack on Kornoi.

"Chadian aggression has reached the locality of Kornoi, a town near the Chadian border," said Kebir, speaking through a translator as he addressed a delegation of the leaders of the Arab League, the African Union Commission and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

"Kornoi has been attacked by Chad forces with JEM. Our armed forces have stopped the aggression."

Chadian President Idriss Deby has ethnic links with JEM's leader Khalil Ibrahim and many of his top commanders and Khartoum regularly accuses its neighbor of supporting the rebel force.

Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League, said he remained hopeful about the prospects for peace in Darfur, despite an increase in violence along the Chadian border.

"We are assured the government of Sudan is trying hard to mend fences with the government of Chad to move toward a low intensity situation," he told reporters at the end of his delegation's one-day visit to El Fasher.

Jean Ping, chair of the African Union Commission, declined to comment on the reports of Chadian involvement in Sudan. [...]  (Additional reporting by Megan Davies at the United Nations) (Editing by Andrew Dobbie and Todd Eastham)

- - -

From Reuters by Andrew Heavens in Khartoum, 17 May 2009 12:38:06 GMT:
Darfur rebels say Sudan army base seized

Darfur's rebel Justice and Equality Movement said on Sunday it attacked Sudanese government troops in north Darfur, forcing them out of a strategic base in the latest of a series of clashes in the area.

U.N. sources confirmed Sudanese government soldiers were attacked on Saturday afternoon in the town of Kornoi, which is on a key road, but no one was immediately available to comment from the Sudanese army.

The reports will stoke growing tensions in the volatile area which borders Chad. Sudan accused Chad of launching three airstrikes in north Darfur on Friday and Saturday.

Diplomatic sources in Khartoum have said JEM may be planning a major offensive in Darfur, partly in retaliation for an incursion by Chadian insurgents into Chad earlier this month.

Sudan's government says JEM is backed by Chad, while Chad accuses Khartoum of supporting insurgents in its territory.

"JEM has taken Kornoi. We attacked a garrison there. We want to clear them out of the area," JEM leader Khaili Ibrahim told Reuters by satellite telephone, saying the two-hour battle had taken place late afternoon on Saturday.

"We now control a very large area. JEM will proceed to control the whole area - the whole of Darfur, including the capitals (El Fasher, El Geneina and Nyala, the capitals of the states of north, west and south Darfur)."

Ibrahim said there had been casualties on both sides, but it was too early to release statistics.

Darfur's U.N./African Union UNAMID peacekeeping force said it had received unconfirmed reports of clashes between JEM and Sudan government forces at Kornoi -- but could not confirm them as it did not have a base in the settlement.

U.N. sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed there had been an attack, and said government soldiers had been seen retreating from the area.

"We can confirm an attack took place, an attack on Sudanese military forces. The attackers are now controlling that locality," said one U.N. officer."We do not have information on who the attackers were or the number of casualties."

There have been signs that JEM has been re-arming and re-grouping. JEM clashed with former rebels backed by Sudan's government close to the town of Umm Baru earlier this month.

Kornoi and Umm Baru are just 50 km (30 miles) apart on a strategic route which stretches southeast from the Chadian border across north Darfur towards El Fasher.
[...]

JEM, which says it intends to control Darfur and the neighbouring regions of northern and southern Kordofan, also launched a shock attack on Khartoum in May last year, saying it wanted to overthrow the government.

JEM has been holding a series of discussions with Sudan's government in Qatar. But they have so far not evolved into full peace talks.

- - -



Map found on the internet, source unknown. Note, El Fasher.  Kornoi and Umm Baru are just 50 km (30 miles) apart on a strategic route which stretches southeast from the Chadian border across north Darfur towards El Fasher.

More than 90 now face death penalty over raid on Khartoum

Sudan court sentences nine to death over rebel attack
Wednesday May 20, 2009 7:03am EDT

* More than 90 now face death penalty over raid on Khartoum
* Darfur rebels denounce sentence
* Rebels say move may undermine talks with government

By Maaz Idris Alnugomi

KHARTOUM, May 20, 2009 (Reuters) - A Sudanese court on Wednesday sentenced nine men to death for taking part in a Darfur rebel attack on Khartoum.

The ruling brought the number of people facing death by hanging for the shock raid last year by the insurgent Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to 91.

After the sentences were announced in Khartoum North court, six of the defendants jumped to their feet, shouting "Revolution till victory", while women inside the room cried out in shock.

JEM forces drove across hundreds of miles of desert to attack Khartoum in May 2008 and were stopped just short of the presidential palace and army headquarters.

JEM denounced the judgment, the latest in a series of death sentences handed out over the attack in hearings dating back to July.

The group's U.K.-based spokesman, Ahmed Hussein Adam, called it an act of provocation and said it could undermine already troubled negotiations with Sudan's government that have been taking place in Doha.

"Day after day, week after week, they are bringing our members into court and sentencing them to death," Adam told Reuters, speaking by phone.

"They are trying to keep the pressure on us so we won't attack again. But this will not give them any safety."

Adam said the sentencing violated international law and a goodwill agreement signed between JEM and the Sudanese government in Qatar in February.

"The agreement said our members should be treated as prisoners of war. And prisoners of war should not be sentenced. They should not be tried," said Adam.

He added his movement would bring up the sentencing with joint U.N./African Union mediators who have been organising the Doha talks.

JEM commanders met senior government leaders in Qatar twice this year for discussions which are supposed to pave the way to full peace talks.

The latest session adjourned without any concrete signs of progress and some JEM officials have raised doubts about whether they will return for a scheduled resumption on May 27. JEM has also clashed with government forces in North Darfur in recent weeks.

One defendant, accused of sheltering a JEM member in his house, was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday, while two other men were acquitted.

Sudan's government said more than 200 people, many of them civilians, were killed in the JEM attack on Omdurman, across the river Nile from downtown Khartoum. (Additional reporting by Andrew Heavens; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Sudan Chad rebels: Leave your RPGs in the Shanghai car park please

It's good to know that when I stop off for lunch at my favourite Chadian Chinese restaurant, the Shanghai in Abeche, our armed friends are asked to leave their rocket propelled grenades in the car park. (Source: Rob Crilly's blog post The Shanghai Car Park May 16, 2009)
- - -

Rob Crilly's tweet from Chad

First impressions of N'djamena: gosh what a lot of chinese people
Twitter / robcrilly 12/5/09 20:03

Chadian gov't launched air attacks inside Sudan - Sudan threatens to destroy Chad troops

Reports from Chad claim that rebel forces are using anti-aircraft guns. The Chadian government admits launching air attacks inside Sudan in a bid to wipe out rebel camps.

Sudan threatens to destroy Chad troops. Sudan says no sign yet of threatened Chad invasion.



Archive photo/caption: Wounded Chad army soldiers are evacuated in a helicopter on May 08, 2009 in the area of Am Dam, 130 kms south of Abeche. Chad declared victory Saturday over Sudan-based rebels after fierce desert battles that left scores dead and then threatened to break off diplomatic relations with Khartoum. (AFP/File/Georges Gobet - 09 May 2009)

Sudan threatens to destroy Chad troops
Wed May 20, 2009 3:51am EDT

* Sudan says no sign yet of threatened Chad invasion

* U.N. has reports of Sudan bombing land near recent rebel clashes

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM, May 20 (Reuters):

Sudan on Wednesday threatened to destroy any Chad forces that invaded its territory, stepping up its rhetoric after Chad said it was readying its troops to cross the countries' shared border.

Chad's interim defence minister said on Tuesday his forces would enter Sudan within hours to intercept rebels, as recent tensions between the two oil-producers mounted.

Sudanese officials on Wednesday said they had not seen any signs of a Chadian attack overnight, but were ready for any incursion.

"The Sudanese Ministry of Defence pointed out it will not tolerate any aggression on the Sudanese lands, and warned that the Armed Forces will destroy any force that attempts to attack the Sudanese territories," read a statement on the Suna state media agency.

The underdeveloped neighbours regularly accuse each other of supporting each others rebels.

Troubled relations have worsened in recent weeks. Chad said Khartoum backed a rebel attack earlier this month, hours after the countries had signed a reconciliation deal in Doha.

The Chadian government went on to admit launching air attacks inside Sudan in a bid to wipe out rebel camps.

Khartoum, which denied backing the rebels, has up to now made relatively restrained public statements, referring only to unspecified repercussions of any Chadian attack and signalling that it was still seeking a diplomatic resolution.

In another sign of heightened tensions in the remote region, U.N. sources said they had unconfirmed reports Sudanese army planes bombed land close to the Chad border in north Darfur on Monday and Tuesday, the site of recent clashes between Khartoum and Darfur rebels.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were also reports from the area that rebel forces had fired back, using anti-aircraft guns.

No one was immediately available to comment from Darfur's rebel Justice and Equality Movement, which says it is holding the key town of Kornoi in the area, or the Sudanese armed forces.

Khartoum says N'Djamena arms and supports JEM, one of two main Darfur rebel groups that launched a rebellion against the Sudanese government in 2003. (Editing by Giles Elgood)

Just posted a comment at Rob Crilly's blog wishing him all the best during his visit to Chad where he is now and managing to tweet.

Sudanese and Chadian civilians getting away with murder and war crimes against peacekeepers

The truth is stranger than fiction. In my neighbourhood here in England I have a civilian neighbour who has spent the past five years swanning around the neighbourhood with a machine gun and killing people.  His professed occupation is a self appointed gunman and killer.  After the media picked up on his story, he was reported to the police.  But nothing happened until several months later when he turned himself in at a police station.  The police took him to court and the court charged him with murder, directing murders and pillaging. He spoke only briefly during his short court appearance, to thank the court. He then left the court as a free man and returned to live in my neighbourhood. He has not been tagged nor banned from carrying or using guns.  There is nothing to stop him getting involved in further killings in my neighbourhood.  The police won't do anything.  All I can do is blog about it. Here is a true story:



Photo: URF rebel group commander Bahar Idriss Abu Garda was summoned to appear before the ICC. (AFP/Getty Images)

Bahr Idriss Abu Garda spoke only briefly during his short court appearance at The Hague, to thank the court.

"We know how innocent he is. After the court, he will be freed. He will return to Darfur to continue his struggle," said Tadjadine Bechirniam, communications director for Garda.

Garda faces charges of murder, directing attacks on peacekeepers and pillaging.

From CNN dated Monday, May 18, 2009:
Rebel commander defiant over Sudan war crimes hearing

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Bahr Idriss Abu Garda faces charges in deaths of peacekeepers in 2007
12 killed when a soldiers stormed North Darfur African Union peacekeeping base
Abu Garda scheduled to appear at the pretrial hearing at 3 p.m. Monday [18 May 2009]
Three other suspects, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, are at large

A Sudanese rebel commander accused of responsibility for the deadliest attack on African Union peacekeepers in Darfur faced an International Criminal Court hearing Monday.

Sudanese rebel commander Bahar Idriss Abu Garda was summoned to appear before the ICC.

Bahr Idriss Abu Garda spoke only briefly during his short court appearance at The Hague, to thank the court.

Garda surrendered himself to the court voluntarily.

His spokesman said earlier he was not guilty and that he had come to The Hague to show an unwavering commitment to justice.

"We know how innocent he is. After the court, he will be freed. He will return to Darfur to continue his struggle," said Tadjadine Bechirniam, communications director for Garda.

Garda is charged with three war crimes allegedly committed in September 2007, when rebel-led soldiers stormed an African Union peacekeeping base in Haskanita, in northern Darfur. Twelve peacekeepers were killed and eight were wounded, in the deadliest single attack on African Union peacekeepers since they began their mission in late 2004.

Bechirniam said he could not speak about Garda's defense before the pre-trial hearing.

Garda faces charges of murder, directing attacks on peacekeepers and pillaging.

"There should be no immunity for anyone. We show our commitment to justice, to support justice for people in Darfur and Sudan," Bechirniam said in explaining why Garda is voluntarily appearing before the court. Garda believes in the court's independence, his spokesman said.

Three other suspects, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, also were summoned, but remain at large.

"The voluntary appearance of Abu Garda might serve to encourage other suspects currently at large to come before the court to be heard with all guarantees of a fair trial," said Silvana Arbia, registrar of the international court.

The attack on the African Union peacekeepers came months before the 7,000-strong force was replaced by a joint A.U./U.N. peacekeeping force of 26,000 troops.

The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 after rebels in the western region of Sudan began attacking government positions. Sudan's government responded with a fierce military campaign that has led to some 200,000 deaths and forced 2 million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Note, the above report describes rebel commander Bahar Idriss Abu Garda as being Sudanese. Some other reports refer to him as Chadian and that the URF rebel group he leads is Chadian.
- - -

Quotation

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.
- Mark Twain
- - -

Update: See Sudan Watch:

Monday, May 18, 2009 - Haskanita: Sudanese rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda appears at ICC

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - ICC charges URF Commander Bahar Idriss Abu Garda with murder, directing attacks and pillaging


Thursday, May 21, 2009 - A Sudanese rebel leader manipulates the ICC - URF's Abu Garda could be hiding a political ambition to "outdo his opponents"