Monday, August 09, 2010

Sudanese President Bashir directs governors in Darfur to expel foreigners who do not support the elected government



Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir waves to Darfur's tribes during a rally to support the Darfur peace talk, in Khartoum Friday, 06 August 2010. (REUTERS/Mohamed Nurdldin Abdallah)

President Bashir Threatens To Expel International Aid Agencies In Darfur
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service
Date: Monday, 9 August 2010
(Khartoum) - President Omar al-Bashir has threatened to expel international aid agencies in Darfur.

The threat follows UNAMID’s unwillingness to hand over six IDPs accused of instigating violence in the Kalma camp in South Darfur.

Al-Bashir made the declaration during a recent ceremony held for Darfur leaders in Khartoum on Saturday.

[Al Bashir] “We would like to tell those who have come to help us in Darfur, be it the international NGOs, UNAMID, or the AU, that they should support the elected government, they should remember that there is an elected president and governors and representatives in the newly-elected government. They should know that Sudan has not collapsed. I would therefore like to direct the governors in Darfur to expel the people who are not going to mind their own business. If you came across the likes of those please just expel them the same day and then notify me later.”

Al-Bashir assured the people of Darfur that the government will end the war in the region and promised security in the area.

[Al-Bashir] “We have decided to end the war in Darfur and to secure all the three states of Darfur, and now, as most of you might have heard, we have a new strategy through which we are trying to solve the Darfur crisis not just to take Darfur back to what it was before the war but to make it an even better Darfur.”

However the head of the hybrid peacekeeping operation said on Sunday that UNAMID’s refusal to hand over six IDPs wanted by the government should not damage relations between his mission and the host country.
Latest news from SRS - Sudan Radio Service:

Sudanese Embassy: Kalma camp violence meted out by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur's SLM against LJM in retaliation for LJM attending Darfur peace talks

The recent violence in Kalma IDP camp, South Darfur, western Sudan was one clearly meted out by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur's SLM against the LJM in retaliation for the latter's participation in the Doha peace efforts to bring about an end to the restiveness and the humanitarian crisis.

Source: Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan, WASHINGTON
Press Release: via PRNewswire-USNewswire
Date: Monday, 09 August 2010
Kalma Camp is Meant to Provide Security for Civilians, Not to Serve as an Operation Base for Bandits
The latest incident in Kalma camp and the subsequent response of the UNAMID to the Governments decisive actions are not only a classic demonstration of the international community's refusal to hold criminals accountable for their actions but also it's subtle way of reinforcing the culture of obstruction. It is a bewildering phenomenon that has pervaded throughout the duration of the Darfur crisis and has only emboldened them in their intransigence, thus prolonging the suffering of the people of Darfur to this very day. The recent violence was one clearly meted out by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur's SLM against the LJM in retaliation for the latter's participation in the Doha peace efforts to bring about an end to the restiveness and the Humanitarian crisis.

The UNAMID is supposed to be in these camps to guarantee the safety of the people from heinous acts and criminals of the kind. It is there to facilitate peace by ensuring that no danger befalls the civilians. Yet not only has it failed to fulfill this mandate, it is now protecting the very perpetrators of this violence. The UNAMID has refused to handover Al-Nur's supporters who killed the LJM supporters and in the process driving over 25,000 civilians away from the camp. How does it defend itself? It risks being seen as a conspirator. It is not the first incident either. This particular camp has been a safe haven and base of operations for armed bandits who have continually jeopardized the security of the residents. It is these weapons used in such senseless acts that the government sought to confiscate two years ago when it entered the camp with a warrant only to be fired upon. Scores of innocent civilians were killed in the crossfire. And just a day afterwards, a peacekeeping aircraft was shot down in that camp. Those that are serious about security have to wonder what the point of maintaining such a lawless camp is.

These reprehensible acts are preceded by other egregious atrocities which should have left the world under no illusions as to the real motives of some of these so-called rebel forces. And as Sudan has long insisted, the international community and UNAMID have given SLM Al-Nur and his likes a license to act with impunity by their refusal to hold them accountable for the crimes they commit.

The government has a responsibility towards its people, and a commitment to the resolution of the crisis through peaceful means. Any such acts of obstruction should not be tolerated by anyone who professes to be pursuing peace in Sudan and they will certainly not go unanswered by the Government. The culprits have to account for their actions in front of the Sudanese national judicial system. The Sudanese authorities and all self-respecting institutions expect cooperation and facilitation of this legal process, not obstruction based on prejudices. Sudan is serious about achieving peace and reemphasizes its cooperation with any body working to positively facilitate these efforts.
From The New York Times

SLM Abdel Wahid Al-Nur gunning for UNAMID Chapter 7 - Joint GOS-UNAMID committee for Kalma, S. Darfur

NOTE to self. This is a vent. In his pursuit for the presidency of Sudan (or is it France's pursuit?) United Nations peacekeepers with Chapter 7 mandate, fighting onside with the "rebels", is what western Sudan's rebel group leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur has been gunning for all along. I know because, here at Sudan Watch over the past six years, I have chronicled many of his utterances.

Note that the below copied extract from Sudan Tribune today shows how he works like a worm, baiting the USA, France and UK into fighting his war for him. I say, bug off to Israel (or Russia or Iran) Al-Nur, you idiotic, greedy, fat, two-faced, forked-tongued, lying, yellow bellied, lily livered, lowlife French Israeli puppet. You make my blood boil. Sorry, bad mood. There is so much misinformation and propaganda flying around, it is making me feel sick. If the BBC is not fully reinstated in Sudan, this blog is going on strike.

Darfur/Kalma focus of discussion between Government, UNAMID
Source: United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
Date: Monday, 09 August 2010 (via APO)
(KHARTOUM, Sudan) - The Joint Special Representative of the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Professor Ibrahim Gambari, was received in Khartoum today, at his Ministry, by the Sudanese State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Mutrif Siddiq, where the discussed the situation in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp of Kalma, near Nyala, in South Darfur.

The JSR thanked Dr. Siddiq and reiterated the Mission’s willingness and commitment to work with the Sudanese Government in a cordial and cooperative manner in challenging situations, in the interests of justice and the people of Darfur.

Professor Gambari expressed the Mission’s regrets and his personal concern over the recent events in Kalma and Hamadiya IDP camps in South Darfur and the negative impacts these might have on the future of the peace process.

He stressed that, while the issue of the six persons who sought refuge in the UNAMID Community Policing Center in Kalma was both serious and delicate, it should not be allowed to create an unnecessary breakdown in communications or mar the existing cordial relations between the Government of the Sudan (GoS) and the African Union – United Nations in Darfur.

The Minister was also briefed on the 5 August talks between the Government and the JSR, during it was agreed to form a joint GoS – UNAMID committee to deal with all issues surrounding the events in Kalma and proffer suggestions to find an amicable solution. Professor Gambari further pledged UNAMID’s commitment to work with authorities to resolve the issue of the proliferation of arms within the camps.

Noting that the Mission has increased the number and robustness of its patrols, as well as the number of military and police personnel deployed to protect the population, the JSR appealed that immediate access be granted to INGOs and humanitarian agencies to provide IDPs with urgently needed assistance, particularly given the current rainy season. He also urged the Government to allow those persons who left the camp to return if they so wished.
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Kalma issue should not impact negatively relations between UNAMID and Sudan - Gambari
Source: Sudan Tribune
Date published: Monday 9 August 2010
Written by: Unknown - Sunday, 08 August 2010 (KHARTOUM). Extract:
Rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur reiterated today his call for the international community to change the mandate of the UNAMID to Chapter 7 in order to enable the largest peacekeeping mission in the world to provide full protection to the civilians in Darfur camps.

Al-Nur said his movement is not against peace in Darfur he also said he exerted the needed efforts to cool down the tension among his supporters to avoid more escalation, he added that the world has the responsibility to prevent the "Final Solution" that Khartoum government implementing on the ground.

The rebel leader said the poor humanitarian situation implies an urgent action from the UN and the international community particularly the USA, France and UK. He also called to put pressure on the government to prevent any further atrocities against the IDPs. He accused the government of preparing to undertake more repression in the camps.

He said Khartoum’s militias cause violence in the camps and the government at the same time hampers the activities of aid groups under pretext of insecurity.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Sudan halts BBC broadcasts in Arabic on FM radio frequencies - BBC Arabic in North Sudan still available on short wave, satellite or via BBC website

DREADFUL news just in from AFP and Reuters. Shortly after midnight, the BBC broadcasts on FM radio in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum could no longer be heard while other stations were operating normally:
"The government ... is stopping the BBC's FM service working in Khartoum, Port Sudan, Medani and el-Obeid and is suspending the agreement signed between the BBC and (the government) from August 9, 2010," said an Information Ministry statement published by the state news agency SUNA on Sunday.

The four locations mentioned are the main towns in the north and the measure would effectively end FM broadcasts in Arabic by the BBC in the north.

BBC Arabic in North Sudan still available on short wave, satellite or via the BBC website.
Full story below. I say, without a shadow of doubt, the Sudanese government is making a terrible mistake by even thinking of stopping any broadcasts by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Without the BBC, people in Sudan and surrounding areas would be forced to receive and share news from other sources that are not as trustworthy, accurate or professional which in the age of mobile phones and the internet could easily and quickly work against the best interests of the Sudanese people and their government.

I think it is of the utmost importance that the BBC is encouraged to broadcast throughout Sudan, southern Sudan and Chad and that all residents of IDP camps in Sudan and Chad are able to receive BBC news uninterrupted. In fact, I think that the Sudanese government ought to ensure, as a matter of urgency, that every Sudanese householder has access to a radio as soon as possible.

Nowadays, too much misinformation is flying around the airwaves and cyberspace which cannot be stopped. The only way to counteract misinformation and propaganda, and ensure there is a mechanism for averting chaos and panic, is to provide an easily accessible news service that is trusted by members of the public. The BBC is a reliable world class news source with expert translators which millions of people around the world trust and turn to for checking news reports and facts. In a war zone, radio is of paramount importance and is much more effective and efficient than television and the internet. In fact, radio, even during peacetime, is a lifeline for everyone.

As part of the preparations for Sudan's referenda and peace talks, I dearly wish that the Sudanese government would distribute, free of charge, a solar powered wind-up radio to each Sudanese householder residing in Sudan or Chad who needs a radio.

The BBC is a public service funded by the people of Britain, not the government. Each householder with a television or radio in Britain pays a compulsory annual license fee to the BBC or faces being fined or jailed. It is the only way we Brits can be sure of having a public news service that is not in the pay of government or business owners with vested interests. I have just checked my bank statement and can confirm that £12.12 is deducted monthly from my bank account to pay for my BBC license. In Sudan, people would be receiving our incredible news service free of charge. The least the Sudanese government could do for its people is to work with the BBC to expand its services throughout Sudan and distribute radios in the name of peace. Think of the children of Sudan, it is their future that is being played with right now.

Sudan to 'suspend' BBC broadcast pact
Report from FOCUS News Agency - Monday, 09 August 2010 01:22:
(Khartoum) - Sudan said Sunday it was suspending its agreement enabling the BBC to broadcast in Arabic on FM radio frequencies for reasons that have nothing to do with its newscasts, AFP reported.

In a statement carried by the official Suna news agency, the information ministry alleged that the British public broadcaster had imported technical equipment via diplomatic courier.

The suspension would take effect on Monday, it said, but it was unclear whether it would entail a halt to broadcasts.
Sudan suspends BBC broadcasts on FM
Report from AFP – Sunday, 08 August 2010 c.11.10 PM GMT UK:
(KHARTOUM) - Sudan halted Monday BBC broadcasts in Arabic on FM radio frequencies after suspending its agreement with the British public broadcaster for reasons it said had nothing to do with its newscasts.

In a statement carried by the official Suna news agency late on Sunday, the information ministry alleged that the BBC had imported technical equipment via British diplomatic courier.

Shortly after midnight, the BBC broadcasts on FM radio in the Sudanese capital could no longer be heard while other stations were operating normally.

The information ministry also took the BBC to task for training schemes in the absence of a "final agreement" with Khartoum, and for broadcasting in the southern Sudanese capital Juba without central government approval.

"The suspension has no connection at all with news broadcast by the BBC from Sudan," the statement said.
With four broadcasting locations inside Sudan, plus shortwave services, the BBC is a major source of news in Sudan, the biggest country in Africa whose population of 40 million mostly speak Arabic.
BBC Arabic radio suspended in north Sudan
Report from Reuters - Sunday, 08 August 2010 11:22pm BST
(Reporting by Opheera McDoom; editing by Andrew Dobbie) - excerpt:
The BBC's licence to broadcast in Arabic on local frequencies in north Sudan will be suspended from Monday, the government announced, citing violations by the broadcaster such as smuggling in satellite equipment.

Many Sudanese, especially Darfuri refugees in camps in the war-torn west, rely on the Arabic-language service and the British broadcaster has a long history in Africa's largest country.

"The government ... is stopping the BBC's FM service working in Khartoum, Port Sudan, Medani and el-Obeid and is suspending the agreement signed between the BBC and (the government) from August 9, 2010," said an Information Ministry statement published by the state news agency SUNA on Sunday.

The four locations mentioned are the main towns in the north and the measure would effectively end FM broadcasts in Arabic by the BBC in the north.

Sudan has often clamped down on local media but generally does not censor foreign news organisations.

The government said the BBC had tried to smuggle in satellite equipment in a diplomatic pouch, that it was working in South Sudan without permission from the central authorities and that the BBC's charitable arm was working in the country without the correct permits.

Visiting journalists often complain Sudanese visas and travel permits to conflict zones once inside the country are difficult to obtain.

All foreigners resident in the country are subject to strict travel restrictions and must obtain permits to visit many of Sudan's regions.

The BBC has previously said it was in talks with the government to continue broadcasting.

"We would be very disappointed if the Sudanese people in northern Sudan were no longer able to access the impartial news and current affairs of BBC Arabic on FM radio," it said in a statement sent to Reuters earlier.

It added the station would still be available on short wave, satellite or via the BBC website.

On Saturday, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir warned foreign organisations including aid agencies they would be expelled if they failed to respect the authority of the government.

Last month Sudan expelled two aid workers from the Geneva-based International Organisation for Migration. [...]
Photo: A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) satellite dish is seen behind houses in west London, October 18, 2007.
Credit: Reuters/Toby Melville
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BBC NEWS IN ARABIC: BBC ARABIC.COM

See Sudan Watch sidebar for links to BBC Persian TV times, satellite position & frequency.
BBC News Arabic website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/
BBC ARABIC.COM - BBC News in Arabic
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SUDANESE JOURNALISTS WELCOME LIFTING OF PRESS GAG


Sudanese journalists welcome lifting of press gag
Report from Sudan Tribune - Monday, 09 August 2010 by Muhammad Osman, August 8, 2010 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese journalist and a local watchdog of press freedom have welcomed the decision of the Sudanese authorities to lift pre-publication censorship against local newspapers but they both expected the practice to make a comeback soon...

Sudan Tribune journalist receives Human Rights Watch award


Sudan Tribune - Monday, 09 August 2010
August 8, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan Tribune journalist Manyang Mayom was awarded for his 'commitment to free expression and courage in the face of political ...

Friday, August 06, 2010

ICC: Lay off Naomi – Farrow’s the celebrity culprit here - Mia Farrow played a key role in dumbing down the complex conflict in Darfur, W. Sudan

Brendan O’Neill: Mia Farrow is a celebrity imperialist, labouring to save Africa from itself. Never mind Naomi - the really outrageous, diva-esque, crazed celebrity in this story is her accuser, Mia Farrow
  • A few years back she was calling for Western militarism in Sudan. As part of the 'Save Darfur' antics she and other celebs arranged for a Black Hawk helicopter to be placed on Second Avenue in New York with a banner pleading: 'Send me to Darfur'.
  • Frustrated by the unwillingness of Washington to send the military to Darfur, Farrow held talks with Blackwater, the super-controversial private military firm that wrought so much destruction in Iraq. She was effectively trying to organise her own Mia's Military, to put the mad blacks Over There back in their place.
  • She played a key role in dumbing down the complex conflict in Darfur, presenting it to Westerners as a simple case of "good vs evil". And ironically, for an actress who got into bed with the notorious Blackwater outfit, she campaigned extensively to have Khartoum officials sent to The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity.
  • When she failed on that front, too, she had to make do with playing her Hollywood colonialist card at The Hague instead.

Source: Article from The First Post - www.thefirstpost.co.uk
By Brendan O'Neill
Published: Friday, 06 August 2010
Last updated 8:07 AM, Friday, 06 August 2010. Full copy:

Lay off Naomi – Farrow’s the celebrity culprit here
Why is everyone down on Naomi Campbell for accepting diamonds, or what she calls "dirty stones", from former Liberian president Charles Taylor? Never mind Naomi - the really outrageous, diva-esque, crazed celebrity in this story is her accuser, Mia Farrow.

Campbell only did what supermodels do all the time: as she testified at The Hague yesterday, she accepted a pouch of diamonds from men who knocked on her hotel door. She didn't even look in the bag until she'd got her beauty sleep.

Farrow, however, seems to fancy herself as a one-woman saviour of the Dark Continent. Having agitated for war against the savages of Sudan as part of her campaign to 'Save Darfur' a few years ago, she now wants to help reveal The Truth about Charles Taylor, by giving evidence against Campbell, and by extension against the former warlord.

Campbell might be a naive catwalk-strutter, but Farrow is something worse: a celebrity imperialist, labouring under a White Woman's Burden to save Africa from itself.

The actress is due to appear in person at The Hague next week, having already sworn an affidavit asserting that in South Africa in 1997, at a dinner hosted by Nelson Mandela, Campbell was given 'blood diamonds' by Taylor's people.

Campbell admitted yesterday that she had received a bag of diamonds, albeit rather miserable dirty ones. But given that there was no note explaining their provenance, she was unable to finger Taylor, as the prosecution had hoped. She also made it very clear that she did not want to attend the trial at The Hague, but had been subpoenaed to attend. "I was made to be here," she said. "This is a big inconvenience for me."

The same cannot be said for Farrow. She couldn't wait to get involved. She scribbled her affidavit and gave a primetime interview with ABC News in which she recalled the events of 1997 and explained the importance of her telling "the truth".

This is because Farrow really does believe she's a whiter-than-white celebrity activist who has a duty to fix those less-white parts of the world.

A few years back she was calling for Western militarism in Sudan. As part of the 'Save Darfur' antics she and other celebs arranged for a Black Hawk helicopter to be placed on Second Avenue in New York with a banner pleading: 'Send me to Darfur'.

Perhaps she has never seen the film Black Hawk Down, which might have given her a clue as to the kind of barbarism that can occur when the Pentagon does send fighter helicopters to African countries (in that instance, Somalia).

Frustrated by the unwillingness of Washington to send the military to Darfur, Farrow held talks with Blackwater, the super-controversial private military firm that wrought so much destruction in Iraq. She was effectively trying to organise her own Mia's Military, to put the mad blacks Over There back in their place.

She played a key role in dumbing down the complex conflict in Darfur, presenting it to Westerners as a simple case of "good vs evil". And ironically, for an actress who got into bed with the notorious Blackwater outfit, she campaigned extensively to have Khartoum officials sent to The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity.

When she failed on that front, too, she had to make do with playing her Hollywood colonialist card at The Hague instead.
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Campbell demands photo ban at trial
News report from bigpondnews.com - Tuesday, August 03, 2010; 02:51pm - excerpt:
Campbell's lawyer, Lord Macdonald, has written to the United Nations special court requesting a ban on media coverage. ... According to the Sunday Times, Macdonald asked that 'members of the public, the media, the parties and the court not follow, photograph, video record or sketch Miss Campbell's transit to the court within the Netherlands'....

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Mandela party photo that put Naomi Campbell in 'blood diamond' storm‎
War crimes trial of former Liberian president may rest on events surrounding 1997 photograph taken at party in South Africa
Article from The Guardian - guardian.co.uk
By Ed Pilkington in New York
Published: Friday, 23 July 2010 18.06 BST. Full copy:



Nelson Mandela is pictured with guests at a party in South Africa in 1997. The interaction of Charles Taylor, Naomi Campbell and Mia Farrow at the event is likely to come under the spotlight at The Hague when Farrow and Campbell appear as witnesses at Taylor's war crimes trial. Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features

The picture speaks volumes. At the centre of a group of 10 people stands Nelson Mandela and beside him his partner and later wife, Graça Machel. On Mandela's other flank is a short man dressed in a military-style jacket with his hand held out as though he, and not the great South African leader, was hosting the gathering.

He is Charles Taylor, and the photograph was taken a month after he was elected president of Liberia. Now Taylor is in prison at The Hague, the first African president to face trial for war crimes.

The events that surround the photograph could prove to be a significant part of the case against Taylor, who is charged with 11 counts including murder, rape and turning children into soldiers.

The picture was taken in 1997 at Mandela's home in Cape Town and the assembled guests, who included Jemima and Imran Khan, the music producer Quincy Jones and Chinese actor Tony Leung, had been invited to mark the opening of South Africa's luxury passenger rail service, the Blue Train.

To Taylor's right is Naomi Campbell, the British model, dressed in an elegant white dress and a cross pendant around her neck. Five people to Taylor's left is Mia Farrow, the actress who starred in Rosemary's Baby and several of her former husband Woody Allen's films.

The interaction of Taylor, Campbell and Farrow is likely to come under the spotlight at The Hague next month when both Farrow and Campbell are due to appear as witnesses.

Their testimony goes to the heart of the case against Taylor – that he obtained illegally procured "blood diamonds" from the Revolutionary United Front rebels in neighbouring Sierra Leone, smuggled in mayonnaise jars.

The prosecution alleges he used some of the enormous profits from the sale of the diamonds to traffic weapons to the RUF, thus fomenting and prolonging Sierra Leone's brutal civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

Taylor has always denied the charges. "I'm supposed to be such a scumbag that people bring me diamonds in nothing more than a mayonnaise jar? How much more can you demonise me?" he told the court.

But Farrow has claimed that on that night in 1997 Taylor, struck by Campbell's beauty, arranged for the model to be given a rough diamond.

Farrow told ABC News that Campbell told her that during the night Taylor's men "knocked on her door and that they had given her a huge diamond and it was like, Oh my gosh!"

Farrow, who was in South Africa along with some of her children, insists that her memory of the conversation with Campbell is accurate. "You don't forget when a girlfriend tells you she was given a huge rough diamond in the middle of the night," she said.

She said Campbell had told her that she was going to donate the diamond to Mandela's children's charities. She added she thought no more about it until the Taylor prosecution unfolded.

The prosecution at The Hague says the incident corroborates its case that Taylor was involved in trafficking blood diamonds. But Campbell has denied receiving a diamond and has refused to speak on the subject, attempting to avoid appearing before the court.

When ABC News tried to ask her about it she ended the interview and lashed out at a camera. "I didn't receive a diamond and I'm not going to speak about that thank you very much, and I'm not here for that," she snapped.

In May, Campbell told Oprah Winfrey that she had no desire to be involved in the case against Taylor. "He has done some terrible things and I don't want to put my family in danger," she said.
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Naomi Campbell: I handed 'blood diamonds' to Mandela charity
Article from The Daily Telegraph - telegraph.co.uk
By Bruno Waterfield, in The Hague, Aislinn Laing and Caroline Gammell
Published: 9:00PM BST 05 Aug 2010 - excerpt:
Naomi Campbell, the model, told a war crimes tribunal that she gave alleged "blood diamonds" to the head of Nelson Mandela's children's charity...
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More on this story

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Joint AU-UN chief mediator for Darfur Djibril Bassolé in Paris meeting with Sudan rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur

ACCORDING to Sudan Tribune, the Paris based SLM rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur made a statement (see below) following a meeting with the Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassolé yesterday (Wednesday, August 4th) in the French capital to discuss the latest developments in Darfur following the recent clashes between two groups of the IDPs in Kalma camps over their representation in the peace process.

"We had a very positive and constructive meeting," Al-Nur is quoted as saying.

Note that the statement included urging the UN Security Council to consider changing the mandate of the UNAMID from Chapter 6 to Chapter 7.

Here is the report from Sudan Tribune published Thursday 05 August 2010:
Darfur rebel leader praises UNAMID refusal to handover Kalma residents
August 4, 2010 (PARIS) — Darfur rebel leader, Abdel Wahid Al-Nur today praised the refusal of the joint peacekeeping mission to handover six residents of Kalma camp in South Darfur State wanted by the local authorities after bloody clashes last week.

"We welcome the decision of the hybrid peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) to not handover six Internally Displaced people – five men and one woman—sheltered in its office in Kalma camp," Al-Nur told Sudan Tribune today.

11 people were killed when clashes broke out last week between supporters of Nur and partisans of another rebel group Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) which is conducting talks with the Sudanese government in Doha. The first group contests the IDPs representation by the second group.

The Paris based rebel leader made his statement following a meeting with the Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole on Wednesday in the French capital to discuss the latest developments in Darfur following the recent clashes between two groups of the IDPs in Kalma camps over their representation in the peace process.

"We had a very positive and constructive meeting," Al-Nur said. He further stressed that Bassole reassured him about the UNAMID commitment to protect civilians in western Sudan including the six people wanted by South Darfur authorities.

He also said he had spoken all the day with different local leaders urging them to cool down the tension inside the camps and to work hard restore calm and reconciliation between the residents pointing out that "only Sudanese government benefits from such divisions".

Al-Nur said wanted civilians might face torture and killing if they are handed to the Sudanese authorities following a formal demand by South Darfur Governor Abdel Hamid Musa Kasha.

He also said the Sudanese justice is not independent and totally under the control of the government stressing that their handover would create more troubles in the camp.

The rebel leader accused the government of working to dismantle the camp as part of its new policy called "domestication of the peace process".

He further urged the UN Security Council to well consider changing the mandate of the UNAMID from Chapter 6 to Chapter 7 and to give the largest peacekeeping operation the necessary means to fully protect the civilians in the restive region.

Speaking with Sudan Tribune from Kalama camp, two residents who requested not to mention their names said the security forces surround the camp and prevent entry of food to the camp. They also said that women who go outside the camp to bring food to their children are stopped and not allowed to return home.

The UNAMID Daily Media Brief reported today that "no organizations have been allowed to deliver humanitarian aid" to the IDPs in Kalma camp.

Another resident from Kass camp in South Darfur said some one thousand of militiamen gathered today outside the camp and paraded around the area to intimidate the residents.

The same source said they received reports from Zalingei in West Darfur saying some 50 people were arrested by the security service there.

Kalma camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) is located near Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, and is home to about 90,000 people, many of whom are supporters of Abdel Wahid Nur. Government forces targeted the camp in a raid that killed dozens of residents in August 2008. (ST)
Click here to read Sudan Tribune report, 31 July 2010: NCP approves new “domestication” strategy on Darfur.

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Report by Radio Dabanga published Wednesday, 04 August 2010:
Darfur rebel chief calls on ICC to investigate camp violence
(DOHA ) - Dr. Tijani Sese strongly condemned the events that occurred last week in Kalma and Hamidiya camps for displaced people. The camps witnessed fighting among the residents, allegedly between factions loyal to Tijani Sese’s rebel coalition and Abdel Wahid Al Nur’s faction, according to initial UN reports. At least ten were killed.

Sese said that what happened is a crime that requires investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC). In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Sese appealed to displaced people to remain calm and to stop all forms of abuse against each other, which he said weakens the Darfur issue. Sese denied, however, that the Liberation and Justice Movement was involved in the events.

JEM threaten to take Darfur and Kordofan for themselves - Sudan, Libya agree to restrict JEM leader's activities

BAD news from AFP and Sudan Tribune: JEM terrorists threaten to take Darfur and Kordofan for themselves. Good news from Xinhua News Agency: Sudan, Libya agree to restrict JEM leader's activities. See three reports below.

Report by Xinhua News Agency (via iStockAnalyst.com)
Thursday, 05 August 2010 at 1:06 PM - excerpt:
Sudan, Libya agree to restrict JEM leader's activities
KHARTOUM, Aug. 5, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Sudan and Libya have agreed to restrict Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader's activities in Libya and to prevent him from launching any hostile activity against Sudan, a Sudanese official said Thursday.

"Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's visit to Libya has achieved good results. We have agreed with the Libyan side that Khalil Ibrahim (who is now residing in Libya) is not to launch any hostile activity against Sudan from inside the Libyan territories, " Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Hassan Ali told reporters at Khartoum airport on Thursday.

"Khalil Ibrahim should join the peace process in Doha. If he insisted on his rejective stance on negotiations, he will isolate himself," said Ali.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday returned to Khartoum after a two-day visit to Libya, during which he held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on issues of joint border, the presence of JEM leader in Libya and South Sudan referendum.

The Sudanese state minister further said al-Bashir has acquainted his Libyan counterpart with the developments of the Darfur situation and the government's new regional strategy.

He added that the Sudanese president also called on Libya to play an active role in Sudan's unity and the Darfur issue.

Sudan on early July closed its border with Libya, saying the traffic on the joint border exposes the passengers to threats of rebels who commit banditry or impose illegal fees on the passengers.

Khartoum denied that the move was taken in response to the presence of JEM leader in Libya.

Gaddafi in July asked Khalil Ibrahim to join the peace negotiations in Doha, saying Libya has informed Khalil not to do any thing that might cripple the peace talks.
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JEM TERRORISTS THREATEN TO TAKE DARFUR AND KORDOFAN FOR THEMSELVES

Report by AFP (via www.africasia.com)
Wednesday, 04 August 2010 - excerpt:
Darfur JEM to demand self-rule if conflict goes on
Darfur's most active rebel group said on Wednesday it would demand self-determination for the devastated Sudanese region if conflict with the government continues, a spokesman told AFP.

Justice and Equality Movement spokesman Ahmed Hussein Adam said the group, which withdrew from peace talks with Khartoum in May after renewed clashes with the military, said self determination would be at the "centre of our demands."

"If there is no political horizon, if the genocide continue, if the government keep denying human rights, democracy and rule of law then we will have no other choice than to ask for self-determination for Darfur and Kordofan," he said.

"Self-determination means either unity on a new basis or independence," he added without detailing what he meant by the first option.

Darfur was an independent sultanate from the 17th century until 1916. [,,,]

Khartoum is demanding the arrest of its leader Khalil Ibrahim, who is in Libya, where Bashir began a two-day visit on Wednesday.
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Report by Sudan Tribune
Wednesday, 04 August 2010:
Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM
August 3, 2010 (WASHINGTON) - The people of Darfur will soon be left with no option but to demand the right of self-determination in a manner similar to Southern Sudan, a senior Darfuri rebel official said today.

Early next year, the citizens of Southern Sudan are scheduled to decide whether they want to remain part of a united country or form their own state. This was stipulated by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Arab-Muslim dominated North and the largely Christian and animist South.

"Our people need hope, they have the right to live under state of citizenship, freedom, democracy, equality and rule of law. We cannot accept this indefinite state of status-quo," said Ahmed Hussein who is the official spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

"There is an ongoing genocide in Darfur which is entering a new phase. The [Khartoum] regime is working towards having a forcible return by dismantling the IDPs camps, using food as weapon, expelling and intimidating aid groups through abduction, assassinating IDP leaders, assaulting peacekeepers," Hussein added.

The JEM official emphasized that the Sudanese government is deploying these tactics "to liquidate the cause of our people" adding that the shift of international focus from Darfur to South Sudan encouraged Khartoum to execute this plan.

"Under these circumstances, JEM will be left with no other choice than to call for self-determination for Darfur as well as Kordofan. We must remember that Darfur was an independent Sultanate until 1916, exercising sovereignty and conducting its own foreign relations," Hussein said.

This is the first time JEM, considered to be the Darfur’s most powerful rebel group, makes such a call for self-determination. The Sudanese government has flatly rejected this demand saying this not even a topic for negotiations.

Last year, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who resides in exile in France, issued a statement demanding the right of self determination though it was later downplayed by its leader.

The development might be a cause of concern to Arab and African nations which see the breakup of Sudan as a major threat to stability and peace in the region already in a fragile and unpredictable state.

Hussein referred to the recent advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Kosovo saying that it sets a legal precedent in other parts of the world including Darfur.

"People around the world are now allowed to decide on their destiny and future to preserve their dignity and humanity," he said.

Many critics in Sudan blame the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) for encouraging secessionist sentiments in the country through marginalizing non-Arab ethnicities and holding strongly to the core of wealth and power. Others say that the ruling party has played ’divide and conquer’ among tribes in Darfur and the South to weaken these regions and remain in control.

In Darfur for example, some experts and politicians accuse the government of allowing Arab tribes from West African nations to come and settle in Darfur creating new conflict over lands and complicating existing ones.

The JEM spokesperson chided the UN Security Council UNSC for staying mute on the events that took place in IDP camps.

"The world is silent even as the government attacks the IDP camps. In Kalma they are passing weapons from the Eastern side of the camp through the security and intelligence agents. This is a war crime and the UNSC must take up its responsibility and intervene to stop this and further support the International Criminal Court to investigate the events that occurred last week," he added.

A crisis erupted after deadly fighting last week swept the Kalma and Zalingi refugee camps — strongholds of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who resides in exile in France.

Up to 11 people were killed in the fighting reportedly between supporters of Nur’s SLM and those who are supporters of the peace process currently underway in Doha between Khartoum and a rebel umbrella, Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).

SLM-Nur claimed that the government manipulated a handful of people in the camps to fly to Doha as IDP representatives and then enter the camp along with weapons and ammunition sparking the clashes.

The Sudanese government wants the African Union - United Nations peacekeepers to hand over six people it accuses of inciting the violence.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicted Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and genocide in Darfur, where mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region.

Peace talks on Darfur are underway in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar between Khartoum and LJM but observers say that the absence of JEM and SLM-Nur from the negotiations mean that any peace accord signed will not bring peace to the restive region.

JEM has suspended participation in the talks despite a promising start which led to signing of a framework agreement earlier this year. The movement accused the government of breaching the temporary ceasefire agreement and attacking its positions. (ST)
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Quotes of the Day
"Are you one of the group’s members who like to get credit for what you haven’t toiled for? I conclude with the quotation from Indira Gandhi of India that “My grandfather once told me there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group because there was less competition there.” -Paul Ongee, 4 August 2010 (in a comment posted at Sudan Tribune report "Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM")

"Dr. John [Garang] once said: Sudan will disintegrate into West; East; North and the South as a result of historical and contemporary political and economic marginalization of vast Country side by a small clique in khartoum. As soon as the South goes, Darfur and the east are likely to follow unless otherwise." -Atungdiak, 04 August 2010 (in a comment posted at Sudan Tribune report "Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM")
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UPDATE - Thursday, 05 August 2010:
Excerpts from a report by Reuters (KHARTOUM) 05 August 2010:
Bashir returns to Sudan with Libyan promises
... Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir returned to Khartoum on Thursday after a two-day visit to Libya, saying he had secured Libyan guarantees to curb any Darfur rebel attacks.

"The two sides agreed that Khalil would not launch any attacks against Sudan from Libyan territories," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Hassan Ali told reporters at Khartoum airport on Bashir's return.

Ali who had travelled with Bashir in a high-level delegation to Libya also said Ibrahim now had no option but to return to peace talks in Doha.

JEM says Ibrahim is not under restrictions in Libya and no longer has any desire to return to Darfur. ...

U.S. gov't cites Sudan as state sponsor of terror - 10,999 terrorist attacks worldwide in 2009 claimed 14,971 lives

A new U.S. government report “Country Reports on Terrorism 2009,” released today, tracked the 10,999 terrorist attacks worldwide last year that claimed 14,971 lives. This reflected the lowest number in five years, down from a high of 14,443 attacks in 2006 that left 22,736 people dead.

The report identified Iran, Syria, Sudan and Cuba as state sponsors of terrorism, calling Iran the most active of the four.

Source: Report from United States Department of Defense
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service - excerpt:
State Department: Al-Qaida Still Top U.S. Terror Threat
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2010 – Transnational terrorism poses the United States’ gravest security threat, with al-Qaida’s core in Pakistan remaining the most-formidable terrorist organization targeting the U.S. homeland, according to a new State Department report covering worldwide terrorist activity during 2009.

“Country Reports on Terrorism 2009,” released today, notes al-Qaida’s continued adaptability and resilience and concludes that its desire to attack the United States and its interests abroad “remains strong.”

Citing U.S. intelligence community assessments, the report concludes that al-Qaida actively plotted against the United States and continued recruiting, training and deploying operatives, including some from Western Europe and North America, during the reporting period. It also recognizes al-Qaida’s efforts to expand its operational capabilities by partnering with other terrorist groups, with varying degrees of success.

These developments came despite al-Qaida setbacks during 2009. The report cites a Pakistani military offensive aimed at eliminating military strongholds, the loss of many top leaders and conditions that have made it more difficult for al-Qaida to raise money, train recruits and plan attacks.

Daniel Benjamin, the department’s counterterrorism coordinator, said al-Qaida’s attacks on Muslims have hurt its standing in the Muslim world. The latest annual State Department report aims to enhance understanding of the international terrorist threat and help to shape efforts to confront it, he explained.

The report tracked the 10,999 terrorist attacks worldwide last year that claimed 14,971 lives. This reflected the lowest number in five years, down from a high of 14,443 attacks in 2006 that left 22,736 people dead.

The report identified Iran, Syria, Sudan and Cuba as state sponsors of terrorism. Calling Iran the most active of the four, the report said its support for extremists in the region “had a direct impact on international efforts to promote peace, threatened economic stability in the [Persian] Gulf, jeopardized the tenuous peace in southern Lebanon and undermined the growth of democracy.”

Also identified in the report were terrorist safe havens, by region. In South Asia, it cited Afghanistan and Pakistan; in the Middle East, Iraq, northern Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen; in Africa, Somalia and the Trans-Sahara; and in East Asia and the Pacific, the Sulawesi Sea and Sulu Archipelago.

In the Western Hemisphere, the report identified Venezuela as well as the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay tri-border area as terrorist safe havens. [...]
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Report by AFP - Thursday, 05 August 2010:
US declines to put NKorea back on terrorism blacklist

The Obama administration declined Thursday to put North Korea back on a blacklist of countries supporting terrorism despite pressure from lawmakers to do so.

In its report for 2009, the State Department kept the same countries on the list as it did in 2008 -- Iran, Sudan, Cuba and Syria -- with Iran again listed as the "most active state sponsor of terrorism."

Former US president George W. Bush de-listed North Korea in 2008 after it vowed to end its nuclear program, agreed to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and pledged to disable its nuclear plants.

The Obama administration has kept it off the list again after citing narrow legal definition for what constitutes support for terrorism.

In June 2009, 16 US Republican Senators urged President Barack Obama's administration to place the communist regime back on the US blacklist.

The North conducted its second nuclear test the previous month and defied international criticism by firing a volley of short-range missiles and threatening to attack the capitalist South.

Though the report does not cover events this year, Republican senators renewed their call for North Korea to be listed again after South Korea and the United States blamed it for sinking a South Korean warship in March.

In keeping four countries on the blacklist, the Country Reports on Terrorism 2009 said "Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism".

"Iran?s financial, material, and logistic support for terrorist and militant groups throughout the Middle East and Central Asia had a direct impact on international efforts to promote peace, threatened economic stability in the Gulf and undermined the growth of democracy," it said.

The US accuses Iran of actively supporting groups like the Taliban in Afghanistan, Shiite groups in Iraq and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Palestinian territories.

On Sudan, the report said the government was cooperating with US counter-terrorism efforts, but said "Al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist elements as well as elements of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and HAMAS, remained in Sudan in 2009."

The report said the United States disagrees with Syria's support for what it calls national liberation movements, groups Washington considers are terrorist.

"Syria continued to provide safe-haven as well as political and other support to a number of designated Palestinian terrorist groups, including HAMAS, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC)," the report.

The report complained that Cuba still gives safe haven and ideological support for three terrorist organizations.

"The Government of Cuba has long assisted members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN), and Spain?s Basque Homeland and Freedom Organization (ETA), some having arrived in Cuba in connection with peace negotiations with the governments of Colombia and Spain," it said.

British Diplomat Dame Rosalind Marsden has been appointed the new EU Special Representative for Sudan

GOOD news, just in from European Council via APO:
British diplomat appointed as new EUSR for Sudan
(BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium) August 5, 2010 - Dame Rosalind Marsden, a British Diplomat, has been appointed the new European Union Special Representative for Sudan, effective September 1st, replacing Ambassador Torben Brylle.

She has a large experience in African affairs, including as UK Ambassador to Sudan, a position she held until May this year. She will actively participate, on behalf of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, in the international efforts in Sudan, notably the support for the preparations of the upcoming referenda in Abyei and South Sudan, liaising with the Sudanese parties as well as with all the regional, continental and international stakeholders. She will also devote considerable attention to the unsolved situation in Darfur.
Click on label here below to view previous reports. The following photo and report are from Sudan Watch archives:

Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan, Dr Rosalind Marsden CMG

Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan, Dr Rosalind Marsden

Photo: Her Majesty's Ambassador to Sudan, Dr Rosalind Marsden CMG (Consul General, Basra 2006 - 2007) attended the launch of the Southern Sudan Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration programme in Juba on 10 June 2009. (Source: fco.gov.uk)
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Sudan’s Bashir meets outgoing British ambassador Rosalind Marsden

Thanks to Sudan Tribune for this interesting report:

Sudan’s Bashir meets outgoing British ambassador
Report from Sudan Tribune - Monday 24 May 2010:
May 23, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir met today with British Ambassador, Rosalind Marsden who came to bid farewell at the end of her term in the country.

Sudan official news agency (SUNA) quoted Bashir as praising progress of the relations with Britain, and calling for more support to the bilateral ties and joint cooperation to push forward the peace process and the development in Sudan as key elements to realize stability and democratic transformation.

Bashir also asked the Marsden to convey his greetings to the newly elected British government and affirmed the positive role it could play in supporting his country, referring to its commitments in supporting the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and its role in relieving Sudan debts.

The Sudanese head of state has rarely held meeting with Western officials who have largely avoided him since his indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC). European Union (EU) rules bars its officials from meeting individuals charged by the Hague tribunal.

The ICC urged world officials to sever all "non-essential contacts" with Bashir and other suspects still at large.

Human right groups called on ICC members to boycott Bashir’s inauguration next Thursday saying attending it would be wrong signal to Darfur victims and refugees.

However, the two top U.N. representatives in Sudan will be present at the ceremony according to a statement from the world body in New York. (ST)
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Postscript

Thanks to the Guardian for including this blog, Sudan Watch, in its sidebar for Useful links at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/darfur