Human Rights

Daily Darfur: Rebels Clash, Governments Bicker, Civilians Suffer

by Michelle

categories: Darfur & Sudan, Genocide

Published May 10, 2009 @ 11:59PM PT

The Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) clashed yet again with Minni Minawi's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-MM), reportedly fighting off an ambush by the government-allied troops in North Darfur. Intense fighting between JEM and SLA-MM, which receives support from and at times fights alongside of Sudanese government forces, displaced an estimated 50,000 civilians in around Muhajiriya, South Darfur, in February. According to UNAMID, 160 civilians sought refuge at a UNAMID base following the violence this weekend.

Minawi is the only rebel leader who signed the (dead on arrival) Darfur Peace Agreement in 2006. He left his official, though ineffectual, position in the Sudanese government and returned to Darfur in June 2008, ostensibly out of protest for the shoddy implementation of the DPA, but seems to be acting as a government proxy in Darfur in its effort to uproot JEM. (See ENOUGH's "Darfur Rebels 101" for more.)

"You stop." --- "No, you stop."

Sudan says that normalization of relations with Chad depends on a cessation of support for rebels in Darfur --- this, after Chadian rebels crossed into Chad from Sudan, likely with Sudanese support, in yet another (failed) bid to advance towards N'djamena last week, after which Chadian president Idriss Deby threatened to break off diplomatic relations.

In light of Deby's comments, as well as the fighting between JEM and SLA-MM this weekend, Sudan's national defense minister "affirmed the readiness of the armed forces to repel any aggression on Sudanese lands." Observers worry that the resurgence of this proxy war threatens to further destabilize Darfur:

"Sudan analyst Gerard Prunier says that Khartoum's desire is for the UFR to take power in Ndjamena and thus eliminate rear bases in Chad used by rebels from Darfur's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

‘With the Erdimi brothers (Timan and Tom) in power, JEM would be sandwiched and the threat they represent to the Sudanese government greatly reduced,' said Prunier.

But others fear what might happen when the UFR rebels cross back into Darfur, with Chad reserving the right to pursue the insurgents across the border into Sudan.

‘Are they going to come back (to Sudan)? And what will the Sudanese government do? We don't know. But our fear is that this might reignite the violence in western Darfur,' said Rodolphe Adada, who heads the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)."

Quickies

A UNAMID peacekeeper was killed in a hijacking on Thursday.

Mutual fund companies are facing increased pressure to divest from Sudan, thanks to concerted efforts by activists:

"The 63-year-old educational consultant said she was ‘horrified' to recently learn that five Vanguard funds invest in a Chinese company exploring for oil in Sudan.

So Prindle cast a yes vote on an activist-backed proxy ballot proposal on human rights that Vanguard mailed to millions of its investors, leading up to a July 2 special shareholder meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz."

The UN and aid agencies continue to assist Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad, despite instability in the area-but not unimpeded.

UNAMID reports that "only" 22 people were killed due to violence in Darfur in April. (Likely not a consolation to the families of the 22, but an improvement still.) See Michael's blog for frequent updates on the humanitarian situation on-the-ground in Darfur.

[Photo: Members of the Minni Minawi faction of the Sudanese Liberation Army.]