Daily Darfur: Cross-Border Aggression & Rebel News

by Michelle

category: Daily Darfur

Published May 19, 2009 @ 04:04AM PT

In the latest round of accusations in the Chadian-Sudanese proxy war, the Sudanese government accused Chad of integrating its own troops into the ranks of Darfur rebel militias to assist their latest offensive in North Darfur. Chad admitted to conducting air raids in Darfur, following a Sudan-backed incursion of rebels into Chad earlier this month, but thus far has not commented on the claim that Chadian troops crossed the border.

When you put the two together --- air raids, plus ground troops --- it becomes less of a proxy war, and more just ...war.

Goings On at The Hague

Rebel leader Bahr Idriss Abu Garda (as Amanda at Wronging Rights puts it, with a reference that essentially captures why I am so fond of her blog, "formerly of JEM and the Holograms and now of the URF") had his day in court --- hopefully the first of many, that is. As reported yesterday, Abu Garda voluntarily agreed to appear before the ICC after the court issued a summons regarding his role in an attack on peacekeepers in 2007. Abu Garda was charged with three war crimes for the attack, but the court noted its appreciation for his voluntary appearance:

"The court appreciates very much your volunteer appearance," Judge Cuno Tarfusser told Abu Garda at the start of proceedings in The Hague.

"You have sent out a very good message."

Prosecuting attacks on peacekeepers is a worthy cause in its own right, but with any hope, the case will also help chip away at the argument, oft-repeated by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and his circle of supporters, that the court is indelibly biased. Naturally, though, the charges against Abu Garda and two of his rebel colleagues are less numerous --- attacking peacekeepers is despicable, but orchestrating a genocide is worse.

So what of the rebels?

The Arab League, African Union, and Organization of the Islamic Conference collectively urged Darfur's various rebel movements to join in a peace process. No word yet on the rebel reaction, but I'd predict it will be less than enthused --- especially given that a.) the three organizations have been strongly supportive of Khartoum, at least in public, and b.) the statement came after a meeting in Khartoum, with Sudanese government representatives, at the Sudanese government's invitation. Fair and balanced, only according to the Fox News interpretation of the term.

Meanwhile, over on the rebellious side of the fence, IRIN reports that JEM has made significant strides towards unifying Darfur's many rebel factions, which, since 2003, have more splinters than a woodcarvers' convention. Re-unification could have both positive and negative effects on a peace process: On the one hand, fewer groups to contend with will is, simply, easier, and negates the threat of one group undermining another and causing the whole process to collapse (as Eddie Izzard would say, "like a flan in a cupboard"). On the other hand, it will make JEM a more difficult force to reckon with --- more able to make credible threats, and hold its own at the negotiating table. (Which, in and of itself, could be both good and bad.)

At any rate --- an interesting development, to say the least.

[Photo: Children displaced by war play on a tree near the town of Gos Beida in eastern Chad, May 18, 2009. 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. Picture taken May 18, 2009. REUTERS/Emmanuel Braun]