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Chadian-Sudanese conflict

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Conflict and Peace;
Recent History

   Chad-Sudan conflict
   Image:Chad gunmen.jpg
   Masked gunmen on a pickup truck in Chad

     Date   December 23, 2005 - July 26, 2006
   Location Chad, Sudan, Darfur
    Result  Tripoli Accord, Dakar Accord
   Combatants
   Flag of Sudan  Sudan
   United Front for Democratic Change
   Janjaweed Flag of Chad  Chad,
   Alliance of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan
   Commanders
   Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir (Sudan),
   Mohammed Nour (UFDC) Idriss Déby
   Strength
   ~120,000 est. Sudan + unknown UFDC forces ~23,000 est.
   Casualties
   460–1,109 est. 614 est.

   The Chad-Sudan conflict began on December 23, 2005, when the government
   of Chad declared an "état de belligérance", or 'state of belligerency'
   with Sudan. The BBC and a few other news sources translated
   "belligérance" as "war".

   The conflict grew to involve troops from Chad, Sudan, and France, as
   well as independent military groups. These include the United Front for
   Democratic Change, Janjaweed, and the Alliance of Revolutionary Forces
   of West Sudan. The conflict has also involved Eritrea which the United
   Nations accuses of supporting rebels in Darfur, Libya, which is also
   accused of supporting Darfur rebels, but has mediated the conflict, as
   well as diplomats from the Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Central
   African Republic, Burkina Faso, and the African Union. African Union
   mediators may soon be replaced by an international force, risking
   further escalation of the conflict.

   In their statement, the Chadian government calls for the citizens of
   Chad to mobilize themselves against the "common enemy", referring to
   militant members of the Rally for Democracy and Liberty and Platform
   for Change, Unity and Democracy (SCUD) rebel groups — Chadian rebels,
   allegedly backed by the Sudanese government — and Sudanese Janjaweed
   militiamen who crossed over the border from Sudan while pursuing Fur
   refugees and raiding cities for booty. The RDL denied receiving support
   from the Sudanese government. Between December 26 and December 28 RDL
   and SCUD joined with six other rebel groups to form the United Front
   for Democratic Change rebel alliance, led by Mohammed Nour.

   On February 8, 2006 the Tripoli Agreement was signed, which brought a
   cease to the conflict for approximately two months. Chad at the time
   still wanted monetary compensation for "the lives that were lost and
   the chickens that were stolen." The Government of Chad had estimated
   that 614 Chadian citizens were killed because of the previous conflict.
   However, with the recent rebel assault on the Chadian capital,
   N'Djamena, Chad has broken off all relations with Sudan, effectively
   nullifying the agreement and has threatened to expel refugees from the
   Darfur region.

Timeline

Precipitating events

   Map of Chad
   Enlarge
   Map of Chad

   Since 2004, Janjaweed militants involved in the Darfur conflict have
   been attacking villages and towns in eastern Chad, stealing cattle,
   murdering citizens, and burning houses. Over 200,000 refugees from the
   Darfur region of northwestern Sudan currently claim asylum in eastern
   Chad. Refugees from the Central African Republic are also entering
   southern Chad under UN supervision. Chadian President Idriss Déby
   accuses Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of trying to
   "destabilize our country, to drive our people into misery, to create
   disorder and export the war from Darfur to Chad."

   The RDL rebel group was formed in August 2005, and SCUD, two months
   later, to overthrow the current government of Chad, which the allied
   rebel groups say is corrupt and totalitarian. Now there are over 4,000
   rebels in the border region between Chad and Sudan. On December 28 the
   Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs al-Samani Wasiylah stated, "This
   is nonsense — he is just trying to draw attention away from the
   internal problems he is having. This is a mutiny in the army, everyone
   knows that, and we don't want to be involved in that."

   Chad has denied reports that its air force conducted reconaissance
   missions over Sudanese airspace.

Second Battle of Adré

   An attack on Chadian troops in the town of Adré, near the Sudanese
   border, by RDL and SCUD militants, on December 18, 2005, led to the
   deaths of between 100 and 300 rebels, five soldiers, and three
   civilians. The attack was the second in the region in three days.
   Sudanese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jamal Mohammed Ibrahim denied that
   Sudan encouraged the rebels.

   Chadian Communications Minister Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor announced that
   Chad holds the Sudanese government responsible for the attacks, since
   they occurred from within Sudan's borders.

   On December 26 Chadian Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmad Allam-Mi told
   foreign ambassadors in the capital N'Djamena, "The attacks were
   repulsed by the Chadian army which, using its right to pursuit,
   destroyed a few rebel bases implanted in Sudanese territory."

Border town raids in January 2006

   On January 6, 2006, Janjaweed militants crossed the border from Sudan
   into Chad and attacked the cities of Borota, Ade, and Moudaina. Nine
   civilians were killed and three were seriously injured.

   The Chadian government stated, "The Sudanese militias attacked the
   settlements of Borota, Ade, Moudaina... yesterday killing nine and
   injuring three among the civilian population... The Chadian government
   once again warns the Sudanese government against any hasty action
   because aggression by Sudanese militias will not go unpunished for much
   longer."

Tripoli Agreement

   On February 8, 2006, Chadian President Idriss Déby, Sudanese President
   Omar Hassan al-Bashir, and Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi signed the
   Tripoli Agreement, effectively ending the conflict.

   The agreement was reached after a mini-summit in Tripoli, Libya, hosted
   by al-Qaddafi. Current Chairman of the African Union and President of
   Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Central African Republic President François
   Bozizé, and African Union Chairman of the Commission Alpha Oumar Konaré
   also attended the summit.

   UFDC rebels regard the treaty as "a piece of paper with signatures on
   it. It means nothing."

   Nour's original demands, for Déby to relinquish power, a two year
   interim period, and fair and free national elections, have been
   modified. Nour now wants a national forum, before the end of June, for
   opposition parties and organizations to discuss how the country should
   move forward politically.

   The African ministerial committee, made up of the foreign ministers of
   Chad, Sudan, Libya, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, and
   Burkina Faso and the chairman of the executive council of the Community
   of the Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), met in Tripoli on March 6 and
   Libyan Foreign Minister Abderrahman Chalgham described the results.
   African Union (AU) Commissioner for peace and security Said Djinnit
   delivered his report on the conflict and the committee agreed to set up
   surveillance groups on the Chadian-Sudanese border. The other groups
   proposed in the Tripoli Agreement are expected to be implemented after
   the committee’s next meeting, sometime before the end of March. The
   committee identified 10 positions along the border for surveillance,
   five on each side of the border, and the states expected to form the
   control groups and the mechanisms for their operation.

   Chalgam said the meeting was "constructive, sincere and detailed," and
   said the results were "practical."

Continuing rebel activity

   Nour said, "A delegation will arrive tomorrow in Libya to present our
   demands to [Libyan leader] al-Qaddafi. We will have a transitional
   period, the length of which the forum will decide, and then we will
   have free and transparent democratic elections. I guess after a week or
   more we will know what Déby's reaction to this proposal is. If he
   refuses, then we will attack using force to remove him... No one wants
   a war, but if that's the only way, we will go to Chad."

   Smaller rebel groups and members of the Chadian army continue to pledge
   allegiance to the UFDC. Another rebel group joined the UFDC on February
   13, and Nour says the UFDC is "eight times stronger" than it was when
   it attacked the city of Adré on December 18.

   Colonel Bishara Moussa Farid acted as a peacekeeper in Rwanda and the
   Democratic Republic of Congo, later helping both Déby and his
   predecessor Hissène Habré seize control of the Government of Chad. He
   recently defected, and said the UFDC is "much better off than the
   previous resistances. We didn't have equipment and heavy weapons as we
   do now."

   On February 20 two high level generals, Sedi Aguid and Issaka Diar,
   without authorization from the Government of Chad. President Déby said
   it was "up to Sudan to explain what the officers are doing in their
   territory." Mohammed Nour said the generals are "in one of our camps on
   the border".

Battles of Amdjereme and N'Djamena

   On March 6 the Tripoli Accord was violated when the Janjaweed crossed
   the Sudanese border and attacked the Chadian town of Amdjereme. Chad
   accused them of stealing hundreds and in some cases thousands of farm
   animals from the Chadian citizens. The Chadian military chased the
   Janjaweed back across the border and returned the livestock.

   On April 13, 2006 several hundred militiamen attacked the capital of
   Chad. The attack was repulsed by the regular army and many militiamen
   were arrested.

   President Déby blamed the attack on the government of neighboring
   Sudan, claiming that many of the rebels were either Sudanese backed by
   their government or residents of Chad conscripted by the Sudanese. The
   battle occurred just months after the Chadian-Sudanese conflict had
   ended with the signing of the Tripoli Agreement. Déby broke off
   relations with the government of Sudan as a result, expelling its
   diplomats and threatened to stop sheltering thousands of Sudanese
   refugees from the Darfur region.

The Djawara massacre

   The Djawara massacre took place on April 13, 2006 in the eastern
   Chadian village of Djawara. Approximately 75 civilians were shot or
   hacked to death by Sudanese Janjaweed militia and local Chadian rebels.

   Human Rights Watch has reported that between April 12 and 13, Janjaweed
   also killed a total of 43 people in three other villages in the
   vicinity -- Gimeze, Singatao, and Korkosanyo.

Alleged Sudanese support for Chadian rebels

   Members of the Chadian government repeatedly accused Sudan of
   supporting the United Front for Democratic Change rebel alliance
   financially, territorially, and by providing weapons. On December 30,
   the Chadian government broadened their accusation, alleging that rebels
   had been given airtime on Sudanese State television and that after the
   second attack on Adré, Sudanese citizens were among the rebels taken
   prisoner.

   Chadian Deputy Foreign Minister Lucienne Dillah told the Chadian
   parliament in Ndjamena, which then voted to back President Idriss
   Déby's anti-rebel activities, "It seems clear that Sudan is arming,
   financing and equipping Chadian rebels on its territory to destabilise
   Chad. The presence of Sudanese among the attackers taken prisoner
   (after the December 18 attack on Adré) is a blatant example. Khartoum
   warmly welcomed the desertion of some elements of the Chadian army and
   the defection of some senior officials in December."

   Dillah went on to say that Chadian rebel leaders "made several
   appearances on Sudanese television before satellite channel Al-Jazeera
   showed the Chadian rebel base on Sudanese soil on December 11."

   Dillah showed the Parliament several photographs of Mohammed Nour
   posing next to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. After Dillah's speech
   the Parliament called on Khartoum not to jeopardize "the historic
   links" between Sudan and Chad.

   Déby also alleges that the Sudanese-sponsored Janjaweed militia killed
   55 shepherds in Madioun village before Chad's army killed 17 of "the
   horse-men who were wearing the military uniform". Three Chadian
   soldiers were killed.

   The African Union will set up a commission of enquiry to investigate
   Chad's evidence.

   Peter Takirambudde, the Africa director of Human Rights Watch said in a
   statement in February 2006, "You may have thought the terrible
   situation in Darfur couldn't get worse, but it has. Sudan's policy of
   arming militias and letting them loose is spilling over the border, and
   civilians have no protection from their attacks, in Darfur or in Chad."

Alleged foreign support for Sudanese rebels

   U.N. experts working in Darfur reported on January 9 that rebels were
   getting "financial, political and other material support from
   neighbouring countries including Libya, Chad and Eritrea". On January
   12 Chadian Information Minister Doumgor said, "This lying information
   attributed to a supposed report by United Nations experts has no other
   aim than to justify the Sudanese aggression which Chad is a victim of."

   On January 20, 2006, representatives from the Justice and Equality
   Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement met in the Chadian capital
   N'Djamena, and decided to combine the two groups into the Alliance of
   Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan, the largest rebel alliance in the
   Sudanese region of Darfur.

   ARFWS issued a press statement in French and Arabic stating that "The
   two movements have agreed to join and coordinate all political,
   military and social forces, their international relations and to double
   their combat capacity in a collective body under the name, the Alliance
   of Revolutionary Forces of West Sudan. This union will strengthen the
   solidarity, cohesion and unity of the people of Sudan in general and
   that of the west in particular. It will further strengthen the position
   of the armed movements in (peace) negotiations" currently under way in
   Abuja in Nigeria."

   JEM president and doctor Ibrahim Khalil told reporters, "We have set up
   this union in the interests of the people of Darfur. To lose time
   without uniting our efforts means extending the days of the (Khartoum)
   regime which has become a factor in the disintegration of the regime."

   The press statement was also signed by SLM leader Mina Arko Minawi.

   ARFWS and the Government of Chad are united in opposition to Sudan
   heading the African Union at the upcoming summit on January 23.

Chadian demands

   On December 27, Déby met with President Obasanjo near the Nigerian city
   of Lagos. After the meeting Déby told reporters, "I came to complain to
   the current AU chairman about the continued Sudanese aggression toward
   Chad." Déby opposes Sudan hosting a summit of AU heads of state on
   January 23- 24, 2006, and instead proposes that Nigeria once again hold
   the summit. In Ivory Coast, Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the African
   Union Commission and former President of Mali, stated, "We already have
   a very difficult situation in Darfur. If today we must add
   complications between Chad and Sudan it will be a catastrophe."

   On January 9, the Chadian government posted four demands of Sudan on
   their website:
     * disarm Chadian army deserters and other armed groups in its
       territory
     * turn militants over to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR
     * halt Sudanese militia raids into Chad
     * pay compensation to those affected by previous raids

   Chadian government spokesman Doumgor stated, "If these four conditions
   are met, Chad sees no obstacle to resuming direct contact with Sudan to
   renew the ancient ties (based on) non-interference in each others'
   internal affairs."

Intention for further aggression

   Mohammed Nour, leader of the RDL, played down the action at Adré,
   saying, "We only used less than one sixth of our troops in that
   attack." However, he warned of another, much larger attack, "probably
   in the coming few days ... It could even be on N'Djamena." The RDL
   maintains that only nine rebels were killed and that two are missing,
   while seventy government troops were killed.

   The RDL is only four months old and SCUD is only two months old. Both
   are made up of former military officials who deserted and set up bases
   in Darfur.

   Britain and the United States have issued travel warnings for those
   wishing to visit Chad and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
   warns that the area is descending into anarchy. The United Nations has
   grounded some aid flights and evacuated some relief workers.

   Mohammed Nour was interviewed by Opheera McDoom, the first time he was
   interviewed by a western journalist, on February 13, five days after
   the Tripoli Agreement was signed. He told McDoom that Chadian army
   deserters join UFDC ranks everyday, and that the troops bring their
   weapons and supplies with them. Colonel Ahmed Youssef Bishara's
   defection alone brings 1,800 new troops. "There's not been anything as
   big as this in all my experience. Here we have many heavy weapons and
   many troops -- much more than Déby had. Déby has taken the money from
   the Chadian people -- now we want freedom. We have people in the high
   ranks with us. When Déby is sleeping we know what he just ate for
   dinner."

Internally displaced persons

   Refugees from the Central African Republic have fled north into Chad to
   try to escape a civil war and attacks from bandits known as coupeurs de
   route, rebels, and government troops who have killed civilians at
   random to meet body counts, throughout the Chadian-Sudanese conflict.
   On February 17 2,800 refugees crossed the border after fifty villagers
   were killed in attacks in the past week. 4,300 refugees came from
   C.A.R. this year and 45,000 C.A.R. refugees seek political asylum. See
   also: People's Army for the Restoration of the Republic and Democracy

   Eight men in the C.A.R. village Begora were killed on February 11 were
   killed by the C.A.R. military. An eyewitness known only as Martin
   described the attack, "We were all sitting under the shade of trees
   when three army trucks arrived, packed with heavily armed men, grenades
   attached to their belts. They quickly surrounded our village and
   started firing. They started shooting indiscriminately at civilians. We
   were so scared."

   U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees spokesperson Ron Redmond said,
   "Some refugees told the UNHCR that they had been attacked by bandits,
   while others say they were victims of violent attacks by armed rebels
   and-or the army. The new influx is creating an enormous strain on the
   already limited financial resources available for our operation in
   southern Chad."

   Refugees typically go to the Chadian village of Békoninga, where they
   are registered, and are then taken to Gondjé refugee camp.

   On average 200 refugees cross the border per day. 4,000 refugees have
   fled to southern Chad in February as of February 21. UNHCR spokesperson
   Jennifer Pagonis told journalists in Geneva during a briefing, "Many
   refugees report they fled attacks by government forces on civilians who
   CAR troops suspected of supporting various rebel groups. Refugees also
   mention raids by rebel groups who attack their villages to loot food
   and cattle, as well as forcibly recruit young men. Some refugees have
   told UNHCR they have been victims of all three groups – rebels,
   government soldiers and bandits."

   UNHCR representative in Chad Ana Liria-Franch said, "The situation in
   CAR needs to be addressed urgently by the international community,
   before it is too late. Abuses against civilians do not appear to be
   confined to any one side – rebel groups, bandits and government forces
   are all mentioned by the refugees. It is credible that they are indeed
   terrifying these helpless populations."

   On February 22, UNHCR will move 300 refugees from Békoninga to Gondjé
   refugee camp.

   300,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur have fled west into eastern Chad,
   3,600 in Gaga refugee camp, and 100 to 125 refugees arrive everyday,
   but harassment from rebel groups is so harsh that some Chadian
   civilians have begun to flee east into western Sudan. Most of these
   civilians are women and children.

   UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said in a press briefing in Geneva, "So now
   we've got refugees going in both directions in this increasingly
   volatile region."

   UN refugee agency spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis told journalists at the
   regular Tuesday press briefing in Geneva, "In addition to the more than
   200,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur who have sought refuge in eastern
   Chad in the past three years, we're now seeing indications that some
   Chadians are themselves fleeing in the opposite direction, to Darfur.
   Initial assessments by UNHCR and its partners indicate the spontaneous
   sites have grown over the past two months following a bloody attack on
   the Chadian border town of Adré last December. Any Chadians among this
   group are of concern to UNHCR and would be considered asylum seekers
   pending determination of their status. But there are also many Sudanese
   nationals among the group, who have possibly been drawn to the
   settlements in the hope of receiving international assistance."

   UNHCR legal officer in West Darfur said, "Some of the Chadians we
   interviewed told us that they fled directly to the Galu area, where
   some have relatives. Others wandered in border areas for some time
   before getting word of the spontaneous sites and then walking to Galu
   and Azaza."

   Women and children make up 75 percent of the camp population.

   In New York Secretary-General Kofi Annan discussed the Darfur conflict
   with non-governmental organizations. A read-out of the meeting released
   by a spokesman for Mr. Annan said, "The Secretary-General expressed his
   concern about continuing insecurity and the increasing number of direct
   threats to relief workers. The Secretary-General thanked the NGOs for
   their courageous work in assisting those affected by the conflict and,
   as strategic allies, in working together to protect civilians and
   provide vitally needed humanitarian assistance." UNHCR is working with
   the Chadian Government, the World Food Programme, and other
   organizations at Gaga camp.

   "You may have thought the terrible situation in Darfur couldn't get
   worse, but it has," Peter Takirambudde, Africa director of Human Rights
   Watch, said last month in a statement. "Sudan's policy of arming
   militias and letting them loose is spilling over the border, and
   civilians have no protection from their attacks, in Darfur or in Chad."

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