February17, 2007:
The U.S. urged China to help resolve the crisis in Darfur. China is a
major buyer of Sudan's oil, and major supplier of weapons and all manner of
goods to Sudan.
February
16, 2007: And then he finally came out and said it. For the last couple of
years Sudan has all but said that rebel groups in Darfur have "outside
supporters." One of the outside supporters is Chad. There is very little
disagreement about that, except from Chad. However, Sudan's government had
never accused "the West" of supporting Darfurian rebels. Sudan had accused "the
West" (usually meaning Britain and the U.S.) of supporting the SPLA rebels in
the south, but not the rebels in Darfur. However, now Sudan is saying
that the rebel groups (who rejected the May 5 peace deal) "move with freedom in
Western capitals and receive financial and military support…" This is true in
some respects - the rebel groups do have representatives in several European
countries. "Financial and military" support, however, isn't certain. However,
this is another Sudanese attack on the UN, which Sudan claims is an "imperial
power" preparing to invade Darfur.
UN
and African Union (AU) officials issued a statement that said the situation in
Darfur could not be solved with "a military solution." The UN, however, said
that violence continued to "escalate" in Darfur and that the violence prevented
aid workers and humanitarian organizations from helping Darfur's estimated two
million displaced people.
February
15, 2007: Government leaders from Sudan, Chad, and the Central African Republic
(CAR) said they had reached an agreement to not "support rebels" who attack
their territories. Sudan has accused Chad of supporting Darfur rebels and Chad
has accused Sudan of returning the favor. The CAR has had to fight rebel
organizations from both Sudan and Chad. Given the history of Sudan and Chad,
there is very little likelihood that the agreement will last more than six
months.
The
UN accused the Sudan government of attempting to hinder UN operations in
Darfur. The UN said that Sudan had failed to issue travel visas to members of a
human rights commission that was supposed monitor the situation in Darfur. On
February 13 the Sudan government said that the UN human rights group was
"biased" against Sudan.
February
14, 2007: A spokesman for Uganda's rebel Lords Resistance Army (LRA) denied
accusations by Sudan that the LRA had launched attacks in Sudan's Western
Equatoria state. In January the government of south Sudan said that LRA
fighters were suspected of ambushing vehicles, robbing villages, and committing
rapes in Sudan.
February
12, 2007: Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) guerrillas accused the Sudan government
of launching an attack in the Fanga region of Darfur. The SLA claimed that
"several" civilians were killed. Sudan denied the accusation. African Union
observers said that Sudan Air Force aircraft bombed two villages (Kariari and
Bahai) in North Darfur state. The air attack took place February 11.