Monday, November 24, 2008

A Failed Ceasefire

Christina Hueschen

On the ground – Sudanese troops clashed with rebels in the Helf area of northern Darfur on Thursday, leaving at least five rebels and one soldier dead.  On Friday, former rebels belonging to the SLA faction under Minni Minnawi, who signed the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement and now holds a government post, reported that Sudanese troops and government-backed militias raided and bombed their post in Abu Dangal, South Darfur.  These attacks are the latest in a recent bout of violence, which erupted just hours after the government declared a unilateral ceasefire on Nov. 12.

In diplomacy – The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court presented evidence to the ICC on Thursday, asking for arrest warrants for three Darfur rebel leaders because of their involvement in a deadly 2007 attack on African peacekeepers.  Four months ago, the prosecutor (Luis Moreno-Ocampo) asked for a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President al-Bashir.

Within the activist movement – Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady visited a Darfur refugee camp in eastern Chad last year; now, he is helping to launch the Sister School Initiative, which will fund education in refugee camps and establish partnerships between African and American schools.