Air raid in Darfur kills 100: African Union

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=4&u=/afp/20050127/ts_afp/sudandarfur_050127172826



Citing reports from monitors on the ground, African Union spokesman Adam Thiam said Wednesday's "bombardment" was "the most serious attack in recent months" and that the deteriorating situation would be at the top of the agenda when AU leaders meet next week in Abuja.


A source close to the AU mission in Darfur said that according to the AU the attack happened at Shangel-Topayi, near Al-Fashir in North Darfur state.


Thiam could not confirm the location but said the raid was one of a number of violations of the shaky April 2004 truce between Khartoum and Darfur's two rebel factions and that the AU "fears the conflict in Darfur is likely to start again."


He declined to say who was responsible for Wednesday's "bombardment" but noted that, to date, such attacks had come from the government side. The rebels have no air force.



Sudanese displaced people wait to receive food supplies from from the World Food Program in Sudan's southern Darfur region earlier this month. US lawmakers returning from Sudan called on President George W. Bush (news - web sites) to do more for Darfur, pointing to the outpouring of international aid for Asian tsunami victims.(AFP/File)

[Minstrel Boy]

1. Thanks for posting this.

I wonder when African lives will matter to us.

[leftchick]

2. I keep waiting and hoping...

I noticed debt relief for Tsunami ravaged countries was almost immediate. And Africa just waits... :(

[cthrumatrix]

3. if they had oild under their feet...the US might take a look

[Igel]

4. Yeah, it's rough.

The OIC wants to do nothing, as does the Arab League. Chechens should be free from Russia, Kosovars from Serbia, but non-traditional Muslims (and Xians in the south) in Sudan ...? Territorial integrity must be preserved. After all, Khartoum's instituted Shari'a.

Same logic applies to the Kurds. Let's leave out the inconvenient fact that the Sudanese rebels and Kurds aren't Arab (which is a linguistic/cultural description in this case).

After the US went into Iraq, suddenly it becomes essential to respect a country's sovereignty. So only the AU troops that Khartoum wants in are allowed. And the aid groups. And then only where Khartoum allows it.

And let's leave out the fact that Sudan has oil.

This must have involved some serious miscommunication between the Office of Civilian Killing and the Office of Outsider Control. Still, I expect to hear the report that the rebels somehow acquired an airforce and were responsible. In other words, it'll be kicked over to the Office for Misleading Westerners and Their Puppets.

[gottaB]

5. January has been a very bad month

:(