Comments for Making Sense of Darfur

Comment on Making Sense of Khalil’s Putsch by Alex de Waal

Alex de Waal — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:51:06 +0000

Dear Mahmoud and Armel,

You make some excellent points.

I am no admirer of Idriss Deby and have been highly critical of the way in which France has supported his dictatorship and other western governments have failed to adopt any policy other than backing France. I am also dismayed by the way in which some of the Darfurian armed movements have allowed themselves to become part of Deby’s strategy for sustaining himself in power in return for military assistance. I do not doubt that Deby was instrumental in bringing JEM to its current military strength. Deby’s disavowal of involvement in the attack didn’t count for me at all–he is perfectly capable of double-crossing anyone.

But at a time when Deby was trying to salvage his precarious internal position, backing such an attack was not in his interest. And Khalil is not a ‘gun for hire.’ He has his own agenda and will cooperate with Deby when it suits him and act independently or against Deby’s interests when he feels it is necessary.

I don’t believe we yet have the full picture of foreign involvement in the JEM offensive, including who knew what and when, and there are some important facts which have yet to come out.

Perhaps the most important fact today is that the government of Sudan has lost any shred of confidence in President Deby and holds him responsible for the attack. There is a very serious danger of outright war between Sudan and Chad.

Comment on Making Sense of Khalil’s Putsch by Armel Ramadji

Armel Ramadji — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:04:41 +0000

I agree with Mahmoud Seid and disagree with Alex de Waal when he says that IDI didn’t support JEM’s recent attack on K-town. IDI did support the attack staged by his cronies of the JEM. After the failed offensives of the coalition of Chadian rebels against N’Djamena in February of this year, and the one launched by Mahamat Nour Abdelkerim in April 2006, IDI ash vowed to have his former godfather, Al Bashir, pay for backing Chadian rebels. As the JEM came to NDjamena in support of Deby in February, IDI has decided to plan the attack of K-town. Money, weapons ( from Libya, France,…) and logistics were graciously provided to the JEM as it has been the case since 2003. More than 300 Toyota land cruisers 4WD were purchased from Dubai by the Chadian regime and 14.5mm weapons were mounted on them for the JEM. Khalil Ibrahim was in NDjamena and his men called “Toroboros” were stationed in Am-Senene, a military camp outside of NDjamena. Later, they moved to Am Djaress in Eastern Chad for more preparation before the offensive on Omdurman and Khartoum. IDI and his entourage knew what was going on. They had the possibility to tell their “guns for hire” of the JEM to back off. As I wrote in “What is the international community missing in the Darfur crisis?” posted on RAMADJI.com, IDI is the definitely part of the problem and as long as he will be kept in power by France and as long as the US will close its eyes on his devastating actions in the region, there will be no peace in Darfur, no peace in Chad and no peace in CAR. You can take it to the bank.

Armel Ramadji
http://ramadji.com
May 15, 2008

Comment on Making Sense of Khalil’s Putsch by Peter Bechtold

Peter Bechtold — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:15:08 +0000

Alex:
Very well-written and informative.
I suppose that it is always difficult to probe someone else’s mind–just think of our own Western leaders–but would you consider the possibility of reconstituting the ancient Zaghawa kingdom of at least 1000 years ago as influenced by ideas which you sketched out in several of your other writings on identity formation? PB.

Comment on In Memoriam: Jamali Hassan Jalal al Din by Alex de Waal

Alex de Waal — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:27:26 +0000

I received the following tribute from Mohamed:

When I met Al-Jamali In the mid 90s he was a faithful and loyal member of the NIF and the NCP later. I was a student in the university. Al-Jamali, unlike his friends, was always tolerant, rational, trying to show the logic of things, indirectly, and silently, disapproving the regime’s harassment and the prosecution practiced mainly by the national security. This was not always praised by his friends. We saw in their eyes the confusion about how and why Al-Jamali accepted us and did nothing to stop us—on the contrary supporting us to continue the discussion night after night.

As far as I know Al-Jamali was one of the few followers and supporters of the NIF/NCP who did not depend primarily on it for their living either as civil/military servants or as businessmen getting contracts or facilitations from the government. Instead he joined his brothers in their small-scale trade between Darfur and Khartoum, which I know for sure did not flourish after he associated himself with JEM.

Comment on Making Sense of Khalil’s Putsch by Mahmoud Seid

Mahmoud Seid — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:55:28 +0000

Asserting that Deby is angry with Dr. Khalil for launching his daring attack on Omdurman shows that the author knows nothing about the Chadian President. Deby is known for his versality and acting angry is one of his trademarks, just to confuse things.

The JEM became part of the Chadian Army after the rebel attack on N’djamena in February. As such, its movements were well coordinated and not at all decided by Khalil alone. That they were moved, with new weaponry, toward the Sudanese border mountain of Amdjarass seems to be a calculated effort to prepare this attack.

The fact that the Sudanese Government is claiming to have arrested several Chadian Army officers among the invading forces reinforces the point that Deby is guilty by association.

Comment on In Memoriam: Jamali Hassan Jalal al Din by Alex de Waal

Alex de Waal — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:45:03 +0000

We have had many expressions of condolence at the death of Jamali. Irrespective of their political allegiances, Sudanese and their friends mourn the passing of one of their own. Sudan has a fine tradition of putting political differences aside when it comes to personal matters and we should pay our respects to Jamali in this spirit.

This blog also encourages open and frank discussion and is run on the principle of freedom of expression–any contributions are attributable to their authors only. I should underline that neither I personally nor the SSRC as an institution support any calls for revenge. I also think it is mistaken to label JEM as a terrorist organisation.

Comment on In Memoriam: Jamali Hassan Jalal al Din by Omar Ahmad

Omar Ahmad — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:25:31 +0000

This man was part of a terrorist organisation. He came to Omdurman to wreak death and destruction. The great majority of the Sudanese people have little sympathy for him. He died the way he intended for others.

Comment on In Memoriam: Jamali Hassan Jalal al Din by Mastora Bakhiet

Mastora Bakhiet — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:04:01 +0000

I met Jamally in Fort Wayne, IN . He a courageous Darfurian man. He lost his life because he believes that Darfur is his top priorty. I know that the brave man don’t kill who like Jamally. Shame on the Islamic Sudanese government. I demand JEM to revenge for what happened to Jamally.

Comment on The Hour of the Hardliners by Hamid E Ali

Hamid E Ali — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:39:26 +0000

Isaac Newton said when a force is applied to an object, it accelerates. That force is May 10 events. As result of this force, Sudan will acceleration in the direction of peace and democratic transformation. Let us allow the political process, sense and reasons prevail over demagoguery and false patriotism. Any Sudanese blood is valuable whether in Khartoum or Elfasher. Now the elites in Khartoum taste the bitterness of war that might accelerates the process of peace and reconciliations in Sudan and Darfur in particular. Previously, people heard about Darfur as if it is another planet. Now all, conclude that violence always will produce counter-violence that could proportionate more destructive. The government should realize that their policies reached the dead-end. There must be a U-turn; the government is in real need for a new blood and team instead of the old clique to carry out the transformation.

Comment on In Memoriam: Jamali Hassan Jalal al Din by Hamid E Ali

Hamid E Ali — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:35:53 +0000

Jamally is my classmate from primary school to high school. After Abuja agreement he was in the USA and I spoke with him and he was optimistic about the future prospect of peace and we chat about the size of our families, it turned out that he was a head me in every category. We promised to meet in DC but other commitments did not allow meeting him. He was eloquent and charming with good heart, character. I he was killed during an interrogation after his eyes was pocked. He left more than 7 children behind him. Indeed, it is a great loss for Darfur. So many in Elfasher have told me how their hearts were broken by his death. As Alex said in better circumstances his talents and good character would have allowed him to live out a full and peaceful life. Overall, he had charted beautiful course of life and he has no control of the eventuality. We ask the almighty to bestow him with his mercy.

Hamid E Ali,PhD