Daily Darfur: Alternative Title - "The Daily Cynic"

It's officially official: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused---or rather, "expressed his disappointment"---the government of Sudan of violating its own ceasefire by continuing military activity in North Darfur. UN investigators "confirmed visible effects of air strikes, including four craters created by bombing and the presence of unexploded ordnance on the ground."

"The Secretary-General further expresses his disappointment that military activity by the government continues in Darfur, particularly in light of the 12 November announcement of an immediate cease-fire by the government."

(I think I've said everything I have to say about this matter.)

Who's peace will bring peace?

The Peninsula of Qatar quotes the President of the European Commission:

"We support all initiatives that aim to resolve humanitarian crises expressing the hope that this initiative would solve the problem," [Jose Manuel] Barroso said in a press conference held at the Sheraton Hotel on the sidelines of the UN International Conference on Financing for Development.

All initiatives? I'm not going to disregard the Qatar Initiative just yet, because we don't really know any details about a proposed plan---or even any ideas on what a proposed plan might possibly include---but for that same reason, I don't think it's right to endorse it quite yet. There's plenty of reason to be suspicious, or at least cautious, that the initiative will go too far in appeasing Bashir. And that is an initiative that no one should support.

Just because someone wave the peace banner doesn't mean they deserve unequivocal support. Let's see what's behind it, first.

Never tired of talking about the ICC...

Martha Minow and Philip Heymann assess the genocide charge brought against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir by the chief prosecutor of the ICC, noting that genocide has a precise legal definition that distinguishes the act or intent from other crimes against humanity:

"Moreover, in his application for a warrant the prosecutor emphasizes that the perpetrators also subjected the targeted groups to systematic rape, torture, the destruction of their basic means of life, and mass displacement. Taken together, these acts justify an inference of genocidal intent.

The prosecutor has since gathered evidence of the horrendous conditions of life in the camps, as well as the Sudanese government's obstruction of humanitarian relief aimed at the camps. This is fully consistent with the conclusion that the Sudanese government, acting together with the Janjaweed, sought to destroy the targeted groups in whole or in part."

Interesting Items of Note:

- An article on the aftermath of the battle in Abyei, and one on the refugee situation in Chad.

- Sudanese Drima at Global Voices Online gives us a roundup of the "relatively small but intriguing Sudanese blogosphere."

- The Darfur issue is dealt a blow in the Sudanese political sphere with the death of a prominent member of the country's largest opposition party.

- Can you imagine moving from the deserts of Sudan to the arctic cold of Anchorage, Alaska? Perhaps the Sarah Palin Welcoming Committee can teach them a thing or two about moose hunting and consignment-store-shopping.

(All kidding aside---kudos to local church groups from welcoming distressed war refugees into their    communities.)

[Photo: www.shanebauer.net (top); Anchorage's Sudanese community is growing, as war refugees continue to come from southern Sudan. Scott Jensen/KTUU-TV (bottom).]