Daily Darfur: "Well, I'll show you..."

The blogs have been rather short lately, as I am a.) traveling, and b.) exhausted, but the news feeds are rather light this afternoon:
Chadian President Idriss Deby told a rally of supporters in N'djamena that he will cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) case on Darfur --- comments undoubtedly intended to serve as a slap in the face to regional rival Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan/Indicted War Criminal, in light of recent rebel incursions into Chad from (what are likely) Sudanese-backed rebels. (I'm sure Bashir is shaking in his boots.)
Deby also told the crowd that "Chad withdraws its confidence" from the African Union, and instead wants the UN to resolve the long-running tensions between the two neighbors.
Quickies
From the Institute on War & Peace Reporting: A draft law that would place even stricter controls on Sudan's less-than-free news media is drawing criticism from local journalists, who argue that the law goes against guarantees in the new constitution, which was adopted as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
The government of Qatar released a brief overview of its latest mediation efforts between JEM and Khartoum, which focused on the "implementation of the Agreement of Goodwill and Confidence-Building concluded between the Government and the Movement in Doha on 17 February 2009." (That is, the asking the two sides to fulfill the obligations they agreed on before they will agree to talk about holding peace talks.) "The two sides reiterated their commitment to the peace process," ....all the while engaging in combat with one another in North Darfur.
Michael has an interesting take on Bashir's recent interview with the BBC. (I actually agree --- shocking, I know.)
[Photo from AFP: A Chadian soldier watches people march in Ndjamena. Chad President Idriss Deby Itno led around 10,000 anti-Sudanese demonstrators through the capital Ndjamena on Wednesday, to protest what he said was Khartoum's support for a recent rebel offensive.]







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