Chad closes its consulate in Darfur and Sudanese consulate in Abeche

Oct, 3, 2005 (NDJAMENA) — Chad has decided to close its consulate in al-Geneina, in Darfur, and the Sudanese consulate in Abeche, in eastern Chad. The Sudanese ambassador to Ndjamena was today summoned to the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was informed of the decisions.

Chadian soldiers guard the border with Sudan. (AFP/file).

According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), the closure is as a result of the attack against the Chadian village of Madayouna last week. Some 75 people, including 55 villagers, were killed by men from Sudan.

President Idris Deby accused the Janjaweed militiamen, who are being supported by Sudanese army of being behind the attack. However, Khartoum has denied the allegations. From Ndjamena here is Stephanie Braquehais:

RFI envoy in the region reported that the incursions into Chad by Sudanese militia, which ended with the theft of livestock and the death of about 60 villagers, led to the decisions for security reasons, several sources said.

In Abeche, in eastern Chad, Sudanese nationals are fearing retaliation from the residents, an anonymous Chadian official said.

Sudanese government said that a probe would be set up to shed light on the conditions of attack, but did not react to the closure of the consulate.

In a statement to the Sudan News Agency, an official from the African bureau at the ruling National Congress party, Hassan Barqu, revealed that a high-level government delegation was expected to head for Chad on Wednesday 5 October. The delegation will be carrying a message from President Omar Hassan] Al-Bashir to his Chadian counterpart, Idris Deby.

Barqu said it was expected that the chief negotiator of the government delegation in the Abuja talks, Majzoub al-Khalifah, would join the delegation to discuss how to channel the flow of negotiations between Ndjamena and Abuja.

The conflict has weakened relations between the two neighbours and has created political and economic problems for Chad’s President Idriss Deby, who has come under pressure from both sides for support.

Chad, Africa’s newest oil producer, in April 2005 accused Sudan of seriously threatening its security by recruiting and maintaining some 3,000 rebels close to the border between the two countries.

(ST)