Failure to end Darfur violence allows it to spread
By Scott A Morgan
March 23, 2008 — The Inability of the United Nations Security Council to address the situation in Darfur has caused it to escalate. Furthermore the Violence which has on more than one occassion spread East into T’Chad now appears to be moving South into the Central African Republic.
On two different occasions Insurgent Forces from Eastern Chad have launched offensives that made it to the outskirts of the Capital before Government Forces were able to rally. There have been persistant allegations that these Rebels have the Support of the Sudanese Government and undertaken the offensives to relieve the International Pressure that Khartoum has received as a result of the Crisis.
These actions were expected to create unexpected consequences but the potential scale had never been measured until recently. The Main measuring stick has been How far could this Crisis Spread. We have heard the number of people that have either been killed or have been driven from their homes. Refugees from the Fighting have fled into both neighboring States which are Chad and the Central African Republic.
Earlier this week Human Rights Watch A Non-Governmental Organization based in New York City released a report documenting actions being taken by the Chadian Government. On five seperate occasions since the First of the Year the Chadian Army has launched Cross Border Raids into the northwest Central African Republic. This is the same region where Units of the Elite Presidential Guard of the CAR launched several raids between 2005 and 2007.
This is not the only reason why the rest of the World should be concerned about the situation in the CAR. There are reports that elements of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) a Militia that has fought an Insurgency against the Ugandan Government for more than 20 years are moving their Base of Operations. These Elements which do not support the recent Peace Agreement which was reached earlier this year. So in a form of protest they are moving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the CAR.
So what can be done? Troops from the EU are entering Eastern T’Chad to keep the Peace. But it is not known how broad their powers will be. The EU Commander wants to have the ability to return fire so that speaks for itself. Will there be any discussions about alleviating the situation within T’Chad? There is no answer at this time although some Rebel Leaders want the US and France to Force the current leadership to the table. The LRA entering the CAR may end up being the straw that break the Camel’s Back however.
During the Late 1960s US Military Strategists used the term “Domino Theory” to describe the battle against Communism in Southeast Asia. Although the US lost that conflict the same principle could be applied in this instance. The Failure to rein in violence in Darfur has caused unrest in both T’Chad and the Central African Republic. The question about who will be the victors and the vanquished has yet to be settled in this situation.
The author is the Editor Confused Eagle
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