Gadhafi calls Sudan, Chad to close border

Feb 8, 2006 (TRIPOLI) — Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi has called on Sudan and Chad to close border temporarily between them to prevent rebels from crossing the two countries’ respective borders.

Gadhafi said Wednesday that African nations should not harbor rebel groups attacking their neighbors as six African presidents tried to end an increasing conflict between Sudan and Chad.

Tensions between the two nations have grown amid the continuing bloodshed in Sudan’s western Darfur region, which borders Chad. Sudan accuses Chad of harboring Darfur rebels, while rights groups have said Chadian and Sudanese militias in Darfur have launched frequent crossborder raids, killing Chadian civilians.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Chadian President Idriss Deby gathered with the leaders of Burkino Faso, Congo and the Central African Republic, along with Libya’s Gaddhafi, for talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

“It is shameful that Africa resorts to weapons whenever there is a dispute. Unfortunately, we turn all our differences into wars, which gives an opportunity for foreign interference,” Gadhafi told the one-day summit in the Libyan capital.

“We must ban the threat of force or the use of force by any African country. Whoever violates that must be punished,” he said. “There must be a ban on giving refuge to rebels fighting other countries. That is support for terrorism.”

The Libyan leader said the root cause for the tensions was the conflict in Darfur, where Sudanese forces and Arab militiamen have been fighting rebel groups made up of ethnic Africans who accuse the government of neglect and discrimination.

An estimated 300,000 people have died, mainly of hunger and disease, and some 2 million have been displaced since the conflict started three years ago. The Arab militias are accused of widespread atrocities against civilians.

Sudan accuses Chad of harboring Darfur rebels and has reported artillery fire from across the border in Chad.

Chad, in turn, says Sudan backs two Chadian rebel groups made up of army deserters who seek to overthrow Deby. This week, New York-based Human Rights Watch said at least 18 Chadian civilians have been killed in almost daily crossborder raids by Sudanese and Chadian militias in Darfur.

(ST/AP)