Chad, Sudan trade accusations over rebel support

Jan 30, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Chad and Sudan traded accusations that their governments were supporting rebel groups in a heated closed-door session at the African Union summit, officials said.

An AU commissioner said that leaders had agreed at the meeting, which was called to debate a report on various conflicts on the continent, to hold rapidly a session of the organisation’s top security body to thrash out the rising tensions.

“There was very lively debate between the delegations from Chad and Sudan who accused each other of supporting rebel groups which are destabilising them,” Peace and Security Commissioner Said Djinnit told reporters.

“President Idriss Deby Itno (of Chad) also regretted the fact that the AU had not intervened more decisively with respect to what he considered as Sudanese aggression,” Djinnit added.

Another AU official who took part in the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “the exchanges between Deby and the Sudanese delegation were violent.”

The past year has seen increased attacks by rebel forces in eastern Chad, which Deby’s government charges are supported by Khartoum.

Sudan for its part alleges N’djamena is backing rebels in its strife-torn western Darfur region.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir’s government and its proxy militias known as the Janjaweed stand accused of brutally repressing an armed uprising by ethnic minority rebels in Darfur.

(AFP)