Article

2004-01-07 Africa: East

Sudan demands that the UN tell Eritrea to stop sponsoring the Darfur rebels

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Posted by Dan Darling 2004-01-07 2:53:49 AM|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sudan is the nastiest regime of my lifetime. Its corpse count of 6 million far exceeds that in any other country. So I am sympathetic to say the least to anyone who opposes the Sudanese regime. I was suprised to discover that Eritrea is split 50/50 between christians and moslems, and religous tolerance seems widespread. They have been cracking down on prosletyzing prodestant sects like the Jehovas Witnesses, but by the standards of the region it appears mild. Anyone who want more information can go here.

From my perspective, country where moslems and christians can live together without serious problems is to be encouraged.

Posted by phil_b 2004-1-7 4:24:48 AM|| 2004-1-7 4:24:48 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Imagine that,Slavers whinning to the U.N.!

Posted by raptor 2004-1-7 6:38:07 AM|| 2004-1-7 6:38:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 What's surprising about slavers whining to the UN? It would be surprising if the UN decided to crack down on slavery.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-1-7 8:07:58 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2004-1-7 8:07:58 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 difficult balancing act for US. Eritreans may be good guys, but Ethiopia has been strong supporter of WOT (with eye on Somalia) and Yemeni, on top of the heart of darkness, has been helpful too.

Posted by liberalhawk 2004-1-7 9:29:13 AM|| 2004-1-7 9:29:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 The Khartoum regime has for years funded the rebel Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ) and the Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council. It was the policy of the Bashir-Turabi government to form a single line of Islamist governments grom Sudan through Eritrea to Somalia. Eritrea under Afewerki has blocked that dream. Second, look at a map and you will find one hellish long distance from Eritrea to Darfur. That being said, if Eritrea is supplying arms it is understandable. Better that the Khartoum government makes mischief in Darfur than along the Sudan-Eritrea border.

Posted by Tancred 2004-1-7 10:44:08 AM|| 2004-1-7 10:44:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 I agree that Ethiopia has been helpful, but they've got a lot of bad blood against Eritrea because of the war during the 1990s and aren't too likely to cry too hard if Afewerki falls. My guess would be that the same is probably true with Yemen as well.

It'd be a lot more probable for Bashir to claim (as he initially did) that Chad is supporting the Darfur rebels.

Posted by Dan Darling 2004-1-7 11:34:07 AM|| [http://www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com] 2004-1-7 11:34:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Etritia offered us basing rights before the Iraq War. I beleive we turned them down in favor of Dijibouti in order to stay out of the Etritia/Ethiopia negotiations.
I was unaware that Etritia was divided down the middle with respect to religion. Based on the fact that these two groups are living together in semi-tolerance, I think we missed a chance to support tolerant behavior by basing our troops there. (Might have upset the UN, though.)

Posted by Super Hose 2004-1-7 11:44:05 AM|| 2004-1-7 11:44:05 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Chad has the military experience to stomp Bashir's ill-equipped, ill-trained and totally undisciplined army. It's much easier to blame Eritrea than Chad. Chad has not been either helpful or hostile to the Darfur rebels, but the Sudanese ignore most of Chad's behavior.

The situation betwee Eritrea and Ethiopia is complex, and has its roots in things that happened 1800 years ago. The targeting of the Coptic Church in Ethiopia by muslims hasn't helped much. The collapse of Ethiopia after Silase's downfall was as much because of inter-tribal and religious animosity as it was because of Silase's failure to provide an heir or establish some form of transitional government. And, of course, the fingers of Saudi Arabia were everywhere, helping speed the collapse of the region.

The whole damned Middle East is due a good enema and a total restart, from ground zero - literally.

Posted by Old Patriot 2004-1-7 1:47:45 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2004-1-7 1:47:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Yikes! OP local cold reboots can change the OS.

Posted by Shipman 2004-1-7 5:41:26 PM|| 2004-1-7 5:41:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Ship...
I think the Middle East needs a few HOT reboots - say about 30,000K.

Posted by Old Patriot 2004-1-7 9:35:52 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2004-1-7 9:35:52 PM|| Front Page Top

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