Aid groups fear worsening Darfur chaos

[muriel_volestrangler]

Darfur is fast slipping towards anarchy with fresh fighting displacing tens of thousands of people and violent attacks on relief workers forcing aid agencies to consider pulling out.

Clashes involving government forces, allied militia and rebel fighters, and dissident guerrilla groups have forced more than 50,000 people from their homes since a peace deal was signed three months ago. Most have ended up in overcrowded refugee camps, which are becoming increasingly difficult for aid agencies to reach.

Eight Sudanese humanitarian workers were killed last month, more than in the entire previous two years. The situation is so acute that at least one prominent agency has flown in a special trauma team to counsel staff.

"There is extreme tension across Darfur," said Suliman Baldo, Africa programme director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), who was in Sudan last week. "The peace deal is on the verge of collapse."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sudan/story/0,,1839807,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704

The article says there's fighting between rebel groups, as well as with the government and janjaweed militia.

[Igel]

1. Don't worry.

Now that the PRC has no need for arming E. Chadian rebels, slosh-over from that struggle won't reach the rebels. And I'm guessing that Chad will make it harder for arms to reach the Fur rebels, if some order is restored in the east.

Having an ally in China will serve Sudan well. They can clean up the little ethnic mess to make sure that Sudanese oil gets to Beijing.