December
3, 2006: The fighting in the east has led to widespread looting of aid agency
warehouses, and other facilities. There are over 300,000 Sudanese refugees
living in eastern Chad, and they survive on imported food. To replace some of
the stolen supplies, the UN has airlifted in over 110,000 tons of food. Much of
the looted food ends up in local market places, driving down the price of grain
and other staples, and hurting local farmers, who often cannot compete with the
low prices. Meanwhile, the rebels are supporting themselves by looting
the foreign aid supplies. This is a common pattern in these situations, and no
one has come up with a workable solution, other than bringing in lots of armed,
and aggressive, peacekeepers.
Chad
is now willing to accept UN peacekeepers, to help deal with the unrest along
its border with Sudan. But many UN members are uneasy with getting involved in
whatever is going on in eastern Chad (rebellion?, banditry?, Sudanese
intervention?, all of these?)
December
2, 2006: Rebels withdrew from the town of Guerada, and drove off
towards the Sudan border, which is fifty kilometers away.
December
1, 2006: Rebels in the east, seized the town of Guerada, which is fifty
kilometers from the Sudan border. The rebels, who are supplied by Sudan,
claimed to have taken a hundred prisoners and captured at least five armored
vehicles. Rebels also claim that government forces were assisted by Sudanese
rebels. Aid workers said two of their trucks were stolen by the rebels, as well
as large quantities of supplies and office equipment.
November
29, 2006: In the Central African Republic (CAR), French troops exchanged fire
with rebels at an airport the French were guarding. There are now 300 French
troops in CAR, and some Mirage fighters and helicopters. The fighters have been
used in northern CAR, to drive rebels out of two towns. As in Chad, the CAR
rebels are believed to be backed by Sudan.
