Yet another African country experiencing political turmoil and civil conflict... Editorial: Unending Strife http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&sec...5&m=2&y=2008&pix=opinion.jpg&category=Opinion The tragic irony of the latest civil strife in Chad is that just as some 250,000 Sudanese fled west into Chad from Darfur, so now many thousands of Chadians are themselves fleeing west from their capital N’Djamena, this time into neighboring Cameroon, whose border is close to the Chadian capital across the Chari River. If it is indeed true that the rebels seeking to overthrow President Idriss Deby have only made a tactical withdrawal from the capital, as they claim, then probably many of N’Djamena’s 700,000 population will try to get out before the insurgents launch a new assault. Rebel claims, however, that they want an evacuation in order to avoid civilian casualties should be treated with skepticism. They were perfectly happy to make their initial attack without such a warning and it, therefore, looks as if forces loyal to the president have beaten them back. This is clearly far from being the end of the violence. Too much is at stake, including Chad’s oil wealth which Deby and fellow members of his minority Zaghawa tribe are accused of plundering since the first wells came on stream five years ago. Ranged against him is an alliance of three rebel groups including one dominated by Gorane tribesmen, whose kinsman President Hissene Habre was ousted by Deby in a 1991 coup backed by Libya. But Chad has 10 principal tribes, roughly evenly split between ethnic Arab Muslims in the north and Christian and animists in the south. Since independence from French colonial rule in 1960, the country has suffered four violent coups and long periods of guerrilla fighting. Part of this violence stemmed from age-old tribal enmities. Unfortunately, at varying times, outside forces, including the French, the Libyans and the Sudanese, have added their support to these essentially local disputes and so dangerously inflated them. Deby himself has been guilty of similar interference in Sudan where directly or indirectly he has countenanced the arming of some of the Darfur rebel groups. Though Khartoum denies it, it is almost certain that Sudan has now repaid this support by backing at least two of the rebel groups seeking to oust Deby. The timing of the rebel assault may be significant. Last Friday the first elements of an EU force were due to be deployed in eastern Chad as protection for the quarter of a million Sudanese refugees from Darfur in the camps. These unfortunates have come under increasing attack from pro-Khartoum forces which include at least one of the Chadian rebel groups, the United Force for Democracy and Development (UFDD). Brussels has suspended the deployment. Strategically this is understandable since, if Deby is overthrown, the European troops around the camps could find themselves under threat. From a humanitarian point of view, the delay could be disastrous for the refugees. Once again, the highest price is being paid by innocent civilians while strongmen and their outside backers jockey for power.
While clearly more than oil is at stake, it's obviously the big issue here. We (America, the World, etc.) can't move away from our fossil fuel energy infrastructure soon enough. Not saying that will completely solve the problem, but it'll help.
Doubtful. Africa is the armpit of interventionism. Even if we went entirely green, the world be more likely to free Libya than to stick their necks out for Sudan, Chad, or Ethiopia/Eritrea.
