Central African Republic News

“We want the international community to look for another country so that the Sudanese can leave. If they cannot do it, we are going to do it.”

N'DJAMENA, Chad - Gunmen prevented humanitarian workers from moving traumatized, new arrivals from neighboring Sudan's Darfur region to a refugee camp inside Chad, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday. via Journal-Gazette

“Those are stories cooked up by those who are against peace returning to northern Uganda, we urge them to stop such damaging talk”

Hundreds of Ugandan rebels have left an assembly point on the Sudan-Congo border and were heading towards the Central African Republic , a senior Sudanese official said on Tuesday. via AlertNet

“It will be the most important European mission since the beginning of the EU”

France's foreign minister hailed Tuesday's resumed deployment of a much-awaited European Union peacekeeping force in Chad, where a rebellion had halted the troop movement.

The fighting earlier this month forced EU officials to delay deployment of the force to Chad and the Central African Republic, which border Sudan's conflict-wracked Darfur region.

'The first plane landed with Swedish special forces,' Bernard Kouchner told a group of reporters after a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Read more

“They are at the end of a very tenuous aid lifeline that flows through Ndjamena”

NDJAMENA, Chad - Shelling and small arms fire erupted here in this capital on Monday, the third day of fighting between government troops and rebel forces, as thousands of residents fled the city in fear, the ... via New York Times

Government troops in the Central African Republic are carrying out unlawful executions despite attempts by the country's president to end the practice, a U.N. human rights expert said. via PR-inside.com

“The Secretary-General calls on all parties to abide by their commitments under the different peace accords signed by them and to urgently resort to dialogue to reach a peaceful and negotiated settlement of this latest crisis.”

Monday, 4 February 2008, 4:03 pm Press Release: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced deep concern at the deteriorating security situation inside Chad, where fierce fighting has resumed ... via Scoop

“We did not take the airport so as not to hinder the evacuation of foreign nationals and now the French army is letting these helicopters take off and attack us”

Fierce fighting with tanks and helicopter strikes have rocked the Chad capital for a second day as rebels surrounded President Idriss Deby in his palace and hundreds of foreigners fled the country. via Sunday Times

“The head of state is fine in his palace. It's true that there are some rebels who have entered the city, but to say the city has fallen is false”

Hundreds of rebels in pickup trucks charged into Chad's capital Saturday, clashing with government troops around the presidential palace in the most forceful attempt yet to oust President Idriss Deby. via Buffalo News

In a dramatic last-minute development, a contingent of 54 Irish peacekeepers, mostly Army Rangers, who were due to depart for Chad last night were diverted back to McKee Barracks while they were en route to ... via Eircom.net News

“We have our forces who are on the deployment site, where we have increased slightly the alert level and vigilance.”

France raised the alert level Thursday for its military forces in Chad following intelligence reports that rebels were moving toward the African country's capital, a military spokesman said. via Press of Atlantic City

“Research shows recruitment goes down if the camps have good security”

While precise estimates are difficult to come by, some 250,000 children globally are being recruited to fight in armed conflicts in violation of international law, a United Nations official said today, ... via Burmanet

“Today nobody talks about these exit strategies, but the European force might be caught there, might be stuck in the Chadian desert, and this will certainly also have political consequences”

As European forces begin to deploy in Chad and the Central African Republic, analysts say they are worried about the logistics of the peacekeeping operation. via Huliq.com

In his new role as UN messenger of peace, George Clooney was playing himself. The 46-year-old actor was scheduled to tour the United Nations headquarters and attend a ceremony Thursday marking his designation ... via MyTELUS

“The government's senior generals tolerate the blatant recruitment of children and fail to punish perpetrators. In this environment, army recruiters traffic children at will”

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon urged further measures to combat child military recruitment yesterday, which he said continues to take place in more than 12 countries including Burma. via Burmanet

“Again, we are at a critical moment for Darfur. Time is running out.”

The U.S. Administration can influence European and other donor countries to provide much-needed equipment, and it can offer to provide funds for the helicopters itself. via Amnesty International USA

“But our engagement has become more predictable in recent years and we are now actively involved in some 25 IDP operations worldwide, including the latest response in Kenya.”

The UN refugee agency on Tuesday asked donors to support more than US$90 million in UNHCR programmes aimed at assisting millions of internally displaced people during the coming year. via AlertNet

By Paul-Marin Ngoupana Bangui - Central African Republic President Francois Bozize named a new government on Monday, keeping the key defence ministry post for himself and bringing his son into an otherwise ... via Independent Online

You scored as Jean-Bedel Bokassa Congratulations, you are Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic. via World History Blog

Source: Refugees International - USA Patrick Duplat and Louisa Lombard Website: http:/ / www.refugeesinternational.org/ content/ article/ detail/ 10411 Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content ... via AlertNet