BORDER TENSION BETWEEN CHADIAN AND SUDANESE

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001320

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: BORDER TENSION BETWEEN CHADIAN AND SUDANESE
FORCES

REF: N'DJAMENA 1281


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Despite talk of reconciliation
between Chad and Sudan, the Chad/Sudan border north of
the Abeche corridor appears to be the scene of
continued tension between Chadian and Sudanese forces.
End Summary.

GOS VS GOC AT THE BORDER
--------------


2. (SBU) The Head of UNHCR's Iriba Field Office
reported in a November 7 conversation with Poloff that
the Sudanese Government of National Unity (GNU) is
waging both visible and behind-the-scenes campaigns
against the Government of Chad (GOC). Authorities in
the border market town of Tine, for example, confirmed
to UNHCR the October 26-27 bombardments by the Sudanese
Armed Forces (SAF) of the villages of Ouudour, Bamena
(1.5 km inside Chadian territory from the Sudan border)
and Keles (3km from the Sudan border and 27 km from
Tine proper). Tine authorities reported at least ten
killed and four wounded in the Keles bombing. (Comment:
This information supercedes that in reftel which
reported that the Sudanese bombing could not be
confirmed. End Comment). Other Embassy sources have
told us that buildups are taking place near Bahai where
Chadian National Army (ANT) and elements of the
Sudanese-rebel National Redemption Front (NRF) are
facing off against the SAF and elements of the Chadian
rebel movement.


3. (SBU) UNHCR described a virtual face-to-face stand-
off between the SAF and the ANT in Tine, with only a
wadi (a seasonal watercourse) separating forces of both
sides. Given this proximity and accompanying
escalation of tensions, rumors of further cross-border
attacks abound. According to UNHCR, the Iriba Police
Commissioner told them of alleged plans by the
Janjaweed to attack Tine to drive Chadian civilians out
so that the militias could raid its commercial centers;
however, such an attack has not yet materialized.

GNU EFFORTS TO CONSOLIDATE CHADIAN REBELLION
--------------

4. (SBU) According to UNHCR, when not employing the SAF
or reportedly inciting the Janjaweed to carry out its
military campaigns against the GOC, the GNU is actively
engaged in consolidating elements of the Chadian
rebellion. The GNU allegedly hosted a November 3
meeting in El Geneina in which members of the Chadian
SCUD rebel group were asked to join the UFDD-led
alliance, which aims to install former Chadian Defense
Minister Mahamat Nouri as Chadian President. Four SCUD
members refused the invitation on the grounds that they
would not support a member of the Goran tribe (to which
Nouri belongs) as President. At least two of the
four, COL Abakar Kessou and COL Mouktar Brahim Nargas,
were reportedly killed by Sudanese "death squads" after
this refusal.

COMMENT
--------------

5. (SBU) Rumors abound concerning the situation at the
border, and we have taken this one with a grain of
salt. However, if the murder of these two SCUD members
is true, this report would indicate that the GNU is
losing patience with the rag-tag nature of the Chadian
rebellion and is actively seeking to make it a more
credible threat to the Deby regime. The GOS efforts
may also run the risk of fragmenting them further.


6. Tripoli minimize considered. Wall