The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the 'Darfurization' of Chad: Myths and Reality
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12 The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the ‘Darfurization’ of Chad: Myths and Reality By Jérôme Tubiana Copyright The Small Arms Survey Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey The Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Grad- uate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as the © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva 2008 principal source of public information on all aspects of small arms and as a First published in April 2008 resource centre for governments, policy-makers, researchers, and activists. All rights reserved. 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Cartography by MAPgrafix Small Arms Survey Typeset in Optima and Palatino by Richard Jones, Exile: Design & Editorial Graduate Institute of International Studies Services ([email protected]) 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Printed by nbmedia in Geneva, Switzerland Phone: +41 22 908 5777 ISBN 2-8288-0095-4 Fax: +41 22 732 2738 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.smallarmssurvey.org 2 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 12 Tubiana The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the ‘Darfurization’ of Chad 3 The Human Security Baseline Assessment Contents The Sudan Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) is a three-year research Acronyms and abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................... 6 project (2005–08) administered by the Small Arms Survey. It has been developed About the author ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 in cooperation with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN Mission in Sudan, the UN Development Programme, and a wide array of international Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 and Sudanese NGO partners. Through the active generation and dissemina- I. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 tion of timely empirical research, the HSBA project works to support disarma- ment, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), security sector reform (SSR), II. The ‘Darfurization’ of Chad? and arms control interventions to promote security. Background and current context ...................................................................................................................................... 14 The HSBA is being carried out by a multidisciplinary team of regional, security, III. Historical and political context of the region ................................................................................ 20 and public health specialists. It reviews the spatial distribution of armed vio- IV. Bilateral relations between Chad and Sudan ................................................................................ 24 lence throughout Sudan and offers policy-relevant advice to redress insecurity. V. Armed groups in eastern Chad and Darfur ......................................................................................... 32 HSBA Working Papers are timely and user-friendly reports on current research activities in English and Arabic. Future papers will focus on a variety of issues, VI. The international response ........................................................................................................................................... 53 including victimization and perceptions of security, armed groups, and local VII. Conclusions: from peacekeeping to diplomacy ..................................................................... 57 security arrangements. The project also generates a series of Issue Briefs. Appendix: Armed groups of Darfur and Chad ....................................................................................... 62 The HSBA project is supported by Canada, the UK Government Global Con- flict Prevention Pool, the Danish International Development Agency (Danida), Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 70 and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 75 For more information contact: Claire Mc Evoy HSBA Project Coordinator Small Arms Survey, 47 Avenue Blanc 1202 Geneva, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.smallarmssurvey.org/sudan HSBA Working Paper series editor: Emile LeBrun 4 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 12 Tubiana The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the ‘Darfurization’ of Chad 5 Acronyms and abbreviations About the author AN Alliance nationale Jérôme Tubiana ([email protected]) holds a Ph.D. in African Studies from the ANR Alliance nationale de résistance Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO) in Paris. Over CAR Central African Republic the past 12 years he has conducted more than ten research missions in northern CDR Conseil démocratique revolutionnaire and eastern Chad, western Sudan, and eastern Niger, focusing on the Tubu CNT Concorde nationale du Tchad (or Convention nationale du Tchad) (Teda–Daza) and Beri (Zaghawa and Bideyat) peoples. Since 2004, he has EUFOR European Union Force worked in Darfur and Chad as a researcher for various NGOs, most notably FPRN Front populaire pour la renaissance nationale Action contre la faim (ACF) and Médecins sans Frontières (MSF–France). Among Frolinat Front de libération nationale du Tchad other publications, he has authored a field study on the causes and conse- FSR Front pour le salut de la république quences of the Darfur crisis (‘Le Darfour: un conflit identitaire,’ Afrique Con- FUC Front uni pour le changement temporaine, No. 214, 2005), a study on the issue of land in Darfur (‘Darfur: a FUCD Front uni pour le changement démocratique conflict for land,’ in War in Darfur and the Search for Peace, edited by Alex de JEM Justice and Equality Movement Waal, Harvard University, 2007), a study of Darfur rebels (Divided They Fall: MPRD Mouvement pour la paix, la reconstruction et le développement The Fragmentation of Darfur’s Rebel Groups, with Victor Tanner, Small Arms NMRD National Movement for Reform and Development Survey, 2007), and a book of Teda–Daza and Beri tales (Contes Toubou du Sahara, NRF National Redemption Front L’Harmattan, 2007). As a freelance journalist and photographer, he has also PDF Popular Defence Forces written for a number of French newspapers and publications on Chad and the RAFD Rassemblement des forces démocratiques Horn of Africa. RDL Rassemblement pour la démocratie et les libertés RFC Rassemblement des forces pour le changement RFI Radio France Internationale RND Rassemblement national démocratique RNDP Rassemblement national démocratique populaire RPJ Rassemblement populaire pour la justice SCUD Socle pour le changement, l’unité et la démocratie SLA Sudan Liberation Army UFCD Union des forces pour le changement et la démocratie UFDD Union des forces pour la démocratie et le développement UFDD/F UFDD–Fondamentale UFDR Union des forces démocratiques et du rassemblement UFPD Union des forces pour le progrès et la démocratie 6 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 12 Tubiana The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the ‘Darfurization’ of Chad 7 Abstract �������� ����������������� ���� The contention that the Darfurian conflict is being ‘exported’ to eastern Chad ����� ��������� via janjawid militia has received widespread coverage. However, this is a dan- ������� gerous oversimplification of the ethnic