"Raid" on Sudanese embassy in Iraq

U.S. Sudan envoy to meet Darfur rebels in Chad
By Betel Miarom
N'DJAMENA, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. special envoy to Sudan said on Thursday he would travel to eastern Chad for talks with rebels from the Sudanese region of Darfur, with the aim of ending a four-year conflict that has killed 200,000 people.
Andrew Natsios sought permission for the talks from President Idriss Deby at a meeting in the Chadian capital N'Djamena, amid international concerns that spiralling violence in Darfur could destabilise central Africa.
Fighting erupted in Darfur in February 2003 when rebels took up arms against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of discriminating against the western region.
The government responded by arming Arab militias to counter the rebellion. Some 2.5 million people have been forced from their homes in a conflict that Washington has termed "genocide".
"I promised the Sudanese president I would meet the Chadian leader so he could authorise a meeting with the Darfur rebels in eastern Chad," Natsios told reporters after the meeting.
The purpose of the talks with the divided rebel groups would be to "try to convince them to adopt a common position to find a solution to the Darfur crisis," Natsios said.
A Chadian government spokesman said the president had given the talks his blessing. Chad has repeatedly denied Sudanese accusations that it supports Darfur insurgents and it has accused Khartoum in turn of backing an uprising in eastern Chad.
U.S. Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico negotiated a proposed 60-day ceasefire between Darfur rebels and the Sudanese government last week, but divisions among the insurgents have already undermined the deal and the rebels say the government has violated the truce with air strikes.
DEEP DIVISIONS
Many Darfur commanders who rejected a May peace deal with the government formed a new alliance called the National Redemption Front (NRF) and renewed hostilities in June.
Leaders of one NRF faction, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), have said there is no ceasefire.
Natsios was expected to travel to eastern Chad on Friday before returning to the capital on Saturday, according to a draft schedule from U.S. officials.
The U.S. diplomat has striven to shore up international support for resolving the crisis: last week he made a five-day visit to China, which supplies arms to Sudan and is a major investor in its oil sector.
Sudan has rejected U.N. Security Council Resolution 1706 authorising some 22,500 U.N. peacekeepers and police to take over a struggling African Union mission in Darfur.
In December, al-Bashir softened his position by agreeing to a "hybrid operation" in a letter to outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Annan said the force could include up to 10,000 U.N. peacekeepers, but Khartoum insists it should just give support to the African Union mission.
"We support the U.N. plan to deploy 10,000 blue helmets in Darfur. We are working with the African Union to have that hybrid force in Darfur. There are already 50 blue helmets on the ground who are preparing the way," Natsios said.

Darfur Billboard in Grand Rapids

This call is going out to all and any who can help us acquire a billboard for an ad campaign to publicize the atrocites in Darfur. Any and all willing to help with this, please respond! Ideas for the billboard as well as help in acquiring a billboard.

Rallies and protests for Darfur

Is anyone interested in a rally or a protest for Darfur? The message still is not our there.
Please consider gathering together to show President Bush something needs to be done.
Please consider.

Meetings in Michigan on Darfur

All are welcomed to attend. It is very casual.
This is not a religious group, but we are of all faiths and meet at a church.
The church we meet at is Grand Rapids International Fellowship.

The first Saturday of every month we will meet at 2pm. Meetings run about an hour.
3765 Kalamazoo Ave
Grand Rapids MI 49508

Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo Michigan Save Darfur Meeting

Meeting about Darfur. What is going on and how to help.
Please join us.

Saturday January 6, 2006 at 2pm.
3765 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508