Arabic Media

Novmeber 15, 2007

Source: Addustour (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: 8 Rebel Factions Reunite

• Jar Annabi Abdul Kareem, Darfur rebel leader, said that 8 rebel groups decided to reunite after several weeks of negotiations in Juba, the capital of South Sudan
• Abdul Kareem acknowledged that three influential groups – JEM, Sudan Liberation Movement Unity faction, and Abdul Wahid Nour’s group – did not join the newly formed group.  He added that efforts would be made to reach out to them
• The newly formed group welcomed African Union and United Nations efforts to resolve the conflict between the rebel groups and the central government in Khartoum

Source: Addustour (Government-friendly, Jordanian daily enjoys wide circulation)
Headline: Chadian School Children Demonstrate against France

• Hundreds of school children took to the streets of N’Djamena chanting slogans against France and to protest L’Arche de Zoe’s attempt to kidnap children
• Police forces intervened to end the demonstration when protesters started throwing stones at cars driven by white diplomats and threatened white journalists
• Meanwhile, lawyers for the detainees said that the judge denied them bail

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: Chinese Red Army to Participate in Darfur Peacekeeping Mission
By: Izzat Shuhrur

• Al Jazeera visited the 380 Chinese soldiers as they were training for their peacekeeping mission in Darfur.  The troops’ leader said that his soldiers were training in road construction, and bridge building. 
• In addition to engineers, there will be a medical team to provide much needed medical services to Darfur citizens
• Experts believe that by participating Darfur peacekeeping mission, China wants to show that its interest in Darfur is also humanitarian and not just oil and raw materials

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: President Al Bashir Accused Israel and Western Countries of Conspiring against Sudan

• Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir accused Western countries of funding Darfur war and providing weapons
• He explained that the conspiracy became clear when Israel opened its doors to Darfur immigrants
• He added that “kidnapping Darfur children in Chad” was also part of the conspiracy
• Al Bashir blamed the “unholy” alliance between radical Christian and Jewish groups as the source behind the conflict

Source: Al Jazeera (Leading Arabic News Channel, headquartered in Qatar)
Headline: Chad Insists on Trying L’Arche de Zoe Detainees

• Chadian judge in charge of L’Arche de Zoe’s trial insisted that the trial take place in Chad and not in any other country
• Chadian minister of justice said that Chadian legal system is capable of handling this trial, adding that the street demonstrations simply support keeping the trial in Chad

Read the above in Arabic.