MINISTER FOR Defence Willie O’Dea has warned that Irish peace enforcement troops serving in Chad are now into a “flashpoint” period.
Heavily armed Sudanese rebels could pour across the border of neighbouring Chad into the Irish battalion’s area of control, he said.
“The immediate thing that I’m worried about is the imminent issue of an arrest warrant [for war crimes] for President Bashir of Sudan,” Mr O’Dea said in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, last night.
“That may prove to be provocative in terms of strengthening the determination of Sudan to assist rebels [opposed to the Chadian government]. I do feel there will be a bit of a reaction amongst his own supporters to that.”
Chad and Sudan have long accused each other of funding politically destabilising rebel incursions into each other’s territories.
Mr O’Dea said any mass rebel movement from Sudan’s Darfur region – where rebels have rallied since last November — into the Irish area of responsibility around Goz Beida in eastern Chad would bring challenges for the 400 Irish troops based there. “It’s one of the potential flashpoints,” said Mr O’Dea.
“But [the Irish] have proved in the past that they’re well up to it.” The troops exchanged warning fire with hostile forces last June.
Mr O’Dea was concerned to hear the rebels were more organised now and had recently acquired armoured vehicles for the first time. “They’re financed, partially at least, by the Chinese; which is a good source of finance. They’re also financed by the Sudanese government, so, naturally, I would prefer if they weren’t as heavily equipped as they are.”
Last February thousands of rebels drove from Darfur almost 2,000kms across Chad, an oil producing country, to the outskirts of N’Djamena. They were then engaged in very heavy fighting with government forces, who managed to eventually win out.
Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley said the Chadian government was now in a much stronger position. It had generated substantial revenues from the spike in oil prices last year.
They had used this to buy attack helicopters and aircraft as well as hundreds of armoured military vehicles and had added to and retrained their army.
He said of the rebels: “The problem for them is the distances; it’s a massive distance from crossing the border of Sudan into Chad and then fighting your way all the way up to N’Djamena. The last time they were able to drive unopposed almost to the outskirts of N’Djamena. That is not going to happen now.”
However, if forced to protect themselves the Irish would not be found wanting. “They know what to do; they have good tactics, techniques and procedures and they have the equipment. It’s no problem”.
Mr O’Dea and Lieut Gen Earley are visiting Irish troops in Chad.