Chad crisis could worsen, army chief warns

The Irish commander of the EU peace enforcement mission to Chad today warned the troubled African region could face a worsening humanitarian situation.

EUfor’s Lieutenant General Pat Nash said the decision on issuing an arrest warrant for the President of neighbouring Sudan, expected this week, could have serious repercussions.

There are fears indicting Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes could spark fresh violence in the volatile Sudanese Darfur area, spilling over into eastern Chad.

“It’s a concern. This is a very serious issue,” Lt Gen Nash said at the Irish Chad base in Goz Beida, around 40 kilometres from the border.

“We do not see a major threat to our troops, but we do see a possible humanitarian situation could deteriorate and that would be a issue for us as well.”

Hundreds of thousands of people have died in Sudan’s western Darfur region since rebels took up arms against the Government almost six years ago.

Last July the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor applied to have Bashir charged with war crimes, murder and genocide and a decision from the ICC judges is expected on Wednesday.

The EUfor mission, now a year old, has a mandate to protect refugees fleeing from the violence in Sudan, as well as Chadians displaced by local unrest.

Lt Gen Nash, 62, said he wanted to reassure people that contingency plans were in place to deal with any security problems sparked by the ICC move.

The veteran soldier, who has 44 years' service, highlighted the improved security situation in the country over the last year but insisted troops still faced serious challenges and dangers.

“You have Chadian rebels across the border not very far from here, you have Sudanese rebels only a couple of hundred kilometres north of here,” the top ranking soldier said.

“All of this in a very volatile, political situation where there is not stability.

“Yes, there are serious issues.”

The Limerick man was appointed EUfor commander in October 2007, overseeing an operation involving around 3,500 troops from 26 countries, including more than 400 from Ireland.

He is based at the operational headquarters in Paris, but flew to Chad to visit Irish troops on the ground before his planned retirement at the end of May.

As the mission passes the year mark, is he happy by what has been achieved?

“For us, we are quite satisfied as a force, not just the Irish, I’m talking as a force,” he said.

“We set the bar pretty high, and we’ve achieved a lot.”

He said he had taken great pride in the success of the mission to date.

Control of the Chad mission will be transferred to the United Nations from March 15.

Ireland has committed troops for at least another year.