VZCZCXRO8648
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0149 1251338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051338Z MAY 09 ZDK FOR PRETORIA ALL OTHER DISREGARD
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6886
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0214
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0604
RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE PRIORITY 0042
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY 0017
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000149 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOHA FOR SE GRATION 
STATE FOR AF/C AND AF/USSES 
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON 
LONDON FOR POL -- LORD 
PARIS FOR POL -- D'ELIA AND KANEDA 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS ASEC PREL PREF SU UN AU LY FR CD
SUBJECT: CHAD REBEL COLUMNS CROSS INTO SOUTHEAST CHAD FROM 
SUDAN, MAY 4-5 
 
REF: NDJAMENA 132 
 
--------- 
KEY POINTS 
---------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) CHAD REBELS CROSS THE BORDER:  We believe that 
three or perhaps four columns of Chad rebels have entered 
southeastern Chad since yesterday, and are likely strung out 
along the border from points SE of Abeche to the 
CAR/Sudan/Chad tri-border area, north and south of Goz Beida 
town.  Total rebel forces may number up to 2,000 fighters in 
up to 200 vehicles.  Only one of the columns appears to be 
moving westward, the others remaining in static positions 
just inside the border. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) CHAD MILITARY REACTION:  Chadian National Army 
(ANT) units have deployed to defensive positions around Goz 
Beida, from which most civilian government officials and 
police have apparently disappeared.  (This is a traditional 
Chadian bureaucratic practice when trouble arises.)  The ANT 
has not taken ground offensive action against the rebels. 
The ANT has moved air assets -- two SU-25 Frogfoot close air 
support aircraft and one MI-24 HIND attack helicopter to 
Abeche from N'Djamena. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  MINURCAT VIEW:  MINURCAT SRSG Victor Angelo told 
the Ambassador May 5 that he believes the rebels are trying 
to make two "political" points:  That despite the recent 
Chad-Sudan peace accord in Doha, "we rebels still exist," and 
that "we rebels can act independent of Khartoum's wishes." 
Angelo departed mid-morning May 5 to Abeche, with the 
intention of visiting Goz Beida.  He promised to brief the 
diplomatic corps on his return. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) CAPITAL CALM:  The capital was calm May 5.  Many 
senior GOC military leaders participated in a May 5 morning 
ceremony to install the new Chairman of Defense Staff and did 
not betray concern or anxiety regarding the developing 
situation in the East.  The GOC issued May 4 a communique 
accusing Sudan of duplicity, stating that "the ink was not 
yet dry" on a bilateral peace accord in Doha when the 
Sudanese government launched Chad rebels -- its clients -- 
into Chad. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  ETERNAL VIGILANCE:  We and all our partners, both 
civilian and military, are watching this situation carefully. 
 The trick here is to separate fact from the fiction 
generated by a powerful rumor mill of often surprising 
creativity.  We will report appropriately on the progress of 
the situation in eastern Chad.  We are reviewing emergency 
action procedures as a prudent precaution. 
 
¶6.  (U) Minimize considered. 
NIGRO