The warring presidents of Sudan and Chad sign a truce and the president of Chad visits Sudan today . Hopes of peace for Darfur?

As an "important first step for more peace in Darfur” the Society for Threatened Peoples STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV) described the normalizing of relations between the neighbouring stated of Sudan and Chad, which have been at war with each other.

"But only if France and the European Union exercise more pressure on their ally Chad will the truce lead to a lasting stabilization in the region”, said the STP Africa consultant, Ulrich Delius. The point is that at the present moment both states are only interested in a short-term truce.

The president of Chad, Idriss Deby, meets the head of the Sudanese government, Omar Hassan al Bashir, in Khartoum today. Last Saturday They signed a military document in which they agreed on military patrols along the state frontiers, which have been the bone of contention. Both promised not to continue supporting the opposition in the other country.

"This could mean at least a breathing-space for the people in Darfur, who have been so hard hit by flight and expulsion. It is however doubtful whether it is really a breakthrough in the search for a permanent solution of the Darfur conflict”, said Delius. "It is more a short-term truce than a permanent search for a solution.” For both presidents have shortly to face difficult elections and therefore need peace and quiet with stability.” For this reason they are playing the card of realpolitik to hold onto their power. Both states have since the beginning of the Darfur conflict in the year 2003 given military support to armed rebels in the other country.

"President Bashir is trying to escape from further steps in criminal prosecution by the International Court of Justice. The Court announced last week that it might be taking up the charge of genocide against the Sudanese head of government”, said Delius. At the present time 2.7 million displaced persons in the West of Sudan are still waiting for the possibility of their safe return to their villages, which were destroyed at the beginning of the genocide in the year 2003.

President Deby is also a controversial figure in Chad because he has systematically disregarded human rights. "Arbitrary arrest, torture and shootings remain unpunished”, said Delius. "France always places a protecting hand over the Deby government, covers up violations of human rights and prevents a democratization of the country.

It has then been in vain that human rights organizations have appealed to Paris to stop covering up the circumstances of the abduction and probable murder of a former minister. The opposition politician Ibni Mahamat Saleh was abducted on 3rd February 2008 by persons belonging to the presidential guard of Chad. There have since then been no signs of life of the respected democratic politician.

Ulrich Delius can be reached at asien@gfbv.de