Comments on: Jihad in Darfur and the failure of peacekeeping http://pacificempire.org.nz/2006/09/03/jihad-in-darfur-and-the-failure-of-peacekeeping/ Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Newt http://pacificempire.org.nz/2006/09/03/jihad-in-darfur-and-the-failure-of-peacekeeping/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Newt Sun, 24 Sep 2006 09:53:18 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=18#comment-50 There are between 3,000 and 4,000 PLA troops and reservists in Sudan at this time. The majority are employed as labourers or security in the oil industry, primarily tasked with looking after Chinese interests and investments in pipelines and other delivery systems, ports, storage, and the like. Remember that most everyone in China does some degree of military training, and is thereafter a reservist; also that China, as with other empires which have gone before it, uses troops as labourers and labourers as troops, both domestically and abroad. Thus there is some validity to the claim that China has deployed X number of troops to Sudan. The actual number of regular PLA troops is only about a battalion, or around 600 - 700 including support personnel. No more than 400 - 500 will be combat soldiers. They are not involved in the civil unrest in Sudan, as far as I can ascertain. There are between 3,000 and 4,000 PLA troops and reservists in Sudan at this time. The majority are employed as labourers or security in the oil industry, primarily tasked with looking after Chinese interests and investments in pipelines and other delivery systems, ports, storage, and the like. Remember that most everyone in China does some degree of military training, and is thereafter a reservist; also that China, as with other empires which have gone before it, uses troops as labourers and labourers as troops, both domestically and abroad. Thus there is some validity to the claim that China has deployed X number of troops to Sudan. The actual number of regular PLA troops is only about a battalion, or around 600 – 700 including support personnel. No more than 400 – 500 will be combat soldiers. They are not involved in the civil unrest in Sudan, as far as I can ascertain.

]]> By: Phil http://pacificempire.org.nz/2006/09/03/jihad-in-darfur-and-the-failure-of-peacekeeping/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Phil Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:15:04 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=18#comment-17 Thanks, exocet. I've heard the same rumour. BTW, there is an interesting article about China's involvement in Africa at the <a href="http://www.iags.org/n0119062.htm" rel="nofollow">IAGS.</a> The <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21143-2004Dec22.html" rel="nofollow">Washington Post</a> has this to say: "Chinese-made tanks, fighter planes, bombers, helicopters, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades have intensified Sudan's two-decade-old north-south civil war." Ironically, after supplying arms to the Sudanese Army, China sent soldiers to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Sudan. I can't find confirmation of a Chinese military presence in Sudan beyond the UN peacekeepers in the south. However there was a rumour in 2000 that 700,000 (!) Chinese troops on alert for Sudan. More plausibly, some of the thousands of Chinese oil workers are thought to be former PLA soldiers. According to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Chinese workers building pipelines were armed and cooperated with Sudanese soldiers in driving out civilians. They have been accused of rape and murder against locals living near oil installations. Thanks, exocet. I’ve heard the same rumour. BTW, there is an interesting article about China’s involvement in Africa at the IAGS.

The Washington Post has this to say: “Chinese-made tanks, fighter planes, bombers, helicopters, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades have intensified Sudan’s two-decade-old north-south civil war.” Ironically, after supplying arms to the Sudanese Army, China sent soldiers to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Sudan.

I can’t find confirmation of a Chinese military presence in Sudan beyond the UN peacekeepers in the south. However there was a rumour in 2000 that 700,000 (!) Chinese troops on alert for Sudan. More plausibly, some of the thousands of Chinese oil workers are thought to be former PLA soldiers. According to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Chinese workers building pipelines were armed and cooperated with Sudanese soldiers in driving out civilians. They have been accused of rape and murder against locals living near oil installations.

]]> By: exocet http://pacificempire.org.nz/2006/09/03/jihad-in-darfur-and-the-failure-of-peacekeeping/comment-page-1/#comment-16 exocet Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:38:50 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/?p=18#comment-16 I've heard a rumor somwhere on the interweb (can't recall where now) that there could be up to 3000 Chinese troops in Sudan. Any comments? Great blog btw I’ve heard a rumor somwhere on the interweb (can’t recall where now) that there could be up to 3000 Chinese troops in Sudan.

Any comments?

Great blog btw

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