Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

As I indicated in my reply, it was felt that the issue of the arrest warrant against the Sudanese President, al-Bashir, would result in a renewed effort on the part of the Sudanese Government to further support the rebels attacking Chad and trying to undermine the Chadian regime. There is no evidence that this has happened to date. If it were to happen, it would have profound consequences, as the Deputy rightly anticipates, for the refugees. It will mean more refugees in already overcrowded camps, which I saw myself on a recent visit to the area.

To a certain extent, we have been the victims of our own success because the security brought about by the EUFOR force has encouraged more refugees and internally displaced persons to come to its camps which are run in a fairly disciplinarian manner. The threat remains live.

The initial action taken as a result of the issue of the arrest warrant was the expulsion of a large number of NGOs from Sudan. Several Irish NGOs on the ground in Sudan, with which we have been in touch, have not been affected to date. Their working environment, however, is becoming progressively more difficult and tense.

Paradoxically, the rainy season, which is not due for three months, tends to minimise rebel activities. Rebel movements across the border, operating to destabilise the Chadian regime, are severely restricted during the rainy season. There tends to be a lull during the season with groups rearming and reorganising.

I have not seen any evidence of further support from the Sudanese Government to the rebel groups. Last November, however, several rebel groups came together in an unified organisation which has created tension between Sudan and Chad with the Chadian President blaming Sudan for facilitating this development.

While it is a case of "so far, so good" and the threat has been assessed as medium, the situation is quite tense and we are keeping it under constant review.

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