Update [2006-4-17 16:2:1 by Dave]:  From Reuters Chad eases threats on oil, Darfur refugees. "Chad on Monday softened threats to stop sheltering Sudanese refugees and halt oil production following rebel attacks as the United States offered to broker a solution to a dispute with the World Bank."

This is the first in a series of posts I hope to complete about oil-related conflicts in regions of the world that TOD does not often pay sufficient attention to. Viewing geopolitics through the lens of oil is not always right, but as Michael Klare's book Blood And Oil makes clear, there is often a connection. A good case can be laid out that Chad and the Sudan are in turmoil right now over oil and who controls it. Another case can be laid out that the cause of the Genocide in Darfur has it's root causes not only in ancient ethnic/tribal and religious rivalries that have been going on since Sudan's independence in the 1950's, but also has most recently been exacerbated in disputes over who will control the oil in the regions. This genocide is being carried out by the Janjaweed militias supported by the Sunni Muslim government of Sudan based in Khartoum against the Christian and indigenous Africans of the Darfur provinces. First, we'll start with a map of the region to get everyone situated.

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Eastern Africa -- Sudan and Chad

In this post we'll analyze the situation in some of its aspects but particularly from the perspective oil production. Perhaps many of you think this issue not important. I hope to persuade you that this tragic situation is illustrative of our global geopolitical future. So, let's look at recent developments in Eastern Africa.