An African Union summit began on Monday with Sudan determined to take on the chairmanship despite criticism of the ongoing violence in Darfur. Sudan insists it should receive the chairmanship, even though many rights organizations and Western governments are demanding otherwise due to the atrocities in Darfur. Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol stated that he believes responsible AU leaders will not be swayed by external pressure from rights groups. The chairmanship was initially promised to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir a year ago, but was withheld due to the violence in Darfur, which has resulted in the deaths of 200,000 people and displacement of 2.5 million. Critics argue that rather than decreasing, the violence has actually intensified in the past year, with government-backed Arab militias responsible for the deaths of thousands. Sudan's president, Bashir, has consistently opposed the deployment of UN peacekeepers to support the African Union military mission of 7,000 troops and monitors, which is already stretched thin. During the summit, the AU's top diplomat, Alpha Oumar Konare, accused Sudan of targeting civilians in Darfur and urged the government to cease its attacks and work towards peace. Amnesty International warned that the AU would compromise its credibility if it elected Bashir as chairman while human rights violations persisted in Sudan's Western region. Chad has indicated that it will leave the African Union if Sudan's President Bashir is elected as the chair, due to strained relations stemming from the Darfur conflict. Chad's President Idriss Deby stated that this scenario is unlikely to happen, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit mentioned that Sudan's candidacy for the chairmanship is expected to face significant opposition. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed optimism that the issue of the chairmanship will be resolved more easily than in the previous year. Diplomats are working on promoting Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete as an alternative to Bashir, but the decision has not been finalized. Western governments are supporting Kikwete, with British Africa minister David Triesman emphasizing the importance of the African Union's success in international relations and diplomacy. A committee of seven "wise men", including Obasanjo, will be discussing the Sudan issue on Monday and then presenting recommendations to the full summit, according to delegates. The meeting in Addis Ababa will also cover topics such as raising a peacekeeping force for Somalia, unrest in Guinea, climate change, and the AU military mission in Darfur, but it is believed that Sudan will dominate much of the discussion. Delegates mentioned that opposition to Sudan is growing among AU governments, with concerns about how a country dealing with internal conflict can address other issues on the continent. One African delegate stated that leaders are aware of this challenge and are working towards finding a solution.