AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL'S TRIP TO DARFUR

UNCLAS ROME 004582

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (PARA 11)

FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND LREICH
USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA GARVELINK, DCHA/OFDA,
DCHA/FFP
STATE FOR A/S IO HOLMES, A/S PRM DEWEY, IO/EDA
NSC FOR JMELINE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF EAGR PHUM AORC WFP FAO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL'S TRIP TO DARFUR
HIGHLIGHTS ABUSES AND CONTINUED NEEDS

--------------
SUMMARY
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1. Ambassador Tony Hall led a delegation of staff and
journalists to Sudan's Darfur states on November 18 through

20. The purpose of the visit was to witness first-hand the
dire situation and to observe U.N. operations, principally
those of the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO). Through many interviews,
meetings and statements with officials and international
and local press, Ambassador Hall emphasized the significant
contributions of emergency assistance from the American
people. (The visit received extensive press coverage.) He
visited four camps housing internally displaced persons
(IDPs),talking with many of the IDPs themselves. He met
with U.N. agency staff and NGO implementers, discussing
their humanitarian operations and prospects for safe return
of IDPs (and refugees in Chad) to their homes. The
delegation visited the recently demolished camp of al-Jeer
(by the Government of Sudan) in South Darfur, and flew over
nine razed and burned villages in West Darfur.


2. The visit, which took place at the time of the U.N.
Security Council's meeting in Nairobi, presented a sobering
view of a humanitarian crisis that may continue to spiral
downward. A lack of security is preventing U.N. agencies
and NGOs from fully implementing their mandate to serve the
region's most needy. A poor harvest, which FAO estimates
to be 15 to 50 percent of past yields, will lead to more
farmers requiring food aid, perhaps as soon as March. At
that point, WFP is expected to increase its operations from
1.1 to 1.3 million persons fed as it is now to 2.3
million persons per month. Insecurity, more importantly,
prevents IDPs from returning to their homes in time for the
next planting season in May/June 2005. Another crop
failure in 2005 could guarantee the need for several more
years of feeding and providing for a growing share of the
region's estimated 6 million population. WFP's emergency
feeding program (EMOP) for Darfur alone (not including
refugees in Chad) is estimated to cost $361 million for
calendar year 2005.


3. Sudanese officials whom Amb. Hall met denied any
responsibility and pinned the blame on rebels. All said
the GOS would honor the commitments contained in the two
o
protocols on security and humanitarian operations, which
were brokered by the African Union. End summary.

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Site Visits Day One
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4. Ambassador Tony Hall, USUN/Rome, visited Khartoum and
all three Darfur states during a three-day visit from
November 18 20. The Ambassador was accompanied by two
staff persons, an agriculture advisor, and four
journalists. WP's and FAO's emergency coordinators for
DQrfur also traveled with the delegation. After Q brief
stop in Khartoum, the group traveled t al-Fasher, the
capital of North Darfur, where it met with U.N. agency
representatives, the SAID DART, and NGOs. WFP's head of
office in al-Fasher explained that more than one-third of
North Darfur's 1.6 million persons have become displaced as
a result of the conflict. One-third of the schools are
closed, six of eleven hospitals have been destroyed, and
one-third of the 69 pharmacies have been wiped out. The
e
state has suffered from drought continually over the past
four years, which has adversely affected livestock and
crops.


5. A lack of a secure environment has hampered
humanitarian operations. The WFP representative explained


that only recently were major roads leading into and out of
al-Fasher declared safe by the GOS. This allowed
humanitarian operations to start in previously unserved
areas. For example, in Kutum, a town northwest of al-
Fasher, humanitarian workers witnessed more than 100,000
IDPs, most of whom were taking shelter under trees. The
environment is in constant flux with towns and IDP camps
being classified "permissive" or "non-permissive" on a
daily basis. (Note: This was proved again 72 hours after
the delegation left, when further attacks closed all of
North Darfur outside of al-Fasher to UN and NGO personnel.
End note.)


6. WFP and implementing partners were preparing to make
food deliveries for Malha, a town northeast of al-Fasher
and under government control, which would have marked the
first distribution of food in eight weeks. Trucks left on
November 20th on their way to Malha while the delegation was
in West Darfur, but they were turned back because of
skirmishes between government and rebel forces. In the
north alone, WFP estimates that it is not reaching more
than 100,000 targeted persons.

7. Ambassador Hall visited two IDP camps, abu-Shouk and
Zam Zam. Abu-Shouk, the larger of the two with a
population estimated at greater than 40,000, is a well-run
camp. One of the humanitarian workers who met Ambassador
Hall referred to it as "the Hilton of camps" because of
food availability, good organization, and extensive
services, including supplementary and therapeutic feeding
units, health care services, etc. Supplementary feeding
targets the most vulnerable, mainly pregnant and lactating
mothers, and children under five, and is reaching an
estimated 2,000 persons a week. IRC runs five health
clinics in and around al-Fasher, including a health clinic
within abu-Shouk. It employs local doctors who in addition
to working at IRC clinics must continue to provide services
at state health clinics or hospitals. Since many of the
hospitals and clinics suffered damage, some of the doctors
are working exclusively at IRC clinics, whose services are
open to IDPs and the general population alike. (Note: IRC
said the EU is rebuilding several of the damaged clinics
and hospitals.)

8. In contrast to abu-Shouk, the Zam Zam camp is less
organized and grew out of a spontaneous gathering of IDPs.
It is smaller in size perhaps 15,000 persons and lacks
some of the services of abu-Shouk. It is less sanitary as
well, with livestock living among the human population.


9. The Ambassador spoke with women who had been abused and
raped by Jenjaweed forces and GOS police. Some were afraid
to speak, fearing retaliation. (It is widely reported that
GOS security personnel frequently roam the camps to collect
information and to intimidate victims from reporting any
crimes against them. Several alleged security persons were
pointed out to the delegation.)


10. The first day ended with the Ambassador's courtesy
call on the governor (Wali),Osman Kobor. The governor
started off with a relaxed discussion of the need to
broaden
beneficiaries of WFP feeding programs to include
people affected by the drought. As he went on, he became
noticeably upset while bringing up the labeling of the
problems in Darfur as genocide by the USG. At that point
he blamed the rebels for everything from armed fighting to
the drought. (WFP's country director Ramiro da Silvo had
briefed Ambassador Hall back in October on what the
governor would likely say. Kobor followed it as if he were
reading from a script.) He concluded by saying it is not a
fight among ethnic groups or tribes, it is conflict over
limited resources, including land.


South and West Darfur
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11. On the second day in Nyala, South Darfur's capital,
the OCHA representative chaired a session with U.N.
agencies and NGOs. The meeting lacked energy, as most
attendees declined to speak. (This was likely due to two
factors: the presence of international journalists and
exhaustion.) He explained that humanitarian operations got
into full swing only in August, when staffing among all
agencies and NGOs reached minimally acceptable levels.
However, this was soon followed by a steadily worsening
security situation, which limits the reach of humanitarian
groups. In the last 30 days, approximately 80,000 persons
from Jabel Marreh (the fertile mountains and hills where
the three Darfur states converge) have become displaced.
With an ever-increasing population of IDPs, the system set
up to provide marginal support is becoming overstressed.
The GOS insists that people are returning to their homes,
often citing the figure 77,000, but no outside group has
been able to corroborate that number. Instead there is
widespread fear and mistrust of the government by the
communities.


12. To make matters worse, the OCHA representative briefly
discussed a potentially explosive issue over property
rights an issue the Ambassador later raised with the
Sudanese State Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs (see
para. 18, below). According to a 1982 land law, any land
left idle for one year or more can legally be taken over by
squatters. OCHA and other U.N. agency representatives
speculated that perhaps there was a more sinister purpose
to keeping people off their lands: comprehensive land
redistribution. For many IDPs, the one-year mark will be
reached in April 2005.


13. At Kalma, just south of Nyala, the camp is a massive
sprawl stretching for seven kilometers, and resembling a
small (and very poor) city. WFP estimates the rolls at
more than 113,000 persons, a number which on average is
growing by 1,000 a day. The delegation witnessed "ghost
settlements" within the camp, which are essentially shells
of shelter used only when food distributions take place.
The real number of "full-time" residents is estimated
around 70,000. One of the nurses told horrific accounts of
women brutalized and raped by Jenjaweed. She recounted the
story of one woman brought to the clinic who had been gang-
raped by eight men. One pregnant woman, who left camp in
search of firewood, was not only raped but at the end of
the ordeal had a stick inserted in her, which caused an
abortion. This was the most gruesome of the stories the
delegation heard. Whether or not the discussions were
monitored by government authorities it is not certain.
Perhaps it was coincidence, but shortly after the visit the
GOS issued a decree preventing residents of Kalma from
gathering firewood. (Firewood is the only cooking fuel.)


14. By helicopter the delegation flew into Zalingei in
West Darfur to observe the first food distribution in seven
weeks. Despite this the CARE-run program was well
organized and orderly. Women and children waited patiently
in long lines while local CARE staff measured out rations.
Signs were posted everywhere in Arabic and English. (The
English version of the "exit" sign read "Exist" an
appropriate imperative.) No one was visibly angry over
having missed rations for the previous month; they were
just thankful for the food they got that day and for the
help from the U.S. When some of the women heard that the
delegation was from the United States, they were extremely
grateful and thanked the Ambassador often.

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Meeting with Humanitarian Affairs Minister
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15. Back in Khartoum at the end of the visit, the
Ambassador gave a blunt account of what he witnessed to
State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Mohamed Yousif.
The Ambassador used the meeting to raise four issues: 1)
local taxes being assessed on WFP's locally procured food;
2) GOS cancellation of FAO/WFP joint crop assessment; 3)
access from Chad or Libya for food distribution; and 4) the
1982 land tenure law. After blaming the international
community for the problems in Sudan, the State Minister
briefly addressed each of the Ambassador's issues. On
local taxation of food, he explained that a reimbursement
system is in place; WFP simply has to apply for any taxes
it has paid.


16. Earlier in the year, a joint FAO-WFP team concluded a
food and crop assessment of southern Sudan. At the end of
November the team was going to conduct an assessment of
northern Sudan, which includes Darfur. Earlier, we had
been told by FAO that the assessment was canceled. Yousif
clarified the GOS position: they had not canceled the
assessment but were negotiating with FAO-WFP the process
through which the study would be reviewed. The GOS is
arguing for government clearance through the Ministry of
Agriculture before the report is released. He said he saw
no reason for the assessment to be canceled.


17. On using an overland corridor from Chad or Libya into
Darfur, Yousif said the GOS would not allow unlimited or
unencumbered access of food into Darfur, but might allow
shipments on a case-by-case basis. This issue, he said,
would be raised with the foreign ministry. He also
mentioned that their decision would be influenced by
economic factors, a reference to the cheaper route from
Port Sudan and desire for the business to stay within
Sudan.


18. On the land tenure law of 1982, Yousif sought to allay
everyone's fears by stating the law does not apply to
Darfur. The intent of the law was meant to prevent fertile
agriculture land from being kept idle. In Darfur, the
situation is different. He said in Abuja the agreement was
people would be allowed to return to their land the GOS
will honor that commitment.


19. Following a meeting with representatives of the U.N.
country team, Ambassador Hall held a press conference in
Khartoum (the first since the end of Ramadan). His trip
and statement generated considerable coverage, ranging from
local Sudanese papers to Middle East Broadcasting (MBC) and
Knight Ridder newspapers throughout the U.S.

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Observations
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20. Insecurity is the overriding issue. The people will
not, nor should they, return to their homes without some
reasonable assurance of safety. That assurance does not
now exist, and it is not likely to come in the near term.
Keeping people in camps jeopardizes next year's harvest,
which will worsen the livelihoods of people in Darfur and
add even more people to the dole. Trust in government is
necessary, but what is also needed in the short term are
ways of resurrecting traditional means of resolving tribal
conflict. One Sheikh from the Arab Zayy!diyah tribe of
North Darfur told us of Qadhdhai's Tripoli initiative of
bringing tribal leaers together to begin a dialog of
reconciliatQon. The delegation discussed this initiative
with the U.S. Mission in Tripoli.


21. Humanitarian agencies seem to be understaffed. (####)

petent staff. With WF(##)
than double its feedihe buildup of
internatiw. One critique of so
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the NGOs is that the staff was often not familiar with
complex humanitarian emergencies involving conflict. This
may contribute to exaggerated numbers of registered IDPs.


22. Apparitions appear in camps just in time for food
distributions. Registered beneficiaries far exceed actual
camp residents -- WFP estimates as much as 30 percent.
There is little doubt that even those who do not live in
camps are in great need of food, but they are likely less
at risk than those who have been displaced (in camps or
otherwise). Now that the infrastructure is in place for
feeding people, more attention needs to be given to proper
registration.


23. Insecurity causes unpredictable gaps in food
deliveries. Some 300,000 or more people are not being fed
because they are not safely reachable. Airdrops may be one
means of assuring delivery.

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Ambassador's Comments
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24. The suffering of the people of Darfur is overwhelming.
I listened to stories of women raped, men beaten, tortured,
and murdered, villages burned, and saw people barely
hanging on to life. Insecurity prevents us from reaching
more than 300,000 persons who somehow continue to survive.
It also means that continual and reliable food distribution
is not assured from week to week. If the displaced are
unable to return home shortly, another, more serious crop
failure looms. The situation is desperate, but based on
what I saw and heard it will likely get worse.


25. On a less pessimistic note, the thousands of people we
saw in camps seemed to be hopeful and thankful for the
hundreds of million dollars in U.S. emergency assistance.
Attendance at press conferences and general media interest
were high. Using what we saw and learned, my Mission's
priority in the coming months will be to keep Darfur at the
top of the list of donor countries in Rome. With the UN
consolidated appeal (work plan) for all Sudan reaching $1.5
billion for the coming year, donors must be prepared to
make early and very generous contributions.


26. The commitment and personal sacrifice of the thousand
or more humanitarian workers is astounding. The USAID
DART, WFP, and FAO have all posted excellent teams who
persevere in extreme conditions. My gratitude and prayers
go out to them.


27. Minimize considered. HALL


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2004ROME04582 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED