ICRC OPERATIONS IN CHAD

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000281

SIPDIS


LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, GENEVA FOR RMA,
ADDIS/KAMPALA/NAIROBI FOR REFCOORDS, DEPT FOR PRM AND
USAID/DCHA/FFP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM KAWC CD SU
SUBJECT: ICRC OPERATIONS IN CHAD


1. Summary. In addition to ICRC's traditional activities
in Chad (e.g. detention visits and international humanitarian
law dissemination),ICRC is playing a key role in eastern
Chad in assisting refugee populations and local communities.
ICRC's work with refugees specifically focuses on family
message exchanges and tracing services for unaccompanied
minors. ICRC is working closely with IFRC and the Chadian
Red Cross, as well as with UNHCR. ICRC noted the importance
of its presence in eastern Chad to monitor both local
tensions and potential spillover from the Darfur conflict.
End Summary.


2. PRM/AFR Mary Lange and USAID/DCHA/FFP Suzanne Poland met
with Thierry Ribaux, Head of Delegation for the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Chad, on February 16 to
discuss ICRC operations in Chad and, more specifically,
ICRC's activities for Sudanese refugees and affected
communities in eastern Chad. ICRC has been operating in Chad
since 1977 and currently has an international staff of
eleven, with three based in N'Djamena and nine in Abeche.
ICRC has four main activities including (1) periodic visits
to detention facilities in Chad, (2) dissemination of
international humanitarian law in collaboration with the
Chadian Red Cross and Chadian military, (3) support for an
ICRC-established orthopaedic center now operated by Secadev,
and (4) family tracing and messaging services.


3. In eastern Chad, ICRC's primary focus is on family
tracing and message exchange between Sudanese refugee camps
and villages and IDP centers in Darfur. ICRC has established
tracing centers in ten camps (all but AmNabak) and has two to
three refugee staff in each center to process tracing
requests and messages. PRM/AFR Lange observed first hand the
work of ICRC refugee staff in three camps. Since the program
became operational, ICRC has collected some 2,600 messages
and has identified some 200 unaccompanied minors who may
require tracing. Ribaux noted some problems with message
exchanges including lack of capacity in Darfur among the
Sudanese Red Crescent to find message recipients and deliver
messages as well as some reluctance on the part of refugees
to initiate messages that may reveal there whereabouts to the
Sudanese government or hostile forces.


4. Protection and tracing of unaccompanied minors (UAMs) is
also difficult in this setting. For the 200 identified UAMs,
ICRC can initiate tracing of families in Darfur but is not
supporting family reunification at this time given continued
insecurity in Darfur. Most UAMs remain with extended family
members in the camps and appear to be receiving adequate
care. Ribaux admitted that ICRC did not currently have
comprehensive information on the specific protection and
assistance needs of this population. UNHCR's Deputy Director
for Protection, Marie-Christine Bocoum, noted on February 21
that UNHCR and ICRC would be formalizing a memorandum of
understanding on the protection of UAMs and necessary
follow-up.


5. ICRC and UNHCR also want to look more closely at the
situation of young boys who were given by their families into
the care of religious leaders (marabouts). This traditional
separation of boys from their families exists in nearly all
the camps and ICRC noted the need for additional information
on the numbers of boys involved and the degree to which these
boys have access to basic camp services, including primary
education.


6. In addition to the above activities, ICRC is also
involved in small projects around the Adre area to
rehabilitate water systems for some 25,000 to 30,000 local
Chadians. Ribaux noted that ICRC's presence in eastern Chad
and its small-scale assistance to Chadian populations was an
important component of its efforts to monitor the border
region and keep abreast of both local tensions and potential
spill-over from the Darfur conflict, ICRC maintains a
stockpile of some 2,000 non-food items that it can use to
respond in the event of more localized conflict. UNHCR would
clearly be the primary responder in the event of a larger
refugee influx.


7. Ribaux also noted ICRC's close collaboration with the
International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent societies
(IFRC) as well as the Chadian Red Cross. (The PRM/USAID
meeting was, in fact, held at the IFRC compound in Treguine
Camp where ICRC maintains a small satellite office.). ICRC
and IFRC noted that they held weekly coordination meetings in
N'Djamena with the Chadian Red Cross and representative from
donor Red Cross societies. Both ICRC and IFRC are also

closely coordinating their activities fo refugees with UNHCR
(see septel on IFRC and Chaian Red Cross assistance programs
in Treguine cam).


8. Khartoum and Tripoli Minimize Considered
WALL


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