PROTECTING CIVILIANS IN DARFUR: AMIS FORCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000938 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/SPG, D, INR, DRL, PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI PINS PARM SU NI SUBJECT: PROTECTING CIVILIANS IN DARFUR: AMIS FORCE COMMANDER'S RESPONSE REF: STATE 64735 Classified By: Khartoum CDA Cameron Hume for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On April 25 Khartoum CDA Hume raised with AMIS commander Major General Ihekire US concerns about increased fighting and specifically attacks on civilians in Darfur per reftel. He emphasized that recent fighting had taken place in close proximity to AMIS installations without any appropriate AMIS action being taken. Ihekire said he had the same concerns and shared the text of a press statement he had planned to make about the situation before being urged by AU mediator Salim Salim to remain quiet in order not to detract press attention from the release of the mediations Darfur Peace Agreement text. In response to Hume's question, Ihekire said he had postponed his return to El Fasher because he was convinced that at this stage in the talks he could accomplish more for peace-keeping by urging the movements to remain engaged in the negotiations. He was in close touch with his command and had confidence in his Rwandan deputy. ¶2. (U) Text follows of Ihekire's planned statement on the escalation of cease-fire violations: The AMIS Force Headquarters is seriously concerned about recent escalation in parties' violations of the 2004 Humanitarian Cease-fire Agreement. All parties have been violating the cease-fire, which occur in the forms of inter and intra party clashes as well as attacks on IDPs and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and even AMIS personnel and facilities. Some of these violations had particularly targeted vulnerable communities in Darfur, where marauding armed groups have operated with impunity to loot, rape, and burn villages. ¶3. (U) The month of April 2006 witnessed a number of these cease-fire violations by the parties. As at the 24 April 2006, the SLA had committed 7 violations, in which the factional fighting between the Minni and Waheed factions of the movement featured prominently. On 20 April 2006, SLM Minni attacked SLM Waheed soldiers at Tina and Tabra in Sector 1. This led to a fierce battle that displaced many innocent people in the area. Within the same period, the GOS-janjaweed attack on SLA positions in Jockhana on 23 April ¶2006. In that attack, helicopter gunships and an Antonov Bomber (painted white) supported a mass attack by GOS troops backed by the janjaweed. The scale of this attack is indeed a source of serious worry. ¶4. (U) These recent cease-fire violations have continued to generate tension in Darfur and have contributed in breeding mistrust amongst the parties. The continuance of the violations could also impact negatively on the current peace talks in Abuja. Force Headquarters therefore implore all parties to desist from further violations of the cease-fire and give peace a chance. End Text. FUREY