Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADDISABABA1961
2006-07-19 04:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

DARFUR: JULY 13 AU DITF BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS

Tags:  PREL MOPS KPKO SU AU 
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VZCZCXRO2754
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #1961/01 2000448
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190448Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1613
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADDIS ABABA 001961 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/RSA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO SU AU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: JULY 13 AU DITF BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS
AMIS SHORTCOMINGS

REF: (A) STATE 111612

(B) BANJUL 411
(C) ADDIS ABABA 1738
(D) ADDIS ABABA 1736

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADDIS ABABA 001961

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/RSA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO SU AU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: JULY 13 AU DITF BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS
AMIS SHORTCOMINGS

REF: (A) STATE 111612

(B) BANJUL 411
(C) ADDIS ABABA 1738
(D) ADDIS ABABA 1736


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: African Union planners state that
USD 440 million will be needed to extend the AU
Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the end of December 2006
and have it implement the additional tasks required by
the May 5 Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). The degree of
AMIS enhancement will depend largely on the outcome of
the July 18 pledging conference. On the security
front, some AU officials are concerned that Government
of Sudan forces are now engaged in a de facto military
alliance with fellow DPA signatory SLA/Minni Minawi,
while the recent ambush and surrender of an entire 32-
person AMIS patrol highlight deficiencies of AMIS
capabilities in the field. DPA implementation is
hampered by AMIS delays in releasing a public
diplomacy strategy, in providing final comments on the
report of the joint AU-UN technical assessment mission
completed in June, in establishing a forward joint
mission headquarters, and in determining when the next
meeting of the DPA Joint Commission will occur to
review ceasefire violations. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Poloffs and DAO TDYer attended a two-hour
briefing on July 13 by the African Union Commission?s
Darfur Integrated Task Force (AU DITF) to the AU
Partners Liaison Group (chaired by the EU, and
comprised of Canada, the US, UK, UN, and NATO).

--------------
JULY 18 AMIS PLEDGING CONFERENCE
--------------


3. (SBU) EC POLAD observed that AU Commissioner for
Peace and Security Ambassador Said Djinnit had
recently affirmed to the EU Peace and Security Council
(PSC) in Brussels that despite press reports to the
contrary, the mandate of the AU Mission in Sudan
(AMIS) would end in October, consistent with the June
27 AU PSC decision (ref B). Nevertheless, AMIS would
present two budgets at the July 18 EU-hosted AMIS
Pledging Conference in Brussels.


4. (U) NOTE: Budget documents provided by the AU to
partners (forwarded to AF/FO and AF/SPG) estimate a
total of USD 441 million is needed for AMIS:
-- USD 170.3 million for AMIS 2-E (i.e., to maintain

current strength from April 1 to September 30, 2006);
-- USD 76.3 million for AMIS 2-E extension (i.e.,
extending AMIS at its current strength from October 1
to December 31, 2006);
-- USD 194.4 million for AMIS 3 (i.e., ?tasks
specified and implied in the DPA... required for
strengthening AMIS during the transition? from October
1 to December 31, 2006).
Of these budget items, USD 88.6 million is for
?facilities and infrastructure? (primarily camps for
AMIS personnel, which the USG has been funding). In
addition, AU officials have identified an additional
USD 16.5 million needed to establish a secretariat and
conference facilities for the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue
and Consultation, envisaged to involve 1,000 delegates
in 90 days of talks. END NOTE.

--------------
AMIS ENHANCEMENT DEPENDS ON FUNDS AVAILABLE
--------------


5. (SBU) Head of the AU Darfur Integrated Task Force
(AU DITF) Ambassador Ki Doulaye Corentin reported that
AMIS would present the concept of operations (CONOPS)
for AMIS at the beginning of the July 18 pledging
conference. AMIS enhancement would depend on the
outcome of the pledging conference. Currently,
funding only existed for AMIS through June. He noted
that extending AMIS from October 1 to the end of
December would require ?a completely new budget? that
would also have to address additional tasks from the
implementation of the DPA. AU member states had

ADDIS ABAB 00001961 002 OF 004


reportedly committed to sending 2-3 additional
battalions, pending availability of funds, although
six additional battalions had been requested. While
AMIS was ?telling people on the ground to make do with
what they have,? without enhancement of its logistics,
AMIS would face difficulty implementing the DPA tasks
accepted by the June 27 PSC, Ki Doulaye said.


6. (SBU) The report of the June AU/UN technical
assessment to mission to Sudan had been provided by
the UN to the AU, but was still awaiting comment from
AU Special Representative for Sudan Ambassador Baba
Gana Kingibe and others, Ki Doulaye said. Separately,
the UN Department of Peace-keeping Operations (DPKO)
was preparing a report on UN transition, for the UN
Secretary-General to present to the UN Security

SIPDIS
Council. (NOTE: On July 14, the UN distributed a
?Final Report of the Joint United Nations-African
Union Assessment Mission to Darfur,? dated June 22;
copy has been forwarded to AF and AF/SPG. END NOTE.)

--------------
MILITARY ALLIANCE BETWEEN GOS AND MINNI?
--------------


7. (SBU) Amb. Ki Doulaye announced that the Government
of Sudan (GOS) had written to the AU and the UN
Security Council to condemn the July 3 attack by the
National Salvation/Redemption Front on the town of
Hamrat el-Sheikh in Kordofan. The GOS paper had noted
that the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM),but not
SLA Abdul Wahid, was part of the Front. AU DITF POLAD
Dr. Solomon Gomes highlighted the need to consider
ways to engage the Front: an attack by the front on
AMIS areas of operation (vice Kordofan) would
complicate matters for AMIS, as would a military
alliance between SLA Minni Minawi and the GOS.


8. (SBU) Amb. Ki countered that there was no military
alliance between SLA Minni Minawi and the GOS, citing
political differences between them. On the other
hand, he acknowledged that the GOS was ?closing its
eyes? to military operations by Minni in his
stronghold (AMIS Sector 1, headquartered in El
Fasher). Implementation of the DPA would bring the
GOS and Minni closer together (as they were the only
signatories). Amb. Ki said that the AU DITF had
requested that AMIS staff in Khartoum meet with
Minni. The AU was concerned about a growing number of
IDPs, he said; some 15-20 villages have been emptied,
with their inhabitants fleeing to IDP camps.

--------------
AMIS PATROL SURRENDERS IN AMBUSH
--------------


9. (SBU) AU DITF Operations and Plans Team Leader Col.
Guy Y. Mahunu reported a recent incident in which a
32-person AMIS escort patrol was ambushed in Sector 6
(near Kutum),possibly by SLA Wahid forces. Ambushers
seized four vehicles, weapons, and two PAE fuel
tankers. The 32 AMIS personnel were detained but
released later the same day; an interpreter was just
released July 12. Amb. Ki said the AMIS Force
Commander (FC) had established an investigation team,
and was concerned that South African troops had
abandoned a vehicle in a previous incident. South
Africa was also dispatching its own board of inquiry.


10. (SBU) Mahunu also reported that SLA Minni forces
had stopped an AMIS escort, and that President Bashir
had visited Nyala; otherwise, it had been ?quiet? for
the last two days.


11. (SBU) Responding to poloff?s comments on June 10
underscoring USG concern that AMIS needed to deploy
full-time guards to prevent the theft of jet A-1 fuel
from GOS facilities used by AMIS in El Fasher (ref A),
Ki Doulaye said an investigation into the theft had
been inconclusive: ?those guarding it (were) taking
the fuel.? A UN DPKO official noted that the theft
was ?routine,? despite seals. Ki Doulaye asked Col.

ADDIS ABAB 00001961 003 OF 004


Mahunu to pursue the issue.


12. (SBU) Ki Doulaye also reported that the AMIS team
investigating allegations of sexual abuse was now in
Addis. Separately, a report on an attack on a Skylink
manager had been forwarded to Canada. An AMIS board
of inquiry had been established, but its report had
not been received.

--------------
DPA IMPLEMENTATION: ON HOLD?
--------------


13. (SBU) Amb. Ki had nothing new to report on
contacts with non-signatories to the Darfur Peace
Agreement (DPA),nor on any progress made in launching
the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation. Asked to
clarify when the Darfur Peace Agreement entered into
force, as it would effect timelines for
implementation, Ki Doulaye explained that the May 15
PSC had specified May 16 as ?D-day,? while the
deadline for non-signatories to sign the DPA had been
extended to May 31.


14. (SBU) Similarly, AMIS public diplomacy activities
appeared to be on hold. While the UK had volunteered
three communication experts who were now in Darfur,
Germany was still awaiting a formal note verbale from
the AU on specific information activities that Germany
could fund. Ki Doulaye recommended Germany following
up in both Addis and Khartoum, as the DPA
implementation team was under AU Special
Representative Kingibe, was to have its own
secretariat, but did not coordinate closely with AU

SIPDIS
DITF in Addis. AU DITF needed to consult with Darfur
mediators Ambassador Sam Ibok and Boubou Niang, prior
to release of a public information strategy, Ki
Doulaye said. No decision had been taken yet on
whether AMIS would support UNMIS establishing a radio
station in Darfur; the governor of North Darfur had
earlier stopped daily hour-long AMIS radio broadcasts
from El Fasher but had now allowed their resumption,
Ki Doulaye said.


15. (SBU) Ki Doulaye said setting the next meeting of
the DPA Joint Commission would require further
consultations with the GOS and SLA Minni faction, and
would depend on AU Special Representative Kingibe.
The UK suggested that if the AU needed technical
assistance, the AU should raise this with partners at
the July 18 AMIS Pledging Conference. (NOTE: Per ref
C, the June 23 inaugural meeting of the Joint
Commission failed to review ceasefire violations, as
both GOS and SLA Minni representatives objected to the
participation of DPA non-signatories. END NOTE.)


16. (SBU) Commenting on a UK proposal to provide
experts on disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration (DDR) (in response to a June 5 request
from AMIS to partners),Col. Mahunu said it was not
advisable to conduct training now; rather, training
should occur after the September rotation in order to
benefit incoming troops. Gomes said he hoped the UK-
led scoping mission would occur in mid-August:
visiting 3 sectors accompanied by an AU DITF
representative. NATO military liaison officer
expressed NATO?s desire to participate in the scoping
mission as well, citing DDR experience in Bosnia.
Amb. Ki Doulaye also called for including GTZ, which
he said was working on a DDR plan for the GOS. UK
affirmed it would prepare terms of reference for the
mission.

--------------
GOS PLAN FOR DISARMING JANJAWEED
--------------


17. (SBU) According to Amb. Ki Doulaye, Sudanese
generals had briefed the AMIS Force Commander on a
draft GOS plan to disarm the Janjaweed (as stipulated
by the DPA),the day after the June 23 Joint
Commission meeting. However, AU Peace and Security

ADDIS ABAB 00001961 004 OF 004


Commissioner Said Djinnit had wanted to wait until
after the July 1-2 AU Summit to provide official
comments on the GOS plan. Ki Doulaye asserted that
the plan had not been officially presented to the AU,
and that the AU was now awaiting submission of an
amended version from the GOS. (COMMENT: The AU
reportedly considered the original plan provided by
the GOS to be insufficient, prompting the revisions.
END COMMENT.)

--------------
FJMHQ NOT YET ESTABLISHED
--------------


18. (SBU) Partners reported on the status of the six
expert/advisors being sent to the AMIS Forward Joint
Mission Headquarters (FJMHQ) to be established at El
Fasher in response to a May 18 request from the AU
(ref D):
-- EU: Danish police advisor was in Addis; Italian
colonel and UK J-3 advisor were still in Europe,
awaiting visas for Sudan;
-- US: With visas in hand, USG J-2 and J-9 experts
were traveling to Khartoum the weekend of July 16;
-- UN: J-5 expert is already in Sudan.


19. (SBU) Col. Mahunu reported that facilities for the
FJMHQ?s Joint Operations Center (JOC) were ?almost in
place... awaiting kickoff,? and expressed optimism
that AMIS would receive joint situation reports later
this week. However, the Zambian general appointed as
the AMIS Joint Chief of Staff (to whom the partner
experts would report) was still awaiting approval. UK
underscored the importance of providing ?concrete
information? to partners at the pledging conference,
on the FJMHQ and on efforts to strengthen AMIS command
and control.


20. (SBU) Canada announced that as of August 11, the
AU DITF?s Information Analysis Cell (IAC),which had
received technical assistance from Canadian military
intelligence, would be handed over to the AU. (NOTE:
Canadian poloff noted privately that support was
ending due to disagreement between the Canadian
ministries of defense and foreign affairs on the value
of continuing such assistance to the AU. END NOTE.)


21. (SBU) COMMENT: The weekly AU DITF briefings
highlight that a range of political, logistical, and
capacity-building challenges continue to hamper the
efficiency of the AU Mission in Sudan and
implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement. AU
planning reflects the ambiguity of the future of AMIS.
While the AU PSC has officially stated that AMIS?s
mandate will end in October, the AU has prepared
budget estimates for the July 18 pledging conference
that go through the end of December. With May 15 as
?D-day? for the entry into force of the Darfur Peace
Agreement, the DITF briefing also underscores that
many of the DPA?s timelines for implementation are
long overdue:
-- e.g., ?development of a sensitization strategy and
dissemination of the DPA? was to occur within 5 days,
but AMIS still has not released a public information
strategy to donors willing to fund such activities;
-- cessation of hostilities were to occur within 72
hours, but AMIS patrols continue to report skirmishes
and clashes;
-- submission by the GOS of a comprehensive plan for
disarming Janjaweed and armed militias was to occur
within 37 days, but, as Ki Doulaye notes, AMIS is
still awaiting revisions from the GOS. END COMMENT.