Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM1153
2006-05-15 16:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

Update on Darfur Security and Humanitarian

Tags:  PGOV MOPS KPKO PREF UN AU SU 
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VZCZCXRO5245
OO RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1153/01 1351638
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151638Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2819
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001153 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/SPG
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/EA AND DCHA SUDAN GROUP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO PREF UN AU SU
SUBJECT: Update on Darfur Security and Humanitarian
Access - May 15, 2006

Ref: Khartoum 01104 and previous

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001153

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/SPG
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/EA AND DCHA SUDAN GROUP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO PREF UN AU SU
SUBJECT: Update on Darfur Security and Humanitarian
Access - May 15, 2006

Ref: Khartoum 01104 and previous


1. Summary: Demonstrations continue in several
locations in Darfur; incidents in Kas, South Darfur,
resulted in the deaths of at least two individuals.
Several jinjaweed attacks took place in South Darfur, and
a large-scale jinjaweed-SLA battle took place in West
Darfur. NGOs and UN agencies are working to respond to
IDP and refugee movements within South Darfur and from
Chad. End summary.


2. Security Update (Source - AMIS and USAID):


A. On May 11, MGS Nyala conducted a confidence building
patrol to Menawashi and Mershing. At Menawashi, the team
was informed of an attack on a commercial truck at
Amarjadeed on May 11, allegedly by jinjaweed. Casualties
are estimated to include two dead, six injured; 14 women
were raped.


B. On May 11, a passenger truck traveling from Nyala to
Kas was attacked by armed men suspected to be jinjaweed
near Kas. The armed men robbed the passengers of their
valuables, and two of the passengers, Abdalla Khirab and
Mohammed Humid Jibrin, were shot and died later as they
were being carried to Kas hospital.


C. On May 8, a group of jinjaweed launched an attack on
an SLA camp in Beida Habilla. The attack lasted several
hours and recorded heavy casualties on both sides. About
40 jinjaweed wounded in the attack were taken to El
Geneina General Hospital, from where some of them were
later flown to Khartoum on board two specially arranged
flights for further treatment. The actual number of
those receiving treatment and those flown to Khartoum
could not be ascertained, as the team was not allowed
access into the hospital wards. The team was also
informed that the jinjaweed within El Geneina have
mobilised themselves and were seen moving towards Beida
Habilla for a repraisal attack on the SLA.


D. South Darfur - The UN has declared Kalma IDP camp a
"no go" area for UN agency personnel until demonstrations
protesting the DPA subside. On May 14, the USAID Field
Officer in Nyala reported that the AU has withdrawn from

all IDP camps surrounding Nyala, including Kalma, Al
Salaam, Al Sereif, Otash, and Dereig. UNDSS reported
that a group of six unknown armed men entered Dereig IDP
camp after sunset on May 10 and abducted the camp's chief
sheikh along with his brother. The kidnappers
transported them to an undisclosed location near the
airport and beat them severely. Both men were
hospitalized following the incident, with the chief
sheikh being released the next day. The same group
entered the camp two more times during the night,
kidnapping and beating two more sheikhs and haphazardly
firing their weapons to intimidate the camp's population.
Following the incident, GNU police stated they heard
nothing, saw nothing, and reported nothing over the
course of the night.


E. On May 13, MGS Kas reported that about 3500
demonstrators from Kas IDP camp demonstrated in front of
AMIS camp. The demonstrators arrived with a dead body,
alleging that the boy was killed by GOS police. The
demonstrators rioted and killed a GOS Police Sergeant
dressed in civilian clothes. The demonstrators also
demanded that the GOS should release three prisoners that
were detained earlier in the morning. The other group of
demonstrators went to the AMIS borehole, about 400 m from
the camp, and put stones and other items in the water
tanker that was drawing water. The MGS reported that one
demonstrator, a woman, was killed by the GOS as the
demonstrators were withdrawing to their camp.


F. On May 13, MGS Geraida conducted a verification and
confidence building patrol to Malwi and Abulala, where
they learned that a group of unknown armed men on horses
and two Land Cruisers had raided Malwi and killed a 25
year-old man and looted livestock belonging to locals on
May 13. The assailants reportedly threatened to re-
attack Malwi, a Bergit settlement, for final destruction.
The assailants were said to be armed with AK47, G3
rifles, and machine guns. Malwi had about 7000 to 8000
people before the attack; the team observed only about 20
people presently living in the village. The team was
informed that the other inhabitants had fled to Ambol and
Geraida.


KHARTOUM 00001153 002 OF 002



G. On May 13, AMIS personnel in Abu Shouk and Al Salaam
IDP camps indicated that IDPs attempted to burn the
civilian police station. A group of roughly 600 people
stormed the station and succeeded in setting fire to part
of the tarpaulin fencing and caused damage to one AMIS
vehicle packed at the station. The monitors at the
station were immediately evacuated to Civpol
Headquarters. UNDSS reported that AU vacated the camp
and is no longer conducting patrols. Another
demonstration is planned for May 15. UNDP reports that
three women and 20 men who participated in the May 13
demonstration were arrested for disturbing the peace and
are scheduled to appear before a judge on May 15.


3. Humanitarian Access Update (Source - AMIS and USAID):


A. On May 12, about five hundred new IDPs from Tuwail
village arrived at Geraida after an attack on the village
by jinjaweed militia on May 11. The jinjaweed looted
livestock and other properties


B. On May 13, a civilian police detail determined that
about 1000 IDPs had left Otash camp for their various
towns and villages in Southern Sudan. The team was also
found that on May 11 about 50 families comprising 150
persons had arrived from Umjogena, south of Nyala.


C. MSF-Holland reports an influx of Chadian refugees
crossing the border near the Um Dukhom area as well as a
concurrent increase in attacks on aid agencies traveling
the roads in the area.


D. Due to a steady increase in IDP arrivals to Nyala,
OCHA is convening a meeting on May 15. Several thousand
IDPs have arrived to the area over the last week alone.
OCHA plans to conduct assessment site visits to the major
camps around Nyala to determine accurate numbers of new
arrivals, where these new IDPs have come from, when they
arrived, the reason for their displacement, camp
capacity, and humanitarian response capacity required to
accommodate these new arrivals. Agencies will discuss
how best to respond to the increasing number of new
arrivals, especially within the context of the return and
resettlement work plan recently published by the South
Darfur government. In response to this work plan, OCHA
will reactivate the South Darfur Returns Working Group to
address how agencies will function in this new
operational environment and how the humanitarian
community can best engage the government as it seeks to
emphasize the rapid return of IDPs to their points of
origin throughout South Darfur.

HUME