D-DAY+5: DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001207 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR D AND AF A/D FRAZER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2016 TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO UN AU SU SUBJECT: D-DAY+5: DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT UPDATE REF: A. STATE 81570 ¶B. STATE 81592 ¶C. IIR 6890364 06 Classified By: Acting P/E Chief Michael Honigstein for reasons: Section 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: The following outlines current activities and events relating to the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA): -- Charge Meets with AU Ambassador -- Meeting with SAF Operations Chief -- Lawyers Arrested in Nyala -- Pronk Calls Donor Meeting -------------- Charge Meets with AU Head of Mission -------------- ¶2. (C) CDA Hume and USAID director Almquist met AU head of mission Kingibe to discuss support for DPA implementation. Hume explained that the USG was ready to offer immediate, tangible support for DPA implementation, including efforts to garner more public support for the agreement (ref A and B). Almquist explained the possibility of supporting establishment of an operation that would provide a venue and resources for public outreach in Darfur, as well as begin a core of activity for beginning work on the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue. They asked if the AU would be interested in such collaboration with the USG. Kingibe welcomed this approach. The AU secretariat had discussed possible steps to conduct public outreach on behalf of the peace agreement, and Sam Ibok would arrive in Khartoum this week to start the AU's implementation efforts. But the AU needed exactly the kind of resources envisaged for public outreach. The two sides agreed to meet later in the week to prepare a specific, joint proposal for early action. Kingibe also urged the USG to proceed with the temporary assignment of a liaison officer to help Minawi's faction deal with the challenges of DPA implementation. -------------- Meeting with SAF Operations Chief -------------- ¶3. (C) Charge Hume and Defense Liaison Office (DLO) representative met with Lt. Gen. Ismat Abd Elrahman Zain Elabdeen, Chief of Joint Operations for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to discuss implementation of the DPA. Charge discussed plans for NATO support to the AU, possible military-to-military relations between the USG and SAF to support the DPA, and general support of the DPA, especially by providing Mini Minawi a military advisor. Ismat responded that he, and President Bashir, appreciated the U.S. efforts to bring peace. He believed it was a good idea to provide military advice to Minawi, as the SLA would need a great deal of support fulfilling its responsibilities under the DPA. Ismat welcomed the quick deployment of NATO support to help bolster the peace accord. Please see for ref C for more information. -------------- Lawyers Arrested in Nyala -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Two human rights lawyers, Mossaad Mohamed Ali and Adam Mohaed Shareif, were arrested by Sudanese national security in Nyala on May 16. The charges are unclear. The lawyers work for the Amel Center of Nyala, which counsels victims of rape, abuse and torture. The center has received previous USAID funding. Since their arrest, Shareif has been released overnight but asked to return daily, while there has been no contact with Ali. The UN has been promised access to Ali every day since they discovered the arrest, but it has yet to materialize. The Charge will bring this issue up with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs at a meeting on May 22. -------------- Pronk Calls Donor Meeting -------------- ¶5. (U) On May 20 SRSG Jan Pronk called a meeting with donor countries to outlined four major issues regarding the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA); its implementation, broadening support for the DPA, the humanitarian situation and strengthening AMIS. Pronk believed that the GNU and the SLA, despite their reservations, were committed to the DPA. He said that the GNU had assured him that they would not speak out negatively about the Security Council resolution and added that the UN KHARTOUM 00001207 002 OF 002 needed assistance with obtaining a radio license to broadcast information about the DPA, at the Security Council's request. Pronk commented that during his visit to Darfur the main question was whether the DPA would stop the Janjaweed. He thanked the USG for the additional food contributions and cautioned that spoilers would manipulate unrest during food distributions in Darfur. He added that AMIS needed to be strengthened and needed technical assistance to create a new budget for a donors conference possibly in June. Pronk suggested a Khartoum based "Friends of Darfur" group. ¶6. (SBU) Charge Hume commented that the USG expected the UN to lead the humanitarian efforts and that the international community must support the African Union. The Charge and the UK representative expressed their support for a "Friends of Darfur" group. The UK representative stated that it was contemplating providing the SLA offices in Khartoum and English language training. The Nigerians, according to the British, are also planning to provide English language training to the SLA. The Indian and E.C. representatives stated that even if the GNU supported the UN there would be "groups", i.e. terrorists, against them. Pronk responded that the international community has to make sure terrorist groups do not find refuge in Sudan. The Pakistani representative, as a troop contributing country, inquired whether UN peacekeepers would have the mandate to arrest the Janjaweed. Pronk responded that the mandate had not yet been issued. HUME