D-DAY+7: DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001226 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR D AND AF A/S FRAZER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016 TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO PHUM UN AU SU SUBJECT: D-DAY+7: DARFUR PEACE AGREEMENT UPDATE REF: A. KHARTOUM 1210 ¶B. KHARTOUM 1207 Classified By: Acting P/E Chief Michael Honigstein for reason: 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 State Minister Al-Waseela -- WFP Returns to Protest Sites, AU CIVPOL Waits -- IRC Staff Continues to be Held or Harassed -------------- Charge meets with State Minister Al-Waseela -------------- ¶2. (C) On May 23, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Al-Sammani Al-Waseela requested a meeting with Charge Hume to discuss DPA implementation. The government's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN also attended the meeting. The Charge told Al-Waseela that the government must improve relations with INGOs. Al-Waseela was unaware of the level of harassment towards these organizations. The Charge pointed out that Sudan's actions toward humanitarian organizations greatly affect Sudan's international relationships, so the MFA should become involved. The Charge also said that the government should move quickly to allow the UN to broadcast in Darfur. The meeting was reported in Al-Wihda newspaper, which emphasized U.S. offers of support to the African Union (AU) and U.S. support for the deployment of UN forces. -------------- WFP Returns to Protest Sites, AU CIVPOL Waits -------------- ¶3. (U) The World Food Program announced it will resume food distributions in the Abu Shouk and Al Salaam Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps on May 25. Activities were suspended for security reasons after a series of violent demonstrations in those camps last week. AU CIVPOL has yet to return to these camps, as well as the Zam Zam, Kalma, Kass, Nertiti and Zeleingi camps, after pulling out following direct threats from the IDP populations during the protests. GOAL has resumed activities in Kutum and Kassab IDP camps after halting operations for nearly a week when one of its vehicles was hijacked. On May 22, there was another INGO (MSF-Spain) vehicle hijacked in the same area. The AU reports that security in other areas, including regions where they had previously reported a build-up of Janjaweed forces (ref A),had returned to calm. -------------- IRC Staff Continues to be Held or Harassed -------------- ¶4. (U) Two paralegals employed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) continue to report to National Security (NS) daily after being arrested on May 16 for planning the May 13 demonstrations around Nyala. The employees deny any role in the demonstrations, but were arrested with 8 others facing similar accusations. One of the individuals was held by NS for two days and then released with 6 other detainees. Since that time, he has had to report to the NS daily, arriving at 8 am and then being allowed to leave at 3 pm without talking to anyone. The NS told them that he would be fully released on May 24. The second paralegal is one of three that remain in custody without contact. One employee of CARE was also among the five arrested and released. It is unclear if these arrests relate to the arrest of the two lawyers (ref B) who have now been released but ordered to report to NS daily. HUME