ESTABLISHING AN EMBASSY FIELD PRESENCE IN EL FASHER --

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001595 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AF/EX, AND S/CRS DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL AMGT US SU SUBJECT: ESTABLISHING AN EMBASSY FIELD PRESENCE IN EL FASHER -- UPDATE AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: ARC officers established a rudimentary field presence in El Fasher with communications, transportation, and working capabilities adequate in the short term. Limitations to medium and long term operations include the lack of appropriate radio programming, office equipment, and insufficient work space to accommodate meetings, interpreters, and expanded ARC operations. End summary. ¶3. (SBU) Active Response Corps (ARC) officers Eythan Sontag and Brad Purinton arrived July 2 in El Fasher, where they will provide an Embassy field presence for at least 90 days. The immediate focus in El Fasher is three-fold: First, establish adequate living and working quarters to serve as a base of operations; second, develop contacts with Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signatories, AMIS, the UN, and the NGO community to gain greater situational awareness; and third, proceed as quickly as possible, in collaboration with the African Union and OTI, in standing up the DPA Implementation Office. Recent activities related to the second two tasks are described septel. ¶4. (SBU) ARC officers and S/CRS Senior Security Advisor Tod Wilson are currently occupying small connex spaces (each room is approximately 8 feet by 12 feet) on a PAE compound close to the AMIS camp. ARC officers converted one space into rudimentary working quarters, which serves as a temporary office, dining room, and meeting area. While sufficient in the short term, the current living and working conditions pose a number of limitations for medium and long term operations. PAE, while accommodating, has indicated repeatedly that its space is in high demand with other short-term visitors. Additionally, the tiny work area - already full with office equipment, communications gear, ARC officers (plus Tod Wilson),and the two recently hired translators - precludes holding any sizeable (more than one person) meetings there. Another consideration is that the work space is the only suitable holding area for the interpreters; when ARC officers leave the premises, interpreters may be left for short periods of time unattended, which presents a less than ideal situation regarding information and equipment security. (NOTE: ARC officers have no reason to believe that the interpreters are untrustworthy, but only seek to raise this point to underscore some of the necessary improvisations given the current living/work conditions. END NOTE). ¶5. (SBU) In addition to the interpreters, El Fasher field officers also have two rented vehicles with local drivers at their disposal. ARC officers understand that two replacement (later model) vehicles have been acquired through the Embassy and will be shipped imminently to El Fasher. Communication capabilities are improving, though there remain radio issues to resolve. The PAE camp has limited accessible Internet access (three LANs in the cafeteria), which serves as a back-up to the two BGANs in the field. BGAN connectivity is generally reliable, though often slow. Access to and use of the Department of State Intranet (ONE) system is so slow as to be nearly ineffective (there is a significant delay in opening, typing and retrieving email/documents; it may take up to ten minutes to send a two-line email and much more time to access Intranet sites and/or folders). Telephone capability include local cell phones, and Thuraya, BGAN and Iridium satellite voice communications; all work generally well, though local cell phone service frequently fails after 2200 hours (local). Programming handheld radios remains a challenge. While UNMIS granted authorization to several of their internal nets, neither the Embassy nor the ARC has the appropriate programming equipment to load the frequencies. UNMIS advised acquiring a "code plug," which would allow them to program the radios. ARC officers are also awaiting a response on programming equipment requested from Washington. ¶6. (U) Action requested: Embassy Field Office El Fasher requests that radio programming equipment previously requested per Ref A be expedited for delivery to Post. ¶7. (U) Field Office El Fasher thanks Department in advance for its continued assistance and support. HUME