SUDAN/DARFUR: CFC Meeting in El Fasher

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001825 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPKO PREF SOCI UN AU SU SUBJECT: SUDAN/DARFUR: CFC Meeting in El Fasher ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On July 26, the Darfur Ceasefire Commission (CFC) met in El Fasher, Darfur. Para 2 presents the notes of the U.S. CFC Representative. Noteworthy is the announcement by SLM/Minawi that they are now boycotting CFC meetings due to lack of support from the AU -- see septel for litany of SLA/Minnawi complaints. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) The U.S. Representative's notes are as follows: The Ceasefire Commission held a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, July 26 at AMIS FHQ in El Fasher. The meeting was attended by all parties, except for the noticeable absence of a representative of SLA/Minawi. The Force Commander (FC) notified the assembled Commission that SLM/Minawi had phoned the CFC before the meeting to say that they were boycotting CFC meetings. According to the CFC Secretary, who took the call, SLM/Minawi is dissatisfied with a lack of response from AMIS to their letter requesting additional funding and provisioning for SLM/Minawi members involved in the peace process. This is the second CFC meeting in a row that SLM/Minawi has not attended. The FC ended the Monday, July 24 meeting without discussion of violations due to the absence of an SLM/Minawi rep. At the Wednesday meeting both the U.S. and UN Observers urged the FC to continue the meeting, which the FC did. The CFC listened to a series of complaints of armed individuals, identified as SLM/Minawi soldiers, who have been entering the Zam Zam IDP camp during the past couple of weeks. These complaints were filed by AMIS CIVPOL at Zam Zam. The soldiers, who say they are visiting relatives in the camp, have been disregarding DPA protocols, which do not permit arms in the IDP camps. The CFC agreed that the entrance of any party into an IDP camp is a violation of the DPA, and condemned the actions of the soldiers at Zam Zam. The CFC reiterated that the proper procedure for armed individuals to enter a camp requires them to contact the nearest AMIS MGS, leave their weapons behind and receive an escort into the camp. The FC solicited comments from the CFC concerning the Draft Janjaweed Disarmament Plan that the CFC was given at the Monday meeting. At the Monday, July 24 meeting the U.S. Representative noted that giving the CFC members only two days to review the plan gave little or no time for members to properly consult with their headquarters or capitals -- a comment that fell on deaf ears. In any event, the members were polled for comments. The U.S. and UN Representatives provided the bulk of comments on the plan. The FC indicated that there will be ample time for comments/modifications as the plan moves forward. The U.S. and UN Representatives requested that in future meetings members be provided advance copies of alleged violations that will be discussed at CFC meetings. The FC agreed to the request. The next meeting of the Darfur CFC is scheduled for Monday, July 31 at 1030 in the CFC Conference Room at Force HQ in El Fasher. STEINFELD