DARFUR: RAPE CASES AT KALMA SPIKED IN JULY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001912 SIPDIS SENSITIVE AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR JBRAUSE, NSC/AFRICA FOR TSHORTLEY USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SU AU SUBJECT: DARFUR: RAPE CASES AT KALMA SPIKED IN JULY REF: A) Khartoum 1625, B) Khartoum 1514 KHARTOUM 00001912 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Security around the Kalma internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in South Darfur deteriorated rapidly in July, following a sharp rise in rape, harassment, and looting by Arab militias in the area. Camp coordinators from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) report that 80 women were raped from July 15 to July 27 while collecting firewood. In respose, the African Union (AU) agreed to resume firewood patrols around Kalma on July 29. USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is also leading an effort to fund income-generation alternatives to firewood collection, while U.N. and AU officials have pressed the local government to take action. The AU will now lead weekly firewood patrols around Kalma, but IDP requests to patrol the camp perimeter were rebuffed. Still, the AU could -- and should -- do more. End summary. -------------- Rapes around Kalma Spiked in Late July -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The security situation in Kalma camp has been precarious since January 2006, but camp coordinator NRC reported increased looting of non-governmental organization (NGO) property, as well as the systematic rape, harassment, and looting of IDPs and their property by Arab militia inside the camp from April to July 2006. The militias claim they are responding to the theft of their camels and horses by IDPs from the camp. ¶3. (SBU) Kalma camp coordinator NRC and IDP sheikhs in the camp estimate 80 IDP women were raped near the camp from July 15 to July ¶27. This includes cases reported to IDP sheikhs, health clinics, and psychosocial service providers in the camp. Of these cases, 40 -- primarily those in which women visited a health clinic -- were referred to the U.N. Mission in Sudan-Human Rights (UNMIS-HR) for follow-up. ¶4. (SBU) According to UNMIS-HR, 22 armed, uniformed men on camelback raped 6 women -- including an elderly woman and two pregnant women -- outside Kalma camp on July 15, while the women were collecting firewood. The women had been encouraged to travel in groups to reduce the risk of rape. On the same day, 5 armed militiamen also beat and assaulted 20 women who were collecting grass and firewood. ¶5. (SBU) On July 23, 300 armed, uniformed militiamen raped 21 women north of Kalma camp, while the women were collecting firewood, according to UNMIS-HR. The women had set out in a large group as a safety measure. When some of the women resisted, the men shot their guns in the air and referred to them as "black slaves." The militia also tied one man in the group to a camel, dragged him through the sand, beat him, and later tied him against a tree. The following day a large group of Arab militia beat, flogged, raped, and verbally abused 15 Fur women, north of Kalma camp. They called the women "Tora Bora" or "rebel women." -------------- - Police Refuse to Open Cases, Victims Reluctant -------------- - ¶6. (SBU) According to the U.N. Development Program (UNDP),IDP sheikhs reported some of the rapes to the Sudanese government police station in Bileel, two kilometers from Kalma. The police did not open cases to investigate the crimes. All 40 rape victims interviewed by UNMIS-HR declined to take legal action because they feared that they would become targets of "security agents." ¶7. (SBU) According to UNMIS-HR, AU troops used to patrol the area around Kalma camp approximately twice a week, though only for short periods of time; AU CIVPOL, accompanied by Force Protection, also used to patrol the inside of the camp approximately once a week, but did not remain in the camp for extended periods of time. The AU stopped these firewood patrols after anti-Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) demonstrators looted the AU compound and killed an AU translator on May 8. However, in response to the recent spike in violence around Kalma, the AU agreed to resume firewood patrols starting July 29. However no women participated in the first patrol, because they were unaware it had been scheduled, and another firewood patrol scheduled for July 31 was cancelled after AU troops did not report for duty. -------------- -------------- KHARTOUM 00001912 002.2 OF 002 Income-Generation Projects and Other Alternatives -------------- -------------- ¶8. (SBU) USAID/OTI is leading a new multi-partner pilot project to provide IDP women with business skills to start and maintain income-generation projects, as an alternative to collecting firewood. However, there will always be a need for firewood. Previous attempts to provide firewood directly to camps have proved unworkable. These efforts decrease IDP women's vulnerability but do not increase their protection, while freeing the AU and Sudanese government from their responsibility to protect IDP women. They also introduce new factors into the economy, increasing women's vulnerability in the camps. A combination of firewood patrols and income-generation activities remains the most viable strategy to protect women. ¶9. (SBU) According to UNMIS-HR, the U.N. Country Team in South Darfur, including Sudanese Government representatives, the State Committee for Gender Based Violence, U.N. SYGSR Pronk, and AU Force Commander (FC) Ikehere are focused on rape and general insecurity in the area. The U.N. Country Team met with the South Darfur Governor (wali) on August 3 to address the security situation and its adverse impact on women. He agreed to consider recommendations from the Wali's Committee to Combat Gender-Based Violence, or from the joint AU, Sudan, UNMIS, and UNDP Demilitarization Committee. (Note: The State Committee, formed in December 2005, has met since May 20). SYGSR Pronk has also spoken about rape security with AU FC Ihekire, and has requested additional troops for Kalma camp. -------------- Building Confidence Between AU and IDPs -------------- ¶10. (SBU) According to NRC, the AU has made some positive overtures in response to the insecurity in Kalma camp, including the resumption of regular firewood patrols every Saturday, and an AU commitment to meet with Kalma IDPs every Wednesday to discuss the routing of firewood patrols. The AU has also invited IDPs to attend weekly meetings to discuss security issues. IDPs have also requested that AU forces patrol the perimeter of the camp on all three patrol days and demonstrate a stronger presence north and northeast of the camp, to deter potential attackers. However, the AU replied that it needed special authorization, as well as additional resources, to deviate from the current patrol route. -------------- -- Comment: The AU Could -- and Should -- Do More -------------- -- ¶11. (SBU) The AU has taken some initiative in South Darfur to improve security at Kalma. There are many ways to continue this process; sticking by commitments it made to Kalma IDPs would be a good start. In light of the AU's role in implementing the DPA, regular firewood patrols and regular meetings with IDPs would not only help the AU fulfill its mandate, but also reinforce the AU's position as neutral body ready to protect all civilians, including IDP women, regardless of their support for the DPA. HUME