DARFUR - WEST DARFUR SITUATION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002223 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS SENSITIVE 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 SUBJECT: DARFUR - WEST DARFUR SITUATION REPORT REF: KHARTOUM 1110 KHARTOUM 00002223 001.2 OF 002 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) USAID Darfur Field Office (USAID/DFO) staff traveled to El Geneina, West Darfur, from August 19 - 21, 2006. The field officers re-established contacts with partner agencies, assessed humanitarian needs for internally displaced persons (IDPs),and discussed anticipated funding with implementing organizations. Constraints identified include the inability to access project sites by road, high levels of IDP frustration with camp conditions, IDPs' lack of access to agricultural land, and harassment of Sudanese humanitarian workers. End Summary. -------------- Shrinking Humanitarian Space in West Darfur -------------- ¶2. (U) According to UN World Food Program (WFP),West Darfur has not experienced any significant attacks against humanitarian workers since early July. However, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reported to USAID staff that sporadic fighting in the Kulbus area limited humanitarian access in August. The organizations also reported that in West Darfur, humanitarian indicators remained stable, although the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported five cases of cholera in Mornei camp, which were immediately treated and which did not result in any deaths. Overall, USAID staff reported that camps continue to be served, while it is difficult to assess the needs of rural communities. ¶3. (U) Since September 2005, all major roads have been ranked as Category D by the UN Department of Safety and Security, prohibiting ground transportation without armed African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) escort. Even with armed escorts, humanitarians are reluctant to travel by road. In August, UN sources reported a more than 900 percent increase in attacks against AMIS since 2005. Increasing attacks against AMIS have deterred humanitarian agencies from utilizing these escorts, resulting in an increased reliance on air transport for staff and supply movement between El Geneina, remote IDP camps, and other difficult to reach communities. ¶4. (U) All six USAID partners in West Darfur have reported that insecurity has forced them to reduce humanitarian services. USAID estimates that this reduction has affected nearly 500,000 beneficiaries in West Darfur alone. However, Save the Children (SC/US),Concern, Tearfund, Catholic Relief Services, MedAir, and International Medical Corps, continue to administer life-saving humanitarian services to over 600,000 people in West Darfur with funding from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). USAID partner NGOs reported that access has been completely cut off in Um Kher, Beja, Waro, Katool, Ordi, Tirej, Orukum, Karty, Tandulti, Seraf Jidad, Noor el Salaam, Kondobei, and Bir Dagig. ¶5. (U) A USAID-funded NGO stated that Chadians arriving in West Darfur near Beida have settled on land that previously belonged to local residents, who are currently not occupying the land because they are living in IDP camps. The NGO fears that land rights will be a major issue when IDPs begin to return home. ¶6. (U) Livelihood activities of IDPs have been limited as movement outside of camps is restricted by insecurity. According to implementing partners operating in camps, IDPs have expressed concern about their limited access to agricultural land, family, and social networks. Additionally, NGOs reported to USAID staff that 25 percent of men in Mornei IDP camp are suspected to have arms stored in their households. -------------- UNHAS Flights are Humanitarian Lifeline -------------- ¶7. (U) The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has allocated one helicopter to El Geneina to serve the transportation needs of the humanitarian community in West Darfur. This helicopter provides the only reliable transportation for aid workers to project sites. ¶8. (U) All six USAID implementing partners have had to curtail activities and now rely on UNHAS to carry out their programs. From KHARTOUM 00002223 002.2 OF 002 April 2004 to October 2005, USAID partners relied on ground transport to move supplies and staff to remote locations. From November 2005 to September 2006, UNHAS flights have been the only option for transporting staff, humanitarian supplies, and salaries. ¶9. (U) In 2005, West Darfur had access to two helicopters that could service each location twice a week. In late July, the UNHAS helicopter transport was reduced to servicing each location only once a week due to insufficient supply of fuel, availability of additional crew, and number of helicopters. ¶10. (SBU) In meetings with USAID staff, NGOs expressed concern that the reduced schedule placed their staff at an increased security risk. In addition, they stated that in the event of mechanical problems, transport services would shut down completely until repairs could be made. (Comment: USAID/DFO staff note that the breakdown of the remaining helicopter could strand USAID partner's staff for over a week in remote locations. End Comment.) ¶11. (U) The UN has revised the West Darfur evacuation plan to compensate for the temporary fuel shortage. The revised plan states that agencies in the northern part of West Darfur would evacuate by an El Fasher-based helicopter; agencies in southwestern West Darfur would evacuate by a Nyala-based helicopter; and organizations in El Geneina evacuate by airplane. -------------- Humanitarian Agencies Face Harassment -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Several partners indicated increasing harassment of staff by the Sudanese government National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) since May 2006. NGOs stated that the Sudanese government may be attempting to cut off IDP populations from the international community. ¶13. (SBU) USAID partners reported receiving threats from NISS staff. One organization reported attempts to recruit informants from its staff by the NISS. In Habila town, located south of El Geneina, NISS officials informed humanitarian agencies that the safety of their Sudanese staff could not be guaranteed. ¶14. (SBU) Three organizations reported receiving letters from local communities indicating displeasure with certain humanitarian activities being implemented. In all three cases, the letters were signed at the top of the paper with the text following beneath the signatures. The organizations believe that the individuals were coerced into signing and have followed up with the local Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) office. ¶15. (SBU) Several organizations stated that the Sudanese government is determined to wear down the international community, and that currently the strategy to do so includes separating IDPs from humanitarian agencies through a policy of misinformation. USAID staff noted that this strategy was attempted in 2005, but the level of frustration and violence is higher this year and partners are anxious. These incidents could indicate the beginning of a troubling trend of harassment and coercion for aid workers. -------------- NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶16. (SBU) The humanitarian community has explored ways to mitigate the effects of harassment and declining access. Some mitigation strategies include pre-positioning supplies, transferring responsibility for programs to local community members, and encouraging the deployment of NGO staff to remote locations outside of El Geneina for three to six weeks. ¶17. (SBU) The El Fasher-based USAID staff will continue to monitor the developments and give recommendations for West Darfur. The Khartoum-based USAID staff will hold a contingency planning workshop for USAID's West Darfur implementing partners in late September. POWERS