Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM2223
2006-09-14 12:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

DARFUR - WEST DARFUR SITUATION REPORT

Tags:  EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3076
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2223/01 2571223
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141223Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4541
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
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
-------

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