Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM2750
2006-11-28 14:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:
AMIS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING FORCES, NOT CIVILIANS
how-toVZCZCXRO0266 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHKH #2750 3321455 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 281455Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5392 INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002750
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU SU UN
SUBJECT: AMIS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING FORCES, NOT CIVILIANS
Classified By: P/E Chief E. Whitaker, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002750
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU SU UN
SUBJECT: AMIS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING FORCES, NOT CIVILIANS
Classified By: P/E Chief E. Whitaker, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a November 25 meeting in El Fasher with CDA Hume,
Major General Luke Aprezi, force commander of the African
Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS),lamented his inability to
ensure the safety of his troops and protect the civilians of
Darfur. Despite initial indications that Aprezi would
improve both the morale and the effectiveness of AMIS when he
assumed his command in late summer, reports indicate that
both have deteriorated in recent weeks. Though Aprezi
couched his reticence to promote a more secure environment in
concern for his men, his demeanor indicated that he had
resigned himself to inefficacy, and he was unaware of any
discussions on the introduction of an AU-United Nations
hybrid force. "We don't want to fight back," he said. "We
are peacekeeping troops."
2. (C) Aprezi and Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General F.
M. Kamanzi catalogued a list of deficiencies in AMIS'
capacity. They claimed that their troops were unable to
defend themselves because they lacked shovels and sandbags to
construct fox holes and concertina wire to break attacks.
Kamanzi also said that his forces have fled from ambushes on
foot because their armored personnel vehicles were broken.
"If you want me to do something, you have to empower me to
the extent that I can defend myself," added Aprezi. Dodging
questions from CDA Hume about why the AU had not yet utilized
the 50 million dollars in funding that was authorized by the
USG and why AMIS was unable even to secure areas of Darfur
where there was little fighting, Aprezi returned again to the
force protection issue and said that he could not defend
certain areas and not others.
3. (C) Despite the Cease-fire Commission (CFC) having
developed a Janjaweed disarmament plan, Aprezi admitted that
AMIS has had no discussions with the Sudanese government on
implementation nor has it begun to verify the positions of
forces based on maps presented during the talks that
culminated in the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). CDA Hume
questioned whether the AMIS command would raise any of these
issues at the AU Peace and Security Commission meeting in
Abuja on November 29. "We will tell the PSC that our
soldiers are fair game, are under threat," responded Aprezi.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG AND AF/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU SU UN
SUBJECT: AMIS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING FORCES, NOT CIVILIANS
Classified By: P/E Chief E. Whitaker, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a November 25 meeting in El Fasher with CDA Hume,
Major General Luke Aprezi, force commander of the African
Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS),lamented his inability to
ensure the safety of his troops and protect the civilians of
Darfur. Despite initial indications that Aprezi would
improve both the morale and the effectiveness of AMIS when he
assumed his command in late summer, reports indicate that
both have deteriorated in recent weeks. Though Aprezi
couched his reticence to promote a more secure environment in
concern for his men, his demeanor indicated that he had
resigned himself to inefficacy, and he was unaware of any
discussions on the introduction of an AU-United Nations
hybrid force. "We don't want to fight back," he said. "We
are peacekeeping troops."
2. (C) Aprezi and Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General F.
M. Kamanzi catalogued a list of deficiencies in AMIS'
capacity. They claimed that their troops were unable to
defend themselves because they lacked shovels and sandbags to
construct fox holes and concertina wire to break attacks.
Kamanzi also said that his forces have fled from ambushes on
foot because their armored personnel vehicles were broken.
"If you want me to do something, you have to empower me to
the extent that I can defend myself," added Aprezi. Dodging
questions from CDA Hume about why the AU had not yet utilized
the 50 million dollars in funding that was authorized by the
USG and why AMIS was unable even to secure areas of Darfur
where there was little fighting, Aprezi returned again to the
force protection issue and said that he could not defend
certain areas and not others.
3. (C) Despite the Cease-fire Commission (CFC) having
developed a Janjaweed disarmament plan, Aprezi admitted that
AMIS has had no discussions with the Sudanese government on
implementation nor has it begun to verify the positions of
forces based on maps presented during the talks that
culminated in the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). CDA Hume
questioned whether the AMIS command would raise any of these
issues at the AU Peace and Security Commission meeting in
Abuja on November 29. "We will tell the PSC that our
soldiers are fair game, are under threat," responded Aprezi.
HUME