DARFUR: VIOLENCE INTENSIFIES IN EL FASHER

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002799

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPKO AU ASEC SU UN
SUBJECT: DARFUR: VIOLENCE INTENSIFIES IN EL FASHER



1. (SBU) Violence in El Fasher has intensified over the last
48 hours as 1,000 Janjaweed have entered the city, attacked
the market, and clashed with forces aligned with the Sudan
Liberation Movement (SLM)/Minawi. According to Minawi, four
of his men were seriously injured, though SLM contacts in El
Fasher later indicated one fatality. Embassy staff reported
from El Fasher that SLM forces and 20 gun ships have grouped
south of the city and that 100 Janjaweed vehicles were in the
town. The United Nations (UN) has evacuated 80 non-essential
staff, leaving 93 in place; Swedish Relief Services has also
pulled its staff from the area. According to the Canadian
Embassy, the African Union Mission to Sudan (AMIS) has
withdrawn those personnel "living some distance" from AMIS
headquarters to its main El Fasher compound and to the area
around the Zam Zam internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.
The same sources said that AMIS will "aggressively patrol"
both locations. AMIS and Pacific Architects and Engineers
(PAE) have canceled all flights from El Fasher for December 6.


2. (SBU) Senior Assistant to the President and SLM leader
Minni Minawi told Embassy staff that his forces intervened
against the Janjaweed in the face of Sudanese Armed Forces'
(SAF) in action. In a December 4 press conference, Minawi
called on the international community, the African Union
(AU),and the Sudanese government to protect civilians. "All
options are possible, including going back to war--which is
against our wish--if the Sudanese government does not stop
the activities of the Janjaweed in Darfur," he said at the
press conference. "We tolerated the Government's intentional
violations of the DPA during the last six months with the
vain hope of solving the problems. We can't tolerate this
anymore." Minawi told UK Embassy staff on December 5 that
both President Bashir and Vice President Ali Osman Taha have
refused to discuss the developments in El Fasher with him.
Department of Defense personnel reported that North Darfur
governor Yousef Kibir has been meeting with Arab tribal
leaders and government officials throughout the day in
response to Minawi's "ultimatum," though there is no
indication that the Arab militias have stood down.


3. (SBU) Skylink, the contract aviation services firm,
reported that four out of six of its fuel trucks in El Fasher
have been taken by the "Sudanese government." In response,
Skylink has ensured that all its aircraft are loaded with
adequate fuel to relocate to Nyala. This will also safeguard
fuel stocks for the resumption of the regular flight schedule.


4. (SBU) Security issues pertaining to Embassy staff in
Darfur and the related EAC meeting will be reported septel.
HUME