DARFUR: NGOS RELOCATE STAFF FROM GEREIDA IDP CAMP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002876

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AND PRM
STATE PLS 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 PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
USUN FOR TMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2026
TAGS: EAID PREF PHUM KDEM SOCI SU KHDP PGOV
SUBJECT: DARFUR: NGOS RELOCATE STAFF FROM GEREIDA IDP CAMP

REF: A. REF A) KHARTOUM 0828

B. B) KHARTOUM 0939

C. C) KHARTOUM 2863

Classified By: DCM R. Powers, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY AND COMMENT
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1. (SBU) At approximately 2130 hours on December 18, armed
men believed to be Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi
(SLA/Minawi) elements stole 14 vehicles from three compounds
in Gereida, South Darfur. As a result, all humanitarian
organizations except the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) are suspending activities in Gereida, which is
considered Africa's largest internally displaced persons
(IDP) camp with 128,000 inhabitants. Organizations began
relocating staff from Gereida on December 19. USAID is
concerned that the reduction in humanitarian presence will
hamstring the ability of the USG and the international
community to provide assistance in the area. The provision
of food and water may become more difficult if programs do
not resume within several weeks. In combination with
increased targeting of humanitarian assets and staff across
Darfur since the beginning of December, we are witnessing a
severe erosion of capacity to assist 4.3 million
conflict-affected people in the region. End summary and
comment.

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SIMULTANEOUS RAIDS ON HUMANITARIAN COMPOUNDS
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2. (C) At approximately 2130 hours on December 18, armed men
believed to be SLA/Minawi elements raided three humanitarian
compounds in Gereida. Reports suggest that the assailants
first attacked the ICRC compound, stealing two vehicles that
were later returned. ICRC is still conducting an internal
investigation to determine what actually happened, but will
continue to provide health services in Gereida. (Comment:
ICRC has been working in Gereida longer than any other
international humanitarian organization. Some have
speculated that ICRC's vehicles were returned because it is
known that that ICRC will provide medical services to all
wounded combatants. End comment.)


3. (C) Reports indicate that following the ICRC raid, the
assailants simultaneously attacked two compounds: Oxfam and
Action Contre la Faim (ACF). According to Oxfam, armed men
demanded that the guard outside the Oxfam office turn over
vehicle keys. The attackers apparently knew that the keys
were located in the organization's logistics office. When
the guard refused to comply, the men entered the office
compound, where five vehicles were parked, and took the keys
for those vehicles. The men continued searching for keys to
a sixth vehicle and the vehicle itself, which was parked
elsewhere. When the guard refused to share the whereabouts
of the sixth vehicle, the men went to Oxfam's residential
compound, where two international staff were present. The
staff members fled to other NGO compounds. The assailants
stole two Thuraya satellite telephones and ripped out the
wiring in the office, but left other communications
equipment. Oxfam is moving all relocatable and expatriate
staff to Nyala. Even if staff were to remain, a single
vehicle is insufficient for Oxfam to continue providing
water, sanitation, and hygiene services to the camp. (Note:
Oxfam (strictly protect) believes that a group of SLA/Minawi
elements that may defect to the National Redemption Front
(NRF) carried out the attacks. End note.)


4. (C) According to ACF, armed men entered the ACF guest
house and physically assaulted ACF staff, including one
expatriate. ACF staff reportedly recognized some of the
assailants as belonging to SLA/Minawi. The men stole all
seven ACF vehicles as well as communications equipment. ACF,
a USAID partner elsewhere in Darfur, is the only organization
that distributes food in Gereida in cooperation with the UN
World Food Program (WFP). ACF has ceased operations in
Gereida and will permanently withdraw its staff. The one

KHARTOUM 00002876 002 OF 002


international staff member targeted in the attack plans to
leave Sudan.


5. (SBU) According to an NGO representative, at least one of
the organizations that came under attack reportedly attempted
to contact the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) via
radio; however, AMIS did not respond to the calls for help.


6. (U) On December 19, humanitarian organizations working in
Gereida decided to suspend operations and relocate staff.
The organizations withdrawing include USAID partners Merlin
and the American Refugee Committee, ZOA, Oxfam, and ACF.
USAID partner CHF International plans to conduct a security
assessment before determining whether to suspend operations
and withdraw staff.

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HUMANITARIAN IMPLICATIONS
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7. (SBU) With the suspension of nearly all programs in
Gereida, the humanitarian successes threaten to reverse
quickly. Although the camp population more than doubled in
2006, organizations managed to provide food, water, and other
basic services to the new IDPs with limited resources and
constant insecurity in the surrounding area.


8. (SBU) ACF reports that food commodities for December's
distributions recently arrived and are currently in
semi-permanent storage facilities known as Rubb Halls. ACF
reports that WFP trucks en route to Gereida with food
supplies for December distributions will return to Nyala. In
the absence of a regular distribution and with the presence
of Arab militias preventing agricultural activities outside
the camp, USAID and ACF consider it likely that IDPs will
loot the facility.


9. (SBU) Water provision is a key concern. Oxfam maintains
the camp's water supply and provides the fuel necessary to
operate the water system. Oxfam reports that there is enough
fuel in Gereida to power the water system for a maximum of
two more weeks. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has spent
USD 2 million on a camp water system, which Oxfam currently
maintains.

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COMMENT: TRENDS AND NEXT STEPS
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10. (C) This is the first known simultaneous attack against
humanitarian organizations in Darfur. The attackers
demonstrated inside knowledge of NGO procedures, suggesting
that armed groups are using this information to equip
themselves more efficiently. This is the largest number of
vehicles stolen in a single incident in Darfur since the
conflict began three and one-half years ago. Including those
taken in this event, more than 30 vehicles have been stolen
in Darfur since December 1.


11. (SBU) Currently, only ICRC plans to remain in Gereida.
USAID is concerned that with little humanitarian presence, it
will be a significant challenge for the USG to provide aid to
the IDP camp and local population. The USAID Office of U.S.
Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is prepared to fund
ICRC for life-saving interventions should additional
resources be necessary.
HUME