SUDAN: HAC INTERROGATES USAID PARTNER

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002877 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS 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 PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2026 TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM KDEM SOCI SU KHDP SUBJECT: SUDAN: HAC INTERROGATES USAID PARTNER Classified By: DCM R. Powers, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The Government of National Unity (GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) is in the process of collecting information on all humanitarian organizations working in Sudan. The effort appears to be part of an annual exercise aimed at identifying humanitarian staff and assets. The process includes a visit from representatives of HAC, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS),and, in some cases, Military Intelligence Services. ¶2. (C) On December 13, the HAC called in three staff members from USAID partner CARE International for interrogation. Those questioned included one U.S. citizen, one Dutch citizen, and one Indian citizen. The request stemmed from a December 12 article in Al Hayat newspaper (www.alhayatsdn.com) written by Isaq Ahmed Fadlalla, titled "The Organization of the Hunger Industry, What Is Going On Under the Table." CARE provided a translation of the article to USAID. The article alleged that CARE engages in humanitarian sabotage, intelligence-gathering activities, and coordination with armed opposition groups. The article referenced information from internal CARE e-mails with analysis of the security situation in and around El Fasher, North Darfur. (Comment: The HAC appears to have a way to obtain the internal documents of humanitarian organizations. In a separate incident, the HAC obtained internal documents from USAID partner International Rescue Committee (IRC) in August, and leaked them to the media. The IRC internal document was misrepresented to the media in an attempt to intimidate IRC. End comment.) ¶3. (C) HAC Director of NGO Coordination Mutasim Abu Gasim Abbas conducted the interrogation. (Note: Many in the humanitarian community believe he is a NISS representative placed in the HAC. End note.) Questions for the American citizen, CARE's Emergency Program Coordinator, focused on her sources of information regarding military movements around El Fasher, the sharing of information with CARE's headquarters in Atlanta, and relations with leaders of armed groups. The Amcit informed HAC that all information was obtained from open sources, including the U.N. Department of Safety and Security. CARE's Country Director, referred to in the article as "Mr. P.," followed up by sending a letter to HAC explaining the U.S. citizen's role in CARE's Sudan operations. ¶4. (C) Comment: This appears to be part of larger GNU strategy to intimidate international NGOs and discourage the presence of international staff in Sudan, particularly in Darfur. End comment. HUME