NRC EVACUATES FROM SOUTH DARFUR

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000454

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AF/EA, DCHA
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS
USMISSION UN ROME
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NAIROBI FOR SFO
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY
USUN FOR TMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - TEXT ON SECTION 01

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI KAWC SU
SUBJECT: NRC EVACUATES FROM SOUTH DARFUR

REF: (A) Khartoum 0320 (B) (05) Khartoum 1350

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Summary
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1. On February 21, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
evacuated international staff members working in South
Darfur. NRC international headquarters made the
determination to remove staff in response to weeks of
Sudanese government warnings that the safety of NRC staff
could not be guaranteed. The work of NRC is particularly
critical in Darfur's largest internally displaced person
(IDP) camp, Kalma, where the organization works as camp
coordinator. It is unknown how long the organization
will be absent from South Darfur, and NRC is currently
reviewing its ability to continue operations. NRC is
working urgently with other humanitarian agencies to
cover its operations on the ground, particularly in
Kalma. End summary.

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Causes
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2. On February 20, the South Darfur Commissioner of the
Sudanese government Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC)
verbally directed NRC expatriate staff to leave Nyala
purportedly due to security concerns. NRC refused to
leave, however, unless the HAC issued a signed order
instructing the organization to do so. On February 21,
NRC's international headquarters in Oslo, Norway, made
the determination to relocate all NRC expatriate staff to
Khartoum, without the issuance of an official letter by
HAC officials.

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History
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3. In relation to the continued fallout over the cartoon
controversy, South Darfur HAC officials verbally ordered
NRC staff to leave the state on February 8. Again, HAC
stated it had issued the order because the security of
NRC staff "could not be guaranteed." After intensive
advocacy by several donors and the U.N. Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),the Khartoum-
based HAC Commissioner intervened and decreed that NRC
did not have to leave Nyala, claiming to be unaware that
such a statement had been made (reftel A).


4. The issue of NRC as Kalma camp coordinator has been
highly contentious for some time. In August 2005, the
HAC refused to renew its agreement with NRC for this
purpose. At that time, USAID documented the critical
humanitarian and protection services provided by NRC in
the camp of nearly 90,000 persons in the cable listed as
reftel B. In addition to many other functions, NRC
provides analysis and advocacy on the human rights issues
and sexual violence occurring in Kalma, which many would
argue is the source of the government's discontent with
the organization. After a strong request by Deputy
S ecretary of State Zoellick, the government allowed NRC
to resume the camp coordination role on November 15 on
the condition that NRC could not engage in protection-
related matters.

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Humanitarian Implications
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5. NRC's absence will leave a considerable humanitarian
gap, as its role as Kalma camp coordinator is even more
crucial in light of the heightened insecurity and
displacement in South Darfur. NRC is working to
coordinate with other NGOs operational in Kalma to take
over camp coordination, but the issue has not been
resolved. As an interim measure, OCHA and the African
Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) Civilian Police (CIVPOL)
will cooperate to fill in the gaps left by NRC's
departure. Two issues of particular concern are the
registration of new arrivals and the continuation of
joint Sudanese police and AMIS CIVPOL firewood patrols to
protect women collecting firewood, which NRC is
instrumental in facilitating.

6. Without camp coordination, the camp can become
destabilized quickly. For example, on February 16,
approximately 50 Arab militia approached Kalma camp on
horseback and intimidated IDPs in response to reported
cattle theft in Nyala. NRC reacted quickly to alert the
AMIS protection force, who deployed to calm the
situation. Despite the South Darfur Wali also being
immediately informed, it took 12 hours for the police
forces to arrive in Kalma.

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Next Steps
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7. NRC is currently reviewing its ability to operate in
Darfur given the continued restrictions on its work
imposed by the government. Embassy Khartoum is
coordinating with Norwegian government representatives
here and will follow this situation closely.

HUME