CG Juba Round-Up

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000483 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN EPET TBIO SOCI SU SUBJECT: CG Juba Round-Up ¶1. (SBU) AEC Visit: Assessment and Evaluation Commissioner Tom Vraalsen visited Juba and met with Riek Machar and the GoSS Minister of Finance, among others. He confirmed that the Government of National Unity had transferred a hefty sum from petroleum revenues into GoSS coffers, but the GoSS remained reluctant to disclose publicly how much. ¶2. (SBU) Discussion with the Imam: CG Juba staff met with Juba Iman Ibrahim Abdullah Bashir. Initially reticent, the Imam warmed up and described harassment of Muslims in Juba by what he described as the "urban underclass." He expressed appreciation for GoSS efforts to combat this problem and said that he wished periodic meetings with CG staff to discuss specific incidents of intolerance against local Muslims. ¶3. (U) School Days: CG official met with David Lodu Modi, Headmaster of Juba Day School, who described in detail the challenges educators face. Crumbling infrastructure, no water or electricity, and a lack of textbooks and science and math teachers posed the greatest challenges. Teachers are paid, but only the equivalent of eleven U.S. cents per month; as headmaster, Modi pulls down 21 cents. Half of Modi's students are IDPs or recent returnees, and the drop out rate is excessive. ¶4. (U) Too Close for Comfort: An unexploded landmine was reportedly discovered and removed from near the Kalolo Restaurant/Night Club about 400 meters from the USAID compound and 100 meters from the USAID office complex, which is still occupied by French NGO Action Against Hunger (ACF). Both expatriates and senior GoSS officials patronize Kalolo. The landmine was not a recent plant. HUME