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