CHAD: REPORT FROM BAHAI AS UN STAFF DRAW DOWN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 001405 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PREF PHUM SU PGOV CD SUBJECT: CHAD: REPORT FROM BAHAI AS UN STAFF DRAW DOWN REF: NDJAMENA 1215 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Typically an area of activity between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the National Redemption Front (NRF) rebels, Bahai was eerily quiet December 5-7, as the town and nearby Oure Cassoni refugee camp prepared for the December 7 departure of United Nations essential staff. NRF rebels maintained an uncharacteristically low profile both in Bahai and in Oure Cassoni amidst rumors that they were reinforcing a column of Chadian National Forces (ANT) moving toward Tine. At least 16 ANT vehicles were observed December 7 from Abeche in the direction of Biltine, which UFDD rebels are reportedly occupying. UNHCR Abeche speculates, however, that the Chadian rebels are continuing their trend of drawing the ANT around eastern Chad, likely toward Am Zoer and Guereda, in an effort to tire them out so that rebels could eventually reach N'Djamena. UNHCR Abeche assesses there is no real threat to Abeche in the next 24 hours. END SUMMARY. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NRF KEEPING LOW PROFILE IN BAHAI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) Normally a mainstay of the population of the northern town of Bahai on Chad's eastern border, as well as of the refugee camp Oure Cassoni, NRF rebels were few and far between from December 5-7. Poloff observed a small group of NRF with family members in Oure Cassoni December 5 and a larger group visiting a comrade in Bahai Hospital after having been wounded in fighting around Lake Kariyari in early October. UNHCR Bahai agreed the NRF presence had diminished in the city since the attacks last month in Abeche and in recent weeks in Guereda, and speculated that this absence was connected to a reinforced ANT presence most recently seen in a column moving toward the strategic market town of Tine. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NO IMMEDIATE DANGER TO ABECHE, SAYS UNHCR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (SBU) Poloff observed a column of at least 16 ANT vehicles on the road from Abeche to Biltine on the morning of December 7; more ANT trucks and forces were observed later in central Abeche, having just arrived from Adre en route to Biltine. UFDD rebels reportedly occupied Biltine but were alleged to be moving from the city southwest in the direction of Oum Hadjer, which would provide them easier access to their re-supply bases around Am Dam and Goz Beida. UNHCR Abeche received a report December 7 that Chadian rebels (possibly RAC) were leaving Biltine for Guereda, from which ANT forces were allegedly vacating in the direction of Am Zoer; UNHCR Guereda staff still in the town were contemplating evacuation by road from the city. UNHCR Abeche told Poloff that Mahamat Nouri informed the Abeche office his rebel group had no plans to re-occupy Abeche, and UNCHR assessed that there was no immediate threat to the town. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BAHAI BRACED FOR HUMANITARIAN DRAWDOWN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (SBU) Upon orders from Geneva and New York Headquarters, UNHCR Bahai reduced its staff from 17 to four as of December ¶7. Refugees in Oure Cassoni camp were unfazed by the move, with camp leaders going so far as to invite the humanitarian community into Oure Cassoni itself if they were in need of protection, adding that the camp (with its base of NRF protectors) was the safest place for the humanitarians to be. The Chadian refugee agency (CNAR) assured that Oure Cassoni operations would continue unchanged, despite the reduced humanitarian presence (NOTE: ACTED and IRC continue to maintain a presence in Bahai. END NOTE). CNAR, however, was noticeably absent on the opening day of food distribution in Oure Cassoni on December 5 and refused to assist with the continuation of distribution on December 6, arguing it was not CNAR's responsibility to do so, despite the reduced humanitarian presence. Distribution nevertheless proceeded without major incident through December 7, with only one last-minute change in the method of doling out rations to families. - - - - - - - - - - SAF WANTS TO GO HOME - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) During a December 6 visit to Bahai Hospital, Poloff spoke with the approximately 30 SAF soldiers still recuperating from injuries sustained during October 7 NDJAMENA 00001405 002 OF 002 fighting around Lake Kariyari (reftel cited above). All SAF with whom Poloff spoke were unanimous in their desire to return to Sudan and to get word back to their families in Sudan of their status, noting that they had had no such contact for the two months of their incapacitation. They were also unanimous in their disillusionment with the Sudanese Government of National Unity, which, some contended, was "corrupt" and responsible for perpetrating the war in Darfur, most recently in dispatching the Janjaweed against rebels of the Sudanese Liberation Movement faction of Mini Minnawi in El Fasher. IRC administrators of the Bahai Hospital confirmed an absence of animosity or incidents among SAF and NRF patients sharing rooms, due perhaps to a shared disenchantment with the Khartoum regime. ¶6. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. WALL