Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06OSLO1446
2006-11-28 15:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS NORWEGIAN NGOS WORKING IN SUDAN

Tags:  PREL EAID SU NO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #1446/01 3321543
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281543Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4939
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 0283
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY 0041
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0019
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0216
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0209
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 001446 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL EAID SU NO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS NORWEGIAN NGOS WORKING IN SUDAN

REF: OSLO 1359

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Kevin M. Johnson
for reasons 1.4 b and d

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 001446

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PREL EAID SU NO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS NORWEGIAN NGOS WORKING IN SUDAN

REF: OSLO 1359

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Kevin M. Johnson
for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (C) SUMMARY: As part of Embassy Oslo's ongoing
engagement with Norwegians on peace and reconciliation, the
Ambassador hosted a breakfast meeting with officials from
leading Norwegian NGOs working in Sudan on November 16. All
agreed that Khartoum was impeding their aid efforts in Darfur
and that the international community needs to clearly spell
out minimum standards of behavior for rebel groups in the
region and for Khartoum (using sanctions if necessary to
enforce them). While agreeing that the situation in Darfur
was very bad, officials were equally concerned about south
Sudan, feeling that the Darfur crisis has overshadowed a
worsening situation -- one with the potential to undo what
progress has been made in Sudan so far. NGO officials and
the Embassy officers also discussed advocacy efforts and ways
to more publicly engage Norwegians on the work that Norwegian
and American NGOs and governments are doing in Sudan, one of
the key areas where the U.S. an Norway have close and
productive cooperation. END SUMMARY

Frustration with Khartoum, Concern about Darfur
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


2. (C) Norwegian Church Aid International Development
Director Bjorg Mide summed up NGOs' opinions that Khartoum
was seen as an obstacle to progress, hampering work outside
of camp borders and interfering with NGO project management.
According to Mide, the Government is becoming increasingly
difficult to work with and trusts no one at this point,
including international aid organizations. Norwegian
People's Aid International Development Director Liv Torres
told us that Khartoum's interference in Darfur and lack of
progress in south Sudan has forced NPA to maintain emergency
humanitarian relief operations rather than transition to long
term development in 2007 as originally planned.


3. (C) Norwegian Refugee Council International Development
Director Jens Mjagedal told us that Norway needs to strongly
advocate for better humanitarian space in Darfur. NGOs
agreed that the international community, specifically the UN,
needs to set limits on Khartoum's behavior (using sanctions
in necessary) making clear what are minimum international
standards of behavior. According to Mjagedal humanitarian
relief agencies were in danger of becoming "useful idiots" by
continuing their work solely on Khartoum's terms. (NOTE The
NRC recently closed its humanitarian relief operations in
south Darfur after failing to reach agreement with Khartoum
on the future of its operations. END NOTE) NGOs saw Darfur
as a convenient crisis for Khartoum and one that helps keep
international attention diverted from what the NGOs see as a
potentially more dangerous situation in the south, delay in
CPA implementation.

South Sudan
- - - - - -


4. (C) NGO representatives see little substantive progress
the CPA. Norwegian Refugee Council stressed the need for
quick, visible actions that would give IDPs living around
Khartoum something to come home to. NGOs saw the CPA as
immaterial to the average south Sudanese and expressed
frustration at the World Bank's inability to quickly fund
programs that would have an impact in the south. As an
example of what the NRC saw as a worsening mood among south
Sudanese diaspora, they failed to attract any interest in a
recent "go and see" trip designed to get refugees in other
countries and IDPs to visit the south. (NOTE: These accounts
differ somewhat from the more positive but slow progress line
we have been hearing from the MFA. END NOTE) NGOs were also
concerned about the Government of South Sudan's ability to
effectively promote land reform, provide security and to
effectively administer its territory.

Embassy Engagement with NGOs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


5. (C) As part of Post's ongoing efforts to engage
Norwegians on peace and reconciliation issues (reftel) we
compared notes on how to move these issues forward with our
NGO contacts. We are exploring public approaches that can be
used to highlight the issues and to remind Norwegians that
the U.S. and Norway are actively and jointly engaged in
Sudan. Norwegian NGOs are clearly interested in talking to
us and coordinating more closely to highlight the
humanitarian situation in Sudan. Post will continue to
engage with NGOs and to look for ways to remind the Norwegian
public of the close and productive cooperation we share on
this type of issue.
Whitney