TANZANIA: CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000794 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT AF/SPG, ALSO AF/E FOR BYODER, AF/RSA FOR MBITTRICK, DEPT FOR S/WCI ADDIS ABABA FOR AU MISSION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON MOPS SU TZ SUBJECT: TANZANIA: CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OF AU MEMBER STATES ON DARFUR, MAY 26 TO 28 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Members of the Parliaments of ten African Union (AU) member states and of the Pan African Parliament (PAP),met in Dar es Salaam from May 26-28 to consider national responsibilities in responding to the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, the AU Special Envoy for Darfur, opened the forum and participated in the three-day meeting. The Members of Parliament (MPs) discussed in depth the historical, political and economic roots of the ongoing tragedy in Darfur, the constraints facing the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) forces, and difficulties to deliver humanitarian assistance to afflicted populations. In their final communiqu, the Parliamentarians recommended an unconditional and immediate cease fire, an appropriate mandate for the AMIS forces and an effective guarantee from the Government of Sudan (GOS) to secure humanitarian aid access for the more than four million Darfurians affected by the war. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Parliamentarians from Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda participated in three full days of panel discussions on the causes and background to the crisis in Darfur, responses to the crisis, peace building and humanitarian access, as well as closed deliberation sessions. Representatives of the Darfur Consortium (a civil society coalition on Darfur),and various NGO representatives led frank discussions among the MPs that included references to genocide, the ongoing sexual violence, especially against women, and other grave violations of human rights and international law. Serious concerns about access to humanitarian aid -------------- --- ¶3. (SBU) During panel discussions on access to humanitarian assistance, the participants openly addressed their deep concerns about ethnic cleansing and decreasing access to humanitarian aid. The panel chair, Saleh Ousman, a Sudanese opposition MP from Darfur region, stressed that the call for an international response to the Darfur crisis required proactive efforts from the African nations, not only from Western countries. "Genocide is happening," he stated, "The people of Darfur will not forget if African nations do not speak out and act to stop these atrocities." ¶4. (SBU) Ousman challenged the African legislators to "raise their voices" by influencing their respective governments to take action. His call was followed by a report on the humanitarian assistance situation by Irungu Houghton, a Sudanese citizen employed by OXFAM. Houghton said the efforts to deliver humanitarian aid have become "almost incomprehensible," with one out of four persons in the region having no access to humanitarian assistance; in April, 14 humanitarian workers were abducted, 3 were shot or wounded. The AMIS forces saw 7 troops killed and many AU vehicles hijacked in April as well. ¶5. (SBU) Houghton said that humanitarian aid (HA) workers report armed groups are operating throughout Darfur with impunity. He displayed a map indicating that the areas of Darfur where the population is unable to access humanitarian aid have more than doubled in less than a year. During the comments, the discussion centered on how to get more African NGOs involved in the HA efforts; concerns were raised as well over the role oil and other resources play in accelerating the displacement of persons and the GOS' "scorched earth" policy. Many MPs were concerned about China,s role and DAR ES SAL 00000794 002 OF 002 whether quiet deals have been made with the GOS to buy Sudanese oil at a price well below the world market value. Final Communiqu: Call to Action -------------- ¶6. (U) The Parliamentary Consultative Meeting on Darfur resulted in a final communiqu that included recommendations for: - an immediate cease-fire of all hostilities; - a re-energized peace process led by the AU; - the inclusion of women in the peace process; - greater support for the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS); - implementation of a three step hybrid AU-UN force; - condemnation and prosecution of acts of sexual violence; - granting of humanitarian aid access by the GOS; - respect for the civilian and humanitarian nature of camps; - "justice for the victims of grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law"; and - the participation of civil society in the resolution of the conflict. ¶7. (U) The communiqu made particular reference to the difficulties facing AMIS, noting that "the beleaguered AU Mission in Sudan is ill-equipped, under-funded and lacking the robust mandate which would permit it to provide protection to those under threat." The MPs agreed to return to their home countries and "explore their (respective countries') capacity to ensure budget allocations from national budgets in favor of the AMIS mission and in response to humanitarian needs in Darfur." Support from the United Nations through the implementation of the three step hybrid force reflecting the decision of the UN Security Council in Resolution 1706 was also recommended. ¶8. (U) The communiqu also noted "grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law" in Darfur, stating that "women and children in Darfur are bearing the brunt of the conflict with recourse to rape and gender- based violence as a weapon of war a widespread phenomenon." The Parliamentarians further recommended providing for the prevention and prosecution of rape as a weapon of war under international agreements concluded by Sudan, and recommended that "securing a lasting peace in Darfur will necessitate ensuring justice for victims of grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law." Comment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) This Parliamentary Consultative Meeting of AU Member States on Darfur had initially been planned to be held in Addis Ababa. However, in the face of logistics hurdles that had delayed the meeting, Tanzania stepped up to host the event. Dr. Salim told PolCouns May 28 that the meeting would hopefully "keep up the momentum" by encouraging legislators of AU nations to speak out and press their respective governments to act and to support solutions for the deepening crisis in Darfur. Salim noted that all efforts and suggestions by the Parliamentarians "could be a positive factor" in seeking a resolution to the Darfur crisis. MUSHINGI