ADADA MOVES TO DEFUSE TENSION OVER KALMA IDP CAMP

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001849

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2012
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO UN AU SU
SUBJECT: ADADA MOVES TO DEFUSE TENSION OVER KALMA IDP CAMP

Classified By: CDA Alberto Fernandez, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Joint Special Representative Rudolphe Adada and the AU
Mission in Sudan (AMIS) are trying to broker a solution to
mounting tensions in the Kalma internally displaced persons
(IDP) camp in South Darfur, the JSR's chief of staff,
Abdulrahman Abubakr, told Poloff on November 26. Following a
November 14 letter from the Nyala police chief to the AMIS
sector commander threatening to remove the weapons in the
camp by November 30, Adada traveled to Nyala to meet with
acting governor Farah Mustafa. AMIS has also dispatched a
team to Jebel Marra to request Fur leaders' assistance in
pressing the IDPs in Kalma to hand over their weapons
voluntarily, according to Abubakr.


2. (C) While characterizing the Sudanese Government's concern
about the militarization of Kalma's population as "somewhat
legitimate", Abubakr agreed that direct Government
intervention risked significant loss of life. AMIS is
developing a plan to present to the South Darfur authorities
within two days that it hopes will avoid a clash between
Government forces and the IDPs. Though hesitant to discuss
more than the broad outlines of AMIS' proposal before it is
finalized, Abubakr emphasized that it would be vetted with
humanitarian experts.


3. (C) Abubakr suggested that AMIS will first propose that
Bangladeshi formed police units (FPU)--scheduled to deploy to
Darfur within three to four days--provide security on the
periphery of the camp in exchange for the IDPs' voluntary
disarmament. If the IDPs reject this compromise, Abubakr
said that AMIS would then consider disarming the IDPs
directly. Poloff cautioned that direct AMIS intervention
with the IDPs could be explosive. While Abubakr agreed, he
said that the number of weapons in Kalma made the situation
increasingly volatile, risking a serious confrontation not
only between the Government and the IDPs but between the Fur
and Zaghawa populations (this has already happened in Kalma
recently when Zaghawa IDPs were expelled from the camp by
Fur. These Zaghawa were then victimized a second time when
GOS police forcibly removed them from Otash IDP camp,
ostensibly at the request of camp members).


4. (C) Comment: Adada's proactive efforts to address this
controversial are commendable. However, many IDPs argue that
they need weapons to protect themselves against attacks from
other tribes--both Arab and African--due to AMIS' inability
to ensure their safety. Others are clearly rebel sympathizers
seeking to use force to promote rebel leaders' sway in the
camps (especially SLM leader Abdul Wahid Nur) as part of a
campaign of armed struggle and destabilization. AID reports
that as of November 25 the Sudanese Government has not
conducted a sensitization campaign with deeply suspicious
IDPs about its plans to disarm Kalma's population. Given the
hostility toward AMIS among Darfuris, particularly among the
IDPs, an AMIS attempt to seize weapons in the camp could
escalate into a violent confrontation between peacekeepers
and IDPs and undermine the credibility of the UN-AU Mission
in Darfur (UNAMID)--through its association with
Adada--before it has deployed. We will continue to follow
AMIS' attempts to defuse tensions prior to Charge Fernandez's
planned visit to South Darfur on November 30 with the same
goal and report septel. End comment.
FERNANDEZ