NORTH DARFUR HUMANITARIAN UPDATE: PERMITS, ACCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000324

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU UN SU
SUBJECT: NORTH DARFUR HUMANITARIAN UPDATE: PERMITS, ACCESS
AND WATER


Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a follow-on meeting to their February 20-21 visit,
CDA Hume and USAID Director Almquist met again on February 27
with North Darfur Governor Yousef Kibbir in his El Fasher
headquarters. Accompanying Governor Kibbir were the State
Minister for Information, the State Humanitarian Affairs
Commission (HAC) Officer for North Darfur and the State Head
of National Security for NGOs and International
Organizations. Reiterating USG support for humanitarian
operations in Darfur, and with the goal of lifting
bureaucratic burdens from INGO workers, CDA Hume raised three
issues pending from the previous week's discussions: 1)
difficulties renewing residence and work permits for
humanitarian workers; 2) restrictions on INGO and UN travel;
and 3) the need to identify a location for a fourth IDP camp
in El Fasher due to water shortages and full capacity of the
other three.


2. (C) CDA Hume also used the meeting as an opportunity to
preview SE Natsios' upcoming visit, noting that the visit
would focus on the humanitarian situation in Darfur,
political dialogue and AU/UN cooperation.

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Progress on Permits
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3. (C) USAID Director noted progress on the issues of
permits, thanking the Governor for his help in renewing
permits for 30 INGO workers since the previous week's visit.
She encouraged the Governor's continued facilitation of
permits in El Fasher, especially as many workers were still
waiting for renewals to be processed in Khartoum. The
Governor said that he had discussed the matter last week with
relevant state agencies, and was committed to facilitating
permits in all areas under his control, though not if such
facilitation would contradict federal rules. "We will inform
you when we reach a solution," he said.


4. (C) Many INGO workers face difficulties traveling to areas
outside the main towns of El Fasher, Geneina and Nyala. CDA
Hume pointed out that if they can't travel they assume that
the government is purposefully blocking them. "You may get
worse press than you deserve," he added. Governor Kibbir
again agreed to facilitate access to areas under his control,
while suggesting that perhaps the U.S. could help ensure
passage to other areas by encouraging leaders of those areas
to sign the DPA. (Note: On the same day, Embassy staff in El
Fasher received an e-mail from UN counterparts saying that
the blanket extension for travel permits in North Darfur had
been extended until March 12; that afternoon, however, three
WFP vehicles, one carrying the USAID Food for Peace program
director, were not allowed to enter Kutum by local military
intelligence. End note.)

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Water into Bricks
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5. (C) Regarding the water shortage in IDP camps,
specifically in the Al Salam camp two kilometers outside of
El Fasher, CDA Hume observed that any unexpected influx of
new IDPs would be disastrous for the already water-strapped
camp, and suggested that the Governor and the HAC work with
the UN to create contingency plans for such an event,
including identifying a site for a new camp. While
acknowledging the need for such planning, the Governor also
maintained that a principal factor of the water shortage was
IDPs using the water for more than just personal consumption,
most commonly for building bricks. "But we hope there are no
new arrivals!" he said. (Note: CDA Hume and USAID Director
made a subsequent unplanned visit to the Al Salam camp, where
the IRC assistant camp coordinator confirmed that water was
being used to manufacture bricks and that the camp had
initiated an information campaign to discourage this. End
note.)

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Comment
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6. (C) While the meeting was positive in tone and the
Governor professed cooperation on all fronts, specific
actions were not agreed to. The presence of the local HAC
commissioner, as well as national security and military
intelligence, indicated the Governor's seriousness in
addressing these issues. USAID's experience in Kutum that

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same day also raises the question of how much the Governor is
indeed able to achieve in the areas under his control.
HUME