Ceasefire Commission Week of May 28

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000889 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY SENSITIVE, SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU CD SU SUBJECT: Ceasefire Commission Week of May 28 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) With the killing of a UN peacekeeper on May 25, security issues and ceasefire violations remained at the center of Ceasefire Commission (CFC) discussions this week. Additionally, a new rebel movement, the SLA United Front, announced itself at AMIS' expense. End summary. -------------- First Chamber: May 28 -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On the alleged bombing of Deim Bishara, JEM/Peace Wing representative Mustafa Dawood said AMIS should explain why it had not yet investigated the incident. GOS representative Major Nasr stressed that it was a drug eradication operation that had since ended, but the JEM representative countered that such an operation should have been coordinated with them, especially since JEM was a signatory. Deputy Force Commander Ephrem Rurangwa, who chaired the meeting, said that the area was still inaccessible due to continued fighting and that he expected the sector's report once conditions improved. He hoped that the investigative team that was sent would not be detained, as occurred in al-Hosh on May 27. ¶3. (U) The tense standoff of May 26, in which the SLA/Minawi house near AMIS was surrounded by GOS forces, was also raised. The DFC called for all movements to respect the recent agreement made with Force Commander Aprezi to create an arms-free zone in the neighborhood. SLA/Minawi representative Ahmed Gardiya suggested AMIS expand its camp to house internationals. The DFC insisted that the arms-free zone only required a decision on the part of the movements, while an expanded camp would cost time and money and incur more security problems. -------------- Second Chamber: May 28 -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Carjacking continued to be a major concern. The UN observer noted that in North and South Darfur, carjackings were a way of equipping the factions, while in West Darfur they were a manifestation of general banditry. JEM representative General Mohammed Bashir said that stolen vehicles from both Sudan and Chad were traded at "Sun Market" northwest of Saraf Umra and northeast of El Geneina. He stressed that if the movements were made aware of carjackings, they would be prepared to help. The DFC said that gathering this kind of information and disseminating it would be one of the functions of a Joint Operations Center (JOC),which he intended to set up soon. -------------- Second Chamber: May 30 -------------- ¶5. (SBU) SLA/Non-Signatories Faction (NSF) representative Colonel Abdou Ismail apologized for missing the previous meeting but said he was investigating the five-hour detention of an AMIS team at al-Hosh on May 27. Having arranged the team's arrival with ground commanders, he concluded that the commanders had intended to detain the team from the beginning to gain publicity for their new movement. He said that SLA "United Front," headed by Mohamed Abbakar Kado, did not recognize the N'djamena ceasefire, the DPA or AMIS, and that it would accept only United Nations personnel in its area. The movement, he said, did not define what its area of control consisted of outside of al-Hosh. -------------- First Chamber: May 30 -------------- ¶6. (U) The First Chamber meeting on May 30 was postponed due to an incident in Labado between AMIS and SLA/Minawi, in which an AMIS APC crashed into an SLA/Minawi vehicle, killing the SLA/Minawi driver. Retaliatory shooting was reported. More information to follow septel. POWERS