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


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Summary
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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.

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First Chamber: May 28
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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.

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Second Chamber: May 28
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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.

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Second Chamber: May 30
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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.

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First Chamber: May 30
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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