CORRECTED COPY - SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRENDS IN NORTH DARFUR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 001084 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, SE WILLIAMSON DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM KPKO SOCI UNSC SU SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY - SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRENDS IN NORTH DARFUR ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. The growth of the international community in and around El Fasher over the past several years has had many socio-economic consequences, both intended and unintended. In general, the international presence has been both a blessing and a curse: there are more jobs, but filling them created a "brain drain;" there are more students in school, but the quality of their education is declining; landlords are making a killing in housing, but local tenants are being squeezed; there are more doctors and clinics, but also more concerns about diseases; there are more social functions taking place, but fewer people can afford to attend. While all of these consequences are to be expected in a conflict environment where the UN and NGOs are present, the international community should begin working to ensure that future economic development plans include careful consideration of local participation and sustainability. END SUMMARY. -------------- Economic Opportunities Cause "Brain Drain" -------------- ¶2. (U) While it was impossible to dispute that UNAMID and the international community created jobs for Darfuris, the Dean of the Faculty of Education at El Fasher University argued that the international presence had been a "disaster" for low income residents of El Fasher. He acknowledged that many uneducated people were now able to find work as cleaners, guards and drivers, and that salaries from these relatively low paying jobs had helped to raise the standards of living for some of the urban poor. However, the Dean claimed that large numbers of educated professionals, especially teachers, had left their low paying jobs to work for the internationals, which paid salaries up to ten times higher. As such, there were fewer teachers, doctors, engineers working for the residents of the city, and local expertise had been diverted to projects in the IDP camps. The effects of this "brain drain" were most profound on the educational sector, he said, where the loss of teachers has had profound repercussions on the quality of education. -------------- -------------- More Students in School, Quality of Education Declines -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) A representative from Save the Children Sweden noted that enrollment in Darfur schools had dramatically increased - almost 200%, he claimed - over the past two years, due to the security and stability provided by the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and UNAMID missions. While the higher number of students may have meant that fewer children were being sucked into the rebel movements and other side effects of the conflict, it also meant that class sizes were necessarily larger due to the critical shortage of qualified teachers. He noted that the effects of these developments could be seen in the severe decrease in the number of students who passed the primary school exam last year. "More students are going to school, but they are just not learning as much as they used to," he sighed. -------------- Soaring Prices Hit Cash-Strapped Locals -------------- ¶4. (U) The Dean reported that the University of El Fasher had conducted a study in El Fasher, based on a sample of basic staples, which showed an almost 700% increase in prices over the past three years. During that time, however, local salaries remained stagnant or even decreased. He noted that the sector with the highest increase was housing, with rent skyrocketing due to the influx of international staff willing to pay prices one would expect to see in large, Western cities (Note: The rent on the Embassy office's modest, 3-4 bedroom home is almost $2500 per month. End Note). Homeowners in Darfur have capitalized on the situation, renting out rooms in their homes to Sudanese national staff for extra income, the Dean explained. However, for those who do not own property, making ends meet has become increasingly difficult and many have been forced to move into less desirable neighborhoods, or to double up with family members. ¶5. (U) In addition to housing, the prices of consumable goods - from furniture to groceries - have soared as well. The Dean claimed that while this was partly due to the global increase in fuel prices, it was also a result of the increased risks to convoys traveling from Khartoum to El Fasher. Fewer goods were making their way into El Fasher markets, which have also been hit by higher rents, and merchants were passing on their increased expenses by raising prices. "The merchants here are not from Darfur; most are from Khartoum or even Cairo. They don't have family here to feel the pain of higher prices, and since they won't stay in Darfur anyway, they don't re-invest profits in the community here," the Dean stated flatly. A local Egyptian merchant with a popular shop near the central market agreed, noting that he had recently purchased a house KHARTOUM 00001084 002 OF 003 in Alexandria, Egypt. He said that Darfuri communities had historically been cash-poor, preferring to trade in livestock or other currency. Opening a shop required cash outlays for stock, supplies and other expenses up front, before any profit had been made. The Egyptian claimed that the lack of funds was the reason there were so few Darfuri owned businesses, and also one reason the local community was more sensitive to price increases. ¶6. (U) Some cash-strapped locals had turned to a lottery system in order to raise money for larger purchases. A group of friends or colleagues would agree to pay a portion of their salaries every month to a common "pool," and every month one of them would get the combined money. Local Embassy office FSN staff reported that such a system was used in the past only by higher level officials, who considered the payout "play money." However, price increases had prompted groups of friends from all sectors to embrace the practice. Embassy office FSNs reported that they contribute 100 pounds per month to an office lottery. One used his pay out for wedding expenses, another was planning to buy a new car for his family in Khartoum. "I could take out a loan to buy the car, but then I would have to open a bank account, deposit money which I don't have, and sign lots of papers. The lottery is much easier, and I don't have to worry about paying anything back," one local staffer said. -------------- Health Concerns Over HIV, FGM -------------- ¶7. (U) The North Darfur Minister of Health boasted that he had persuaded the government to dedicate more resources to North Darfur, in light of population increases and dire need. As a result, there were now more doctors than ever in North Darfur, as well as 48 specialists and 12 ambulances. The Minister said that the international community had helped raise awareness of disease prevention and testing, but said that citizens had expressed concern about an increase in the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV from the deployment of international peacekeepers. He said that HIV could already be found in North Darfur, stating that there are currently 47 cases. He claimed that the majority of those individuals were infected by soldiers from the south of Sudan, and said it was possible that the influx of soldiers from other African countries would cause that number to rise. The Ministry of Health was working closely with UNAIDS to monitor the situation, the minister reported. ¶8. (U) The head of UNAMID's Sector West Human Rights office said that she had seen an increase in the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) being performed in Darfur, especially in the West. She attributed the increase to an influx of villagers into the cities. Because Khartoum had the highest incidence of FGM, the practice had become associated with "moving to the big city," and was seen as a symbol of increased status, prosperity and culture. Although African tribes like the Fur and Meidob did not have the tradition of FGM, she claimed that even those women were undergoing the procedure in an effort to "fit in" in the city. ¶9. (U) A Save the Children Sweden representative confirmed this trend, explaining that displacement caused by the ongoing conflict, as well as perceived economic opportunities, had led to population increases in and around Darfur's major cities. In Khartoum, where he claimed that FGM was most prevalent in Sudan, women were stigmatized for not having had the procedure done. Doctors and midwives perpetuated this notion, he explained, by telling uncircumcised women that they were "uncivilized" or "unclean." In the camps for internally displaced persons, international NGOs usually ran the health centers and were able to dispel such myths. However, in the cities, it was more difficult to raise awareness. In addition, he claimed, some families had turned to FGM as a quick source of income, as guests at circumcision parties were expected to bring cash gifts for the child. -------------- Social Life Suffering -------------- ¶10. (U) The Dean of Education claimed that increasing expectations and standards of living due to the influx of foreign cash had begun to slowly break down traditional social ties. Although there were more social occasions - weddings, circumcision ceremonies, etc. - fewer people could afford to attend those given by non-relatives. Guests at all ceremonies are expected to bring gifts - often cash. According to the Dean, many people simply could not afford to give gifts now that there were so many ceremonies taking place. He pointed at a pile of wedding invitations on his desk from former students and colleagues. "I would love to attend these, but as a professor, they would expect me to give 50 pounds. I am invited to at least 10 weddings this month; if I attended them all, it would cost more than my salary!" he exclaimed. KHARTOUM 00001084 003 OF 003 -------------- Comment -------------- ¶11. (U) The international presence in North Darfur has had both positive and negative impacts on local communities. While some are clearly benefiting from the peacekeeper/contractor/NGO economy, it is also clear that life for the lower income citizens of El Fasher has become increasingly difficult. The rich continue to get richer, especially those involved in real estate, and the poor struggle with ever rising prices. The middle class is struggling to keep up with rising prices and rising standards of living (for the few who can afford it) on stagnating salaries. Educational standards are declining, there are worrying trends in the health sector and social ties are breaking down. The middle class is increasingly being squeezed, and the gap between the haves and have-nots is growing. All of these events are to be expected in a conflict economy where the UN is present, but they can also exacerbate violence and instability if left unchecked (especially against the UN, contractors, and NGOs who become targets of opportunity). It is essential that the activities of international donors begin to account for and address inequalities that are aggravated by the large international presence in North Darfur. The GoS should be encouraged to address this on both the national and state level (through the moribund Transitional Darfur Regional Authority and its commissions, if they can be revitalized) and the international community must begin to take these issues into account as they begin to develop long-term assistance plans. FERNANDEZ