MORE DETAILS COMING OUT ABOUT KALMA CAMP ATTACK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001337 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR A/S FRAZER, S/E WILLIAMSON, AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2018 TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO UN AU SU SUBJECT: MORE DETAILS COMING OUT ABOUT KALMA CAMP ATTACK REF: A. KHARTOUM 1329 ¶B. KHARTOUM 1315 ¶C. KHARTOUM 1311 Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: As access improves to Kalma camp, GoS officials, and the Nyala hospital, more details are filtering out about what happened in the August 25 attack. The primary emergency care doctor at Nyala told poloff on August 30 that the injuries sustained by the IDPs were "massive" and indicative of large caliber weapons being fired at close range. Fur leaders also presented a plausible depiction of the events in a separate meeting with poloff on August 30. END SUMMARY "LARGE CALIBRE AT CLOSE RANGE," SAYS EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) On August 30, Mohammed Omar (protect),the doctor in charge of the Nyala Teaching Hospital emergency room, told poloff that he and his staff treated 14 children, 17 women, and 22 men at his hospital. Three of these individuals died in the hospital, while three more need to be immediately transferred to Khartoum or they will likely die, stated Omar. Omar added that the majority of the injuries sustained by the men and women are to the torso and head. In graphic detail, Omar described one Fur woman who was "maimed" by multiple shots from a heavy caliber weapon at close range. "Her entire abdomen was destroyed and her uterus was hanging outside of her body. If she survives, she will never lead a normal life," stated Omar. ¶3. (SBU) Omar said that he expects more of his patients will soon die. He said families and community leaders are afraid to transport the patients in need of critical care to Khartoum as they fear they will be jailed either before or after such treatment. Omar stated that most of the trauma (i.e. exit and entry wounds with very few bullets remaining in the body) indicates the use of large calibre, powerful weapons shot at close range. (NOTE: This corresponds with multiple sources reporting that the GoS force, Central Reserve Police and other units, used "doushkas" or 12.7 mm heavy infantry machine guns mounted on technicals. END NOTE.) ONE VERSION OF THE STORY - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (SBU) Also on August 30, three Fur leaders, Salah Fadul, Ibrahim Abdallah Muhammad, and Abdallah Dogoush (protect all),told poloff one version of the incident based on multiple sources from IDP and government contacts. (Note: The NCP appointed Fadul and Muhammad to their tribal positions of Maqdoom and Shartai respectively, although almost all Fur regard other tribal leaders as their true representatives. For example, Fadul's cousin Ahmed Adam Rijal is the widely accepted maqdoom of the Fur. See reftel for CDA's recent meeting with Rijal. Both Fadul and Muhammad resigned from their positions as State Ministers in South Darfur along with four other NCP Fur leaders on August 26. End Note.) ¶5. (SBU) According to Fadul, the Central Reserve Police (CRP) surrounded the camp early on the morning of August 25 with over 60 cars. IDPs received prior intelligence of the search, and women, children, and men bearing knives, sticks, and rocks assembled on the elevated railroad standing between Kalma camp and the government force. One CRP technical then tried to pass the human blockade, but stalled near the tracks. According to Fadul, the IDPs then started to beat the CRP forces in this technical. The remaining CRP forces emotionally responded to this attack on their comrades and opened fire on the crowd. ¶6. (SBU) Fadul stated that the shooting lasted just five minutes, and that CRP troops indiscriminately fired at both the human shield and into the middle of the camp. According to Fadul's IDP sources, one CRP fighter switched sides during the shooting. He screamed: "My father is in that crowd," and then began firing on his CRP comrades. Fadul denied that IDPs fired shots at the CRP force from behind the human shield, saying "how could they have shot from behind a group of people without hitting them, especially as they were elevated on the railroad tracks." After the shooting, the IDPs carried the wounded to the hospital and the CRP withdrew. KHARTOUM 00001337 002 OF 002 ¶7. (SBU) Fadul stated that upon hearing the news, he traveled to the South Darfur Governor's residence at approximately 10:00 on August 25. Fadul stated that the Wali invited Fadul to join him for breakfast, to which he responded, "How can I eat when you are killing my people?" After a heated conversation, Fadul contacted UNAMID and helped coordinate the evacuation of the wounded. LATEST NUMBERS OF DEAD AND WOUNDED - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (SBU) According to Fadul's latest figures on August 30, there are now 59 wounded in the hospital and 42 confirmed dead with more dying from injuries every day. Fadul stated that there are also several missing people. According to Fadul, although the Fur tribe suffered the most casualties in the attack, the Dajo and Bergo also are among the dead. ¶9. (SBU) Also on August 30, the newly founded "Committee of the Relatives of the August 25 Nyala Massacre" published a list of names of individuals killed in the attack. The list names 37 total dead (8 minors, 9 women, and 20 men.) The statement claims that there were 107 wounded in the attack, 49 of whom were treated in the Nyala hospital. The statement calls for an investigation into what happened, and also demands the opening of the camps to INGOs, a search for the missing and detained, and that "the UN/ and AU withdraw their forces from the region, since they are not able to protect themselves and the citizens of the region." (Note: The full translation of this document will be sent to AF/SPG and the office of the Special Envoy. End Note.) ¶10. (SBU) On September 1, UNAMID Director of Public Information Kamal Saiki told poloff that UNAMID's investigation is ongoing and the body count remains at 32 dead. Saiki stated that this number is based only on the one viewing of corpses last week, and limited reporting from the Nyala hospital. Saiki was not aware of the published names compiled by the Nyala August 25 Committee. COMMENT - - - - - ¶11. (C) Considering that Fadul was recently an NCP official and has information from both Fur and government sources, his version of the story may be as close as we can come to the truth to date until UNAMID completes a thorough investigation or the Embassy has access to the camp. Nonetheless, some elements of the story, such as the rumor of a CRP fighter who switched sides during the fight, do appear slightly implausible (especially since all or most of CRPs are made up of loyal tribal elements and unlikely to include Fur in the first place). A death toll of 40 seems to be a very realistic number at this preliminary stage. (UNAMID has relied solely on one viewing of the corpses and hospital reports and does not appear to be investigating the death toll on a daily basis.) While numbers remain unconfirmed, the best evidence that a massacre occurred is to be found in the chilling testimony of the Nyala Emergency room doctor and UNAMID's photographs of the dead. Forthcoming septel will discuss the common perception in Nyala (whether or not is accurate) that Khartoum directed this attack. FERNANDEZ