DARFUR - NGOS AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 001377 AIDAC DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, PRM ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SP, USAID/W DCHA SUDAN NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NAIROBI FOR SFO NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND BPITTMAN NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO BRUSSELS FOR JADDLETON USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU SUBJECT: DARFUR - NGOS AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE REF: KHARTOUM 1328 KHARTOUM 00001377 001.2 OF 003 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) Between August 27 and 31, a USAID officer visited El Fasher and Nyala and met with partner organizations to discuss the current challenges facing the humanitarian organizations in Darfur. In the meetings, relief agencies reported a notable and concerning up tick in harassment and bureaucratic impediments during August. In August, UN and NGOs, both in Darfur and Khartoum, have reported new levels of harassment of NGO staff. Sudanese government officials have interrogated staff, entered and searched NGO offices, demanded copies of emails and files, and intimidated NGOs to a point where they are no longer comfortable reporting these incidents to the UN. While bureaucratic impediments imposed by the Sudanese government on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Darfur is not a new trend in Darfur, new procedures related to assets and hiring mechanisms, in addition to the usual delays related to visas and permits, have significantly reduced NGOs' ability to respond to humanitarian needs. The GNU Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC)'s unpredictable operating procedures and heavy-handed approach in interacting with NGOs has worn down the NGO community in Darfur. The Sudanese government has accused humanitarian organizations in Darfur of providing evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is responding by aggressively investigating individual organizations and staff. USAID is concerned that the new tactics in harassment endangers both aid workers and program operations in Darfur. END SUMMARY. -------------- Increased Harassment -------------- ¶2. (U) In June 2008, HAC began conducting "assessments" of NGO operations in Khartoum, El Fasher, and Nyala. HAC officials told the USAID officer that the assessments will provide HAC with a better understanding of NGO operations, budgets, and funding levels. ¶3. (U) In recent weeks in South Darfur, HAC officials visited several offices of USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) partner NGOs and requested information on the level of funding for programs, budgets, assets, and banking details. In addition, HAC requested information on international and national staff working for the NGOs, including the nationality of international staff members and the ethnic identity of national staff. The NGOs were further requested to provide copies of resumes, qualifications, and signed technical agreements (agreements between the NGO and state line ministries),as well as memorandums of understanding with other NGOs. ¶4. (SBU) In July, HAC visited a USAID/OFDA partner NGO and copied con-fid-ent-ial files of gender-based violence cases. Forty-eight hours later, HAC closed that NGO's women's health program, according to the NGO partner. The NGO staff told USAID that HAC is now demanding that the organization hand over all property and assets related to the closed program to HAC in South Darfur. Other USAID/OFDA partners reported that HAC downloaded files in some offices and requested copies of specific personal emails from staff. USAID is particularly concerned that the information on gender-based violence cases could endanger the survivors who reported that information. ¶5. (SBU) HAC has aggressively interviewed, in some cases interrogated, both national and international staff, resulting in anxiety and mental distress among staff working in an already stressful environment. NGOs indicated that the HAC is particularly concerned with protection-related programs and specifically programs related to gender-based violence, including details on NGO and UN interventions, health and legal referral systems for gender-based violence survivors, and other support provided in these programs. (Note: The HAC is not only targeting US-based NGOs or USAID partners with these new investigations, but is also questioning European organizations and non-USAID partners. End Note.) KHARTOUM 00001377 002.2 OF 003 ¶6. (SBU) In a sobering donor coordination meeting in Khartoum on September 1, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed the reports received in the field by USAID and in REFTEL. According to OCHA, NGO staff members under HAC investigation in Darfur have reported that HAC has read personal emails and searched computer and email files for key words, such as "protection." OCHA believes that this latest trend in harassment is driven by the Sudanese government's belief that NGOs provided information to the ICC and is perhaps a strategy to break the chain of communication from the field in Darfur to the UN and donors. -------------- Bureaucratic Impediments -------------- ¶7. (U) While local government officials and local communities are supportive of NGO activities, the HAC has been obstructive and unpredictable in applying regulations on NGOs, deviating from processes outlined in the Directory of Procedures and the Joint Communique. As a result, NGOs divert an extensive amount of time, energy, and resources to resolving bureaucratic issues, such as obtaining travel permits to internally displaced person (IDP) camps and receiving clearance to move relief commodities into areas of operation. ¶8. (U) Since April, NGOs have not been permitted to carry out surveys or basic assessments related to programs without prior approval from HAC, including approval of the specific forms and instruments intended to be used during the assessment. The approval process delays the assessment, at times for weeks, and publishing of the results that are key in guiding the response of donors and relief organizations. In addition, HAC insists on providing an escort for each assessment or survey team, possibly jeopardizing the neutrality of the survey and the willingness of the respondents to provide accurate information. In a September 1 donor coordination meeting in Khartoum, OCHA reported that the Sudanese government is currently delaying the release of 11 nutritional surveys in Darfur. (Comment: USAID and other donors rely on nutritional surveys to gauge levels of malnutrition and develop appropriate responses with implementing agencies. End Comment.) ¶9. (SBU) HAC-imposed recruitment and hiring procedures for national staff also pose difficulties for NGOs because the HAC insists on participating in the short-listing and interview of candidates for recruitment. HAC dedicates three hours everyday for interviews during the work week. Any interview conducted outside of the HAC-determined schedule results in a fine of approximately USD 50, which is paid by the NGO to each government official present at the interview. In recent meetings in Darfur, NGOs told a USAID officer that some NGOs that failed to recruit HAC's preferred candidates have experienced reprisals, such as increased difficulties at checkpoints and processing permits. ¶10. (SBU) On August 31, the South Darfur HAC Secretary General, El Hadi Nagma, requested a meeting with the USAID officer in Nyala. During the meeting, the HAC official stated that NGO coordination is weak and that the HAC intends to "streamline" NGO coordination in the future. (Note: USAID officer observed that NGO coordination meetings continue to be held, but HAC has asserted itself as the primary coordinating body for aid organizations. HAC's involvement has limited certain aspects of coordination and sidelined OCHA in the process. End Note.) The official reported that while reviewing budgets of NGOs in South Darfur, which were obtained during the investigations described above, HAC noted that the significant amount of money that NGOs receive warrants close monitoring by HAC. The HAC official also inquired about USAID's funding mechanisms for NGOs and asked if NGOs were funded separately for each project. ¶11. (SBU) The general tone of the meeting was cordial but demonstrates a heightened interest among HAC officials regarding budgets and assets of USAID partners. The UN has also noted an increased "paranoia" over assets among HAC officials in recent weeks. Given the political context in Darfur, it is likely that donors and NGOs will face contentious negotiations over asset dispersal in the future. KHARTOUM 00001377 003.2 OF 003 -------------- Impact -------------- ¶12. (U) Following the ICC announcement in July, humanitarian space has again been significantly eroded and resulted in a loss of access and operational space, which was already extremely limited in 2007 and 2008. Furthermore, the HAC's investigation of protection and gender-based violence programs has created a gap in the health care services provided to conflict-affected communities. Currently, NGOs fear that undertaking protection programs may jeopardize other NGO programs, even those outside of Darfur. ¶13. (U) OCHA has called on donors to assist in making the point to the Sudanese government that the harsh investigation and intimidation of NGOs is unacceptable and has asked donors to continue to engage on these issues. Post believes that the NGOs are incredibly exposed and need support from the UN, donors, and embassies as they face investigation and additional bureaucratic impediments. CDA Fernandez raised this issue with MFA Deng Alor on September 8 and will continue to do so with senior officials, both in Khartoum and in Darfur. FERNANDEZ