MEDIA REACTION: ICC AND UN PEACEKEEPING IN CAHOOTS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001579 DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, DRL NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ICC AND UN PEACEKEEPING IN CAHOOTS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: This week the pro-government Khartoum newspaper Al-Rai al-Aam printed front-page headlines claiming proof of collusion between International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Miguel Moreno Ocampo and the UN. Citing three-year old reports and statements made in press interviews, the paper paints the UN as an eager and willing supplier of high-value intelligence for the ICC. Although the paper stopped short of directly connecting Bashir's indictment with UNAMID and UNMIS peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Sudan, Post anticipates stronger language on the same theme from more media outlets in the weeks to come as the regime prepares the ground for either further escalation or conciliation with the international community on the ICC issue. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) On October 22, Al-Rai al-Aam referred to a quote from June 22nd, 2005 by Jean Marie Guehenno, former Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, in which Guehenno allegedly confirmed that the UN and ICC had entered into a pact to share intelligence gathered in the course of everyday UN peacekeeping operations. "I would like to thank you for mentioning clause 18, paragraph 4 of the agreement," the newspaper quotes Guehenno as writing to Ocampo over three years ago, "which indicates facilitation of each others' roles, particularly the confidentiality of shared information and protection of sources..." The paper then accuses the UN as "ready to provide the office of the ICC with relevant photos and documents," and colluding to not disclose the secret documents and their contents to "suspected and indicted individuals." ¶3. (SBU) The following day, under the front-page headline "Ocampo Acknowledges Secret Coordination with the UN," Al-Rai al-Aam claims that both Ocampo and the UN have matter-of-factly acknowledged their cooperation. The paper quotes as proof Ocampo's defense the previous day on Al-Arabiya satellite television channel: "The UN could not collect intelligence information as it contradicts its mandate. However, the UN could gather different period reports described as legal reports." The articles continues: "From its side the UN acknowledged its coordination with the ICC, and mentioned that the peacekeeping force is authorized to present detailed reports in its operational zone." ¶4. (SBU) Comment: Al-Rai al-Aam has intentionally confused UN peacekeeping operations' regular bureaucratic reporting requirements as "intelligence sharing," but as these articles are under the heavy-hand of the National Congress Party (NCP),such a simplistic view is not surprising. While the headlines above were limited to one influential newspaper, the issue bears watching, as the NCP appears to be hinting publicly that alleged collusion between the ICC and UNMIS/UNAMID gives the NCP cause for expelling at least some members of UN peacekeeping organizations if an arrest warrant against President Bashir is issued. The regime has also accused NGOs of providing Ocampo with information, so we expect that if there are expulsions, Western humanitarian NGOs operating in Darfur may be targets of the regime as well. FERNANDEZ