KING OF EL FASHER ON THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COUNCIL,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000372 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E WILLIAMSON, AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KEDEM PREF SU SUBJECT: KING OF EL FASHER ON THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION COUNCIL, THE CENSUS, AND ELECTIONS REF: KHARTOUM 155 KHARTOUM 00000372 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Malik (King) of El Fasher said the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in North Darfur has had some success in fostering reconciliation among Arab and African tribes, but lacks major funding from the GoS to carry out its work. The King also spoke about the census and called for its postponement, stating that there are many more pressing issues to be addressed in Darfur before census and the elections can take place - namely, the achievement of peace, stability, and the return of IDPs to their villages. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On 10 March, poloff met with the elderly King of El Fasher Rahamtalla Mahmoud at the North Darfur Peace and Reconciliation Commission Office. The King, who is the Chairman of the Commission for North Darfur State, was joined in the meeting by 16 staff members who work on conflict resolution, media, and administrative affairs for the Commission. [Note: The Peace and Reconciliation Commission is part of the Transitional Darfur Regional Administration (TDRA) - an institution born out of the DPA. Its North Darfur office opened for business in April 2007. End Note.] -------------- A NON-FUNDED GOOD IDEA -------------- ¶3. (U) According to King Mahmoud, the role of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission is to create peaceful coexistence between tribes in Darfur. The Commission provides conflict management resolution and problem-solving for tribes in dispute. The King said that the Commission has been instrumental in reconciling between the Rezeigat, Mahameed, and Bani Haba tribes along the border of North and South Darfur. He also said that the Commission has provided dispute resolution for the Fur, Rezeigat, Zaghawa, and Birgit tribes in North Darfur. The disputing parties have the right to choose their mediators, which usually consist of well-respected local sheikhs and community leaders. The mediators sit with the parties, listen to their concerns and facilitate dialogue and negotiation on issues such as land ownership and compensation. The mediators reconcile the problem using local solutions, such as the giving of diya ("blood money") or karama (the slaughtering of sheep to signify forgiveness). ¶4. (SBU) Although the Commission has had some success in North Darfur, the King described its many constraints. First, the Commission has only received funding to pay salaries. The Commission has no funding for implementing projects, providing transportation for mediators, mediator training, or even for paying mediators. Second, the Commission must submit project proposals to the local Ministry of Finance in order to receive funding for its projects. So far, it has submitted three proposals, none of which has received a response. The King complained that the local government is "disturbing" this process on purpose. Third, the mediators are supposed to receive security support from the police; however this has yet to be provided. Fourth, the King described a complete lack of cooperation between the Peace and Reconciliation Commission offices in the three states of Darfur. [Note: Twenty-two staff members work at the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in North Darfur. Commission funding is to be paid out of TDRA funds which originates from the Central Ministry of Finance in Khartoum. As of now, the Commission receives no donor support, but it has requested that UNAMID Civil Affairs provide training opportunities, equipment and transportation for mediators. End note.] -------------- A CALL TO POSTPONE THE CENSUS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The King emphasized that the current situation in Darfur does not create an "ideal environment" for the census to take place. Due to the security and stability problems that Darfuris face, he said, the census should be postponed. Many of the King's staff chimed in to share the same concern about conducting next month's census in Darfur. The overwhelming opinion was that the GoS should be concerned with achieving peace, stability, and allowing for the return of IDPs to their villages before carrying out the census and elections. One staff member noted that if the census goes forward and Darfur is left out (i.e. - the GoS decides not to hold the census in Darfur and makes up for it by adapting 1993 census data to the current year),it may lead Darfuris to "take another step against the government in Khartoum." Staff also complained that the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) has announced based on its household mapping exercise, that there is no population in some areas of Darfur, which is untrue. One staff member projected that the census will be "fraudulent" and used the CBS mapping results as an indicator of the GoS' intent to "manipulate the numbers." When poloff asked the King why the GoS would want to manipulate numbers, KHARTOUM 00000372 002.2 OF 002 he responded that the Peace and Reconciliation Commission was a "civil, not political institution" and that the GoS should deal with such questions. The King reiterated that the census should not take place in April as planned because people are displaced and have no basic services - how can they feel free to speak about the census and elections when their problems are much bigger than that? He urged that the GoS put peace and security for Darfur at the top of its agenda and wait until Darfur was in a stable position before conducting a nation-wide census and elections. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT. The King, who commenced his reign in 1945, is largely a figurehead in North Darfur with no executive power. Darfur is particularly rich in kings, sultans, princes and other empty noble titles - remnants of when it was an independent country in ¶1916. However, as the ethnic Fur leader of the native administration, he has his finger on the pulse of civil society through his deep connections with local sheikhs and community leaders. The fact that the GoS is intentionally holding back TDRA funds meant for the North Darfur Peace and Reconciliation Commission shows the GoS' continued interest in blocking the implementation of the DPA. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: The census and the elections are certainly not at the top of Darfuris' agendas. Peace, security, and the return of IDPs to their homes are the Darfur peoples' primary concerns. Without these things, the census and the elections are meaningless for the Darfuri people. They do not want to be disenfranchised yet again by being left out of the census and electoral process, yet they plead for the postponement of these events and urge the international community to re-focus on Darfur's larger issues. This is not the first time Darfur and the CPA have come into conflict, of course. The CPA should continue to take priority to ensure national stability and prevent a return to war in the South. Meanwhile the GOS and the international community must continually seek ways of including Darfur in the CPA process, both before and after elections, if and when they occur. FERNANDEZ