GOSS GIVES JUBA SECURITY UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000623 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC CASC SU SUBJECT: GOSS GIVES JUBA SECURITY UPDATE ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On the afternoon of April 21 the GOSS assembled the Diplomatic and NGO community for a briefing on what steps it is taking to combat the recent rash of armed robberies targeting foreigners and NGOs in Juba. Actions to be taken include putting more police out on the streets, starting night patrols, creation of a rapid response force to come to the aid of those being robbed, increased investment in communications equipment, the creation of a committee to coordinate actions among all security forces, identifying critical areas in Juba to watch, the relocation of all SPLA forces outside of Juba, and the curtailment of the movement of SPLA forces at night except for those on patrol. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) The Ministers of Regional Cooperation, Internal Affairs and Information and Broadcasting met with the international community in Juba on Monday afternoon to address concerns related to a recent surge in crime directed against foreigners and INGOs. The Interior Minister opened the meeting by explaining that from 2005 to 2006 Juba had faced a similar crime rate, but that 2007 saw a dramatic fall in robberies. The recent crime wave began in mid-February and represented a threat to the CPA. He hinted darkly that the enemies of the Peace Agreement were the active players in this new crime wave. ¶3. (SBU) The Interior Minister laid out the initiatives the GOSS was undertaking to combat the problem. This included putting more police on the streets, new night patrols to watch for armed groups, a rapid response force ready to rush to the scene of an ongoing robbery, the distribution of more and better communications equipment to help law enforcement forces to better communicate and coordinate, the creation of a committee to coordinate all the security forces involved (military intelligence, SPLA, police, etc.),the identification of critical areas in Juba for increased surveillance, the relocation of all SPLA forces outside of Juba, and the curtailment of the movement of SPLA forces at night except when on duty. ¶4. (SBU) The Minister then made a pitch for the INGOS not to panic. The GOSS took their security seriously, and the "enemies of peace", he said, wanted them to leave. They should not cave in to that. After all, he said, no place was entirely crime free, and in fact crime is far more prevalent and dangerous in places like Nairobi and in South Africa, where foreigners are often killed. No foreigners, he said, had been killed in Juba. ¶5. (SBU) The Minister for Regional Cooperation spoke next, assuring everyone that the GOSS "Will take responsibility for your safety." Again, he hinted that the CPA has its enemies whose intent is to wreck the peace, and that the international community was being targeted because they help the CPA. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting spoke last, echoing much of the same message and again hinting that the "enemies of peace and the CPA" were behind the attacks. He promised that these people would be identified and brought to justice. He said that Southern Sudan was a free country with freedom of movement, "which gives troublemakers opportunities." He said that the GOSS would not curb or reduce freedoms in order to handle the situation, but that they would "crack down." ¶6. (SBU) In a question and answer period, the Interior Minister said that the GOSS was creating nine new police stations around Juba to increase law enforcement outreach, and that the pattern of attacks looks "calculated." The attackers are young and generally in military clothing. He said, however, he did not believe they were SPLA because they often asked their victims if the SPLA was nearby, which they would already know were they really in the army. Finally, he added, "Do not complain if we act aggressively against these people. If they take $50,000 and we catch them, we'll shoot them." ¶7. (SBU) After the meeting CG Datta was in a conversation with the head of UNMIS when the Interior Minister walked by and interrupted them to say privately that they had recently caught some of the perpetrators. "They will lead us to the others," he confidently predicted, and again hinted darkly that they were the "enemies of peace." He refused to say more or elaborate. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: The ministers never came out and directly said NCP, but they were obviously hinting that these "enemies of peace" were agents of the NCP here to drive out INGOs in the hopes of damaging the GOSS and the CPA. This is always the default position in South Sudan when anything goes badly regardless of the facts. It is also possible that there are elements within the South who would wish to destabilize the GOSS. A crime wave in Juba hardly needs an agent provocateur explanation, however. The INGOs in Juba are soft targets with lots of cash on hand because of the poor service offered by local banks and the need to conduct nearly all business in cash. Men with guns can make a lot of money fast and there are lots of armed men in South Sudan. KHARTOUM 00000623 002 OF 002 FERNANDEZ