UPDATE ON SITUATION IN KHARTOUM AND DARFUR AND EMBASSY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000725 DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/EX MEG KEETON AND STEVE TOY ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO AU UNSC SU AMGT ASEC CASC SUBJECT: UPDATE ON SITUATION IN KHARTOUM AND DARFUR AND EMBASSY SECURITY POSTURE KHARTOUM 00000725 001.3 OF 002 A) KHARTOUM 724 B) KHARTOUM 718 C) KHARTOUM 716 D) KHARTOUM 710 ¶1. (SBU) Following the bold JEM raid on Omdurman May 10, the situation in Khartoum appears to have normalized as of May 13. There were numerous military police check points in downtown Khartoum May 11 and 12 in neighborhoods with sensitive government buildings and major roads and arteries. The Government lifted the curfew for Khartoum on May 11. However, the curfew in Omdurman remained in place May 12. On May 13, a curfew was still in place in the Omdurman neighborhood of Umm Bedda, a predominantly Zaghawa residential area where much of the May 10 fighting occurred. ¶2. (SBU) There are numerous verified reports of arbitrary arrests and beatings of ethnic Zaghawa in Khartoum and Darfur. Many of the arrests in Khartoum have targeted Darfurian youth and single laborers living in group houses in Omdurman; the absence of family witnesses to verify detentions thus make exact figures difficult to determine. Omdurman remains tightly controlled with numerous checkpoints at which civilians presenting identity cards indicating Darfurian heritage are arrested. The UN Human Rights Office indicated on May 13 that the number detained does not exceed 400. Neither the UN nor any other local Sudanese or international contacts have received any reports of extrajudicial killings, however the UN asserts that it cannot make a final assessment until it is able to investigate the circumstances of civilian deaths during and after the rebel assault. (Note: Multiple sources have reported that the GOS forces that provided the primary defense of Omdurman and Khartoum were not SAF military but rather NISS Special Forces and the Central Reserve Police. End note.) Based on Sudan's human rights record and past response to security threats, the UN suggested it has "every reason to suspect people will be tortured and beaten in the course of their interrogations." Local sources in Khartoum report that the majority of detainees have been released after 24 hours, often following violent interrogations. Human Rights Watch issued a report May 13 indicating 57 civilian casualties resulted from the attack. At a meeting of the diplomatic corps with the MFA May 13 (septel) CDA Fernandez publicly warned MFA U/S Mutriff Siddiq that Sudan would lose any support it currently has as a result of the JEM raid if the GOS responds aggressively with human rights violations or attacks that result in civilian casualties. ¶3. (SBU) UN Human Rights has not been able to enter Omdurman since the rebel attack because of its own security restrictions and political friction with the Government. Prior to the JEM incursion, the UN Human Rights office was negotiating with the Government to secure regular and free access to detention facilities. The UN and the Sudanese Government had agreed that the UN will provide advance notification of which personnel would participate in visiting detainees but would not be obligated to announce a date or time for the visits in advance. This agreement received the backing of the official Advisory Council for Human Rights, chaired by Vice President Ali Osman Taha's brother. The UN asked for U.S. intervention with the Government to secure UN human rights officers' free access to Omdurman and access to detention facilities in greater Khartoum based on the negotiated procedures. ¶4. (SBU) GOS security services detained Popular Congress Party leader Hassan al Turabi May 12 for questioning but released him later that evening. (Note: The GOS assumes that Turabi is coordinating with JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim, as both are former hardline leaders of the National Islamic Front movement who are now opposed to the NCP-controlled regime. End note.) His son, Siddiq al Turabi, told Polchief May 13 that prior to his questioning, Turabi remained "in solitary confinement" but that he had not been mistreated in any other way. Turabi said that 16 other members of the PCP party had been detained May 11 and 12, and that as of May 13, ten of them remained in custody. He said that as of May 13 the GOS continues to hold ten PCP members without charges in Kobar prison and periodically moves them to National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) controlled locations for questioning. Turabi reported May 12 that the GOS took over the PCP headquarters office in Khartoum, but several hours later reported that GOS officials called PCP leaders to request the party to resume control of the premises. ¶5. (SBU) Khartoum international airport has been open since the day of the JEM raid May 10, when it only closed for 12 hours. International flights are again arriving and departing and seats are available on most flights. As of May 12 the airport in Darfur is open for selective flights only (i.e., some PAE and UN flights were KHARTOUM 00000725 002.3 OF 002 in operation). UNAMID's Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai told fieldoff May 13 that he and Joint Special Representative Rudolphe Adada plan to protest the current airport operations and flight constraints with the GOS as a violation of UNAMID's Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Agwai told Fieldoff that the GOS informed him the airports in Darfur are closed to prevent Libya and Chad from evacuating JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim from Darfur. Agwai and other contacts in Darfur believe the GOS plans to conduct bombing operations on JEM locations. INGOs operating in Darfur canceled site visits to IDP camps May 12 and 13 due to the airport closures. ¶6. (SBU) The Embassy remains on stand-fast with a 7 pm - 6 am curfew with most employees working from home, but intends to return to relatively normal operations May 14. The Emergency Action Committee will reconvene May 14. Current staffing level at post is 95 official Americans (STATE: 34, RAO 5, DLO 4, CCE 2, USAID 11, JUBA 6, JUBA TDYERS 12, KHARTOUM TDYERS 19). There are 71 official Americans in Khartoum, 18 in Juba, 2 in Nyala, and 4 in El Fasher. ¶7. (SBU) Post has adequate supply of MREs and water for approx. 72 hours on hand at the Chancery and RAO compounds. MREs and water supply will be established for the same period at USAID. Post has fuel storage to cover 96 hours at the Chancery, 72 hours at RAO, 24 hours at USAID, and 96 hours at GSO. Fuel storage tanks have been topped off. Throughout the current crisis, city utilities have been continuously available and gasoline and diesel fuel have been available from local distributors. Post has no reason to believe that fuel or electricity will become unavailable. ¶8. (SBU) Post is implementing a plan to procure 15 additional Thuraya satellite phones for the Mission to expand our network. Post is also verifying that a telephone line is in working order at each residence. Currently information for staff is being disseminated via post's radio network. Email also has been used and the internet access was never interrupted in Khartoum throughout the crisis. All staff has been requested to regularly monitor the radio and to carry one with them when traveling about town. Weekly radio checks are also being carefully monitored. FERNANDEZ