ABYEI JIU INTEGRATED BUT INEFFECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001410 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PBTS KDEM KPKO MOPS SU SUBJECT: ABYEI JIU INTEGRATED BUT INEFFECTIVE REF: A) KHARTOUM 1135 B) KHARTOUM 1174 C) KHARTOUM 1263 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On December 8 Poloff met with Colonel Zakaria Akoi Yak (SPLM),Deputy Commander of the Abyei Joint Integrated Unit (JIU),who told Poloff that his JIU forces, tasked with providing security for the Abyei boundary demarcation team, had never been confronted by Misseriya tribesmen or militia forces. Colonel Yak did note one incident in which Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) forced the demarcation team and its JIU protection force to abandon work on the eastern end of Abyei's northern boundary. Colonel Yak also noted that, while his JIU is fully integrated, it currently has no vehicles and almost no radios. Colonel Yak appears well-intentioned but does not inspire confidence. End Summary. -------------- Misseriya Not Threatening Demarcation Team -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Colonel Yak told Poloff that Abyei's JIU forces, tasked with providing security for the Abyei boundary demarcation team, had never been confronted or threatened by Misseriya tribesmen or militia forces. (Note: This contradicts repeated statements by Kwol Biyong (SPLM),Deputy Chair of the Abyei Boundary Demarcation Committee (Ref A, B, and C). End Note.) When asked why the demarcation team is unwilling to demarcate Abyei's northern boundary, Colonel Yak explained that the Misseriya had written a letter stating that they were opposed to demarcation and that the demarcation team feels threatened. (Note: Presumably this is a reference to the October 6 resolutions issued by the Misseriya conference in opposition to the Permanent Court of Arbitration decision on Abyei. End Note.) Colonel Yak did, however, note the presence of significant numbers of armed Misseriya tribesmen and Popular Defense Forces near Abyei's northern boundary. He stated that his JIU remained ready and willing to provide protection to the demarcation team whenever and wherever called upon to do so. -------------- Confrontation with SAF Confirmed -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Colonel Yak did note one incident in which the demarcation team and its JIU protection force was threatened and forced to abandon work on the eastern end of Abyei's northern boundary by SAF forces. He stated that in September, SAF forces under the command of General Ahmed Mohammed El Amin operating out of Heglig oil field confronted the JIU protection forces with mounted weapons and forced the JIU protection team to withdraw to Abyei town. (Note: This incident was reported in local media and confirmed by Biyong. (Ref B) End Note.) -------------- JIU Integrated, but Technically Ineffective -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Colonel Yak proudly noted that the Abyei JIU is the only JIU in Sudan that is fully integrated. (Note: This success is a legacy of Colonel Valentino Tokmac, the effective former Abyei JIU Commander, whom Colonel Yak replaced in August. End Note.) He stated that the men live in the same barracks, train together, and will fight together in a crisis. Colonel Yak did, however, note numerous hurdles facing the Abyei JIU, including the fact that all of its vehicles and almost all of its radios are out of service, creating an almost complete lack of mobility and communications. He also noted that given the size of the Abyei district, the one battalion of JIU assigned to secure it is insufficient and said that he has requested an additional two companies from his commanders to strengthen the forces in Abyei. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. The Abyei JIU, with no mobility and limited communications, is currently ineffective as a military force. Furthermore, the SAF commander of the JIU was absent from the meeting, reportedly sick in Khartoum. Colonel Yak's performance in the meeting did not inspire confidence. He appeared disorganized in his thoughts and spent uncomfortably long periods leafing through his notebook trying to find answers to questions asked by Poloff. Perhaps the best that can currently be said about the Abyei JIU is that its SAF and Sudan People's Liberation Army components are less likely to fight each other than they were in 2008. End Comment. WHITEHEAD