Ed Daein Humanitarian Update

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000238

DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/C
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: Ed Daein Humanitarian Update

KHARTOUM 00000238 001.3 OF 003


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SUMMARY
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1. During February 1-3 a joint USAID assessment team comprised of
representatives from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster
Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and the USAID Mission Program Office visited
Ed Daein, South Darfur. The team monitored USAID/OFDA-funded
programs and assessed the humanitarian conditions and management of
USAID-funded programs. USAID/OFDA-funded projects in Ed Daein
provide shelter to internally-displaced populations, improve food
security through support to agriculture production and
income-generation activities, increase access to safe drinking water
and sanitation, and provide hygiene education through USAID/OFDA
partners Solidarites and the United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR). During the assessment, USAID partners working in Ed Daein
reported that insecurity, restricted access, and bureaucratic
impediments continue to hamper the effective and safe delivery of
humanitarian services to affected populations and force many
humanitarian organizations to operate programs through remote
management. End Summary.

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BACKGROUND
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2. During February 1-3, a joint assessment mission comprised of
representatives from USAID/OFDA and the USAID Mission Program Office
visited Ed Daein, South Darfur. While in South Darfur, the team met
with representatives from U.N. agencies, HAC local authorities and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The purpose of the visit was
to monitor USAID-funded activities in Ed Daein and enhance USAID's
collective understanding of the regional environment to better
inform USAID/OFDA's funding strategy for Darfur. This was the first
visit to Ed Daien by USAID in more than a year.

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WHY IS ED DAEIN IMPORTANT?
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3. Ed Daein is situated 160 km southeast of Nyala, South Darfur.
Located on the major transport route (both road and rail) between
Khartoum and the rest of Darfur, Ed Daein is a strategic town and a
hub for Southern Sudanese civilians returning to Southern Sudan via
Northern Bahr al Ghazel State. Ed Daein was previously a slave
trading post for abducted Southern Sudanese during the 1972-2004
north-south civil war. Ed Daein continues to be home to
approximately 10,000 Southern Sudanese internally-displaced persons
(IDPs) in Khor Omar Camp, located outside of Ed Daein, as well as El
Ferdous camp, located approximately 80 km southeast of Ed Daein. A
third camp, El Neem is a few kms outside Ed Daein and houses IDPs
displaced from within South Darfur State. The dominant ethnic group
in Ed Daein is the ethnic Arabic Baggara (cattle-herding) Rizeiget,
but there are also non-Arab ethnic groups including the Zaghawa.
The Maaliya (Arab) ethnic group inhabits the area northwest of Ed
Daein. In addition, in June and July 2008, local sources reported a
heavy presence of nomadic tribes west of Ed Daein, during the
group's migration to North Darfur and in October and November 2008
as the group moved to the southern grazing lands.


4. Since 2004, the continual conflict in South Darfur has displaced
communities in the villages surrounding Ed Daein town. IDPs have
frequently sought refuge in camps or with family members living in
more-secure communities. The influx of IDPs to the Ed Daein area
has put a strain on the already limited resources in the host
communities as well in the camps. The Baggara Rizeigat, who have
generally not been involved in the fighting in Darfur, have been
tolerant of the desperate newcomers but the lack of basic services
continues to be a potential source of conflict as populations vie
for limited resources. USAID/OFDA partners UMCOR and Solidarites
provide humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations in
camps, as well as in the surrounding rural areas.

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EL NEEM CAMP
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5. One of the most visible outputs of activities implemented by the
USAID/OFDA-funded partners is the coordination of services to
approximately 56,691 IDPs at El Neem camp. USAID staff went to El
Neem camp during their recent visit, assessing camp conditions as
well as partner programs for the burgeoning camp population.
USAID/OFDA funding supports United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) in their role as camp coordinator for humanitarian services
for the IDPs. To date, UMCOR has completed construction of a brick

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camp coordination center that is a meeting site for local IDP
leaders, implementing partners, and government authorities. The
camp also includes a newly-constructed IDP reception site that
operates as a 10-day transit center for new arrivals. The reception
area ensures temporary shelter for new arrivals while the displaced
wait to be registered, allocated a plot of land, and to receive a
food ration card. During the initial 10-day stay in the reception
area, IDPs also receive instructions on proper construction of a
shelter and are provided a shelter kit. According to USAID staff,
both the coordination center and reception site were very well
organized and laid out to fulfill the centers' purposes.


6. Implementing partners Solidarites and UMCOR coordinate in the
provision of water and sanitation and hygiene activities throughout
El Neem camp. UMCOR constructs latrine slabs and pit liners while
Solidarities mobilizes the community members to construct latrines,
trains local women as hygiene educators, and provides sessions with
community members on hygiene and sanitation information. UMCOR also
conducts an income-generating project, which engages IDP women to
weave mats which are then used as the latrine superstructure. For
ease of distribution to new arrivals, humanitarian partners store
latrine slabs, pit liners, and shelter kit components in the
reception center. USAID staff also had the opportunity to observe a
well-attended hygiene-training session in El Neem camp. The session
was highly interactive and community members appeared active and
engaged.


7. During the February 2 visit to El Neem Camp, USAID staff noted
long queues at the water distribution points around 1200 hours.
According to the Office of Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES),
which is responsible for oprating the water pumps, each pump
requires one barrel or (200 liters of fuel) to run the pump for one
day. On February 2, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) only allowed WES
to transport two jerry cans of fuel per pump (total 40 liters).
Having only 20 percent of the needed fuel supply decreased supply of
water for the camp residents.

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"REMOTE MANAGEMENT"
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8. Access to the rural areas outside Ed Daein town is a constant
challenge for NGOs. This is due in part to insecurity but also to
the refusal of HAC and NISS to issue travel permits, particularly to
Shearia locality, the area north of Ed Daein (Shearia has been an
area of instability as the JEM rebel group, SLM-MM and the GOS vied
for supremacy in late January/early February). The recent local
insecurity has further restricted the movement of UMCOR and
Solidarities. Previously, the aid organizations had communicated
directly with commanders in the rebel-held areas to share
information on the security situation and the direct communication
allowed the organizations to alert the local commanders of NGOs
planned movements. Due to recent clashes and continued confusion
regarding which group controls specific territory outside of Ed
Daein town, direct communication between humanitarian staff and
armed opposition groups is no longer an effective mechanism for
relief agencies to coordinate the delivery of assistance. In
reality, implementing agencies depend solely on community networks
they have established within surrounding villages with local
community members for security updates. Due to insecurity, UMCOR has
been unable to visit El Ferdous camp in more than six months. As a
result of constantly restricted access, UMCOR and Solidarites
operate by "remote management", a method of program management
employed by many of USAID/OFDA's implementing partners, which relies
primarily on locally established committees such as the water
committee in the camp and locally recruited staff from the area to
coordinate camp activities and to ensure the optimal functioning of
equipment. Although remote management has recently become one of
the only ways for humanitarian agencies and international donors to
continue to provide assistance to the people of Darfur, the
mechanism is far from ideal and prevents donors and other key actors
from directly overseeing and implementing life-saving programs.

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IN-TOWN TRAININGS RATHER THAN RURAL ACCESS
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9. Due to limited access to the rural areas around Ed Daien,
Solidarites carries out all capacity-building activities in Ed Deain
town. On the day of the visit, USAID staff witnessed a combined
training between the Ministry of Agriculture and Solidarites
national staff for community-based farmers from rural villages in
Shearia locality on new agriculture techniques. Following the
training session, the newly-trained farmers returned to home

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villages and shared the new information and improved agriculture
techniques with community members. Humanitarian agencies use a
similar "training of trainers" methodology to train community
livestock workers who undergo basic and refresher training in Ed
Daein town every six months.

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COMMENT
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10. Due to ongoing insecurity and regime bureaucratic impediments
that restrict access and humanitarian space throughout South Darfur,
USAID/OFDA-funded partners continue to implement life-saving
programs in rural areas by relying on remote management mechanisms.
Despite the valiant work of local staff and camp committees, better
access to the camps is required if programs are to be implemented
effectively. Despite the challenges, USAID/OFDA partners UMCOR and
Solidarites are striving to adequately and effectively meet the
humanitarian needs of IDPs located in and around Ed Daein town.

FERNANDEZ