HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT MISSION TO SOUTH DARFUR AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 000908 DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/C NSC FOR MGAVIN DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN GENEVA FOR NKYLOH UN ROME FOR HSPANOS NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL UNSC SU SUBJECT: HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT MISSION TO SOUTH DARFUR AND THE QUESTION OF RETURNS ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On July 28 and 29, the High Level Committee (HLC) made a joint assessment mission to Shattaia, Gereida, Donkey Abai, and Donkey Dereisa, South Darfur. The 40-person delegation included representatives from the Office of the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator (HC),Arab League, UK Department for International Development, European Commission's Humanitarian Affairs Office, Government of National Unity (GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC),Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),Embassy of the Netherlands, and African Union-UN Hybrid Operations in Darfur's (UNAMID) Humanitarian Pillar. USAID Off represented the U.S. Embassy. This was the second assessment mission organized by the HLC; during the first assessment in June 2009, the HLC visited Zam Zam camp, North Darfur. END SUMMARY. -------------- SHATTAIA: CHEERING CROWDS AND TALES OF RETURN -------------- ¶2. (U) In Shattaia and Donkey Dereisa, the assessment team was met by large, well-organized crowds carrying flags and waving signs. In both locations, local said returnees from surrounding camps had arrived after various tribes reconciled, thus creating peace in the area. (NOTE: Two days before the visit, high-level officials, including the Wali (Governor) of South Darfur, GNU HAC Commissioner Hassabu Mohammad Sueilman, and others visited Donkey Dereisa and Shattaia, pledging to provide the two villages with basic services. END NOTE.) ¶3. (U) Shattaia is located in southwest corner of Kass locality, approximately 50 to 80 km from Kass town. Ninety-five percent of the population belong to the Fur ethnic group. During the visit to Shattaia, the Umda (local community leader),GNU HAC, and Dutch ambassador spoke to the delegation and crowd. According to the Umda, 240 families have returned to Shattaia from internally-displaced person (IDP) camps and from El Derfusan, and 17 ethnic groups are currently living in Shattaia. The Umda said that since 2005, following several reconciliation conferences, the Fur and Benihalba ethnic groups have reconciled and agreed to live in peace. (NOTE: Members of the delegation witnessed the signing of a peace accord between the local leader (Nasir) of the Fur and his counterpart (Shati) among the Benihalba. END NOTE). According to the GNU HAC, the GNU HAC is supporting voluntary returns and has requested that IDPs return to Shattaia. The Dutch Ambassador praised the re-conciliation committee, and reiterated that the most important thing is that people feel safe at home. ¶4. (SBU) Following the speeches, some team members visited the social center, which included a primary health care center and school. According to USAID/OFDA, the structures in the social center were the only permanent ones in the area. All the other buildings were partially destroyed and had no roofs. In addition, the majority of the Shattaia village structures were located in one area and appeared to be temporary buildings made with local material and covered with blue plastic sheeting. During the visit, a woman approached the group and said she had been promised assistance and food if she returned to the area, but after two months still had not received any assistance. According to another local resident, what the delegation saw in Shattaia was a "simulation," and none of the people present actually lived there. Another individual explained that most of the people present lived in neighboring villages. He said he was from Shattia, but could not return to the area due to lack of security. When USAID/OFDA staff asked the man about the police standing a few meters away, he responded, "those are Janjaweed... we don't have security here." ¶5. (U) After the Shattaia stop, the South Darfur State Emergency Committee presented information on humanitarian gaps that had been filled in camps and various locations in South Darfur, focusing on nutrition, primary health care, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). According to the committee, 40,500 IDPs have returned to nine villages in South Darfur. The Acting Deputy HC commented that where conditions are right and sustainable, the humanitarian community is willing to provide assistance. OCHA noted that South Darfur has experienced significant cooperation from the Sudanese KHARTOUM 00000908 002 OF 004 government to address gaps, but work should continue because gaps remain. OCHA also said that although the humanitarian community recognized that voluntary returns were the ultimate goal, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR were needed to verify the nature and scope of the returns. OCHA added that the humanitarian agenda should remain separate from the political agenda, and that security remained a concern for humanitarian actors. The GNU HAC representative stated the GNU's had had negative experiences with IOM, adding that UNHCR and IOM needed to work jointly with the government rather than in isolation. The Dutch Ambassador said gap-filling must be placed in the context of the pre-expulsion situation, particularly if other gaps are to be addressed. The Sudanese government should look at the quality as well as the quantity of gap-filling measures, and South Darfur officials should begin taking on responsibility for humanitarian efforts. The Ambassador emphasized additional issues including lack of basic services, addressing of grievances, as well as land issues. He said if the rights of the returnees are not considered, the people of Darfur will be in the same situation as they were pre-conflict, particularly in light of the inadequacy of the judicial system. -------------- GEREIDA: SEEKING SUSTAINABLE RETURNS -------------- ¶6. (U) Gereida is located south of Nyala town and home to one of South Darfur's largest IDP camps with more than 120,000 IDPs. The Massalit ethnic group remains dominant in the area, and Gereida was rebel-controlled until February 2009. According to the Massalit King, due to the relative peace and stability in the area, nearly 7,000 IDP householders have returned, many at the start of the rainy season. Currently, a large group of returnees remains nearby in Donkey Abai and needs basic services including seeds and tools, education, and bore holes for water. In addition, the community leaders are looking to the humanitarian community to make the returns sustainable. ¶7. (U) The Acting Deputy HC noted that some population movements out of Gereida are seasonal rather than permanent, and humanitarian staff needed to assess the nature of the returns. The Special Envoy to the Arab League reported that the delegation was observing voluntary returns as an indication of peace. The Special Envoy also noted that the Arab League is collaborating with the government and other humanitarian actors to provide humanitarian assistance to the states or the government and is working to rehabilitate villages to attract IDPs to return and be productive. ¶8. (U) One of the Gereida sheikhs reported his willingness to return to his area of origin if the conditions and requirements are provided; however, he remained afraid of people coming on horseback and camels to attack the village noting a recent attack on local farmers. Saying that the most important factors for IDP returns remain security, water, health, and education, the IDP leader underscored that the government needs to provide security for its people. The GNU HAC representative responded that security needs to be established through social reconciliation and maintained through social networks between sheikhs. -------------- -------------- DONKEY ABAI: SEASONAL RETURNEES WITHOUT PERMANENT SHELTER -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) The delegation next visited Donkey Abai to see the new village of returnees located 10 km from Gereida camp. Team members immediately noticed that the people there appeared not to be returnees, but rather individuals who had returned for seasonal cultivating. The area did not have any permanent structures. Instead, the latter appeared temporary and constructed of plastic sheeting. In addition, children and livestock were absent. The UNAMID commander escorting the team informed the U.S. Embassy representative that such IDP gatherings are common in the area, and that UNAMID has encountered several such gatherings outside Gereida town due to the current agricultural planting season. KHARTOUM 00000908 003 OF 004 -------------- -------------- DONKEY DEREISA: NEED FOR SECURITY, SHELTER, AND EDUCATION -------------- -------------- ¶10. (U) Donkey Dereisa is located approximately 60 km south of Nyala. According to the local leaders, most of the residents there were displaced to camps in Nyala. According to the local HAC commissioner, IDPs returned to the area from various camps and need humanitarian assistance, particularly plastic sheeting. In addition, one female civil society leader reported continued security concerns, and noted that if security is not provided, returns will not occur, and people will go back to the camps. Currently, the greatest needs are shelter, education, and security; without which, the possibility of returning to conflict remains. -------------- BACKGROUND AND USAID APPROACH TO RETURNS -------------- ¶11. (U) According to IOM, although Darfur has experienced some returns that can be considered permanent, the majority of returns remain seasonal in nature/ (NOTE: IOM has a mandate to verify the voluntary and appropriate nature of returns in North and South Darfur under a 2004 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sudanese government. END NOTE.) In addition, the occurrence of seasonal or temporary returns is primarily linked to the agricultural season, as well as ad-hoc visits to places of origin to explore livelihood opportunities and assess the security environment. ¶12. (SBU) Currently, IDPs cite insecurity as the primary obstacle to their return, with many returnees reporting being displaced a second time, according to IOM. Additional deterrents include lack of documented land tenure and ownership, and unclear occupation statutes in areas of return (NOTE: IDPs returning to areas of origin frequently find other residents on their land and have little legal recourse to retake the property. END NOTE.) Other concerns include a lack of economic and livelihoods opportunities. Although the majority of potential return areas lack basic services, infrastructure, and access due to the ongoing conflict, the GNU on this visit and other occasions frequently downplays the role of insecurity as the main reason for IDP reticence to return. ¶13. (SBU) In recent weeks, the GNU has named 15 to 20 so-called "return areas" throughout South Darfur. Humanitarian staff have noted the seasonal nature of migration. They remain unsure whether these are true returns areas, model villages, or land occupied during seasonal migration. Assuming that the GNU is correct in classifying these as areas of legitimate returns, the humanitarian community needs to conduct additional verification exercises and develop a response plan to address the needs of recent returnees. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Given the current landscape and potential for increasing returns, the UN, Special Envoy Gration and US Embassy officials have all underscored the importance of permitting IOM to meet its designated mandate in Darfur in order to verify and monitor ongoing returns and determine appropriate humanitarian assistance needs for newly- returned populations. Population displacement and subsequent returns are often more complex than an individual leaving a village of origin, residing in an IDP camp, and subsequently returning to the original village. As a result, proper verification of returns and provision of assistance for confirmed returnees are important. Coercion to return violates IDP rights/principles, including that of "Do No Harm". ¶15. (SBU) Whatever the reality is on the ground, whether in the Potemkin Simulation in Shattaia or other more credible areas of return, the IDP perceptions on security or the lack thereof, is a concern. By emphasizing the so-called "returns" areas like Donkey Abai, the GNU is asking the humanitarian community to expand its KHARTOUM 00000908 004 OF 004 reach to previously unsupported areas and to provide the same level of services as in the urban camps. Ultimately, sustainable returns will require humanitarian agencies providing some assistance in GNU-identified areas, but only after support to returns communities has been independently verified. WHITEHEAD