TECHNICAL BORDER COMMITTEE MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000931 NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM SOCI EAID AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: TECHNICAL BORDER COMMITTEE MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS ON DEMARCATION ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Ad Hoc Technical Border Committee, mandated in the Comprehensive Peace Committee (CPA) to divide the border between North and South Sudan along the January 1, 1956 border, is unlikely to complete work by the upcoming September 30, 2009 deadline. Only one of three sectors is nearing completion, and even in that sector numerous "holes" remain where the parties could not agree. The SPLM members claim that the Committee's supposedly neutral Chairman and Committee staff, all drawn from the north, are biased against the SPLM. Despite these problems, SPLM members continue to attend meetings, and believe that the appointment of additional technical advisers, drawn from the south, might help move the process forward. UNMIS officials provide technical assistance to the Committee, but say "disorganization" prevents the technical advisors from being used, and they believe the SPLM's concerns are no more than a delaying tactic. UNMIS technical advisors stand ready to help the Committee, but will remain unused until the Committee shows willingness to accept assistance. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On August 5, Poloff met with Dr. Riek Garang and Darius Garang, SPLM members of the Joint Border Committee, to discuss progress toward delineating and demarcating the border. The parties disagree about a number of issues, and are far from finishing work, they said. Demarcation is largely complete for Sector One, Eastern Sudan, but large "holes" (areas of the border on which the parties are unable to agree),remain. Committee members even disagree about which Sector to work on next, the SPLM Committee members said. The NCP wants to work on Sector Two, which includes the three areas region and Central Sudan, while the SPLM argues that the Committee should turn next to Sector Three, Darfur, on the grounds that it would be easier to agree on that sector. -------------- SPLM Claims Chairman, Staff Bias -------------- ¶3. (SBU) SPLM officials also criticized the Chairman of the Committee for what they perceive as his bias toward the NCP, and for his failure to achieve consensus before taking action. In particular, they note, the Chairman issues statements on behalf of the Committee without SPLM agreement on the text. It would be better if the Chairman served as an NCP member of the Committee rather than as the supposedly impartial chairman, they said. ¶4. (SBU) The SPLM officials also criticized the Secretariat of the Committee. All eighteen of the Committee's staff is drawn from the north, the SPLM officials complained, and ignore the concerns of the SPLM. The staff exhibits bias against the SPLM members and often distorts the Minutes of the Committee meetings. The SPLM members also belittled the competence of the staff. The SPLM members suggested that the appointment of additional technical staff drawn from the south would help to resolve difficulties and move the process forward. ¶5. (SBU) Neither SPLM member believes that the Committee will finish its work by September 30. In response to Poloff's questions, they said they were pessimistic that they could reach any agreement with their NCP counterparts that would allow them to move forward with the work of the Committee. However, contrary to SPLM claims that they are boycotting Committee meetings, SPLM Committee members continue to attend meetings, although little, to no progress is made. -------------- UNMIS Sees SPLM Delaying Tactic -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In a separate meeting, UNMIS Civil Affairs officials said they, too, doubt that the Committee will finish its work by the September 30 deadline. UNMIS authorities discounted the concerns raised by the SPLM, calling them old grievances that should have been raised and resolved when the Committee was founded four years ago. The fact that SPLM members began to raise these concerns at the very point when the Committee had finally begun to move forward, led UNMIS officials to believe that the objections are a delaying tactic by the SPLM, UNMIS officials confided. ¶7. (SBU) UNMIS officials also noted that, the Committee lacks the organizational capacity to take advantage of available UNMIS technical advisors. Nonetheless, UNMIS officials said, the Committee had made some progress, but SPLM intransigence threatens to scuttle even the little forward movement. ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: Political pressure from both the NCP and SPLM leadership will be necessary to force the Committee to move forward with its work. First Vice President Kiir's meeting with President KHARTOUM 00000931 002 OF 002 Bashir and Second Vice President Taha on August 9 shows commitment to the trilateral agreement to discuss the issues, but so far, little action has come of the talks. Further delays in the Committee's work will delay the election. END COMMENT WHITEHEAD