Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NDJAMENA122
2009-04-07 12:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ndjamena
Cable title:
MINURCAT DEPUTY SRSG ON NEW PKO'S FIRST WEEKS
how-toVZCZCXRO1543 PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV DE RUEHNJ #0122/01 0971223 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 071223Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6846 INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000122
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/C AND AF/USSES
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON
LONDON FOR POL -- LORD
PARIS FOR POL -D'ELIA AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM UN SU CH CD
SUBJECT: MINURCAT DEPUTY SRSG ON NEW PKO'S FIRST WEEKS
REF: A. NDJAMENA 97
B. NDJAMENA 101
This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
dissemination.
---------------------
MANDATE AND STRUCTURE
---------------------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000122
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/C AND AF/USSES
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON
LONDON FOR POL -- LORD
PARIS FOR POL -D'ELIA AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM UN SU CH CD
SUBJECT: MINURCAT DEPUTY SRSG ON NEW PKO'S FIRST WEEKS
REF: A. NDJAMENA 97
B. NDJAMENA 101
This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
dissemination.
--------------
MANDATE AND STRUCTURE
--------------
1. (SBU) MINURCAT Deputy SRSG Rima Salah briefed the
diplomatic community April 1 on MINURCAT's achievements
during its first two weeks of existence, as well as future
challenges. Salah reviewed UNSCRs 1778 and 1861, which
mandates security and protection of international
humanitarian workers and local civilians, including refugees
and IDPs, in eastern Chad and CAR; reconstruction and social
and economic development there; provision of humanitarian
aid; relocation of refugee camps in areas of proximity to the
Chad-Sudan border; training of local law enforcement
authorities (DIS) to better protect civilians and counter
banditry and criminality; training in conflict resolution to
Chadian authorities in order to enhance refugee and IDP
returns; monitoring and protection of human rights, with
particular attention to gender-based violence, judicial
impunity, and child soldiers; assisting the GoC establish of
an independent and strengthened legal system; and improvement
of penal conditions in Chad.
2. (SBU) Salah described sub-sections that had been stood up
to carry out various tasks, including Offices of Military and
Security Affairs; an Office of Political and Civil Affairs, a
Human Rights Section, a Judicial Advisory Unit; a Corrections
Advisory Unit; a Humanitarian Assistance Liaison Unit; a
Gender Unit, and an HIV/AIDS Unit. MINURCAT is now deployed
to all operational locations.
--------------
SUCCESS STORIES
--------------
3. (SBU) Salah said that gender-related goals were turning
out to be among the easiest to address in the near term, as
female DIS officers were generally accepted in refugee camps
and seemed to have gained the confidence of female refugees,
who were relying on them to sort out a number of cases of
violence against women. UN staff had also conducted dozens
of visits to various locations to investigate circumstances
of alleged human rights abuse. In the course of deploying
staff to regional offices, MINURCAT had defined axes for
purposes of humanitarian demining, which would commence
shortly. There was progress to report on the fight against
impunity as well, following meetings among UN experts and
representatives of Chad's Justice and Human Rights
Ministries, who were working together to develop a plan of
action and organize a forum on impunity. Germany had agreed
to provide training in the aim of judicial upgrades and
furtherance of rule of law.
4. (SBU) With respect to penal reforms, MINURCAT had laid
out standards to Chadian authorities and called for
improvements in prison conditions, including separation of
juveniles from other offenders. Salah noted that the recent
visit of President Deby to eastern Chad had sensitized local
authorities to the need to improve standards under their
control. Although the UN's logistic base in Abeche was far
from satisfactory, Salah made clear that she saluted the
pioneering spirit of UN employees working there despite
unfinished buildings.
--------------
CHALLENGES
--------------
5. (SBU) The security situation in eastern Chad remained
volatile, said Salah, in part because inter-tribal conflicts
were difficult to handle. Funding for voluntary projects was
not arriving from all potential contributors. Activities of
NGOs and MINURCAT needed to be coordinated better. Finally,
certain security lapses involving off-duty DIS officers had
presented problems that the UN was working with Chadian
authorities to address. Despite the improper and in some
cases criminal behavior of a few off-duty DIS officers, the
force was generally performing well. It had located stolen
vehicles and established regular patrols that the local
NDJAMENA 00000122 002 OF 002
population was beginning to trust and count on. The
long-term challenge would involve preventing ethnic
affiliations of DIS officers, when they differed from those
of populations under their protection, from sparking tribal
conflict.
NIGRO
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/C AND AF/USSES
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON
LONDON FOR POL -- LORD
PARIS FOR POL -D'ELIA AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM UN SU CH CD
SUBJECT: MINURCAT DEPUTY SRSG ON NEW PKO'S FIRST WEEKS
REF: A. NDJAMENA 97
B. NDJAMENA 101
This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
dissemination.
--------------
MANDATE AND STRUCTURE
--------------
1. (SBU) MINURCAT Deputy SRSG Rima Salah briefed the
diplomatic community April 1 on MINURCAT's achievements
during its first two weeks of existence, as well as future
challenges. Salah reviewed UNSCRs 1778 and 1861, which
mandates security and protection of international
humanitarian workers and local civilians, including refugees
and IDPs, in eastern Chad and CAR; reconstruction and social
and economic development there; provision of humanitarian
aid; relocation of refugee camps in areas of proximity to the
Chad-Sudan border; training of local law enforcement
authorities (DIS) to better protect civilians and counter
banditry and criminality; training in conflict resolution to
Chadian authorities in order to enhance refugee and IDP
returns; monitoring and protection of human rights, with
particular attention to gender-based violence, judicial
impunity, and child soldiers; assisting the GoC establish of
an independent and strengthened legal system; and improvement
of penal conditions in Chad.
2. (SBU) Salah described sub-sections that had been stood up
to carry out various tasks, including Offices of Military and
Security Affairs; an Office of Political and Civil Affairs, a
Human Rights Section, a Judicial Advisory Unit; a Corrections
Advisory Unit; a Humanitarian Assistance Liaison Unit; a
Gender Unit, and an HIV/AIDS Unit. MINURCAT is now deployed
to all operational locations.
--------------
SUCCESS STORIES
--------------
3. (SBU) Salah said that gender-related goals were turning
out to be among the easiest to address in the near term, as
female DIS officers were generally accepted in refugee camps
and seemed to have gained the confidence of female refugees,
who were relying on them to sort out a number of cases of
violence against women. UN staff had also conducted dozens
of visits to various locations to investigate circumstances
of alleged human rights abuse. In the course of deploying
staff to regional offices, MINURCAT had defined axes for
purposes of humanitarian demining, which would commence
shortly. There was progress to report on the fight against
impunity as well, following meetings among UN experts and
representatives of Chad's Justice and Human Rights
Ministries, who were working together to develop a plan of
action and organize a forum on impunity. Germany had agreed
to provide training in the aim of judicial upgrades and
furtherance of rule of law.
4. (SBU) With respect to penal reforms, MINURCAT had laid
out standards to Chadian authorities and called for
improvements in prison conditions, including separation of
juveniles from other offenders. Salah noted that the recent
visit of President Deby to eastern Chad had sensitized local
authorities to the need to improve standards under their
control. Although the UN's logistic base in Abeche was far
from satisfactory, Salah made clear that she saluted the
pioneering spirit of UN employees working there despite
unfinished buildings.
--------------
CHALLENGES
--------------
5. (SBU) The security situation in eastern Chad remained
volatile, said Salah, in part because inter-tribal conflicts
were difficult to handle. Funding for voluntary projects was
not arriving from all potential contributors. Activities of
NGOs and MINURCAT needed to be coordinated better. Finally,
certain security lapses involving off-duty DIS officers had
presented problems that the UN was working with Chadian
authorities to address. Despite the improper and in some
cases criminal behavior of a few off-duty DIS officers, the
force was generally performing well. It had located stolen
vehicles and established regular patrols that the local
NDJAMENA 00000122 002 OF 002
population was beginning to trust and count on. The
long-term challenge would involve preventing ethnic
affiliations of DIS officers, when they differed from those
of populations under their protection, from sparking tribal
conflict.
NIGRO