MINURCAT DEPUTY SRSG ON NEW PKO'S FIRST WEEKS

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