HUMANITARIAN UPDATE FROM NDJAMENA

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000129


STATE FOR AF/C, AF/USSES, PRM - MCKELVEY AND PARKER
NSC FOR GAVIN AND HUDSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL PGOV UN SU LY CD
SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN UPDATE FROM NDJAMENA
REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR, APRIL 15, 2009

REF: EMAIL NDJAMENA REFUGEE COORDINATOR
WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT, 4-14-09


1. (U) This cable constitutes one of a series of weekly updates on
the humanitarian situation among Darfur refugees in Chad and
Chadian IDPs.

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MINURCAT TAKES ON
RESPONSIBILITY FOR
HUMANITARIAN
SECURITY IN EASTERN
CHAD
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2. (U) Ndjamena-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord),RSO
and Accra-based RefCoord met with UN Department of Safety
and Security (DSS) Chief Security Advisor Bertrand Bourgain to
ensure that USG refugee resettlement NGO, the Overseas
Processing Entity (OPE) is officially registered within the
UN/MINURCAT security framework. RefCoords also met with
OCHA Head of Office Eliane Duthoit April 14 to file the
necessary paperwork for OPE staff, who will be in eastern Chad in
May to process Darfuri refugees for possible resettlement to the
U.S., to be placed on the UN evacuation roster.


3. (U) RefCoord and Accra-based RefCoord attended the latest
MINURCAT security briefing for humanitarians April 7, where
discussion focused on persistent rumors of rebel activity in the East
and NGO concerns about lack of adequate information sharing.
DSS representatives cautioned participants to remain vigilant but
said Chadian rebels across the border still seemed too divided to
make any effective attack into Chad. MINURCAT Force
Commander General Kandji and UNPOL Deputy Commandant
Fredrik Bjerkeborn admitted some delays in the transition period
between EUFOR's departure and MINURCAT's complete
installation. They asked humanitarians to have patience as new
peacekeepers fully deployed to the field. In particular, Bourgain
said DSS and MINURCAT were working to harmonize
communications systems in the field so that all humanitarian actors
would have immediate access to security information. Bourgain
confirmed MINURCAT's ultimate responsibility to evacuate all
international humanitarian staff in eastern Chad in the event of a
crisis and the UN's adherence to the "Saving Lives Together"
concept. However, he noted some constraints on MINURCAT's
ability to conduct an evacuation, including limited fuel, airplanes
and supplies.


4. (U) Humanitarians at the meeting were particularly concerned
about several recent incidents perpetrated by DIS personnel. (DIS
is the special Chadian police force trained and mentored by
MINURCAT UNPOL and charged with protecting refugee and
IDP camps as well as providing escorts to humanitarians.) Several
organizations questioned whether incidents of DIS violence
amounted to a worrying pattern on the part of the DIS and asked
what disciplinary action would be taken against individual
perpetrators. UNPOL reminded participants that it had no
authority to discipline the Chadian police force, but promised to
continue to work with local authorities to ensure they take
appropriate punitive action. [Note: The UN has told us in separate
meetings that it is working with the DIS commander to develop a
plan of corrective steps that it recommends in cases where DIS
exceed the bounds of their authority or commit crimes while off
duty. Ambassador will raise this issue with SRSG Angelo April 15
for an authoritative update from the MINURCAT chief. End
note]


5. (U) Participants also discussed the temporary freeze on
UNHAS flights two weeks ago due to a sudden decision by the
French military to reduce fuel supplies. Although that particular
problem was quickly resolved through advocacy by the Acting
Humanitarian Coordinator, the underlying inadequacy of fuel
supplies remains an issue. The UNHAS Director explained to
humanitarians that all air services operating in eastern Chad are
supplied with fuel through the French military base in Abeche,
which receives its fuel from TOTAL Marketing and Libya Oil. This
fuel supply has been reduced due to problems at the refinery in
Cameroon, Chadian customs delays, and transporter strikes.
Meeting participants expressed concern that this fuel shortage will
have a direct and significant impact on humanitarian air service and
ultimately their ability to deliver assistance in eastern Chad or to be
evacuated in the event of a security crisis. RefCoord will continue
to monitor the situation and work with other donors and partners
to pursue solutions to this shortage.

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NGO UPDATES
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6. (U) RefCoord introduced three representatives from the NGO
24 Hours for Darfur (24HFD) to UNHCR Deputy Representative
for Protection Michele Manca DiNissa April 9. 24HFD has
received funding from the Department of State and from the
National Endowment for Democracy to interview a representative
sample of Darfuri refugees regarding their views on peace,
reconciliation and return. The organization requested UNHCR
facilitate the implementation of the project by providing a letter of
introduction and demographic data on the camps. DiNissa
expressed concerns about possible politicization of the camps and
conflict resulting from this type of project. He said UNHCR was
mandated to avoid the appearance of any political bias and would
prefer not to be publicly linked with the project. RefCoord noted
USG support for the project's goal of including refugee voices in
any Darfur political solutions, but emphasized that PRM
implementing partners and recipients of PRM funding were not
obliged to provide support to 24HFD.


7. (U) RefCoord met with Olivia Collins, the Country Director of
French-based NGO Groupe Urgence Rehabilitation
Developpement (URD) April 9. Collins described the organization
as a research, evaluation, and training institute focused on
improving the quality of humanitarian operations. ECHO funded
URD in 2008 to complete an assessment of the humanitarian
situation in eastern Chad. The organization has just begun a
follow-on program designed to promote the development and
adoption of best practices in four sectors; water and sanitation,
food security, enviromental impact, and protection. Project
methodology is to bring subject-area technical experts to th field
for workshops involving as many partners s possible. The final
evaluation in September sould show progress in terms of changed
practicesincluding better coordination and information sharig
between actors. URD plans to establish a long-term presence in
Chad and may seek funding for future similar programs.

NIGRO