Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NDJAMENA361
2009-08-28 11:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ndjamena
how-toVZCZCXRO3435 PP RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHKUK RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO DE RUEHNJ #0361/01 2401140 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 281140Z AUG 09 ZFR FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7192 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000361
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/C AND S/USSES
LONDON FOR POL - LORD
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA FOR AU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF KTIP PHUM CD
SUBJECT: GOC
NDJAMENA 00000361 001.2 OF 002
** ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ****
PLEASE DELETE ALL COPIES OF NDJAMENA 361. TELEGRAM
HAS BEEN RESENT AS NDJAMENA 362. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
** ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ****
NDJAMENA 00000361 002 OF 002
UNICEF later confirmed to poloff that two of the presumed minors
were verified to be adults (18 or over). Of the remaining two, one
was indeed a minor while the other was 19, but unknown to the
military, so both remained in UNICEF's care.
7. (SBU) On a similar August 22 trip to military camps in the
eastern city of Abeche, UN interlocutors told poloff that the GOC
message and actions were the same. In Abeche, three soldiers were
presumed minors, immediately released to UNICEF, but later verified
as adults.
--------------
SUSTAINED COMMITTMENT
--------------
8. (SBU) General Idriss tasked delegation members with developing
an action plan for the next six months. The original mission called
for additional visits to military installation around the country,
but when the logistics proved impossible, General Idriss felt that
is was for the best. Word has gotten around, he stated, and if we
wait another month or so, we will again have the element of surprise
when we visit. He also expressed his interest in visiting refugee
and IDP camps, an idea that UNICEF cautiously approved. The UNICEF
representative stated that it must be a joint GOC-UN effort to
verify the allegations of child recruitment already received by the
UN. General Idriss respected UNICEF's warning that the camp not
appear militarized by an independent Chadian military visit.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
9. (SBU) The government conceived of this mission itself and put a
very capable officer at its head. General Idriss took a firm line
in each presentation and sincerely engaged in identifying possible
child soldiers. The GOC recognizes that a cultural change is
necessary for the custom of child soldiers to cease in Chad, but is
committed to putting into practice the Chadian law that prohibits
it. We are encouraged by these recent actions and the high-level
interest in developing, and (more importantly) implementing, an
action plan. Poloff will participate in that effort. END COMMENT.
10. (U) Minimize considered.
NIGRO
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/C AND S/USSES
LONDON FOR POL - LORD
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA FOR AU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF KTIP PHUM CD
SUBJECT: GOC
NDJAMENA 00000361 001.2 OF 002
** ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ****
PLEASE DELETE ALL COPIES OF NDJAMENA 361. TELEGRAM
HAS BEEN RESENT AS NDJAMENA 362. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
** ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ****
NDJAMENA 00000361 002 OF 002
UNICEF later confirmed to poloff that two of the presumed minors
were verified to be adults (18 or over). Of the remaining two, one
was indeed a minor while the other was 19, but unknown to the
military, so both remained in UNICEF's care.
7. (SBU) On a similar August 22 trip to military camps in the
eastern city of Abeche, UN interlocutors told poloff that the GOC
message and actions were the same. In Abeche, three soldiers were
presumed minors, immediately released to UNICEF, but later verified
as adults.
--------------
SUSTAINED COMMITTMENT
--------------
8. (SBU) General Idriss tasked delegation members with developing
an action plan for the next six months. The original mission called
for additional visits to military installation around the country,
but when the logistics proved impossible, General Idriss felt that
is was for the best. Word has gotten around, he stated, and if we
wait another month or so, we will again have the element of surprise
when we visit. He also expressed his interest in visiting refugee
and IDP camps, an idea that UNICEF cautiously approved. The UNICEF
representative stated that it must be a joint GOC-UN effort to
verify the allegations of child recruitment already received by the
UN. General Idriss respected UNICEF's warning that the camp not
appear militarized by an independent Chadian military visit.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
9. (SBU) The government conceived of this mission itself and put a
very capable officer at its head. General Idriss took a firm line
in each presentation and sincerely engaged in identifying possible
child soldiers. The GOC recognizes that a cultural change is
necessary for the custom of child soldiers to cease in Chad, but is
committed to putting into practice the Chadian law that prohibits
it. We are encouraged by these recent actions and the high-level
interest in developing, and (more importantly) implementing, an
action plan. Poloff will participate in that effort. END COMMENT.
10. (U) Minimize considered.
NIGRO