Cablegate: Darfur - North Darfur Situation Report
VZCZCXRO5332
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2254/01 2601317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171317Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4579
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002254
SIPDIS
AIDAC
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NAIROBI FOR SFO
NSC FOR JBRAUSE, NSC/AFRICA FOR TSHORTLEY
USUN FOR TMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF ASEC PGOV PHUM SOCI SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR - NORTH DARFUR SITUATION REPORT
REF: KHARTOUM 1982
KHARTOUM 00002254 001.2 OF 002
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Summary
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1. (U) Beginning in May 2006, inaccessibility sharply increased in
much of North Darfur for humanitarian workers. The UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated that
fighting and insecurity have displaced approximately 25,000
individuals since June. USAID reports that all humanitarian
assistance programs have been affected by insecurity. However, many
USAID partners persist in their efforts to provide life-saving
services in conflict-affected areas. End Summary.
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Operating Environment
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2. (U) Since late July 2006, many locations have become completely
inaccessible, including Saraf Omra and surrounding villages; rural
Kabkabiya; Tawila town and surrounding areas; and Dar Zagawa, which
is the area stretching from Kulkul to the border with Chad and
Libya. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reported that
locations with sporadic access include Fata Borno, Kassab IDP camp,
Hashaba area, Korma, and Kafod. USAID reports that shelter, water,
and sanitation sectors have been severely affected by
inaccessibility. Due to the lack of humanitarian services, USAID's
Darfur Field Office (USAID/DFO) staff report that populations in
Tawila, Mellit, and Sayeh locations are likely to be the most
vulnerable.
3. (U) According to UN sources, 16 humanitarian vehicles were
hijacked and 10 Sudanese NGO staff killed since May 2006 in Darfur.
By contrast, from January to April of 2006, there were no aid
workers killed in North Darfur. This disturbing trend has impacted
NGO staff movements, staff morale, and relationships with internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and communities within which the
humanitarian community works.
4. (U) OCHA has reported that many IDPs increasingly perceive the
African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to be aligned with the
Sudanese government, which complicates the relationship between AMIS
and humanitarian agencies.
5. (SBU) UN sources communicate daily with the armed groups
operating in North Darfur and use the information to provide
security briefs for the humanitarian community, including the status
of "Go" and "No Go" zones. USAID staff observe that the UN
briefings provide NGOs with accurate, relevant information, which
has for the most part prevented NGOs from being accidentally caught
in fighting. To negotiate humanitarian access, NGOs must now
contact four Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) groups, the National
Redemption Front (NRF), the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and
several other smaller factions. Back in May 2006, NGOs only needed
security guarantees from one SLA group and the HAC.
6. (SBU) Due to the growing presence of armed combatants in the
camps, NGOS have received increased reports of sexual assaults,
attacks, and shootings. Additionally, NGOs have reported increased
evidence that the IDP camps where they work are becoming havens for
former combatants.
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Status of USAID Programs
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7. (U) As a result of increased insecurity, all USAID implementing
partners have suspended at least one activity in North Darfur.
However, Sudanese staff have maintained essential health, food, and
nutrition programs in remote locations even when expatriate staff
have been relocated to El Fasher.
8. (SBU) The Tawila health center, operated by Relief International
(RI) with USAID funding, continues to serve the needs of the Tawila
community despite significant fighting in the area. As part of RI's
capacity building programs, they trained staff from Tawila in basic
health provider skills. While RI expatriate staff have been unable
to travel to Tawila since August 2006, inhibiting program
monitoring, basic level health services continue.
KHARTOUM 00002254 002.2 OF 002
9. (SBU) The area surrounding Kutum town, located northwest of El
Fasher, has been the site of heavy fighting in late August and early
September 2006. NGOs are unable to travel by road to reach Kutum
and instead rely on helicopter transport to move staff and supplies.
Persevering under difficult security conditions, USAID partner GOAL
continues to deliver basic health services. When security
deteriorated, GOAL relocated international staff to El Fasher and
restricted vehicle movement to inside the city limits. By using
helicopter transport and a community-based approach to program
delivery, GOAL has been able to continue providing basic
humanitarian services in rural locations, even in close proximity to
fighting. GOAL staff noted that negotiating access to areas under
control of armed groups becomes more complex as additional players
are added to the mix.
10. (SBU) Throughout July and August 2006, USAID partner
International Rescue Committee (IRC) has maintained water and
sanitation programs for more than 35,000 beneficiaries in Kutum and
Kassab IDP camp. Like RI, the IRC-managed clinics in Hashaba, a
village located north of El Fasher, are now run by trained community
volunteers, with minimal support from IRC staff based in El Fasher.
IRC continues to operate a health clinic in Abu Shouk camp, a
justice center in Zam Zam camp, and a women's center, also in Zam
Zam camp. IRC will assume the camp coordination role for As Salaam
camp and currently operates a 24-hour health clinic there. These
services are ongoing, though have been scaled back in non-urban
areas.
11. (SBU) As a result of insecurity, USAID partner CHF International
reported that its activities in the western part of North Darfur are
now limited to Kabkabiya town, forcing it to cut back activities in
other areas. In Zam Zam IDP camp, south of El Fasher, CHF
International has been able to provide farmers with agricultural
tools and seeds.
12. (U) The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) continues to work with
Government of National Unity (GNU) institutions such as the Office
of Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES) and the State Ministry
of Health (SMOH) to implement programs in remote areas including
Wadaa, Dar Salaam, Muzbat, and Birmaza. UNICEF continues to work in
areas where fighting has occurred. UNICEF reported that their
implementing partners continue to effectively provide assistance in
repairing water pumps, training water committees, rebuilding and
equipping health centers, even in non-GNU held areas. USAID/DFO
staff note that UNICEF's work is now carried out with less
monitoring, but appears to be effective and provides indispensable
services to affected communities.
13. (U) The UN World Food Program (WFP) reported that while enough
food aid commodities are stocked in warehouses, agencies have been
unable to distribute it due to insecurity in Dar Zaghawa and Kutum
districts since May 2006.
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Comments
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14. (U) In USAID's estimation, the humanitarian response for the
25,000 newly displaced IDPs in July was adequate and demonstrated
the ability of the humanitarian community to quickly and efficiently
mount a response.
15. (U) USAID/DFO staff note that implementing partners are limited
in their ability to monitor programs outside of El Fasher and some
activities have been scaled back. However, the activities continue
to serve vulnerable populations under challenging security
situations.
16. (U) The humanitarian community in North Darfur remains poised to
offer humanitarian assistance in as many areas as possible for as
long as the security situation allows. USAID staff note that the
current NGOs in Darfur have sufficient capacity at the moment to
respond to the current needs for new IDPs.
HUME