Cablegate: Cease-Fire Commission: Frustration with Haskanita While

VZCZCXRO8254
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1510 2691305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261305Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8644
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001510

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPKO SOCI AU UN US SU

SUBJECT: CEASE-FIRE COMMISSION: FRUSTRATION WITH HASKANITA WHILE
MSA THREATS REMAIN

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JEM REP DISCUSSES SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES BUT ALSO MSA
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1. (SBU) Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai chaired meetings of
both chambers and pushed to reduce each chamber to one formal
meeting per week. No report on the Kalma IDP incursion has yet been
received from the sector, nor have any AMIS officials been able to
investigate the Haskanita fighting. Justice and Equality Movement
(JEM) Representative Gen. Bashir claimed on 17 September that air
strikes were continuing in Haskanita (Note: There is no
corroboration of that claim in any AMIS military sitreps or daily
briefings. End note.) Bashir also complained that AMIS had not
followed through on several old weapons seizures and road traffic
accident (RTA) compensation cases and threatened that JEM might
leave the CFC.

2. (SBU) Agwai admitted he was not aware of the old weapons seizure
and RTA compensation cases. He noted that the Second Chamber was
created in response to Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Non-Signatory
Faction (NSF) complaints that they were not represented on the
CFC--the CFC did not request their representatives to attend nor
imply any treatment equal to other observers. He also blamed JEM,
not just the Government, for the delay in the Haskanita
investigation, as the JEM had threatened to shoot down AMIS
helicopters in the area.

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SE NATSIOS' COMMENTS BROUGHT UP AS ILLUSTRATIVE
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3. (SBU) In the First Chamber meeting, Agwai distributed copies of
the September 13 Brussels RFI interview with Special Envoy Natsios.
Field Off noted that the article was not an attack against the CFC
chairman and members, but a criticism of the CFC's systemic
weaknesses and that SE Natsios shared concerns about the Haskanita
violence. Most members concurred, although the Sudanese Government
representative complained that Sudan rather than the rebel factions
is often blamed for violations.

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AMIS CONCERNED ABOUT SLA/MM MSA SPILLOVER EFFECTS
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4. (SBU) The AMIS Mil Sitrep and briefing covering 18 Sep recorded
four separate incidents in Sector 1 (in which El Fasher is located)
where AMIS patrols were queried about MSA, or, indirectly as a
result, warned not to proceed without SLA/M representatives present.
At the end of the 19 September AMIS staff meeting, the Chief of
Staff warned that he feared more car-jackings were likely as a
result. He noted the factions' continued frustration over the MSA
reduction, plus the transfer from AMIS to UNAMID.

FERNANDEZ

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