Cablegate: Minurcat Progress Report: East Chad Security

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O 121636Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7577
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000023

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OSD FOR DASD HUDDLESTON
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LONDON FOR POL - LORD
PARIS FOR POL - BAIN AND KANEDA
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR AU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF UNSC SU CD
SUBJECT: MINURCAT PROGRESS REPORT: EAST CHAD SECURITY
IMPROVING, CIVIL AFFAIRS PROJECTS MAKING HEADWAY

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) SRSG Victor Angelo told the resident diplomatic
and IO corps in N'Djamena January 11 that he was in the
process of framing his end-of-first-year report to the SYG
and UN Security Council on the performance of the MINURCAT
PKO since its inception last March. The report, due in
February, will set the stage for formal discussions of
mandate renewal. Angelo said also that the security
situation for civilians in Eastern Chad had improved over the
past month, and that there was significant progress on civil
affairs projects that will benefit the eastern part of nation
over the coming year. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Much of the SRSG,s presentation concerned the
overall security situation in Eastern Chad and MINURCAT,s
contribution to its improvement/stabilization. Angelo
described 256 serious security incidents over the past year,
including car-jackings (57), break-ins (53), thefts (21) and
kidnappings (three). He noted that the menace of criminality
that had developed during the second half of 2009 was
directed in the main against NGO reps, with kidnappings and
attacks against convoys of humanitarian vehicles creating a
climate of fear.
3. (SBU) The SRSG noted that a consequence of these
attacks, NGO activities -- and thus attacks themselves --
were down in December, even though there were substantially
more NGO reps in Chad now than one year ago. Angelo also
speculated that an increase in patrols on the part of the ANT
had contributed to the recent decrease in criminal activity
directed at NGOs.
4. (SBU) Angelo reported that MINURCAT still suffered from
incomplete troop deployments, but he predicted that 1,000
additional troops would arrive in January from various
countries who had pledged assistance. The SRSG said that
the abilities of the DIS continued to improve, but that the
force needed considerably more training and assistance with
coordination with other law enforcement entities if it were
to prove successful.
5. (SBU) Angelo reviewed current MINURCAT activities in the
civil sector, including training programs for prefects and
sub-prefects who would take up roles of justices of the
peace. He described MINURCAT,s efforts in the potable water
field, indicating that MINURCAT had located what appeared to
be a sizable acquifer in the Abeche region, which might
provide a water system for that city. MINURCAT,s next
priority with respect to water would be Iriba.
6. (SBU) Angelo advised the gathering that the range of
possible recommendations he might make to the UNSC with
respect to the one-year review of the PKO, stressing that
"outcomes for MINURCAT,s projected second year went from A
to Z." Coordination was under way among the P-5, he
stressed, all of whom were proceeding on the notion that
MINURCAT had been stood up with the expectation of a two-year
deployment.
7. (SBU) Minimize considered.
NIGRO

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