VZCZCXRO2653
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1328 2451354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011354Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1777
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001328 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, PRM, S/CRS 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV PREF PHUM ASEC AU UN SU
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL NGOS IN DARFUR FACE "SHRINKING HUMNATITARIAN 
SPACE" 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Senior UN humanitarian officials report that, 
despite improved cooperation with the Khartoum Government, 
international NGOs (INGOs) in Darfur are facing increased scrutiny 
and harassment from  state authorities, possibly in connection with 
ICC prosecutor Ocampo's request  that an arrest warrant be issued 
against  President Bashir.  As a result, INGOs are finding their 
ability to assist the local population increasingly frustrated, and 
staff morale is falling.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On August 27, UN officials briefed the monthly UN-Donor 
Principals' meeting on the deteriorating situation faced by 
international-humanitarian NGOs in Darfur.  According to Deputy SRSG 
Ameera Haqq, cooperation with the national government on 
humanitarian issues has improved significantly.  However, INGOs 
providing humanitarian assistance in Darfur face continued suspicion 
and impediments thrown up at the state level.  According to Haqq, 
growing insecurity, bureaucratic harassment, and lack of access to 
affected populations are creating a "shrinking humanitarian space" 
within which the INGOs are able to work.  Under these conditions, 
she reported, INGO morale in Darfur is deteriorating. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The UNICEF Representative in Sudan, Ted Chaiban, endorsed 
and expanded on Haqq's observations, saying that official harassment 
is by no means limited to the state level.  He reported that since 
ICC Chief Prosecutor Ocampo's July 14 request for an ICC arrest 
warrant against President Bashir, Khartoum authorities have been 
examining INGO files, including reports taken from victims of sexual 
abuse, under the pretense of "investigation."  He believes that the 
GoS suspects the INGOs of having provided Ocampo with information 
that now serves as part of the basis of his case against Bashir. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  If the reported increased harassment of the 
humanitarian NGOs is in response to Ocampo's actions, it does not 
augur well for the humanitarian community should the  ICC  take 
action against - President Bashir.  According to press reports, on 
August 28, NISS chief Salah Gosh told a forum at the Ministry of 
Humanitarian Affairs that the GoS will eject from the country any 
NGOs "that exceed their mandate." We expect the regime to continue 
to show both the possibilities of greater cooperation and increased 
harassment of the NGO community (and others, such as the UN and 
diplomatic missions) in the run-up to any ICC action as a way of 
swaying the international community to allow an Article 16 exemption 
for Bashir at the Security Council.  In August, USAID implementing 
partners have reported an increase in harassment and bureaucratic 
impediments, as reported in the UN briefing.  USAID will report on 
specific cases and obstacles via septel. 
 
FERNANDEZ