VZCZCXRO5003
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0631/01 0691356
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101356Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1846
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SOCI ASEC ECON SU
SUBJECT: CG Juba Round-up - March 10 
 
REF: Khartoum 00482 
 
¶1.  The following is a round-up of recent events in Juba 
and Southern Sudan.  This cable covers SSDF clashes 
outside of Abyei, banditry in Yuai, continued disarmament 
in Jonglei, SSDF Warlord Gabriel Tang beginning peace 
talks, a land dispute in Bentiu, Multi-Donor Trust Fund 
activities, women's day celebrations in Juba, and a 
meeting with a British NGO training local police. 
 
------------------------ 
SSDF Clash Outside Abyei 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  According to UNMIS, two factions of the South Sudan 
Defense Force (SSDF) clashed on March 7 northeast of 
Abyei, leaving 22 dead.  Just over 1,000 of Paulino 
Matip's former SSDF forces, now aligned with the SPLA, 
were attacked during a deployment from Khartoum to Abyei. 
The troops, traveling late at night, proceeded despite 
SAF warnings that the area was unsafe and were ambushed 
by an SSDF militia group loyal to Gordon Kong.  In 
addition to the 22 dead, several officers were captured. 
The SAF was not involved in the fight, although some SPLA 
sources said the SAF should be held responsible, because 
Gordon Kong has declared his alignment with the SAF under 
the terms of the CPA (issue also addressed in septel). 
 
------------------- 
Banditry in Jonglei 
------------------- 
 
¶3.  Nine Nuer cattle herders were killed at a watering 
hole outside of Yuai by Murle militia, according to Jean 
Luc Joc, Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Minister for 
Youth Culture and Sports.  Joc, a native of Jonglei 
state, told CG Juba officials that he had just returned 
from a tour of the security situation in Jonglei, which 
he said was improving.  Joc explained that the incident 
was unrelated to the heavy fighting in Jonglei last 
month, but touched on the same issues (reftel). 
 
----------------------- 
Disarmament Moves Ahead 
----------------------- 
 
¶4.  Joc also said that the White Army militias and Nuer 
cattle herders involved in last month's fighting had now 
agreed to disarm, and would hand over weapons to their 
local chiefs.  Once disarmed, the SPLA will provide 
protection for them against the neighboring Dinka and 
Murle militias during their dry-season migration. 
 
------------------------- 
SSDF Warlord Begins Talks 
------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Gabriel Tang, self-proclaimed commissioner of 
Jonglei's Fangak County and one of the largest holdouts 
from the Juba Declaration, has agreed to come to Juba for 
negotiations with the GoSS on Saturday, March 11. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Land Dispute Sparks Violence Near Bentiu 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Also in Jonglei state, UNMIS reports that some tribal 
fighting has erupted between local chiefs in Bentiu and 
Phillip Thon Leek, governor of the state, after the 
governor was given some land claimed by the tribes. 
Although there have been several injuries, no deaths have 
been reported. 
 
---------------------- 
MDTF Begins Operations 
---------------------- 
 
¶7.  CG Juba officials met with Ron Isaacson, local 
director of the World Bank's Multi-Donor Trust Fund 
(MDTF), on March 8.  Isaacson reported that the MDTF made 
its first disbursement on March 7 to buy UN hospital kits 
to distribute to southern clinics.  He expects the kits 
to arrive on March 10.  He said that the a request for 
bids to construct schools would be out soon, and that 
bids for road construction were currently being reviewed 
by the ministry, and that he expected work to begin by 
the end of April.  One of the biggest challenges for the 
GoSS will be ensuring that only legitimate companies are 
given work as he expects dozens of construction companies 
to crop up in Juba soon.  He believes each ministry needs 
at least two technical procurement experts to review bids 
and prepare contracts, saying that only a few, notably 
the Department of Education, are really organized enough 
 
KHARTOUM 00000631  002 OF 002 
 
 
to begin operations. 
--------------------------------- 
International Women's Day in Juba 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  On March 8, Juba celebrated International Women's Day 
with an event that included singing, dancing, and 
speeches from prominent ministers and southern leaders. 
Key speakers were the GoSS Under Secretary for Gender, 
Social Welfare and Religious Affairs Peter Sukole Buni, 
Governor of Bahr el-Jebel Clement Wani Konga, GoSS 
Minister of Information Sampson Kwaje, GoSS Minister of 
Justice Michael Makuai, and Southern Sudan Legislative 
Assembly Speaker James Wani Igga.  Speakers pledged 
themselves to protecting women's rights, ensuring equal 
access to jobs and education, and upholding the 
commitment to have a minimum of 25 percent female 
representation at all levels of the GoSS.  The two 
leading female ministers, Mary Kiden and Rebecca Garang, 
were scheduled to speak, but cancelled at the last 
moment. 
 
----------------------------------- 
British Police NGO Discuss Training 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  Officials from CG Juba met with the British 
government contractors who are training police in Juba. 
They explained that their program has been working to 
provide basic management, training, and presentation 
skills to police leaders.  The group, all retired British 
law enforcement, described their program as a basic 
start, short of anything that could be called train-the- 
trainer.  For the coming year, they hoped to expand their 
work with the police and begin some work with the south's 
traditional court system, which handles most of the 
region's legal cases. 
 
WHITAKER