VZCZCXRO5481
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1002/01 1161548
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261548Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2512
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSIIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  Response to Humanitarian Access Demarche 
 
Ref:  a) State 59821, b) Khartoum 00949 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The GNU maintains that UN agencies in 
country continue to operate under their individual 
agreements, and do not automatically benefit from UNMIS 
status of forces agreement (SOFA) provisions.  On the 
Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Law, the Government 
believes it enforces coordination with Government plans 
and ensures that beneficiaries use funds properly. 
Regarding the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the 
Government decided not to renew its appointment as Kalma 
Camp Coordinator as it was not meeting its 
responsibilities, was carrying out improper information 
gathering and political activities, held meetings without 
Government involvement, failed to address Government 
queries, prevented Government visits to the camp, sided 
with partisan elements of the community, provided 
unfavorable publicity about rape and human rights abuses 
to the media, and was aware that arms and ammunition were 
concealed in the camp, but did not report it.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Following sharing Ref A demarche with Minister 
of Foreign Affairs Lam Akol, MFA Deputy Director for the 
Americas Abd Elghani Elkarim Elnaim, and Humanitarian Aid 
Commissioner Hassabo (Ref B), Pol/Econ Chief also 
presented it to MFA Deputy Director for Peace and 
Humanitarian Affairs Jamal Al-Sher on April 23. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Al-Sher:  SOFA TBD, Work Law Useful, NRC Role Over 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Having received our talking points in advance, 
Amb. Al-Sher made the following points: 
 
¶A. SOFA:  The GNU understands the unified approach under 
UNMIS, but maintains that UNSCR 1590 does not cancel 
traditional role of country agreements for individual UN 
agencies.  They are already in place, and UNSCR 1590 does 
not cancel these previous agreements.  UNMIS serves as UN 
coordinator in Sudan; nonetheless, it is to notify the 
Sudanese Government and gain its written consent for 
changing the identity of UN employees under a unified 
identification card scheme.  UNMIS is in a temporary role 
and it is different; Sudan already granted it immunities. 
 
¶B. Voluntary and Humanitarian Work Law:  this helps both 
sides.  If the Sudanese Government knows about projects, 
it can follow up, and help to implement them.  The law 
prevents the misuse and illegal use of funds - by 
beneficiaries, not by donors.  Although Sudan does not 
want to interfere, it nonetheless should be involved, at 
least to ensure that projects are on course with the 
government's plans. 
 
¶C. NRC:  The Government has reviewed the performance of 
the NRC, and found that it was not managing Kalma camp 
for internally displaced persons (IDPs) well.  It held 
meetings without inviting the Government's Camp 
Administrator, and failed to address inquiries the 
government made.  Furthermore, it engaged in "gathering 
information," with 85 individuals doing so throughout the 
camp.  The NRC sided with some community leaders over 
others, raising tensions.  It became a "course of 
political information," and prevented officials from 
visiting the camp, including the Deputy Wali (governor), 
the State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, and the 
Director of the Organizations Department of the Ministry 
of Humanitarian Affairs.  Ammunition and arms were 
concealed on the camp "under cover" of the NRC.  The NRC 
circulated information about rapes and human rights 
abuses to the international media to "harm the image of 
the Government."  The Government had warned the NRC 
several times about its activities, and even renewed its 
role.  Now, at the end of the second renewal, the 
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has decided not to renew 
it again.  Out of 198 NGOs active in Darfur, the NRC 
"stands out singularly" as the only one that has problems 
that are not solvable. 
 
------- 
Comment 
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¶4. (SBU) This iteration makes it clear the GNU had its 
talking points prepared, and would keep repeating them 
without considering positively the merits of the issues 
raised by the international community. 
 
KHARTOUM 00001002  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
STEINFELD