VZCZCXRO7188
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1090/01 1281425
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081425Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2688
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/SPG 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO PREF UN AU SU
SUBJECT:  Update on Darfur Security and Humanitarian 
Access - May 8, 2006 
 
Ref:  Khartoum 01067 and previous 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Demonstrations at the Kalma IDP camp 
resulted in an attack on the African Union civilian 
police facility, with the UDSSS reporting with "near 
certainty" that an interpreter was killed and the AU 
facility being demolished.  Fighting took place between 
the SLA and jinjaweed in Khor Abeche on May 4. 
Humanitarian access remains challenging in some areas, 
particularly in Mershing/Menawashi, Jebel Marra, and 
Shearia.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Security Update: 
 
¶A.  Kalma IDP Camp - USAID reports that apparently a 
group of IDPs attacked the AU CivPol facility at Kalma 
camp late on the morning of May 8.  African Union (AU) 
sources indicate that one AU CivPol interpreter was 
killed; the UNDSS states that this is with "near 
certainty." The AU facility has been demolished by the 
crowd.  The AU is attempting to send reinforcements to 
the area, and is advising all aid agencies to withdraw 
their staff from Kalma camp due to the violence, which 
broke out following a protest by IDPs calling for 
international troops to protect them.  Reuters reports 
that UN Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs Jan 
Egeland departed the camp and returned to Nyala safely. 
 
¶B.  Nyala Demonstration - a peaceful demonstration of 
about 200 individuals took place in Nyala town on the 
morning of May 8 in support of the Darfur peace 
agreement. 
 
¶C.  Khor Abeche Attack - On May 7, the U.N. Department of 
Safety and Security (UNDSS) reported that an armed group 
mounted on six vehicles, camels, and horses (and thought 
to be jinjaweed) attacked Khor Abeche, South Darfur on 
May 4.  The attack on the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA)- 
controlled town resulted in 14 deaths and the 
displacement of an unknown number of people who fled 
toward Shearia.  (Comment:  It is believed that SLA 
Chairman Mini Minawi's younger brother died in this 
incident.  End comment.)  On May 5, jinjaweed reportedly 
attacked Kalaka village; five people were killed, one 
injured, and about 1000 animals looted by the attackers. 
The SLA later mobilized and pursued the attackers. 
 
¶D.  El Fasher IDP Protests - On May 4, about 100 IDPs 
from Abu Shouk and Al-Salaam IDP camps staged a peaceful 
demonstration in El Fasher.  The demonstrators, bearing 
different placards with Arabic inscriptions, were stopped 
at the entrance of the Force Headquarters by the guards. 
There were no acts of violence.  The leaders of the 
demonstrators delivered their petitions to the Acting 
Deputy Head of Mission; they subsequently traveled via 
police vehicles to the governor's office as well.  Their 
grievances and concerns included the recent reduction in 
food rations to the IDPs, present poor state of shelter 
in the camp in relation to the approaching raining 
season, and a plea for the parties to sign the Darfur 
peace agreement in Abuja to enable them return to their 
homes.  Some of the placards read as follows: 
 
"We want peace in IDP Camps" 
"We want Parties to sign Darfur Peace Agreement 
immediately" 
"Reducing Food Aid means more suffering for IDPs" 
 
¶E.  On the night of May 4 there were sounds of gunshots 
heard from the office of Save the Children - Sweden 
located in Tawilla.  A security man at the premises was 
abducted by the night marauders, but later was released. 
 
¶F.  Weapons Handover - On May 4, about 200 militia handed 
over their weapons to the Government of Sudan. The 
exercise was supervised by Judge Balula Abdulfaraj, who 
explained that the process would end on May 6.  He 
reported that the people handing over their weapons were 
from different villages around Kass. 
 
¶G.  OXFAM Vehicle Stolen - UNDSS reported that Chadian 
rebels recently seized an OXFAM-UK vehicle 35 kilometers 
northwest of Saraf Omra, West Darfur.  UNDSS urged 
organizations operating in the area to use no less than 
two vehicles per convoy and maintain vigilance.  The 
vehicle's driver remains missing. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Humanitarian Access Update: 
 
KHARTOUM 00001090  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶A.  World Vision International has evacuated staff out of 
the Mershing/Menawashi area in South Darfur due to large- 
scale Arab militia movements in the area.  They completed 
the April food distribution before they departed. 
 
¶B.  U.N. World Food Program (WFP) security officers have 
recommended that WFP cancel general food distributions to 
east Jebel Marra following several unsuccessful attempts 
to get food convoys into the area.  WFP convoys escorted 
by the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) were stopped 
and threatened by militias on several occasions, forcing 
them to turn back.  WFP will redirect food resources 
originally intended for east Jebel Marra elsewhere in 
South Darfur. 
 
¶C.  UNDSS opened the road from El Fasher to Korma in 
North Darfur.  The area had been cut off from 
humanitarian access since an April SLA attack on a SAF 
convoy going to Kutum.  The roads from Kafod to Korma and 
from Korma to Tawilah remain closed to humanitarian 
access. 
 
¶D.  On May 2, Sudanese Armed Forces blocked a Solidarite 
food convoy from traveling to Shearia, South Darfur, 
ostensibly to avoid a potentially insecure area. 
 
STEINFELD