VZCZCXRO3100
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1723/01 2000930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190930Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3785
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001723 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SU
SUBJECT:  First Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation 
Workshop Held in South Darfur 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Civil Affairs unit 
held the first in a series of planned workshops to 
launch conflict resolution initiatives through the 
Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation (DDDC) process 
in Nyala, South Darfur, on July 5.  The primary goal of 
the workshop was to review the main provisions of the 
Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), introduce and explain the 
DDDC, and discuss the DDDCQs relationship with rule of 
law, traditional conflict resolution mechanisms, and 
sustainable peace.  Participants demonstrated that 
meaningful discussion of key issues in the DPA and DDDC 
is achievable.  Recommendations for improving future 
workshops include incorporating better understanding of 
the DDDCQs role, goals, and expected accomplishments and 
ensuring that attendees receive a copy of the DPA. 
These workshops are not being fully coordinated with the 
AU, but UNMIS seems to be moving ahead under the guise 
of its civil affairs program.   End summary. 
 
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DDDC Workshop Sparks Lively Debate 
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¶2.  UNMIS Civil Affairs held the first in a series of 
planned workshops to launch conflict resolution 
initiatives through the DDDC process in Nyala, South 
Darfur, on July 5.  Dr. Abdul Jabar Fadul, a professor 
at the University of Fasher and expert on traditional 
conflict mediation, facilitated the workshop.  Thirty 
participants attended the workshop, including the local 
chairman and representatives of the National Committee 
for Peace and Reconciliation comprising National 
Congress Party and Umma Party members, the chief 
facilitator for the Sudanese governmentQs reconciliation 
initiatives, local non-governmental organizations, 
lawyers, persons affiliated with universities, and other 
members of civil society organizations.  Only one of the 
participants was a woman, although two other women had 
been invited to attend. 
 
¶3.  Participants immediately and repeatedly questioned 
the purpose and usefulness of the DDDC, particularly 
when the DPA has no provisions to allow for amendments. 
Workshop attendees also discussed ways in which the DDDC 
can improve the DPA and thus address why some persons 
reject the agreement based on claims that the DPA lacks 
Darfur ownership and does not represent war-affected and 
displaced persons.  Suggestions included discussions of 
adequate compensation and emphasis on security 
arrangements.  Participants agreed the DDDC may help to 
address long-standing tribal tensions, but will not help 
to promote the DPA because people believe that the DPA 
was not written by or for the majority of Darfurians. 
 
¶4.  Several other topics also sparked energetic and 
sometimes frustrated debate.  After a review of the UN 
Development ProgramQs Rule of Law program, participants 
agreed that laws in Darfur are not respected, with some 
attendees remarking that laws only apply to ordinary 
citizens and not to persons in power or government.  In 
addition, while discussing theoretical components of 
analyzing conflict and seeking resolution, participants 
argued that the DPA emerged simply due to the 
international communityQs efforts to stop the fighting 
in Darfur and not as a real attempt to solve the Darfur 
conflict.  Participants also questioned the 
effectiveness and appropriateness of the African Union 
Mission in Sudan (AMIS) as the mediating and 
facilitating body for the DPA, especially since the 
organization has proved unable to protect Darfurians 
during the conflict.  In addition, AMIS observers at the 
workshop were uninformed about the status of the DDDC 
Preparatory Committee that AMIS was to convene 30 days 
after the signing of the DPA. 
 
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Comment 
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KHARTOUM 00001723  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  Despite moving ahead with such workshops in South 
Darfur in coordination with AU local participants, UNMIS 
seems to not be fully coordinating with the AU designees 
for the DPA at the Khartoum level.  In recent meetings 
with donors in Khartoum, after the occurrence of this 
workshop, AU stated that they were unaware of DPA and 
DDDC workshop initiatives in South Darfur. Yet UNMIS on 
the ground believes they are coordinating efforts, and 
thus are moving ahead.  For the time being, no party, 
particularly the AU or UNMIS, has clarity on how the 
DDDC will be organized and implemented.  UNMIS is using 
these workshops in South Darfur to review only what is 
written in the DPA on the DDDC for participants.  This 
is a limited effort that may confuse matters in the 
short term and leave many questions unanswered by the 
participants.  UNMIS and the entire UN DPA Team need to 
improve and quicken coordination efforts with the AU at 
all levels. 
 
¶6.  While promotion of the DPA remains a considerable 
challenge, the DDDC workshop demonstrated that civil 
society will assemble to have a lively debate on both 
the DPA and the DDDC.  These gatherings are 
opportunities to update participants on actions with 
respect to deadlines, formation of committees, and 
future meetings.  The meetings are also opportunities to 
correct inaccuracies and misperceptions about what is 
and is not included in the DPA.  UNMIS South Darfur is 
planning to hold weekly workshops for the next two 
months, with the first several held in Nyala and later 
workshops held in other localities of South Darfur. 
UNMIS North and West Darfur are reportedly planning 
similar events.  UNMIS South Darfur moved ahead earlier 
due to availability of funds in its budget. 
 
¶7.  In addition to first coordinating all future efforts 
with the AU, as described in para five, UNMIS can 
improve future workshops by building better 
understanding of what can be achieved by the DDDC.  In 
future workshops, UNMIS must also improve how the role 
and goals of the DDDC are explained.  For example, the 
key, tangible purposes of the DDDC should be clearly 
illustrated, such as explaining political functions like 
Qacting as a mechanism of last resort to break deadlocks 
on specific issuesQ and Qestablishing local mechanisms 
for conflict prevention and promotion of reconciliationQ 
(DPA Article 31, section 480, lines (a) and (b)).  In 
addition, UNMIS should take the opportunity at the 
workshops to disseminate copies of the DPA to the 
participants; not doing so was a critical oversight at 
the July 5 event. 
 
STEINFELD