VZCZCXRO5792
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1755/01 2040916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230916Z JUL 06 ZEL ZEL ZEL
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3834
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 001755 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, FAS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (PARA MARKINGS) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI KAWC SU
SUBJECT:  SUDAN - ROGER WINTER'S VISIT TO UPPER NILE AND 
SOUTHERN BLUE NILE 
 
KHARTOUM 00001755  001.4 OF 004 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) Roger P. Winter, Special Representative of the Deputy 
Se  Xcretary of State for Sudan, traveled to Upper Nile and 
Southern Blue Nile from June 26 to 30 to assess progress 
in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). 
Winter met the governors of Upper Nile and Unity states; 
the Deputy Governor of Blue Nile State; and four county 
commissioners of Ulang, Nasir, Akobo and Kurmuk 
counties.  The trip revealed mixed progress in 
implementation of the CPA.  Most positive was Unity 
State, where the strong governor has completed the 
change from National Congress Party (NCP) to Sudan 
People?s Liberation Movement (SPLM) authority in six 
months, and where people can see physical positive 
changes since the CPA ? heavy machinery working ? as 
well as enjoy the new freedoms of movement and 
expression that are palpable throughout the South.  Most 
negative was Southern Blue Nile, where there are few 
visible changes between war and peace due to slow 
implementation of the CPA.  End summary. 
 
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Malakal 
--------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Winter, accompanied by a USAID humanitarian program 
officer, traveled to Upper Nile, Jonglei, Blue Nile, and 
Unity states from June 26 to 30.  The first meeting was 
in Malakal, capital of Upper Nile State, where Winter 
met Governor Dak Duop, several state ministers, one 
member of the state assembly, one member of the South 
Sudan Assembly in Juba, and the commissioners of Ulang 
and Nasir counties.  Upper Nile is the only state in the 
South with a governor from the NCP.  This meeting was 
notable for two things:  the Governor?s refusal to say 
anything of substance in reply to questions about the 
status of implementation of the CPA, and a heated 
exchange between two officials over recent tribal 
violence and cattle looting that killed dozens of 
people.  The state government appears to be functioning 
well under the power sharing arrangement of the CPA.  Of 
the state?s eight ministers, six are from SPLM, one from 
the NCP, and one from another southern party.  Power is 
similarly shared in the state assembly, and the 12 
county commissioners are all SPLM.  No revenue has yet 
come to the state, but they expect considerable 
resources from the wealth sharing agreement that will 
give the state government two percent of the state?s 
considerable oil revenue. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The county commissioners from Nasir and Ulang said 
they have established the county governments from ex- 
SPLM and ex-Government of Sudan (GOS) administrations, 
disarmed civilians who were heavily involved in militia 
activities during the civil war, and are now promoting 
peace and reconstruction.  The main problems are the 
needs of populations returning from the North and from 
Ethiopia.  About half the people of these counties were 
displaced during the war, and lack of essential services 
and infrastructure, as well as resources to establish a 
government presence in rural areas where cattle looting 
and communal conflict persist. 
 
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Akobo 
------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) On June 27, Winter went to Akobo in eastern Jonglei 
County to attend a reconciliation meeting between two of 
Sudan?s most aggressive tribes, the Lou Nuer of Jonglei 
and the Murle of Pibor.  Local authorities and community 
leaders are working hard to stop the cattle-looting and 
killings, but this is difficult without government 
structures and security forces in rural areas.  Lack of 
water in the dry season causes cattle herds to 
congregate at permanent water sources where conflict 
often breaks out.  Community leaders have agreed that 
people should return to their own tribal land after two 
decades of conflict that allowed strong groups to expand 
and displace weaker communities, but this is slow to 
happen because of lack of services ? especially year- 
round water sources ? and security forces in most rural 
areas. 
 
KHARTOUM 00001755  002.4 OF 004 
 
 
 
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Kurmuk 
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¶5. (SBU) On June 28, Winter traveled to Kurmuk, the SPLM 
administrative center for Southern Blue Nile State, and 
met the Deputy Governor and other officials who were 
gloomy in their assessment of implementation of the CPA 
in the state.  The power-sharing formula ? 55 percent 
NCP, 45 percent SPLM ? has been implemented only at 
senior levels of the State Government ? ministers, state 
assembly, county commissioners ? but not for the general 
civil service.  SPLM has appointed civil servants in its 
areas of administration, but they are not paid because 
NCP says they are not qualified.  After 50 years of 
marginalization and 10 years of civil war, SPLM 
officials are understandably less qualified than NCP 
officials.  No money has yet come through the Government 
of National Unity to the SPLM areas of the state except 
for salaries to top officials.  The bright spot is that 
security arrangements are going well ? the Joint 
Integrated Unit is formed with 3,000 individuals from 
Sudan People?s Liberation Army (SPLA) and 3,000 from the 
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and salaries are paid.  The 
state police force has been formed; 345 police from SPLM 
areas are now in Ed Damazine for training. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Community reaction to the CPA is mixed in Southern 
Blue Nile.  On the positive side, there is now freedom 
of movement and expression, and nobody is being arrested 
and imprisoned, a common occurrence during the war.  On 
the negative side, people see very little change between 
war and peace.  There have been no improvements in 
infrastructure and services ? the same non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) are providing the same services as 
during the war.  More health, education, and water 
facilities are needed, especially in the most war- 
affected areas where many internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) and refugees are returning.  Civil service, 
police, and SPLA soldiers outside of the Joint 
Integrated Units are not being paid.  The Deputy 
Governor provided two reasons for slow implementation of 
the CPA:  First, the CPA requires many laws to be 
changed in Khartoum, and this is being done very slowly; 
second, the federal government is not committed to the 
special status of Blue Nile State under the CPA, which 
requires special financial help. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Deputy Governor said that Blue Nile State is 
divided into two:  The GOS side has good infrastructure 
and is developed; the SPLM side has had no development 
since the British left in 1956, leaving it with poor 
infrastructure, low human capacity, and few income 
opportunities.  International assistance should help 
redress the imbalances by going to the marginalized 
areas where the war was fought.  The NCP controls the 
nation?s wealth and is in a strong position to win the 
elections.  The Deputy Governor said the choice for 
Southern Blue Nile, which like South Kordofan has no 
option to secede, is bleak:  Do we return to war?  Or do 
we submit to another 50 years of marginalization, with 
no development?  He called this a more sensitive time 
than during the war.  The SPLM wants to change Sudan?s 
system of governance based on narrow ideology.  A 
majority of Sudanese favor this, but the ruling party 
controls the wealth of the state, and the SPLM and other 
opposition parties control areas in the South, West, and 
East that are impoverished. 
 
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Bentiu 
-------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) In Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, Winter met 
with Governor Taban Deng Gai and many state officials. 
The biggest problem facing the state is the large number 
of returning IDPs and refugees, mostly coming from the 
North on their own.  The state has good roads built by 
the oil companies, but the main need is for increased 
services in the rural areas.  Security in the state is 
good, except for small clashes over cattle at common 
water points and grazing areas.  The SAF are withdrawing 
very slowly because Khartoum is reluctant to leave the 
oil fields, but this is expected to accelerate soon. 
The SPLA is now gathering at its new bases, which 
 
KHARTOUM 00001755  003.4 OF 004 
 
 
DYNCORP is helping to build, including forces newly 
redeployed from Eastern Sudan.  Police are functioning 
well, but are not yet paid and need training.  The jails 
are filled with cattle looters, but there are no judges 
to process cases.  Disarmament and demobilization is 
going very slowly ? nothing has come to the state yet 
from the national program; and the state has appointed 
people who have a work plan to deal with inter-clan 
violence and child soldiers within the state, but has no 
money yet to establish the office or start any 
activities.  The state has not yet received its full 
share of the two percent oil revenue, although irregular 
payments have come from Khartoum and are used for 
infrastructure and to buy tractors for agricultural 
development.  The impact of the oil companies is visible 
in the good roads and volume of heavy trucks bringing 
goods from Port Sudan. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The SPLM has taken over the state authority 
according to the power sharing formula of the CPA under 
which SPLM gets 70 percent, NCP 10 percent, and other 
southern parties 20 percent.  The SPLM has a huge 
membership still committed to transforming Sudan, but 
the challenge is how to keep them engaged in governance 
when there are few resources.  The SPLM operates on 
membership fees and donations from friends, but cannot 
compete with the NCP, which has had 16 years of 
organization and state funding.  Many people from Darfur 
and South Kordofan (Muglad, Babanusa) who like SPLM?s 
vision and program come to SPLM in Bentiu seeking 
guidance and support.  SPLM is unable to respond 
properly because of lack of money. 
 
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Comment 
-------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Winter sought to understand how new governance 
structures are coming up under the CPA and to what 
extent the SPLM can still be the main agent of change so 
that Sudan becomes a stable democracy contributing to 
regional stability.  No clear and uniform answer emerged 
from the trip.  Prospects seem bleak in Southern Blue 
Nile, where there is no option to secede, implementation 
of the CPA is slow, and few peace dividends are visible. 
There is some progress in the three states of Greater 
Upper Nile ? new governance structures are established 
in centers and people are enjoying the new freedoms of 
expression and movement, but state revenue is not yet 
flowing, IDPs and refugees are returning to inadequate 
services, and rural areas lack law and order to contain 
inter-communal clashes over cattle that are still 
killing hundreds of people.  The number of Sudanese- 
Americans who have returned on their own to help rebuild 
their communities was notable.  Attending one meeting in 
Nasir was one individual from Omaha who is a member of 
the Upper Nile State assembly, one person from 
Minneapolis who is a payam (district) executive, and a 
third individual from Des Moines who is a church leader 
working on community development.  End comment. 
 
--------------------------------- 
USAID programs in areas visited: 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) In Southern Blue Nile, USAID has increased its 
programs in recent years and funds the following 
projects:  GOAL in primary health care since 1999; 
Samaritan?s Purse in the Kurmuk hospital, school 
construction, and food security since 2002; a land 
project since 2003 that helps local government and 
communities to make decisions over land use; Norwegian 
People?s Aid (NPA) in a food aid and agricultural 
recovery program since 2005; Mercy Corps in civil 
society program new in 2006; and the U.N. World Food 
Program (WFP) in food distributions, a new program in 
¶2006. 
 
¶12. (U) In the areas visited in the three states of Upper 
Nile, USAID partners are providing health care (Save the 
Children, World Relief); water (Pact); agriculture (NPA, 
Food for the Hungry International); livestock 
(Veterinaires Sans Frontieres); food aid (NPA, WFP);town 
sanitation infrastructure (DAI); and office renovation 
and communications equipment for county authorities 
(NPA). 
 
KHARTOUM 00001755  004.4 OF 004 
 
 
 
STEINFELD