VZCZCXRO3307
OO RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #1215/01 2811429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081429Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4447
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0905
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0849

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF CD SU
SUBJECT: CHAD REFUGEES CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUDANESE 
REBEL CLASH 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Less than 24 hours after UN High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR) representative informed Charge that 
Sudanese refugees in camps along the northern Chad border 
with Sudan were in imminent danger, fighting broke out in and 
around the camps between Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) 
non-signatories aligned with the Sudanese rebel group Justice 
and Equality Movement (JEM) and what are reported to be 
forces of DPA Signatory Mini Minnawi and the Government of 
Sudan.  The fighting appears to have subsided, but about 
eighty Sudanese are now inside Chad either wounded or seeking 
refuge.  The clash took place on Chadian territory and JEM 
appears to have instigated the conflict.  Moving some 50,000 
thousand refugees some 250 miles into the interior of Chad to 
another refugee site will be a major undertaking, but last 
night's fighting underscored the urgent need to relocate the 
camps for the well-being of the refugees and in order to 
maintain their civilian and humanitarian nature.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On Saturday, October 7, UNHCR representative Serge 
Male informed Charge that the refugees in Oure Cassoni and Am 
Nabak camps would need to be relocated to a new site further 
in the interior as soon as possible.  Both of these camps are 
located quite close to the Sudanese border (Oure Cassoni is 
only seven kilometers from the border.)  Male's visit to the 
region a few days earlier had persuaded him that the civilian 
and humanitarian nature of the camps was seriously 
compromised and that the safety of the refugees could no 
longer be guaranteed. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Male noted that Sudanese government forces and DPA 
signatories had moved into position just two kilometers 
across the border from Oure Cassoni camp.  On the Chadian 
side, near Lake Cariari, were JEM and Sudanese Liberation 
Army (SLA) non-signatories.  Male explained that the camps 
themselves were recruiting grounds for Sudanese rebel groups, 
and the fact that camp leaders consistently reported that 
there were "no security problems" was good evidence that the 
camp leadership was itself SLA. Another issue of concern was 
protection of the 5,000 - 6,000 pro Mini Minnawi Sudanese in 
Zone A of Oure Cassoni who find themselves vastly outnumbered 
in the pro-JEM camp. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In addition to the intra-Sudanese rebel conflicts, 
some thirty kilometers away from Oure Cassoni camp, a group 
of Chadian Gorans who have been denied refugee status have 
been harassing camp officials and humanitarian workers, 
including throwing stones at workers and attacking vehicles. 
These are also suspected to be working with the JEM members 
camped by Lake Cariari.  Male stated that local capacity to 
control the expected Sudanese rebel clash or to protect 
humanitarian workers from the disgruntled Gorans was 
"minimal."  Male is urgently seeking to place the 15 
additional gendarmes which the Government of Chad had 
promised to the UN for refugee protection in Bahai, 
recognizing that this will only be a palliative measure. 
However, the government is dragging its feet on 
implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, and no 
gendarmes have been provided. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Male explained that the UN has known for some time 
that the camps close to the border were highly problematic. 
They have been seeking GOC cooperation to relocate the camps 
westward.  After local authorities nixed various alternative 
sites, a site has now been found west of the town of Biltine 
(some 250 kilometers away from the current site).  Local 
authorities have approved the site for refugee use, but a 
water survey must still be performed to determine how much 
water is available   Male acknowledged that the refugees 
would resist relocation.  He has been in communication with 
GOC authorities to let them know that the camps must be 
relocated.  He has stressed that this must be presented to 
the camps as a GOC decision (which will be accomplished with 
UNHCR assistance).  Male has not yet informed NGO partners 
about the move, although High Commissioner Guterres is aware 
of the situation and would issue a statement expressing 
concern about the need to maintain the humanitarian and 
civilian nature of the camps. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  The next day Male informed Charge that fighting had 
indeed broken out between what JEM and non- DPA signatory SLA 
members and the SLA DPA-signatories and Government of Sudan 
forces.  The confrontation took place on Chadian territory 
slightly north of Bahai in Cariari (which straddles the 
border). The UN reported some 77 Sudanese soldiers wounded 
who are now in Bahai.  Chadian government sources confirmed 
that a confrontation had taken place on Chadian territory, 
 
NDJAMENA 00001215  002 OF 002 
 
 
with the JEM  described as the attacker.  According to those 
sources, some 81 Sudanese fled into Chad of which 21 were 
wounded.  GOC sources also reported that a Sudanese aircraft 
was shot during the fighting and the fighting had also 
spilled into the refugee camps. 
TAMLYN