VZCZCXRO7208
RR RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2926/01 3650614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310614Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5685
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 002926 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWMN SCUL SOCI SU
SUBJECT:  Darfur:  North Darfur Violence against Women Campaign 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  With the deteriorating security situation in Darfur, 
women and children are increasingly the victims of rape and abuse. 
Sudanese Government representatives admit the social and educational 
marginalization of women, especially internally displaced persons 
(IDPs), but deny the worsening situation.  Despite a Darfur-wide UN 
campaign with local government participation, called "16 Days of 
Activism" to publicize gender-based violence (GBV), it is unlikely 
to result in improvement in cooperation from local government or 
police bodies.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
North Darfur Violence against Women Campaign 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Yousif Kibir, Wali of North Darfur, opened a two- week campaign 
against GBV in late November.  Kibir called for eliminating violence 
against women and supporting women's organizations and associations 
in North Darfur.  He requested that armed groups shield women and 
children from violent conflict.  The Government of North Darfur and 
the United Nations Population Fund coordinated the November 25 
opening ceremony.  The nearly 500 participants included women 
leaders from El Fasher, Kabkabiya, Kutum, Um Kadada, and Mellit; 
NGOs; legislative council members; and SLA representatives. 
 
¶3.  The Wali's advisor on Women's and Children's affairs, Fawzia 
Abbass, noted that levels of GBV are higher in areas of Darfur with 
violent conflict, as armed groups act with impunity against 
civilians.  She also noted the long-term physical and psychological 
harm and damage to social structures resulting from GBV.  Abbass 
called for police, military, and government bodies to cooperate in 
ending violence against women.  She highlighted a campaign to take 
place through December 10 that includes seminars, lectures, visits 
to the IDP camps, and various awareness raising and training 
programs. 
 
----------------------------- 
Contrasting Viewpoints on GBV 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Women in the three Darfur states lag behind the rest of Sudan in 
literacy and education, Abbass told Poloff on November 28.  She 
urged the international community not to impose its cultural values 
in sensitive areas such as reproductive health, but to accept 
Darfurian women's specific requests for assistance. 
 
¶5.  Abbass noted that security was bad in the IDP camps, and the 
risk of rape increased as firewood availability dropped around the 
camps and surrounding villages and women ranged further in search of 
firewood.  Abbass said that the AU had originally cooperated with 
local police to provide protection for firewood patrols at the three 
camps around El Fasher, but these patrols had since ceased. 
However, she noted that entrepreneurs were now bringing firewood 
into the camps and fuel efficient stove initiatives were also 
reducing the need for firewood patrols. Curiously, Abbass then 
argued that the situation for women has improved, and the number of 
cases of violence against women is decreasing.  She said that the 
number of cases reported in police stations in 2004 was 
approximately 3500, while the number of cases reported in 2006 was 
235 cases, indicating an improvement (Comment:  These figures do not 
correlate to any previously recorded.  The decrease in reporting 
cases to the police is perhaps more an indication of the lack of 
trust in the willingness and/or effectiveness of the police to 
respond, as opposed to an actual decrease in the number of cases. 
End comment.) 
 
¶6.  In direct contrast, Zahra Muniem, Member of the Gender Expert 
Support Team during the Abuja negotiations and currently working for 
the Ministry of Culture, Information, and Sports, said, "The 
security situation is deteriorating in the camps and the number of 
gender-based violence cases is rapidly increasing." She noted that 
the Sudanese Government "continues to deny the issue and hide the 
facts."  Zahra claimed that the Sudanese Government routinely 
harasses local and international NGOs working on women and 
children's issues and hampers assistance to victims of sexual 
assault. 
 
---------------------------- 
...and on Politics in Darfur 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Abbass said SLM/M factions are highly committed to the 
cease-fire agreement, and violent attacks are caused by the NRF, 
which prevents IDPs from returning to their villages.  Abbass 
expressed hope that all armed groups reach a cessation of 
hostilities, noting that she had heard that SLA/AW and SLA/AS had 
been involved in negotiations towards signing the DPA.  She added, 
"women support peaceful settlement to the conflict, and do not 
support the deployment of any additional troops of any kind to 
Darfur."  She urged the international community to play a 
substantial role in convincing non-signatories to join the peace 
process. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00002926  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶8.  Muniem was skeptical of the Sudanese Government GBV campaign, 
saying, "conferences aren't solutions." She noted that the North 
Darfur government committee on the protection of women had not 
investigated a single case of GBV over the past eight months. 
During a speech at a November 30 conference, Muniem decried the 
small percentage of women and opposition political parties in 
government.  Despite a 20-year career working on women's issues in 
local government, Muniem, as an Umma party member, is excluded from 
government-sponsored conferences and committees on Q{QQeQry6women IDPs' participation in the DPA 
process. 
 
HUME