VZCZCXRO9538
RR RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #1405/01 3412015
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 072015Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4672
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0884

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 001405 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PREF PHUM SU PGOV CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: REPORT FROM BAHAI AS UN STAFF DRAW DOWN 
 
REF: NDJAMENA 1215 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Typically an area of activity between the 
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the National Redemption 
Front (NRF) rebels, Bahai was eerily quiet December 5-7, as 
the town and nearby Oure Cassoni refugee camp prepared for 
the December 7 departure of United Nations essential staff. 
NRF rebels maintained an uncharacteristically low profile 
both in Bahai and in Oure Cassoni amidst rumors that they 
were reinforcing a column of Chadian National Forces (ANT) 
moving toward Tine.  At least 16 ANT vehicles were observed 
December 7 from Abeche in the direction of Biltine, which 
UFDD rebels are reportedly occupying.  UNHCR Abeche 
speculates, however, that the Chadian rebels are continuing 
their trend of drawing the ANT around eastern Chad, likely 
toward Am Zoer and Guereda, in an effort to tire them out so 
that rebels could eventually reach N'Djamena.  UNHCR Abeche 
assesses there is no real threat to Abeche in the next 24 
hours.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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NRF KEEPING LOW PROFILE IN BAHAI 
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¶2.  (SBU) Normally a mainstay of the population of the 
northern town of Bahai on Chad's eastern border, as well as 
of the refugee camp Oure Cassoni, NRF rebels were few and 
far between from December 5-7.  Poloff observed a small 
group of NRF with family members in Oure Cassoni December 5 
and a larger group visiting a comrade in Bahai Hospital 
after having been wounded in fighting around Lake Kariyari 
in early October.  UNHCR Bahai agreed the NRF presence had 
diminished in the city since the attacks last month in 
Abeche and in recent weeks in Guereda, and speculated that 
this absence was connected to a reinforced ANT presence most 
recently seen in a column moving toward the strategic market 
town of Tine. 
 
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NO IMMEDIATE DANGER TO ABECHE, SAYS UNHCR 
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¶3.  (SBU) Poloff observed a column of at least 16 ANT 
vehicles on the road from Abeche to Biltine on the morning 
of December 7; more ANT trucks and forces were observed 
later in central Abeche, having just arrived from Adre en 
route to Biltine.  UFDD rebels reportedly occupied Biltine 
but were alleged to be moving from the city southwest in the 
direction of Oum Hadjer, which would provide them easier 
access to their re-supply bases around Am Dam and Goz Beida. 
UNHCR Abeche received a report December 7 that Chadian 
rebels (possibly RAC) were leaving Biltine for Guereda, from 
which ANT forces were allegedly vacating in the direction of 
Am Zoer; UNHCR Guereda staff still in the town were 
contemplating evacuation by road from the city.  UNHCR 
Abeche told Poloff that Mahamat Nouri informed the Abeche 
office his rebel group had no plans to re-occupy Abeche, and 
UNCHR assessed that there was no immediate threat to the 
town. 
 
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BAHAI BRACED FOR HUMANITARIAN DRAWDOWN 
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¶4.  (SBU) Upon orders from Geneva and New York Headquarters, 
UNHCR Bahai reduced its staff from 17 to four as of December 
¶7.  Refugees in Oure Cassoni camp were unfazed by the move, 
with camp leaders going so far as to invite the humanitarian 
community into Oure Cassoni itself if they were in need of 
protection, adding that the camp (with its base of NRF 
protectors) was the safest place for the humanitarians to 
be.  The Chadian refugee agency (CNAR) assured that Oure 
Cassoni operations would continue unchanged, despite the 
reduced humanitarian presence (NOTE: ACTED and IRC continue 
to maintain a presence in Bahai.  END NOTE).  CNAR, however, 
was noticeably absent on the opening day of food 
distribution in Oure Cassoni on December 5 and refused to 
assist with the continuation of distribution on December 6, 
arguing it was not CNAR's responsibility to do so, despite 
the reduced humanitarian presence.  Distribution 
nevertheless proceeded without major incident through 
December 7, with only one last-minute change in the method 
of doling out rations to families. 
 
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SAF WANTS TO GO HOME 
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¶5.  (SBU) During a December 6 visit to Bahai Hospital, 
Poloff spoke with the approximately 30 SAF soldiers still 
recuperating from injuries sustained during October 7 
 
NDJAMENA 00001405  002 OF 002 
 
 
fighting around Lake Kariyari (reftel cited above).  All SAF 
with whom Poloff spoke were unanimous in their desire to 
return to Sudan and to get word back to their families in 
Sudan of their status, noting that they had had no such 
contact for the two months of their incapacitation.  They 
were also unanimous in their disillusionment with the 
Sudanese Government of National Unity, which, some 
contended, was "corrupt" and responsible for perpetrating 
the war in Darfur, most recently in dispatching the 
Janjaweed against rebels of the Sudanese Liberation Movement 
faction of Mini Minnawi in El Fasher.  IRC administrators of 
the Bahai Hospital confirmed an absence of animosity or 
incidents among SAF and NRF patients sharing rooms, due 
perhaps to a shared disenchantment with the Khartoum regime. 
 
¶6.  (U) Tripoli minimize considered.  WALL