VZCZCXRO4157
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0802/01 1431418
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231418Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7294
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000802 
 
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 
 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  SUDAN - KASSALA STATE 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000802  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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(U) From March 25 to 28, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives 
(USAID/OTI), USAID's Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP), and 
USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) 
staff visited Kassala State.  In Sudan, Kassala State ranks the 
second lowest in development indicators, with Red Sea State at the 
bottom.  The benefits of the state's fertile agricultural zones and 
productive harvests, particularly from the Gash River irrigation 
scheme, are primarily concentrated among the rich landowners.  The 
rural majority of nomads and pastoralists exist on subsistence 
farming and livestock trade, which are increasingly threatened by 
successive droughts and chronic food insecurity.  The resulting 
decline in available pasture and livestock herds has significantly 
reduced the populations' ability to live unassisted.  Widespread 
illiteracy and a lack of basic education are pervasive, and the 
population is not prepared for alternative livelihood strategies in 
the face of declining traditional livelihood opportunities.  As part 
of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA), the Government of 
Kassala State, along with Red Sea and Gedaref states, is slated to 
receive significant development funds from the federal government. 
However, limited government capacity in Kassala State reduces the 
likelihood that the expected funding will be successfully allocated 
and disbursed.  Despite increased donor, UN, and non-governmental 
organization (NGO) interest in engaging in development assistance in 
the region, state and federal government restrictions on access 
continue to hinder progress.  End Summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶1. (U) NGOs operating in Kassala State expressed the need to 
increase the population's self-reliance, as the situation in the 
state can no longer be considered a humanitarian crisis.  NGOs also 
identified peacebuilding activities as a priority to address the 
disillusionment and marginalization of the state's population that 
still fuels insecurity in the region.  The lack of Ministry of 
Planning and Development coordination with NGOs to develop a 
five-year state development strategy has led to limited NGO 
confidence in the viability of the strategy. 
 
¶2. (U) UN organizations in Kassala confront restricted access and a 
weak relationship with government officials characterized by limited 
coordination, cooperation, and understanding.  The relationship is 
exemplified by the government's failure to inform the UN of a recent 
27,000-bag food distribution in Hamesh Koreib locality.  UN mobility 
has become increasingly limited due to increased bureaucratic 
impediments from the Government of National Unity (GNU) Humanitarian 
Aid Commission (HAC) and other Sudanese government authorities. 
There is growing tension between the state demands for transparency 
regarding international organizations in the region and respect for 
the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on UN freedom of movement.  In 
the midst of deteriorating Kassala State Government and UN 
relations, the UN Mine Action Office (UNMAO) has been able to 
operate freely, successfully reviewing 41 areas throughout Kassala 
that have been determined dangerous or "red", indicating the 
presence of landmines.  In addition, UNMAO has cleared the road to 
Hamesh Koreib and is currently conducting a landmine impact survey. 
 
 
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HAMESH KOREIB 
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¶3. (U) It is widely believed that the humanitarian situation in 
Hamesh Koreib is the worst in the state. This assumption is largely 
based on conjecture and not concrete data due to continued lack of 
access for both the UN and international NGOs.  Until the signing of 
ESPA in October of 2006, these agencies implemented activities 
throughout the locality from across the border with Eritrea.  The 
first UN humanitarian assessment to Hamesh Koreib from within Sudan 
was conducted in February 2006.  Subsequent to that, a UN mission 
attempted in September 2006 was stopped on the outskirts of town by 
security forces.  Since then, the UN has not been able to access the 
area.  On a few occasions, USAID partner International Rescue 
Committee's (IRC) Sudanese staff have been able to make day trips 
into Hamesh Koreib town, but a regular presence has not been 
established, nor have trips outside of town been allowed.  On March 
 
KHARTOUM 00000802  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
27, the IRC head of sub-office and the Minister of Health were 
permitted to enter the locality, which resulted in the verbal 
guarantee that IRC would be allowed to begin assistance activities 
in Hamesh Koreib in the near future.  Following the visit, IRC was 
granted permission to conduct a survey in Hamesh Koreib town.  After 
a few days in Hamesh Koreib town, the survey team was asked to leave 
by Sudanese government security officials.  To date, IRC continues 
to negotiate for access to the area but is less optimistic that this 
will become a reality in the near future. 
 
-------------------------------- 
DISPLACED POPULATIONS IN KASSALA 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Kassala State hosts 77,000 refugees, mostly Eritrean, in 
seven camps.  An agreement was reached last year between the Office 
of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Kassala State 
that all camps, except Kilo 26 and the reception center, would be 
closed in 2007 and that all new arrivals would be processed through 
Wadsherifay, 23 km east of Kassala town.  According to the GNU 
Commission of Refugees (COR), there were 50 to 65 asylum seekers a 
day from Eritrea as of January 2007.  In February, Sudanese 
government officials restricted UNHCR from accessing the reception 
center at Wadsherifay.  UNHCR has not received clarification on the 
reason for the access denial and is still unable to access the camp. 
 
 
¶5. (U) An estimated internally displaced person (IDP) population of 
68,000 resides in Kassala State in 12 camps.  The larger "old" 
caseload of nearly 50,000 IDPs was displaced by fighting from 1992 
to 1998.  The old caseload population is located in the following 
camps: 8,982 in Gulsa, 11,022 in Fedayeeb, 7,554 in Amara, 5,866 in 
Fatu, 3,223 in Aderman, 8,451 in Deblawait (A), and 4,743 in 
Deblawait (B).  The majority of the old caseload is from the Beni 
Amir subgroup of the Beja ethnic group, with Deblawait (A) and (B) 
hosting several other subgroups, including the Sinkat-Kinab, 
Bashkab, Elmasjed, Hummadab, Gadiab, Jemmam, Tahjer, Kanjer, 
Bashameet, Karakoun, and Jebelhabouba.  All of the old IDP camps are 
in Kassala locality with the exception of Deblawait (B), which is in 
Hamesh Koreib locality.  The smaller "new" caseload is predominantly 
IDPs that fled from the 2002 fighting in Hamesh Koreib.  The new 
caseload resides in the following camps: 5,000 in Odi, 3,210 in 
Toglay, 2,717 in Matataib, and 6,912 in Hadalia.  All of these camps 
are in Elgash locality, apart from Odi which is in Hamesh Koreib. 
An estimated 5,000 of the 68,000 IDPs fled from a drought in Kassala 
State. 
 
¶6. (U) The term "settlements" more accurately describes the IDP 
camps, as the camps exhibit permanent characteristics typical of 
established villages. Most IDPs, with the exception of the Jemilab 
subgroup, are no longer interested in returning to areas of origin, 
according to the February 2006 UN Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs assessment.  IDPs have indicated that the 
availability of basic services and food aid in IDP settlements 
exceeds those available in their areas of origin, leading to the 
IDPs' preference to remain in the settlements.  In addition, the 
fear of unexploded ordnance in areas outside of camps is another 
reason that IDPs give for not wanting to return. 
 
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COMMENTS 
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¶7. (U) Peacebuilding activities in the region should be pursued to 
address ongoing tensions and marginalization that exacerbate the 
fragile security environment.  USAID/OTI and USAID/OFDA are jointly 
planning activities to address this issue.  USAID/OTI will focus on 
dissemination and explanation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
(CPA) and ESPA to key groups, such as traditional leaders, youth and 
women activists, and IDP representatives.  In addition, USAID/OTI 
will support activities that will help politically active eastern 
Sudanese to articulate and mobilize around their own agendas.  In 
coordination with USAID/OTI's activities, USAID/OFDA will target 
assistance projects, including water points, infrastructure 
rehabilitation, and health services, to areas that can benefit from 
a conflict mitigation approach.  Currently in Kassala State, 
USAID/OFDA is funding IRC's health, protection, and water, 
sanitation, and hygiene activities, and GOAL's health activities. 
 
POWERS