VZCZCXRO5910
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0889 1561438
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051438Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7499
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0094

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000889 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AU CD SU
 
SUBJECT:  Ceasefire Commission Week of May 28 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) With the killing of a UN peacekeeper on May 25, security 
issues and ceasefire violations remained at the center of Ceasefire 
Commission (CFC) discussions this week.  Additionally, a new rebel 
movement, the SLA United Front, announced itself at AMIS' expense. 
End summary. 
 
--------------------- 
First Chamber: May 28 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On the alleged bombing of Deim Bishara, JEM/Peace Wing 
representative Mustafa Dawood said AMIS should explain why it had 
not yet investigated the incident.  GOS representative Major Nasr 
stressed that it was a drug eradication operation that had since 
ended, but the JEM representative countered that such an operation 
should have been coordinated with them, especially since JEM was a 
signatory.  Deputy Force Commander Ephrem Rurangwa, who chaired the 
meeting, said that the area was still inaccessible due to continued 
fighting and that he expected the sector's report once conditions 
improved.  He hoped that the investigative team that was sent would 
not be detained, as occurred in al-Hosh on May 27. 
 
¶3. (U) The tense standoff of May 26, in which the SLA/Minawi house 
near AMIS was surrounded by GOS forces, was also raised. The DFC 
called for all movements to respect the recent agreement made with 
Force Commander Aprezi to create an arms-free zone in the 
neighborhood.  SLA/Minawi representative Ahmed Gardiya suggested 
AMIS expand its camp to house internationals.  The DFC insisted that 
the arms-free zone only required a decision on the part of the 
movements, while an expanded camp would cost time and money and 
incur more security problems. 
 
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Second Chamber: May 28 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Carjacking continued to be a major concern.  The UN 
observer noted that in North and South Darfur, carjackings were a 
way of equipping the factions, while in West Darfur they were a 
manifestation of general banditry.  JEM representative General 
Mohammed Bashir said that stolen vehicles from both Sudan and Chad 
were traded at "Sun Market" northwest of Saraf Umra and northeast of 
El Geneina. He stressed that if the movements were made aware of 
carjackings, they would be prepared to help.  The DFC said that 
gathering this kind of information and disseminating it would be one 
of the functions of a Joint Operations Center (JOC), which he 
intended to set up soon. 
 
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Second Chamber: May 30 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) SLA/Non-Signatories Faction (NSF) representative Colonel 
Abdou Ismail apologized for missing the previous meeting but said he 
was investigating the five-hour detention of an AMIS team at al-Hosh 
on May 27.  Having arranged the team's arrival with ground 
commanders, he concluded that the commanders had intended to detain 
the team from the beginning to gain publicity for their new 
movement.  He said that SLA "United Front," headed by Mohamed 
Abbakar Kado, did not recognize the N'djamena ceasefire, the DPA or 
AMIS, and that it would accept only United Nations personnel in its 
area. The movement, he said, did not define what its area of control 
consisted of outside of al-Hosh. 
 
--------------------- 
First Chamber: May 30 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The First Chamber meeting on May 30 was postponed due to an 
incident in Labado between AMIS and SLA/Minawi, in which an AMIS APC 
crashed into an SLA/Minawi vehicle, killing the SLA/Minawi driver. 
Retaliatory shooting was reported. More information to follow 
septel. 
 
POWERS