VZCZCXRO9052
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1659/01 2981139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251139Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8927
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001659 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/ECARO, USAID/SFO, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND TSHORTLEY 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
USUN FOR TMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  SUDAN - UN/DONOR PRINCIPALS MEETING RESUMES 
 
KHARTOUM 00001659  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. On October 21, the UN reinstated the UN high-level donor 
coordination meeting in Khartoum.  The UN Deputy Special 
Representative of the Secretary General in Sudan (D/SRSG) and the UN 
Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) in Sudan, 
Ameerah Haq, chaired the meeting.  At this first session, the UN 
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) briefed 
the donors on the current situation in Kalma internally displaced 
person (IDP) camp in South Darfur, the UN Environmental Program 
(UNEP) summarized environmental priorities in Sudan, and the UN 
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) updated donors on the return and 
reintegration of IDPs and refugees. End summary. 
 
¶2. USAID's Acting Mission Director attended the October 21 meeting, 
which was well attended by senior officials from the donor 
community.  Absent, however, were the invitees from China, India, 
and Malaysia.  The D/SRSG reiterated her desire to include the 
non-traditional donors in this forum.  There was general support 
from around the table to resume the UN donor principals meetings, 
most likely to be set on a monthly basis. 
 
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Kalma IDP Camp 
-------------- 
 
¶3. The D/SRSG and OCHA reported they had met with the Government of 
National Unity's (GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) regarding 
the situation at Kalma IDP camp, which has the potential to trigger 
additional insecurity, both in Nyala and beyond. (Note:  Septel with 
more details on the Kalma IDP camp situation is forthcoming.  End 
note).  Due to the recent, sharp rise in tensions and fighting 
within the camp, HAC and the Wali of South Darfur have laid out 
plans to close Kalma camp and have identified other sites for Kalma 
IDPs to reside.  The donors expressed extreme concern that this 
could be considered a form of forced relocation, in direct violation 
of international humanitarian principles that stipulate only 
voluntary IDP movement.  Several of the sites identified for 
relocation are the same ones the Sudanese government had presented 
to the international community as areas of return earlier in 2007. 
As a result of the violence, burning of houses and buildings, and 
unknown number of killings, IDPs have already begun moving out of 
Kalma into Nyala town as well as to other camps in the vicinity. 
 
¶4. At the meeting, it was unclear how the government plans to 
proceed or whether the international community will have any 
influence on decisions taken.  The UN response currently is dual 
track:  UNMIS Civil Affairs, along with the African Union Mission in 
Sudan (AMIS), will take the lead on security negotiations and 
reconciliation efforts and the UN humanitarian agencies will 
emphasize that humanitarian principles must be adhered to in 
addressing and responding to the situation. 
 
¶5. CDA Fernandez raised the situation at Kalma camp with MFA 
Under-Secretary Mutriff Siddiq on October 25.  Siddiq was clear that 
the government has no intention of undertaking any such forced 
relocation.  He added that the Sudanese government adheres to the 
principle of voluntary returns in Darfur and can only establish new 
or substitute camps with the active support of the international 
community, "we have no money to do this ourselves."  He noted that 
there had been similar international distrust when Zam Zam camp was 
established in North Darfur when Abu Shouk camp was full, "but the 
international community eventually saw that we were right."  He 
added that they are ready to explain the situation in Kalma camp to 
the U.S., noting that it was political/ethnic infighting among IDPs, 
mainly Zaghawa belonging to the SLM-Minni Minawi faction having 
trouble with other groups. 
 
--------------------- 
Environmental Debrief 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. The UNEP representative briefed the donors on the post-conflict 
environmental assessment report on Sudan, which was released earlier 
this year.  A key theme in the report was the large-scale, and 
seemingly unchecked, environmental degradation underway in many 
parts of the country.  In addition, the report describes how 
environmental degradation is one of the major drivers of conflict in 
Darfur. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001659  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------- 
Returns and Reintegration 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. The UNMIS Returns, Reintegration, and Recovery Unit (UNMIS RRR) 
briefed the donors on the latest returns figures for 2007 and plans 
for 2008.  Under the joint GNU-UN-IOM-GOSS plan nearly 90,000 IDPs 
and refugees were fully supported by the UN and the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) to return to their areas of origin 
in 2007.  Of the 90,000 returnees, half are refugees and half are 
IDPs.  In addition, government authorities, mostly at the Government 
of Southern Sudan (GOSS) state level, have assisted more than 26,000 
returnees; these efforts have generally not been coordinated with 
the UN and IOM.  UNMIS RRR is hoping to work with the states to 
improve upon coordination and planning this year. 
 
¶8. Out of the 4.6 million Sudanese IDPs and refugees, and estimated 
1.2 million have returned since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
(CPA) was signed.  Of the 1.2 million returnees 160,000 were 
refugees from neighboring countries, 70,000 of whom were assisted by 
the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  UNMIS 
RRR estimates that 90 percent of all returnees are spontaneous, and 
generally do not receive much, if any, support from the UN agencies 
and NGOs.  An estimated 1.2 million people are expected to settle in 
their areas of displacement and not return home. 
 
¶9. According to the UN, livelihoods and particularly urban 
livelihoods must be addressed more proactively, while recognizing 
that basic social service needs still exist.  The joint returns plan 
for 2008 has still not been agreed to by the GNU and GOSS.  The UN 
is planning for approximately the same level of returns support as 
in 2007 -- 100,000 refugees, 100,000 IDPs, and 40,000 returns 
supported by the GNU and the GOSS in collaboration with UN agencies 
and IOM. 
 
FERNANDEZ