VZCZCXRO1941
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1669/01 3020749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290749Z OCT 07 ZFR ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8951
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001669 
 
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 PBROWN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  DARFUR - HAC PROPOSES TO DIVIDE IDP CAMPS 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1659 B) KHARTOUM 1661 
 
KHARTOUM 00001669  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
///ZFR   ///    ZFR   ///   ZFR   ///   ZFR 
///PLS CANCEL KHARTOUM 1669 AND DELETE ALL ASSOCIATED SECTIONS. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00001669  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
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¶7. On October 20, a 10-vehicle convoy of armed Sudanese Armed Forces 
(SAF) surrounded Hamadiya IDP camp, shooting guns and assaulting 
IDPs.  This incident was triggered by the murder of a military 
person in the camp earlier that day.  Arab militias surrounded the 
upper part of the camp.  Unconfirmed reports indicate that four IDPs 
were killed and four SAF were also killed in the fighting.  On 
October 21, the camp was reportedly calm, but youth had mobilized to 
patrol the camp. 
 
¶8.  On October 23, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in Zalingei 
locality issued a letter forbidding all NGO activities in Hamadiya 
camp.  The letter also forbids all humanitarian activities, except 
for water and health services, in other Zalingei-area camps.  In 
subsequent meetings, the HAC indicated plans to move IDPs from 
Hamadiya into smaller camps in other locations. 
 
 
 
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Part of a Larger Trend? 
----------------------- 
 
¶10. With back to back incidents in Haskanita, Muhajeria, Kalma, and 
Zalingei, many within the humanitarian community are wondering if we 
are seeing the implemtation of a larger strategy on the part of the 
government to break up the IDP camps in Darfur.  In October, 
civilian casualties are markedly higher than in previous months, 
according to the UN, and displaced populations in Kalma, Muhajeria, 
and Haskanita have dispersed due to attacks.  The recent attacks led 
30,000 people to leave the Haskanita area and at least 15,000 to 
leave Muhajeria.  The violence in Kalma has also displaced at least 
30,000 people.  While new displacement has been a steady trend 
throughout 2007, the recent escalated violence could be related to 
broader changes on Darfur's political horizon. 
 
¶11. One can only speculate what the causes of the recent upsurge in 
violence are linked to -- the upcoming peace talks in Libya, the 
deployment of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the upcoming 
census, or the Sudanese government's desire to strengthen their 
control over humanitarian operations.  The implications of what we 
are seeing on the ground with the recent attacks, require further 
analysis to determine which groups are being displaced and for what 
reason. 
 
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Comments 
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¶12. It is critical that the humanitarian community stress to the 
government the need for IDPs to be allowed to freely choose whether 
or not to move to the proposed new locations.  Any new proposed 
sites for IDPs must meet all international humanitarian standards 
and any transition must not further expose IDPs to violence, 
exploitation, or health risks. 
 
¶13. On October 25, CDA Fernandez raised these issues with Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials (REF B).  In the meeting, the MFA 
registered surprise and doubt that these incidents were part of a 
government policy and proposed forming a committee with the HAC to 
discuss the events unfolding in Darfur. 
 
FERNANDEZ