VZCZCXRO4835
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0137 0301133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301133Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9823
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000137 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF SE WILLIAMSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: UNMIS ON SAF AND SPLA REDEPLOYMENT 
 
REFERENCE: (A) KHARTOUM 89 
(B) KHARTOUM 26 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Joint Operations 
Center (JOC) officer Major Ashe Brunton told poloff January 29 that 
the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have largely complied with the troop 
redeployments outlined in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) 
(apart from the oil fields) but that the Sudan Peoples Liberation 
Army (SPLA) is not in compliance.  Brunton said that the SAF has not 
vigorously protested the SPLA non-compliance. He said that SAF and 
SPLA forces probably remain in the Abyei oil fields but the UN has 
not been able to monitor these areas. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Major Brunton said the SPLA partially redeployed it forces 
in the days prior to the January 9 deadline after notifying the UN. 
He said that SPLA moved to three assembly areas Aby Motorag, Jalud, 
and Debab before stopping at Shafara and White Lake (near Bentiu) 
which are above the 1/1/56 border. Brunton said that although the 
SPLA is north of the 1/1/56 border, it had claimed to the UN that it 
is "below the north-south border line."  Brunton said that UNMIS 
Force Commander Lidder has informed the SPLA leadership that its 
forces are not in compliance with the redeployment conditions of the 
CPA. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Brunton said SAF had moved its forces at night without 
informing the UN, but UNMIS located the troops as they crossed the 
border.  He said that 3,200 SAF troops are at Higilig and another 
600 at Kosti. He added that UNMIS estimates that a small percentage 
of SAF troops might remain south of the 1/1/56 border, but that 
these troops appear to be residents in those areas. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Brunton said the UN is concerned about 3,200 SAF forces 
located at Higilig and 3,800 SPLA forces at White Lake (both located 
near north of Bentiu). The close proximity of opposing forces is of 
great concern to UNMIS, so it has established a permanent 
observation post in the area, said Brunton. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Brunton said UNMIS does not have freedom of movement in the 
oil fields so they are unable to determine if the SAF or SPLA 
redeployed their troops out of the region.  However, he said UNMIS 
believes both armies remain in place in Abyei.  He said both the SAF 
and the SPLA are claiming that they have transitioned to Joint 
Integrated Units (JIUs) in Abyei.  Brunton dismissed these claims 
saying that only the UN can make that determination after SAF and 
SPLA troops have met the JIU requirements and after a formal UN 
declaration. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: Given their shared interest in the security of the 
oil fields, the SPLA is unlikely to push too hard for now on the 
SAF's total redeployment out of Abyei, though the border fighting 
with the Misseriya PDF remains a growing problem which is rapidly 
increasing tension. These Misseriya PDF penetrating into Northern 
Bahr al-Ghazal constitute an open provocation by the North against 
South Sudan, a provocation that has yet to catch the attention of 
UNMIS.  The SPLM will likely push instead for progress on the 
deployment of integrated JIUs.  The SPLA may keep some troops north 
of the 1/1/56 border as leverage on this issue and the Misseriya 
intervention. 
 
FERNANDEZ