VZCZCXRO2825
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0945/01 1771329
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251329Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1161
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0072
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0249
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0081
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0240

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000945 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, PRM, AF SE WILLIAMSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SP, USAID/W DCHA SUDAN 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO 
FAS GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND BPITTMAN 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
NEW YORK FOR FSHANKS 
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN 
USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT: ABYEI IDPS: HUMANITARIAN UPDATE 
 
REFS: A) KHARTOUM 0540 B) KHARTOUM 0807 
 
KHARTOUM 00000945  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. Begin Summary:  On June 20 and 21, a team from USAID's Office of 
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) conducted a follow-up 
assessment of Agok area, where an estimated 27,000 internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) from Abyei have been displaced to since 
mid-May.  The USAID team reported an improvement in the living 
situation for the majority of the Abyei IDPs due to the provision of 
relief commodities including plastic sheeting and household items. 
While the humanitarian response has met the immediate needs of the 
IDPs through the provision of food aid, relief commodities, and safe 
drinking water, the USAID team noted that the malnutrition problem 
reported during the first USAID assessment (REF B) has not been 
resolved and is now particularly worrisome.  Despite the recent 
signing of the Abyei roadmap agreement, relief agencies, community 
leaders, and IDPs do not believe that the IDPs in Agok town will 
return to Abyei very soon.  IDPs and community leaders listed 
several preconditions for voluntary IDP return to Abyei, including a 
stable security situation, the presence of UN and non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), and instructions to return from the 
government.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE ONE MONTH ON 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. During the USAID team's visits to IDP sites around the Agok area, 
the team noted that most displaced families had constructed shelters 
using plastic sheets, poles, and other locally available materials. 
NGOs reported that all IDP families had received at least one 
package of relief commodities, including mats, cooking pots, 
blankets, water containers, and mosquito nets.  However, a second 
distribution of key items, particularly plastic sheeting, would 
assist the households in strengthening and expanding the shelters to 
withstand heavy seasonal rains.  With USAID/OFDA funding, Mercy 
Corps is constructing approximately 400 semi-permanent shelters for 
vulnerable families, using poles and plastic sheeting donated from 
the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).  In addition, GOAL is planning to 
construct a household latrine for each new shelter. 
 
¶3.  The USAID team visited two food distribution sites where relief 
workers were distributing one-month rations that included 
USAID-donated sorghum, pulses, and vegetable oil.  The food 
distribution is managed by Save the Children/US (SC/US) and the UN 
World Food Program (WFP).  USAID staff report that the observed food 
distributions were orderly and well organized. Because the roads are 
already muddy and will become impassable due to the seasonal rains, 
implementing partners plan to distribute two-month food rations to 
remote IDP sites. 
 
¶4. Relief agencies have made progress in constructing emergency 
latrines and increasing access to safe drinking water.  However, 
additional latrines are needed to ensure improved sanitation in the 
overcrowded IDP sites.  Health services provided by the Ministry of 
Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), and USAID partner GOAL are 
meeting the needs of the population.  SC/US is actively assisting 
unaccompanied children to locate families and is planning to 
establish three child-friendly spaces in and around Agok, with USAID 
support. 
 
¶5. Although coordination is strong among NGOs in Agok, coordination 
between UN agencies and NGOs needs strengthening. (Note:  Rapid 
turnover of key UN agency staff that are technical sector leads, has 
frustrated NGO staff who have to brief incoming UN staff and 
repeatedly provide information on their activities. End Note.) 
 
¶6. In addition to meeting the most urgent, immediate needs of the 
Abyei IDPs, relief agencies have initiated additional projects, 
including livelihood programs and activities for children and youth, 
to help normalize the lives of the Abyei IDPs.  Dry spells during 
June enabled relief agencies to access all IDP sites and 
pre-position food and medicine for the upcoming rainy season. 
 
KHARTOUM 00000945  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
---------------------------------- 
MALNUTRITION CONTINUES TO INCREASE 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶7. The humanitarian community's major concern remains the high 
levels of malnutrition among the Abyei IDPs.  Fully understanding 
the causes and extent of the malnutrition problem is difficult 
because a general nutrition survey has not yet been conducted.  At 
the onset of the Abyei crisis, malnutrition was already a concern 
for humanitarian agencies (REF B).  However, most humanitarian staff 
believed that once the food aid reached the affected communities, 
the nutrition situation would improve.  Despite successful food 
distributions, the trend in malnutrition has not improved, according 
to MSF and GOAL. 
 
¶8.  MSF staff have confirmed a significant malnutrition problem 
among Abyei IDPs, even though no official survey is available.  The 
three GOAL clinics that are currently serving IDPs are referring 2 
to 3 cases of severe malnutrition to MSF each day, a trend that was 
not present before the arrival of the IDPs.  For cases of moderate 
malnutrition, GOAL and MSF, the primary health NGOs in Agok, provide 
plumpy nut, a peanut butter-like ready-to-use product that is high 
in calories and nutritional value. During the week of June 30, MSF 
is planning to conduct a nutrition survey among the population to 
identify the underlying causes of the increased malnutrition.  Prior 
to the results of the survey, MSF plans to assist the severely 
malnourished by opening a 100-bed therapeutic feeding center in 
Agok.  In addition, GOAL and MSF have increased outreach to IDP 
households and active screening for children under the age of five. 
MSF reports that many malnourished children are not being brought to 
the health facilities, making house-to-house outreach and screening 
important. 
 
¶9. Currently, humanitarian agencies do not know the exact cause of 
the malnutrition problem among Abyei IDPs.  Field staff noted that 
the origin of the continuing deterioration of the nutrition 
situation it is uncertain, particularly as NGOs report that 
communities are getting food assistance.  MSF and GOAL have not seen 
high levels of diarrhea or measles among the population, factors 
that often contribute to malnutrition.  Health agencies on the 
ground concur about the existence of a problem and are scaling up 
emergency response programs to treat the malnutrition cases, but 
still have not identified the root cause of the problem.  WFP is 
considering providing a blanket supplementary feeding for children 
under five years of age.  Finding a way to reverse the increasing 
trend in malnutrition among the population will require further 
analysis and attention. 
 
------------------------- 
RETURN TO ABYEI UNCERTAIN 
------------------------- 
 
¶10. USAID interviewed UN and NGO staff, community leaders, and 
several IDPs in the Agok area, who all told the team the IDPs in 
Agok are not planning on returning to Abyei in the near future. 
Despite the signing of the Abyei Road Map, Abyei IDPs are wary of 
the nascent agreement and plan to wait and see if security returns 
and if the Sudanese Armed Forces withdraw from the town.  The IDP 
community is still traumatized from the fighting and the subsequent 
displacement. 
 
¶11. Aid agencies report that some IDPs, mostly men, have made 
go-and-see visits to areas north of the River Kiir to check on the 
status of their communities.  At the time of the USAID visit, there 
was no indication that a large-scale voluntary return by the IDP 
community was likely to occur in the coming weeks or months.  Relief 
workers predict that some of the villages south of Abyei and north 
of the River Kiir will be the first sites of return, as the villages 
south of Abyei are believed to be less damaged and potentially 
easier for community returns.  In addition, IDPs who initially fled 
to Turalei, Wau, or Bentiu have returned to Agok to await the time 
 
KHARTOUM 00000945  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
that return to Abyei is possible, according to relief agencies. 
 
¶12. The humanitarian community awaits a UN-led interagency 
humanitarian assessment to Abyei before NGOs can make decisions 
about whether to return and how to position humanitarian operations 
in the new context.  Humanitarian agencies, including GOAL, SC/US, 
MSF, Mercy Corps, and the UN Office for the Coordination of 
Humanitarian Affairs, plan to position themselves where the IDPs are 
and focus on meeting the needs of IDPs.  Even if Abyei opens up to 
aid agencies, many humanitarian organizations may remain positioned 
in Agok if that is where the IDP populations opt to remain. 
 
-------- 
Comments 
-------- 
 
¶13. The political pressure for Abyei IDPs to return to Abyei quickly 
is likely to be high in the coming weeks, particularly if the peace 
agreement continues to progress.  As the way forward on Abyei is 
planned, humanitarian agencies and donors must keep the 
international principles of return in mind.  International 
principles stipulate that returns must be voluntary and dignified 
and return to destinations safe and suitable for habitation. 
 
¶14. Embassy Khartoum will continue to closely follow the 
humanitarian response and continue working with partners on the 
ground to ensure that IDP needs are met.  USAID will remain engaged 
on the Khartoum-based UN planning process for reconstruction and 
return to Abyei.  Post is concerned about the elevated malnutrition 
rates among Abyei IDPs and will continue to investigate the 
underlying causes.  We will continue to urge early progress on the 
full implementation of the Abyei Road Map agreement and monitor the 
political context in which the humanitarian response to the needs of 
Abyei IDPs operates. 
 
FERNANDEZ