VZCZCXRO9304
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1440/01 2671139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231139Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1967
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001440 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, PM/WRA PVILLANO 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC KHDP KPKO AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: UN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DEMINING PROGRAMS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The United Nations Mine Action Office (UNMAO) and 
its contractors expect a 90 per cent success rate in clearing mines 
and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) in Sudan prior to a mid-2011 program 
handover to national authorities.  Even with the current optimism, 
UNMAO doesn't realistically expect to completely depart in 2011, as 
they believe donors will demand further oversight.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Poloff met with officials from UNMAO, the United Nations 
Development Program (UNDP), and the National Mine Action Center 
between Sept 13-16 to discuss current demining efforts and programs 
before the scheduled 2011 transition to national authorities.  Nigel 
Forrestal, Acting Program Director for UNMAO, informed Poloff he 
expects a 90 per cent removal rate of all mines and UXOs from the 24 
Sudanese states prior to June, 2011. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Despite his optimism, Forrestal said UNMAO doesn't 
realistically expect to depart in 2011 as the organization's 
leadership anticipates donors will demand further oversight.  UNMAO 
expects that 30 per cent of its staff will remain past 2011 and 2014 
will be a more realistic program completion date.  He said the 
additional time will allow UNMAO to complete accreditation of local 
authorities. 
 
Local NGO development as the way forward 
----------------------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Qadeem Tariq, the Senior Technical Advisor for the UNDP, 
anticipates the creation of new Sudanese demining NGOs in the next 
few years that will need on-going training.  As more than 80 per 
cent of current demining workers are Sudanese middle management and 
below, he said staffing the new NGOs should be fairly simple, as 
these workers can be easily absorbed by the new NGOs and retrained. 
He envisions 15 training teams specializing in awareness, clearance 
or victims' assistance. 
 
South Kordofan takes a holistic approach 
----------------------------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) Marco Buono, the Program Manager for the Danish Church Aid 
(DCA) in Southern Kordofan, said that DCA is restructuring its 
programs.  He will merge survey, Mine Risk Education (MRE), and 
Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) teams into eight to ten person 
multi-task teams which will complete the spectrum of operations from 
technical survey to mine removal and community education.  Buono 
feels this shift to a more holistic approach will greatly enhance 
the efficiency and timeliness of DCA programs.  The teams will be 
fully integrated and operational before March 2009.  He hopes to 
receive additional funding for a permanent, national training 
facility to standardize procedures and build capacity. 
 
Nuba Mountains sees development and tribal cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
¶6. (SBU) Maluk Ruya Abugrenat, Manager of the Nuba Mountains Mine 
Action Sudan (NMMAS) Program, reported an increase in security in 
the area, which has enticed local populations to return (an increase 
in security compared to pre-CPA).  He noted a trend in low-level 
sustainable development and tribal cooperation as businesses work 
together to make up for lost time.  He anticipates that with the 
returning population, more areas will be surveyed and more mines 
will be found, especially along the Ethiopian border.  (Comment: 
This prediction is also somewhat ominous, as returning populations 
are likely to discover mine fields by accident. End comment.)   He 
also noted the addition of the "Bozena 4" remotely controlled mine 
clearance flail machine obtained in 2002 as a key to their continued 
operational success.  Abugrenat's team reports clearing more than 
77,936 square meters this year. 
 
Northern Regional Operations hindered by politics 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶7. (SBU) Diek Engelbrecht, Coordinator for Northern Regional 
Operations for UNMAO, affirmed 19 high impact areas will be cleared 
by December and expects to start operations in Jonglei and Upper 
Nile in June.  Kassala and Damazin will still have a combined, 
thirty-six highly- impacted communities to be addressed, but 
Engelbrecht believes that by 2011 all "highly-impacted" communities 
will be cleared.  Kassala remains politically sensitive, as both 
local and national officials have a hand in the permit process for 
the Eritrean border.  As a result, much of the border area remains 
un-surveyed despite the likely of WWII-era UXOs. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Englebrecht lauds the MRE program, which has led to a 
decline in the number of civilian mine victims. He attributed this 
to the fact that starting in 2006  internally-displaced persons 
benefited from mine awareness education programs.   He voiced 
concern, however, that the number of mine victims is much higher 
given poor communications infrastructure and a reluctance on the 
part of medical personnel to take the time to report casualties. 
This prevents some data from reaching the UNMAO. 
 
Darfur: Robust MRE program, but operationally stalled 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
KHARTOUM 00001440  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) Nigel Forrestal (UNMAO) reported that operations in Darfur 
are stalled due to insecurity in the area.  He said contractor 
JASMAR can currently only react to "pin-point operations" (UXO spot 
tasks).  Reconnaissance operations are very difficult given the 
current loss of nine vehicles this year due to carjacking.  Mine 
Tech International and MECHEM contractors will be handling road 
clearance starting from the south.  This should begin in October. 
The MRE program is strong and is focused on educating IDPs on what 
to look for as they return home.  However, economic necessity means 
some will still choose selling scrap metal (when vehicles are 
destroyed by mines) over the danger of handling UXOs. 
 
Overall Challenges 
------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) All contacts reported that bad weather will limit 
operations from July until October.  In addition, roads, markers, 
and UXOs will shift following heavy rains, creating an additional 
hazard.  The intense heat of Sudan and heavy protective gear prevent 
teams from working at full strength, and they must constantly rotate 
in 30-45 minute shifts.  Christina Greene, UNMAO Program Officer 
said that surveys for Darfur and the Chadian borders have yet to be 
completed, which may mean more mine/UXO areas are still 
unregistered.  Contacts reported that customs procedures continue to 
hold up equipment, and the ongoing delays for visas and travel 
permits will complicate on-going operations.  In addition, theft of 
equipment in shipment status to Darfur remains a continuing 
problem. 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Despite UNMAO's optimism, political uncertainty alone (let 
alone the logistical challenges due to weather, poor roads, etc.) 
suggests that a completion of a 90 per cent level in currently-known 
mine/UXO areas may be unrealistic.  Moreover, there is still a lack 
of survey data for Darfur and the Eritrean and Chadian borders.  If 
one of UNMAO's goals is for Sudanese organizations to take over a 
functional de-mining program in 2011, UNMAO should consider giving 
greater emphasis to training and coordination programs.  This will 
facilitate local NGOs beginning to take over UN demining projects in 
¶2011. 
 
FERNANDEZ