VZCZCXRO7319
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0238/01 0531451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221451Z FEB 09 ZDK CTG NUMEROUS SERVICES
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3037
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000238 
 
DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/C 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: Ed Daein Humanitarian Update 
 
KHARTOUM 00000238  001.3 OF 003 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  During February 1-3 a joint USAID assessment team comprised of 
representatives from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster 
Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and the USAID Mission Program Office visited 
Ed Daein, South Darfur.  The team monitored USAID/OFDA-funded 
programs and assessed the humanitarian conditions and management of 
USAID-funded programs.  USAID/OFDA-funded projects in Ed Daein 
provide shelter to internally-displaced populations, improve food 
security through support to agriculture production and 
income-generation activities, increase access to safe drinking water 
and sanitation, and provide hygiene education through USAID/OFDA 
partners Solidarites and the United Methodist Committee on Relief 
(UMCOR).  During the assessment, USAID partners working in Ed Daein 
reported that insecurity, restricted access, and bureaucratic 
impediments continue to hamper the effective and safe delivery of 
humanitarian services to affected populations and force many 
humanitarian organizations to operate programs through remote 
management. End Summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  During February 1-3, a joint assessment mission comprised of 
representatives from USAID/OFDA and the USAID Mission Program Office 
visited Ed Daein, South Darfur.  While in South Darfur, the team met 
with representatives from U.N. agencies, HAC local authorities and 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  The purpose of the visit was 
to monitor USAID-funded activities in Ed Daein and enhance USAID's 
collective understanding of the regional environment to better 
inform USAID/OFDA's funding strategy for Darfur. This was the first 
visit to Ed Daien by USAID in more than a year. 
 
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WHY IS ED DAEIN IMPORTANT? 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Ed Daein is situated 160 km southeast of Nyala, South Darfur. 
Located on the major transport route (both road and rail) between 
Khartoum and the rest of Darfur, Ed Daein is a strategic town and a 
hub for Southern Sudanese civilians returning to Southern Sudan via 
Northern Bahr al Ghazel State.  Ed Daein was previously a slave 
trading post for abducted Southern Sudanese during the 1972-2004 
north-south civil war.  Ed Daein continues to be home to 
approximately 10,000 Southern Sudanese internally-displaced persons 
(IDPs) in Khor Omar Camp, located outside of Ed Daein, as well as El 
Ferdous camp, located approximately 80 km southeast of Ed Daein. A 
third camp, El Neem is a few kms outside Ed Daein and houses IDPs 
displaced from within South Darfur State. The dominant ethnic group 
in Ed Daein is the ethnic Arabic Baggara (cattle-herding) Rizeiget, 
but there are also non-Arab ethnic groups including the Zaghawa. 
The Maaliya (Arab) ethnic group inhabits the area northwest of Ed 
Daein.  In addition, in June and July 2008, local sources reported a 
heavy presence of nomadic tribes west of Ed Daein, during the 
group's migration to North Darfur and in October and November 2008 
as the group moved to the southern grazing lands. 
 
¶4.  Since 2004, the continual conflict in South Darfur has displaced 
communities in the villages surrounding Ed Daein town.  IDPs have 
frequently sought refuge in camps or with family members living in 
more-secure communities.  The influx of IDPs to the Ed Daein area 
has put a strain on the already limited resources in the host 
communities as well in the camps.  The Baggara Rizeigat, who have 
generally not been involved in the fighting in Darfur, have been 
tolerant of the desperate newcomers but the lack of basic services 
continues to be a potential source of conflict as populations vie 
for limited resources.  USAID/OFDA partners UMCOR and Solidarites 
provide humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations in 
camps, as well as in the surrounding rural areas. 
 
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EL NEEM CAMP 
------------ 
 
¶5.  One of the most visible outputs of activities implemented by the 
USAID/OFDA-funded partners is the coordination of services to 
approximately 56,691 IDPs at El Neem camp.  USAID staff went to El 
Neem camp during their recent visit, assessing camp conditions as 
well as partner programs for the burgeoning camp population. 
USAID/OFDA funding supports United Methodist Committee on Relief 
(UMCOR) in their role as camp coordinator for humanitarian services 
for the IDPs. To date, UMCOR has completed construction of a brick 
 
KHARTOUM 00000238  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
camp coordination center that is a meeting site for local IDP 
leaders, implementing partners, and government authorities.  The 
camp also includes a newly-constructed IDP reception site that 
operates as a 10-day transit center for new arrivals.  The reception 
area ensures temporary shelter for new arrivals while the displaced 
wait to be registered, allocated a plot of land, and to receive a 
food ration card.  During the initial 10-day stay in the reception 
area, IDPs also receive instructions on proper construction of a 
shelter and are provided a shelter kit.  According to USAID staff, 
both the coordination center and reception site were very well 
organized and laid out to fulfill the centers' purposes. 
 
¶6.  Implementing partners Solidarites and UMCOR coordinate in the 
provision of water and sanitation and hygiene activities throughout 
El Neem camp.  UMCOR constructs latrine slabs and pit liners while 
Solidarities mobilizes the community members to construct latrines, 
trains local women as hygiene educators, and provides sessions with 
community members on hygiene and sanitation information.  UMCOR also 
conducts an income-generating project, which engages IDP women to 
weave mats which are then used as the latrine superstructure.  For 
ease of distribution to new arrivals, humanitarian partners store 
latrine slabs, pit liners, and shelter kit components in the 
reception center.  USAID staff also had the opportunity to observe a 
well-attended hygiene-training session in El Neem camp.  The session 
was highly interactive and community members appeared active and 
engaged. 
 
¶7.  During the February 2 visit to El Neem Camp, USAID staff noted 
long queues at the water distribution points around 1200 hours. 
According to the Office of Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES), 
which is responsible for oprating the water pumps, each pump 
requires one barrel or (200 liters of fuel) to run the pump for one 
day.  On February 2, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and 
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) only allowed WES 
to transport two jerry cans of fuel per pump (total 40 liters). 
Having only 20 percent of the needed fuel supply decreased supply of 
water for the camp residents. 
 
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"REMOTE MANAGEMENT" 
------------------- 
 
¶8.  Access to the rural areas outside Ed Daein town is a constant 
challenge for NGOs.  This is due in part to insecurity but also to 
the refusal of HAC and NISS to issue travel permits, particularly to 
Shearia locality, the area north of Ed Daein (Shearia has been an 
area of instability as the JEM rebel group, SLM-MM and the GOS vied 
for supremacy in late January/early February).  The recent local 
insecurity has further restricted the movement of UMCOR and 
Solidarities. Previously, the aid organizations had communicated 
directly with commanders in the rebel-held areas to share 
information on the security situation and the direct communication 
allowed the organizations to alert the local commanders of NGOs 
planned movements.  Due to recent clashes and continued confusion 
regarding which group controls specific territory outside of Ed 
Daein town, direct communication between humanitarian staff and 
armed opposition groups is no longer an effective mechanism for 
relief agencies to coordinate the delivery of assistance.  In 
reality, implementing agencies depend solely on community networks 
they have established within surrounding villages with local 
community members for security updates. Due to insecurity, UMCOR has 
been unable to visit El Ferdous camp in more than six months. As a 
result of constantly restricted access, UMCOR and Solidarites 
operate by "remote management", a method of program management 
employed by many of USAID/OFDA's implementing partners, which relies 
primarily on locally established committees such as the water 
committee in the camp and locally recruited staff from the area to 
coordinate camp activities and to ensure the optimal functioning of 
equipment.  Although remote management has recently become one of 
the only ways for humanitarian agencies and international donors to 
continue to provide assistance to the people of Darfur, the 
mechanism is far from ideal and prevents donors and other key actors 
from directly overseeing and implementing life-saving programs. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
IN-TOWN TRAININGS RATHER THAN RURAL ACCESS 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶9.  Due to limited access to the rural areas around Ed Daien, 
Solidarites carries out all capacity-building activities in Ed Deain 
town. On the day of the visit, USAID staff witnessed a combined 
training between the Ministry of Agriculture and Solidarites 
national staff for community-based farmers from rural villages in 
Shearia locality on new agriculture techniques.  Following the 
training session, the newly-trained farmers returned to home 
 
KHARTOUM 00000238  003.3 OF 003 
 
 
villages and shared the new information and improved agriculture 
techniques with community members. Humanitarian agencies use a 
similar "training of trainers" methodology to train community 
livestock workers who undergo basic and refresher training in Ed 
Daein town every six months. 
 
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COMMENT 
-------- 
 
¶10.  Due to ongoing insecurity and regime bureaucratic impediments 
that restrict access and humanitarian space throughout South Darfur, 
USAID/OFDA-funded partners continue to implement life-saving 
programs in rural areas by relying on remote management mechanisms. 
Despite the valiant work of local staff and camp committees, better 
access to the camps is required if programs are to be implemented 
effectively.  Despite the challenges, USAID/OFDA partners UMCOR and 
Solidarites are striving to adequately and effectively meet the 
humanitarian needs of IDPs located in and around Ed Daein town. 
 
FERNANDEZ