VZCZCXRO3132
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0631/01 1331138
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131138Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3760
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0056
RUEHSUN/USUN ROME IT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000631 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/C 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
UN ROME FOR HSPANOS 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF EAID KPKO SOCI ASEC AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN - DONORS MEET WITH UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GERNERAL 
HOLMES 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 613 
B) KHARTOUM 593 
C) KHARTOUM 589 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) On May 10, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian 
Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes met with 
international donors, including U.S. Embassy and USAID/Sudan staff, 
to discuss the humanitarian situation in northern Sudan following 
the early March expulsion of non-governmental organizations (NGO). 
Participants also discussed recent displacement in Southern Sudan 
resulting from insecurity and inter-ethnic conflict.  According to 
Holmes, the government has taken significant steps to improve the 
operating environment in Darfur due largely to the U.S. Special 
Envoy's early April framework.  Since April, the government has 
completed the majority of technical agreements (TAs), issued 
multiple re-entry visas, and discussed allowing new NGO 
registration.  However, Holmes noted challenges to addressing gaps 
in northern Sudan and responding to new displacement in Southern 
Sudan, including resource issues, insecurity, and access 
difficulties.  Despite continuing doubts regarding the Sudanese 
government's intent to follow through on agreements, Holmes urged 
donors to continue to focus on humanitarian needs and support 
programs to address gaps.  END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------ 
NGO Expulsions and Gap Filling 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Since the early March NGO expulsions, the UN has pursued a 
three track approach in discussions with the Government of National 
Unity (GNU), consisting of advocating a reversal of the expulsions; 
addressing short-term, life-saving gaps in assistance through 
remaining organizations; and improving the operating environment. 
According to Holmes, over the past month, the Sudanese government 
has taken positive steps towards ensuring a more positive operating 
environment, mainly due to the early April negotiations between U.S. 
Special Envoy J. Scott Gration and the National Congress Party. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Among the positive initiatives, Holmes noted that the GNU 
has issued multiple re-entry visas and ministerial decrees easing 
bureaucratic impediments, completed the majority of Technical 
Agreements (TAs), and reaffirmed its commitment to the 2007 Joint 
Communique.  In addition, Holmes stated that the GNU is reviewing 
the possibility of allowing new NGOs to register in Sudan with new 
names and logos to address gaps in assistance.  Holmes mentioned 
that the government clarified that all NGOs have the option to 
register as new organizations, not only those associated with the 
Special Envoy's negotiations.  Holmes expressed appreciation for the 
government's more accommodating attitude and his hope that recent 
agreements will establish a more positive operating environment than 
existed prior to the March expulsions.  Holmes noted that the GNU's 
recent positive language in both private and public on addressing 
gaps, avoiding a crisis, and encouraging new NGO registrations 
differs from the government's previous rancorous stance towards 
NGOs. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) However, Holmes and other donors cautioned that recent 
agreements require full implementation in order to achieve concrete 
results.  The Canadian Charge d'Affaires noted concerns about 
encouraging new NGOs to register in Sudan under new names and logos, 
questioning how the international community could ensure that the 
government would not expel the agencies again.  Holmes emphasized 
that the decision on whether to register and return to Sudan 
ultimately rests with the individual NGOs, and GNU actions to date 
appear to demonstrate its willingness to comply with agreements. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In addition, Holmes noted challenges in implementing 
federal ministerial decrees in the Darfur states.  According to 
Holmes, a significant change in rhetoric has occurred in South 
Darfur state with regard to humanitarian operations; however, 
changes have been slow to advance at the field-level.  (Note:  In 
late April, NGOs reported that South Darfur authorities would not 
permit NGOs to travel to the state capital of Nyala using only a 
passport and GNU Humanitarian Aid Commission identification card, in 
 
KHARTOUM 00000631  002 OF 003 
 
 
clear contravention to the April 16 ministerial decree.  End Note.) 
To encourage actual change within Darfur states, Holmes emphasized 
that the High-Level Committee (HLC), which meets monthly to discuss 
bureaucratic impediments to program implementation, needs to be 
replicated within the Darfur states.  Holmes reported that this 
process has already begun through Tripartite Joint Technical 
Committees, which have been established in Darfur state capitals and 
Khartoum. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Holmes also noted discrepancies between government and UN 
reporting, with the government asserting that the UN has exaggerated 
needs estimates in Darfur and the UN stating that the government 
should not minimize needs.  (Note:  The UN estimates that the Darfur 
conflict has affected 4.7 million people and killed approximately 
300,000; however, the Sudanese government claims that the conflict 
has killed "only" 10,000 people.  End Note.)  Holmes also 
highlighted reporting limitations in the field, which have hampered 
the humanitarian community's ability to assess assistance gaps 
following the expulsions.  To resolve discrepancies, the UN, donors 
and the GNU agreed at the May 7 HLC meeting to develop joint 
assessment teams to monitor and evaluate commitments, needs, and 
programs in the three Darfur states (ref. A). 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Holmes reported that insecurity remains a challenge to 
improving the operating environment and addressing gaps in Darfur. 
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs (OCHA), assaults, carjackings, and humanitarian staff 
abductions have impeded humanitarian service delivery in all three 
Darfur states.  Since March 11, armed groups have abducted at least 
nine aid workers in Darfur, including the recent abduction of four 
international staff, who were later released unharmed.  As a result, 
some NGOs have relocated staff from Darfur to Khartoum, and the GNU 
has increased its security presence in high-risk areas.  In eastern 
Sudan, Holmes noted that while the government seeks increased 
international assistance to this area, it has made traveling to the 
location extremely difficult. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) According to Holmes, while the GNU, the UN, and remaining 
NGOs have covered the most critical, life-saving assistance gaps, 
significant gaps remain in northern Sudan.  Holmes noted education 
and protection as particular areas of concern.  The GNU continues to 
assert that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees does 
not have a mandate to provide assistance to internally displaced 
persons (IDPs) (ref A).  Holmes said that the international 
community needs to continue to push the government to accept that 
humanitarian work also includes protection activities. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Holmes noted ongoing gaps in assistance in rural areas and 
Zam Zam IDP camp in North Darfur.  (Note:  Since January 2009, 
nearly 50,000 IDPs have arrived at Zam Zam camp due to conflict and 
insecurity in South Darfur, according to Holmes.  (Note: Zam Zam was 
designed to accommodate 65,000 individuals, but according to 
estimates by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) the 
camp currently holds between 95,000 and 100,000 people, straining 
limited camp resources.  End Note.)  Although Zam Zam is beyond its 
capacity, the Sudanese government has not yet identified a site for 
a new Zam Zam camp IDPs despite repeated requests to do so. 
 
--------------- 
The Three Areas 
--------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Holmes anticipates that the GNU and the UN will release 
the joint assessment on the Three Areas (Abyei, Southern Blue Nile, 
and Southern Kordofan) in the coming days, pending results from 
Southern Kordofan state.  Based on preliminary results, Holmes 
reported that the expulsions have left considerable gaps in the 
Three Areas, which will be more difficult to fill, since fewer 
organizations operate there.  According to Holmes, individuals in 
the Three Areas feel strongly that peacebuilding and governance 
programs will be at-risk if organizations are not allowed to return. 
 Holmes reported that the UN, in accordance with the Special Envoy's 
framework, already has proposed creating a separate Joint Communique 
on the Three Areas to resolve challenges to program implementation, 
similar to the 2007 Joint Communique for Darfur.  According to 
Holmes, the plan has received a positive response from Sudan 
People's Liberation Movement representatives. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000631  003 OF 003 
 
 
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Southern Sudan 
-------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) On May 8, Holmes visited southern Sudan to monitor recent 
displacements due to interethnic violence and Lord's Resistance Army 
(LRA) attacks.  Since January 2009, inter-ethnic violence and LRA 
attacks have killed up to 1,000 people and displaced more than 
100,000 others in southern Sudan, according to OCHA.  In Akobo 
County, Jonglei State, inter-ethnic violence between the Murle and 
Nuer tribal groups has killed hundreds of people and displaced more 
than 22,000 individuals since March, according to the UN.  Holmes 
reported that displaced individuals are in need of shelter, 
additional food aid, and emergency relief supplies.  However, access 
remains a significant constraint to relief operations, as the area 
is difficult to reach by road.  While noting that security 
conditions have improved recently, Holmes reported that conflict 
continues.  Reconciliation efforts are underway, but both groups 
remain heavily armed, contributing to the tense security 
environment.  Holmes appealed for a peaceful resolution of problems 
through dialogue and a process of voluntary disarmament. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) In Juba, Holmes met with Government of Southern Sudan 
Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar to discuss customs issues, LRA 
attacks, and how to mitigate ethnic conflicts.  According to Holmes, 
ongoing violence threatens development initiatives in the south and 
has forced some agencies to suspend plans to transfer health 
programs to the government.  Holmes noted that agencies also are 
concerned about lack of resources in 2009 to meet increased needs. 
According to OCHA, agencies estimate that the number of at-risk 
individuals will increase by 20 to 30 percent in Southern Sudan 
during the second half of 2009.  Holmes noted the importance of 
acknowledging challenges in southern Sudan, stating, "it is not in 
our interest to see that it (southern Sudan) turns into a failed 
state." 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶13.  (SBU) Closing the meeting, Holmes reiterated that whatever 
doubts donors have about the GNU, "the needs of the people in Darfur 
have not changed."  To move forward, Holmes noted that there would 
be resource challenges in addressing gaps, as well as to respond to 
new displacements in southern Sudan.  To address gaps in northern 
Sudan, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(USAID/OFDA) is working with partners to expand programs and areas 
of operations.  In southern Sudan, USAID/OFDA supports IOM's 
distribution of emergency relief supplies and its provision of 
water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance to individuals affected by 
LRA attacks.  In the coming months, USAID/OFDA anticipates funding 
new NGO activities in LRA-affected areas of Western Equatoria State. 
 
 
FERNANDEZ