VZCZCXRO4980
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0697/01 1481435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281435Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3874
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000697 
 
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 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: CODEL ISAKSON VISIT TO EL FASHER, DARFUR, MAY 24, 2009 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 693 
B) KHARTOUM 507 
C) KHARTOUM 684 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Senator Johnny Isakson, Senator Bob Corker, Mrs. 
Dianne Isakson, CDA a.i. Mark Asquino and accompanying emboffs 
traveled to El Fasher, Darfur on May 24 to meet with 
internally-displaced persons (IDPs), humanitarian representatives 
and officials at UNAMID.  Osman Kibir, the Wali (appointed-governor) 
of North Darfur, welcomed the delegation by saying, "It is very 
important for Sudanese-U.S. relations not to deteriorate."  Visiting 
Abu Shouk IDP camp, the delegation spoke with residents who had been 
displaced by the conflict in 2003, but who claimed that security 
concerns kept them from returning home.  At UNAMID, Joint Special 
Representative (JSR) Rodolphe Adada warned that the Chad-Sudan 
conflict risks becoming an international war.  Additionally, the 
senators were told by UNAMID officials that they  lack sufficient 
logistical and engineering components to attain UNAMID's 
 desired presence on the ground in Darfur, and without a peace deal, 
 UNAMID remains unable to fulfill its mandate.  Two Fur IDP leaders 
pleaded with the delegation for increased international attention on 
Darfur, and Sudanese Liberation Army factional leader Minni Minnawi 
(SLA/MM) questioned whether or not the t the U.S. intends to 
maintain its focus on Darfur. End summary. 
 
THE OFFICIAL LINE 
----------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Arriving at the office of the Wali  of North Darfur in El 
Fasher on the morning of May 24, Osman Mohamed Kibir greeted the 
delegation with a display of Darfuri culture.  Dancers and drummers 
from the Fur, Zaghawa, and assorted Arab tribes in traditional garb 
danced  on the lawn of the Wali's office with local television 
cameras in tow.  Seated in his conference room with various GOS 
representatives in North Darfur, Wali Kibir thanked the Senators for 
coming to Darfur, and frequently assured the assembled USG 
representatives that their presence was welcomed in Darfur.  "We 
appreciate the role of American humanitarian agencies in Darfur. 
These agencies play an important role," he said, adding, "It is very 
important for U.S.-Sudanese relations not to deteriorate."  On 
humanitarian issues, Kibir called the situation "stable," denying 
there were any health epidemics, and boasting that rates of maternal 
and infant mortality in the IDP camps was similar to that of 
urbanized areas in Darfur. 
 
IDP CONCERNS 
------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) With a security escort provided by the UNAMID Indonesian 
Formed Police Unit, the delegation proceeded to Abu Shouk IDP camp, 
located in El Fasher and home to over 40,000 residents.  At a 
makeshift community center whose thatched walls had blown over in 
high winds earlier in the day, a group of Fur Umdas (traditional 
leaders) detailed the difficulties of living in the camp and the 
lack of choices for the future ahead.  Displaced in 2004 from 
now-uninhabited areas northwest of El Fasher, the Umdas said that 
they would return to their home villages if security permitted, but 
neither the GOS nor UNAMID could provide sufficient security for 
them to feel safe enough to return.  "We don't want to live in this 
camp," one Umda told them, and then added:    "We want to go home." 
The delegation toured the camp, visiting camp clinics formerly run 
by international NGOs expelled from Sudan and now directed by 
Sudan's Ministry of Health.  In addition, they saw the mud-walled 
home of a middle-aged widow who had lived in the camp for five 
years.  Although pleased that her children were able to attend 
kindergarten in the camp, she said she had fled war in the 
countryside to find herself with no options at Abu Shouk IDP camp. 
When asked what she feared the most, she said "being caught up in 
warfare again." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Concerned for their safety after the arrest of another 
prominent IDP leader in El Fasher the previous week, two Abu Shouk 
IDP leaders agreed to meet with the Codel in the privacy of a U.S. 
Embassy temporary staff residence in El Fasher.  Abdalla Adam 
Basher, chairman of the Fur Shura Council in North Darfur, and 
Abulbasher Ali Uthman, the non-GOS-appointed Umda in Abu Shouk IDP 
camp, thanked the U.S. repeatedly for its assistance to Darfur, but 
reminded the gathering that key international initiatives in Darfur 
have yet to gain any significant traction among IDPs.  On the 
security situation, Uthman said that IDPs would never return to 
their homes as long as they do not feel protected.  He added that 
without any confidence in the power of UNAMID to provide security to 
go home, they would remain indefinitely in the camps. 
 
MINNAWI 
 
KHARTOUM 00000697  002 OF 002 
 
 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Minni Minnawi, Senior Assistant to the President of Sudan 
and leader of the SLA/MM rebel faction, met briefly with the 
delegation to detail his dissatisfaction with the international 
community following the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement.  Less critical 
of the GOS than in the past (ref C), Minnawi voiced concern that the 
U.S. would not retain its focus on Darfur due to the global 
financial meltdown and its increasing attention to implementation of 
the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).  Reassured by the 
delegation that the U.S. has acted swiftly to appoint a new 
Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan, and is currently actively 
participating and encouraging others to join Darfur peace talks in 
Doha, Minnawi thanked the delegation for its visit.  He expressed 
hope that they would soon return to a peaceful and developed 
Darfur. 
 
UNAMID 
------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) UNAMID JSR Rodolphe Adada, Deputy JSR Henry Anyidoho and 
UNAMID Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai all thanked the 
delegation for continued U.S. assistance during a briefing at UNAMID 
on the afternoon of May 24.  The delegation was told that UNAMID 
currently stands at 68 percent of full deployment, and senior UNAMID 
representatives agreed that the hands-on involvement of the U.S. 
through the Friends of UNAMID has assisted in improving its 
peacekeeping presence in Darfur. UNAMID's prognosis of the situation 
in Darfur remains pessimistic, as DJSR Anyidoho warned, "There is a 
very high risk of a proxy war (between Sudan and Chad) escalating to 
an international war."  Anyidoho estimated that a ceasefire would 
solve half of Darfur's problems, and JSR Adada seconded his 
analysis, adding, "We do not have a peace agreement, but UNAMID is 
here to assist in the implementation of a peace agreement.  This is 
our challenge." 
 
¶7. (SBU) As Darfur approaches the rainy season, UNAMID will face 
increased difficulties in deploying its assets amid conditions that 
limit mobility.  Short on both logistical assets and engineering 
resources, UNAMID struggles to "make do," but key contributions to 
the functioning of the operation remain unpledged. UNAMID leadership 
said they did not foresee these needed donor contributions as 
forthcoming.  Asked by the delegation if UNAMID felt the current 
deployment levels could meet the needs of Darfur, Colonel Noddy 
Stafford, the UK Chief of J5 plans for the peacekeeping force, said 
the numbers are currently sufficient, but UNAMID's mandate must be 
interpreted more robustly if Darfuris are going to feel the 
protective impact of the force.  "There are opportunities to be 
robust, and our mandate gives us sufficient latitude to lead in 
situations that require our involvement," Stafford said.  JSR Adada 
added that even at full deployment, UNAMID would still not have key 
aviation assets needed to help the hybrid force  in monitoring an 
eventual ceasefire, as well as in overcoming the immense challenges 
presented by the sheer size of Darfur. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Codel Isakson is the third high-level U.S. delegation to 
visit Darfur in the last two months, following those by Codel Kerry 
and Special Envoy Gration.   Darfuris, from the most empowered NCP 
hardliners to the most marginalized IDPs, enthusiastically  welcomed 
Codel Isakson's day-long visit to the troubled region.  Pressure 
from the Wali for visitors to meet only with NCP-approved Darfuris 
appears to have lessened, and the presence of a UNAMID Formed Police 
Unity  accompanying the delegation  resulted in a reduction of the 
overbearing GOS security presence that usually accompanies 
high-level foreign visitors  in El Fasher.  The scope of the visit, 
which included meetings with critics of the GoS, would have been 
impossible a year ago.  It demonstrates that diplomacy and 
engagement with the NCP regime can pay subtle and unpredictable 
rewards.  The GOS is showing signs that it will encourage similar 
delegations in the near future, while simultaneously showing 
restraint and avoiding civilian casualties in response to this 
week's JEM attacks against its Sudanese Armed Forces in western 
North Darfur (ref D).  Although we doubt there has been any 
long-term change in GoS policy toward IDPs in Darfur, at least for 
the moment, it is on relatively good behavior by the standards of 
this regime. End comment. 
 
ASQUINO