VZCZCXRO1163
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0934 2241044
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121044Z AUG 09 ZDK DUE TO NUMEROUS SVCS
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4244
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000934 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LELLIS 
DEPT PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF KPKO AU SU
SUBJECT: SEVENTEEN ARRESTED IN CRACKDOWN FOLLOWING CAMP MURDER 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 901 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Seventeen people have been detained in Abu Shouk 
and Al Salam Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps following the 
murder of a pro-government umda (community leader) on August 2, 
according to IDP community contacts.  UNAMID Human Rights has 
confirmed that at least 13 people are being detained, most of the 
detainees are Fur.  The Fur Shura Council in North Darfur is 
assisting the detainees in obtaining legal representation.  Police 
presence in both camps has since decreased, and the security 
situation remains calm. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On August 2, pro-government umda (community leader) Omer 
Adam Ishaq, known as "Saroukh", was shot and killed, along with his 
wife, by unknown gunmen at his home in Abu Shouk IDP camp (Reftel). 
Since the incident, GOS military, police and security forces have 
arrested seventeen people in Abu Shouk and Al Salam camps outside of 
El Fasher, according to IDP community leaders with whom Emboff 
spoke.  Among those arrested are tribal leaders, youth 
representatives, and one women's representative. Most of the 
detainees are from the Fur ethnic group. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Fur Shura Council in North Darfur is assisting the 
detainees with obtaining legal representation.  They report that two 
of the seventeen detainees are being held by the National 
Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). Two others are being held 
in police custody in El Fasher, while the rest have been sent to 
Shara Prison outside of El Fasher. 
 
¶4. (SBU) UNAMID Human Rights Office confirmed that at least 13 
people are in police custody in El Fasher, though they noted some 
appear to have been transferred to Shara Prison.  UNAMID human 
rights officers have continually visited the police custody center 
since news of the arrests first broke, but they have been denied 
access to the detainees. They report that the police not only 
confirmed the arrests, but said that more arrests are expected.  The 
police further told UNAMID that the detainees' right to personal 
integrity, while in custody, was being respected. 
 
¶5. (SBU) IDP community leaders told Emboff that numerous camp 
residents in both Abu Shouk and Al Salam were harassed during the 
week following the murder, and that military and police forces 
maintained an extensive presence in both camps.  Several groups of 
IDPs planned to hold protests against harassment and seemingly 
random arrests, but the IDP community leaders advised them to hold 
off so as not to exacerbate the situation.  The situation has since 
calmed and the presence of police in the camp has decreased, 
according to IDP community leaders. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  Detaining IDP leaders has become the typical 
response of the GOS security apparatus following any crime or 
disturbance in IDP camps.  Typically the  detained individuals are 
held until the security situation calms down and then released, or 
are held indefinitely on trumped up charges.  There is no indication 
that this latest crackdown is related to voluntary returns, as has 
been suggested by some members of the Darfur diaspora.  END COMMENT.