VZCZCXRO0328
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0979/01 2370844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 250844Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4311
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0117
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0356
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0168
RUEHSUN/USUN ROME IT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 000979 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
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: EAID PGOV PHUM KPKO AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SOUTH DARFUR HUMANITARIAN SITUATION STABLE, BUT 
UNSUSTAINABLE 
 
REF: (A) KHARTOUM 908, (B) KHARTOUM 857, (C) KHARTOUM 856, 
     (D) KHARTOUM 802, (E) KHARTOUM 746 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY.  During the week of August 10, USAID staff traveled 
to South Darfur to assess the humanitarian situation.  Although the 
overall humanitarian situation is currently stable and emergency 
gaps are filled following the March 2009 expulsions of 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), relief staff highlighted 
concerns regarding sustainability of the emergency response, 
deteriorating sanitation conditions, and the increased potential for 
disease outbreaks during the current rainy season.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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SOUTH DARFUR HUMANITARIAN SITUATION STABLE, BUT UNCERTAIN 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (U) Between August 9 and 12, staff from USAID's Office of U.S. 
Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) traveled to Nyala, South 
Darfur, to meet with UN agencies and implementing NGO partners 
regarding the humanitarian situation in South Darfur.  During the 
four-day trip, USAID/OFDA staff met with the UN Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs (OCHA), UN World Food Program (WFP), UN World Health 
Organization (WHO), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), American Refugee 
Committee, Humedica, International Medical Corps, MC/Scotland, and 
Merlin. 
 
¶3. (U) According to humanitarian partners, the South Darfur current 
humanitarian situation is characterized by annual agricultural 
season movements and temporary returns, and a push by the Sudanese 
government for permanent returns.  USAID partners also noted a 
deteriorating environmental sanitation situation.  In addition, 
emergency gaps stemming from the March NGO expulsions remain 
temporarily filled, but without long-term gap-filling mechanisms. 
 
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FARMING SEASON FUELS SOUTH DARFUR POPULATION MOVEMENT 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. (U) As of mid-August, South Darfur is experiencing the annual 
increase in population movement associated with the planting season. 
 According to UN reports, 2009 population movement rates are similar 
to movements in 2008.  According to NGO and UN field staff, 
insecurity prevents permanent returns to some areas of origin, and 
populations may return to Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps 
and IDP gathering areas once the agricultural season concludes. 
Although some individuals are leaving camps to farm land, UN staff 
reported that children and livestock remain at camps.  (NOTE: IDPs 
may travel between camps and areas of origin for a significant 
period of time in order to assess the security situation.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
¶5. (U) South Darfur humanitarian staff reported ongoing efforts by 
the Sudanese government to convince relief agencies into supporting 
returns and providing assistance to GNU-identified returns areas. 
Highlighting GNU-identified returns areas, including Shattaia and 
Donkey Dereisa, FAO noted that the current residents are seasonal 
returnees or squatters occupying land that belongs to others.  FAO 
also noted concern with the latter movement, particularly as 
customary Sudanese law states that an individual who does not return 
to his land for three years forfeits ownership.  (NOTE: Sudanese 
government encouragement for other individuals to move onto and farm 
vacant IDP land may further aggravate land issues.  END  NOTE.) 
 
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NON-TRADITIONAL DONORS ENCOURAGE RETURNS 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to OCHA, non-traditional donors have recently 
arrived in South Darfur and are advocating for increased returns. 
Many of the organizations from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates 
(NOTE: including Red Crescent societies from both countries END 
NOTE), and the Arab League are returns-focused and do not coordinate 
with international NGOs or UN agencies that have been operating in 
Darfur for years.  During one conversation with OCHA staff, Arab 
League representatives presented the issue of returns in Darfur as a 
 
KHARTOUM 00000979  002 OF 004 
 
 
"done deal," saying we will finance it." NGO staff also reported 
that the South Darfur HAC has announced plans for significant 
population returns in 2010.  (NOTE: Humanitarian agencies remain 
concerned that some HAC-encouraged populations will be denied 
assistance if international organizations cannot verify that returns 
are voluntary and in line with international humanitarian 
principles.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to OCHA, Sudanese NGOs are required to include 
assistance to returns in their organization's mission statement. 
Noting the Sudanese government's March 2009 effort to nationalize 
humanitarian aid within the year, OCHA questioned the ability of 
international organizations to target and deliver assistance to 
individuals in need when national NGO partners have to satisfy 
returns-focused missions.  According to UN agencies, the partnership 
is further strained by limited national NGO resources and staffing, 
and poor feedback from populations receiving services from the local 
organizations. 
 
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SECURITY STABILIZES, BUT FOR HOW LONG? 
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¶8. (SBU) According to OCHA, although overall security incidents 
against humanitarian staff and civilians have decreased, insecurity 
continues to be a problem, despite the decrease in the number of 
humanitarian staff in the area following the NGO expulsions and 
kidnappings.  In response to a stabilized security situation in 
Nyala town, the UN Country Team has proposed changing Nyala town to 
UN Phase Three rather than UN Phase Four, while recommending that 
the rest of South Darfur remain at Phase Four. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Although some humanitarian agencies have started providing 
services to rural areas in South Darfur, assailants continue to 
target relief staff traveling in the field, resulting in staff 
injury and loss of humanitarian assets and equipment.  Following an 
August 4 carjacking in Limo village, approximately 23 km northeast 
of Kass town, one USAID/OFDA partner has suspended work in Limo and 
Tobufito villages, leaving the rural areas without health services. 
Humanitarian agencies in South Darfur continue to liaise with the UN 
to determine safe areas and investigate the possibility of traveling 
with armed escorts or in convoy in order to deliver humanitarian 
aid. 
 
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FOOD SECURITY REMAINS UNKNOWN BUT PROMISING 
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¶10. (U) According to FAO and WFP, the South Darfur food security 
situation will remain uncertain until the end of the rainy season. 
Although the current rains started later than usual, FAO and state 
agriculture officials hope that the rains continue through early 
October to support a robust harvest.  The 2008 harvest resulted in a 
decrease in the South Darfur food gap, from a deficit of 425,000 
metric tons (MT) in 2007 to 119,000 MT in 2008.  Currently, FAO 
observes increased livestock prices, decreased access to market (due 
to insecurity and flooding), as well as elevated prices and 
decreased supply on the local seed market.  In an effort to increase 
seed access and prevent farmers from consuming seed, FAO and 
implementing partners have initiated robust seed protection programs 
and coordinated with WFP to provide a general food distribution for 
five food-insecure localities. 
 
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GAPS FILLED, BUT EFFORTS UNSUSTAINABLE 
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¶11. (SBU) South Darfur humanitarian staff noted that the state has 
pre-expulsion gaps, post-expulsion gaps, and security-related 
humanitarian gaps.  Sudanese officials, UN agencies, and 
humanitarian organizations have filled many of the post-expulsion 
gaps, but gaps remain in rural areas, according to the UN and NGOs. 
Five months after the March 2009 NGO expulsions, UN agencies 
continue to provide significant support to state ministry 
gap-filling efforts, putting additional strain on the stretched UN 
system and reducing UN availability for program oversight and 
 
KHARTOUM 00000979  003 OF 004 
 
 
emergency planning.  (NOTE: Typically, UN agencies provide 
implementing NGO partners with program oversight, coordination, and 
support rather than direct operational capacity.  END NOTE.) 
Additionally, the NGO expulsions significantly reduced partner 
capacity to provide technical assistance, and remaining 
international NGOs do not have the technical capacity or experience 
to support specialized nutrition and water, sanitation, and hygiene 
(WASH) programs, according to UNICEF. 
 
-- Nutrition: International and local UNICEF staff continue to work 
to address the nutrition needs of the South Darfur population.  In 
response to the annual hunger gap period, UNICEF provides direct 
support to 1,700 supplementary feeding center patients in South 
Darfur, an increase from the 2008 caseload.  UNICEF staff noted a 
willingness to provide interim assistance, but that a sustainable 
solution must come from the government ministries which remain 
severely understaffed and overburdened. 
 
-- WASH: Although the Government of National Unity (GNU) Office of 
Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES) continues to work to fill 
WASH gaps, UNICEF staff noted that GNU WES remains focused on water 
access rather than sanitation and waste management.  Currently IDP 
camps have adequate water access; however, environmental sanitation 
has deteriorated significantly, and UNICEF noted concern for 
potential outbreaks if the situation remains unaddressed.  In 
addition, UNICEF staff reported that GNU WES does not have the 
capacity, camp experience, or monitoring ability to handle the 
current situation, and remains unable to expand staff to address 
increased needs during the rainy season. 
 
--  Health:  According to WHO, the current low-level of health 
services and deteriorating environmental sanitation increase the 
state's vulnerability to disease outbreaks.  Although Sudanese 
officials report that the health gap is 100 percent filled, the 
capacity and quality of health staff, types and quality of health 
services have declined significantly since March and remaining 
organizations are unable to address the caseload in the long term, 
according to WHO.  Although the Ministry of Health (MoH) has 
provided assistance in some areas previously served by expelled 
NGOs, WHO reported that MoH staff lack appropriate medications, 
coordination, and supervision to replace expelled international 
partners. 
 
-- Livelihoods:  The March NGO expulsions removed nearly all 
USAID/OFDA-funded livelihoods programs from South Darfur, including 
community centers, fuel-efficient stoves, farmer trainings, and seed 
distributions.  Following the March expulsions, FAO and other 
organizations worked to fill the livelihoods gap of 160,617 
households left by suspended and expelled NGOs; however, remaining 
organizations have served only 56,759 households, leaving a gap of 
more than 100,000 households to be covered by the Ministry of 
Agriculture.  In addition, several NGOs are conducting assessments 
to determine the possibility of providing livelihoods activities to 
South Darfur IDPs before the end of the year. 
 
¶12. (SBU) COMMENT.  During the last five years, relief staff have 
observed seasonal returns in Darfur during the planting season. 
With the arrival of the November harvest season, Darfur typically 
experiences an increase in violence, banditry, and attacks on 
farmers harvesting seasonal crops.  As the 2009 harvest season 
approaches, it is in the interest of the Sudanese government and 
international donors to work to mitigate the seasonal spike in 
violence and protect civilian populations throughout Darfur. 
Possible efforts could include encouraging community dialogue 
between different ethnic groups, requesting additional UN patrols in 
agricultural areas, and liaising with armed opposition groups to 
encourage a reduction of violent attacks.  Such confidence-building 
measures may potentially have longer-term impacts of increasing food 
security in Darfur and taking a step to affirming civilian safety 
outside of IDP camps and IDP gathering areas. 
 
¶13. (SBU) The current stability of the South Darfur humanitarian 
situation is a credit to international donors and humanitarian 
agencies.  Humanitarian staff noted; however, that present measures 
are not sustainable and the situation requires vigilant attention to 
develop long-term solutions and respond to any interim emergencies. 
 
KHARTOUM 00000979  004 OF 004 
 
 
END COMMENT. 
 
WHITEHEAD