VZCZCXRO2036
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0751/01 2180240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060240Z AUG 09 ZDK
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7039
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000751 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SU AF
SUBJECT: U/SYG LE ROY BRIEFS COUNCIL ON JONGLEI VIOLENCE 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000751  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  On August 4, at the request of the 
United States, U/SYG Le Roy briefed the Security Council on 
inter-tribal violence in Jonglei state that occurred on 
August 2 and resulted in 185 people, primarily women and 
children, being killed.  Members unanimously condemned the 
violence and urged that the perpetrators be brought to 
justice.  Some expressed concern that implementation of the 
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) could be adversely 
affected.  Le Roy said the UN is implementing a three-track 
response to avoid further violence:  securing food supplies; 
facilitating civil society dialogue; and sending a joint 
civilian-military assessment team to determine how best to 
prevent retaliatory attacks.  In his concluding remarks, Le 
Roy was joined by the Force Commander of the UN Mission in 
Sudan (UNMIS), Major General Paban Jung Thapa.  The United 
Kingdom, in its capacity as Council President, orally briefed 
the press afterwards, condemning the attack and its targeting 
of women and children, appealing to all parties to refrain 
from retaliation, and urging the Government of Southern 
Sudan, the United Nations, and local government to coordinate 
their efforts to protect civilians and provide humanitarian 
relief.  End Summary. 
 
U/SYG Le Roy Briefs the Council 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Under Secretary General for the Department of 
Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy briefed the Council on 
August 4 about inter-tribal violence between the Lou-Nuer and 
Murle tribes that occurred on August 2, 40 kilometers west of 
Akobo in Jonglei state in southern Sudan.  Le Roy said that 
185 people were killed, primarily women and children, as well 
as ten to twelve Sudan People,s Liberation Army (SPLA) 
soldiers.  In response, Le Roy said that the Government of 
Southern Sudan (GOSS) had deployed an additional 200 SPLA 
officers to the area.  Le Roy attributed this attack to food 
shortages, noting that the World Food Program (WFP) had 
airlifted 400 tons of food since June 12, when a WFP convoy 
carrying food by river had been attacked. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Le Roy acknowledged that there had been a history 
of inter-tribal violence in the area related to cattle 
raiding and disputed territorial claims.  However, Le Roy 
stressed that the recent spate of violent attacks had been 
unprecedented in the targeting of women and children and the 
number of civilians that had been killed.  He detailed the 
series of attacks between the Lou-Nuer and the Murle tribes 
that had begun in March and had resulted in the deaths of 
hundreds of civilians.  Le Roy emphasized that the weapons 
used in these attacks were sophisticated, including machine 
guns and RPGs, but he said despite suggestions that "outside 
hands" may be involved, the UN had found no evidence to 
substantiate this to date. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Le Roy also detailed UNMIS assistance to Jonglei, 
which had begun in May with the establishment of two 
temporary operating bases (TOB) in Pibor and Akoba.  He noted 
that the security situation in Sudan is fluid and the UN 
could not maintain these bases permanently, noting that with 
the onset of the rainy season, and the need to establish a 
presence in Abyei, UNMIS troops had left the Jonglei TOBs on 
July 12.  Le Roy said that in response to the August 2 
attack, the UN is implementing a three-track approach by 
first sending an assessment team to the area to determine how 
UNMIS, presence there could be enhanced. 
 
The United States Intervenes 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Ambassador Rice expressed deep concern with the 
recent outbreak of violence, and urged the GOSS to bring the 
perpetrators to justice.  Rice observed that the violence not 
only deterred the return of refugees and displaced persons, 
but exacerbated an already dire situation by causing further 
displacement.  Noting that the GOSS had primary 
responsibility to provide security, Rice nonetheless urged 
UNMIS to consider restoring a temporary presence in light of 
the August 2 attack.  Responding to Le Roy,s remarks about 
sophisticated weapons, Rice noted that even if there is no 
evidence of outside involvement, given the history of 
Khartoum's arming of militias throughout the South, UNMIS and 
the Council must be vigilant, particularly since increasing 
violence could undermine implementation of the Comprehensive 
Peace Agreement (CPA).  Rice concluded by expressing concern 
for the humanitarian situation and the lack of access to 
food, asking the UN to clarify the nature of the impediments 
to humanitarian access, in particular regarding blocked 
river access. 
 
Other Council Members Respond 
----------------------------- 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000751  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Members unanimously condemned the violence and the 
perpetrators' deliberate intention to target women and 
children and urged government authorities to bring the 
perpetrators to justice.  Most members also said that the 
GOSS, UNMIS and local authorities all needed to coordinate 
their efforts to protect civilians and provide humanitarian 
access.  Mexico asked the UK to issue a press statement in 
its capacity as Council President.  Uganda, Croatia, France, 
Austria, Costa Rica, Turkey, Vietnam and Japan joined Mexico 
in this request. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Croatia and Burkina Faso asked whether the violence 
threatened preparation for the 2011 referendum and 2010 
elections.  Russia said it was critical that the violence not 
affect relations between the north and south and emphasized 
the importance of CPA implementation.  China also expressed 
concern that inter-tribal conflict could undermine the peace 
process.  Libya questioned whether elections could be 
conducted peacefully.  Burkina Faso requested further 
information concerning UN efforts to support a conference on 
inter-tribal reconciliation, and Turkey shared the view that 
UNMIS must address the root causes of inter-tribal violence. 
 
Le Roy and Thapa Answer Questions 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Le Roy responded to Ambassador Rice,s question 
about who was blockading the river by indicating that the 
Jikany-Nuer tribe was responsible for the blockade. 
Regarding concerns that the violence could affect the 
referendum and upcoming elections, Le Roy said it was too 
early to judge.  Le Roy also said that, in terms of 
bolstering UNMIS, presence in the region, attacks were 
aberrant, lasting only two to three hours before withdrawal 
and encompassing a vast amount of territory.  Thus, Le Roy 
noted that air patrols would be a more effective deterrent, 
particularly given that roads are impassable in the rainy 
season. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Major-General Thapa reiterated that temporary 
operating bases would not yield the same results as 
increasing air patrols to difficult areas.  He noted that the 
UN was continuing to facilitate meetings, three of which had 
already taken place, of the conference on inter-Tribal 
reconciliation.  Thapa said that the main difference between 
this attack and previous attacks had been that the August 2 
attack was much more linked to food and the scarcity of 
resources. 
RICE