VZCZCXRO2786
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0106/01 0201056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 201055Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0039
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000106 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SU ER
SUBJECT: Summary of Eastern Sudan Issues Group Meeting 
 
REF: 09 GENEVA 932 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: British Ambassador Rosalind Marsden hosted the 
first meeting of the newly-launched Eastern Sudan Issues Group on 
January 18.  The meeting, which was well-attended by approximately 
thirty ambassadors and heads-of-agencies,  included representatives 
from both the  United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) 
and United Nations Development Program (UNDP).  Discussion focused 
on Eritrean refugees' issues in Eastern Sudan, as well as UNDP 
plans to sponsor a Donors Conference in Kuwait some time after 
Sudan's elections in April.  End summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) British Ambassador Rosalind Marsden hosted the first 
meeting of the newly-launched Eastern Sudan Issues Group on January 
¶18.  In her opening remarks, Ambassador Marsden noted that Eastern 
issues are frequently overshadowed by international attention to 
the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and Darfur, and she hoped 
that opening a forum for discussion on the East might draw back 
some much-needed consideration to the troubled region. 
 
 
 
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UNHCR Presentation on Eritrean Refugees 
 
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¶3.  (U) UNHCR made the first presentation of the meeting, which 
detailed the refugee caseload and challenges facing UNHCR and NGOs 
when dealing with refugees.  According to information presented by 
UNHCR, there are two distinct groups of refugees present in the 
East. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) The first group, entirely composed of lowland Eritrean 
Muslims, has been present in Sudan for over forty years, and is 
approaching complete integration into the general population of the 
area.  This group enjoys several advantages, including a shared 
ethnic identity with Eastern Sudanese, a common religion, a common 
language, and special government documentation that allows them 
relative freedom of movement throughout the Eastern states.  Many 
in this group were born in Sudan, and enjoy a high degree of social 
integration into the Eastern Sudan community.  Nonetheless, this 
group suffers from acute malnutrition, high maternal and 
infant-mortality figures, illiteracy, and poor sanitation.  UNHCR 
efforts are currently shifting away from protracted support of camp 
infrastructure towards durable solutions and programs that focus on 
self-reliance. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A second group of refugees has also appeared in the area, 
in ever-increasing numbers.  This group, unlike the first, has not 
integrated into the region.  Predominantly composed of young, 
Eritrean Christians from the highlands, these new refugees have no 
ethnic, religious, or linguistic commonality with their Sudanese 
hosts.  This group is quite mobile, and uses Sudan as a 
transit-point for a migration pattern aimed at the shores of 
Europe-a treacherous journey that ends in death for some, and human 
trafficking and exploitation for many others.  In the last two 
years, a total of approximately 40,000 new refugees have entered 
Sudan.  Of these, only about 5,000 remain.  The rest have 
"disappeared," many to Southern Europe.  Few resources are in place 
for the new refugees.  Humanitarian and development services 
provided to the first group (education, health, employment) are 
targeted at Arabic speakers, and hold little value for this new 
group of migrants.  The migrants are fleeing the highly oppressive 
and dysfunctional regime in Eritrea, at great risk to their own 
safety.  Short of significant change to living conditions in 
Eritrea, it is unclear what can be done to stem the westward 
migration of these refugees. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) All present at the Eastern Sudan Issues Group meeting 
agreed that the questions raised by the UNHCR presenters merited 
further consideration, and Ambassador Marsden announced her 
 
KHARTOUM 00000106  002 OF 002 
 
 
intention to host future meetings to discuss refugee concerns in 
more detail.   (Note:  An October 2009 UNHCR donor mission which 
visited refugee camps in the East is detailed Ref.  End Note) 
 
 
 
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UNDP Update on Planned Donors Conference 
 
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¶7.  (U) Following the UNHCR presentation on Eastern Sudan's 
refugees, a UNDP representative gave an update on a planned Donors 
Conference, which was originally slated for March, but will now be 
postponed until after April elections.  Kuwait has agreed to host 
the conference, although plans are not yet finalized.  The event is 
intended to attract private-sector and civil society attention to 
the under-developed East.  A number of factors led to the 
postponement of the proposed conference, not the least of which was 
the recent and unexpected dismissal of a number of Sudanese 
governors (walis) from office. 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Comment: It is encouraging to see this initiative to 
bring much-needed attention and aid to Sudan's long-marginalized 
Eastern region.  End comment. 
WHITEHEAD