VZCZCXRO3444
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1087/01 2671403
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241403Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4464
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001087
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO MOPS AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: Donors, UN, Reject Funding Request for DDR
1. (SBU) Summary. At a September 10 meeting, donors rejected a
written request for operations funding from the Chairperson of the
Southern Sudan Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration
Commission (SSDDRC), William Deng Deng. The meeting was chaired by
Adriaan Verheul, Chief of the Integrated United Nations
Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) Unit, who stated
that he agreed with the donors' concerns with, and rejection of, the
funding request. He noted, however, that under current funding, the
SSDDRC is operating at only about one third of its planned capacity.
Mr. Verheul also updated donors on budget plans for 2010 and 2011
and on a DDR Roundtable planned for October in Kadugli. End
Summary.
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Request For Operational Funding Rejected
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2. (SBU) On August 28, Mr. Deng Deng sent an open letter to donors
and the UN seeking US$808,800 to fund operational costs of the
SSDDRC for six months. The letter states that violence by the
SSDDRC's clients could result from lack of funding, halting the
program and jeopardizing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), of
which DDR is an integral part.
3. (SBU) Speaking on behalf of donors in attendance, Eva de Ritter,
Poloff of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
acknowledged the importance of DDR under the CPA, but stated that
the donors were in agreement that the Government of Southern Sudan
(GoSS) must cover the SSDDRC's operational costs. (Note: Pursuant
to the agreements governing DDR entered into by the GoSS and the UN,
the GoSS is obligated to pay the operational costs of the SSDDRC,
while the UN and donors fund the program benefits given to DDR
participants. End Note.) Ms. Ritter said that, while in one sense
the donors would like to fund the SSDDRC's operational funding
shortfall in order to keep DDR moving forward, it is critical that
the GoSS show its commitment to DDR through funding. She noted that
spending by the GoSS on DDR is quickly recouped by removing soldiers
from the GoSS's payroll.
4. (SBU) Mr. Verheul agreed with the donors' stance. He stated
that while the GoSS's failure to adequately fund its DDR commitments
reduced the SSDDRC's capacity to approximately thirty percent of its
planned strength, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) will
not take the place of the SSDDRC's staff, and cannot do so under its
current UN mandate or the National DDR Strategic Plan entered into
by the UN and the GoNU. He added that both the integrity of the
program and the security of UN staff and participants required
SSDDRC participation, and that the UN will halt the program if
SSDDRC participation is insufficient.
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UN Considering New Groups For DDR
---------------------------------
5. (SBU) Mr. Verheul went on to brief donors on budget planning for
2010 and 2011. He noted that while the proportional downsizing
called for by the CPA probably will not occur, given that the Sudan
Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) do
not trust each other enough to report the true size of their forces,
downsizing of each side's forces will occur anyway due to financial
constraints. He stated that the UN was also considering forces
outside of the SAF and SPLA for DDR, such as the South's police
force, which has been used as a dumping ground by the GoSS for
surplus soldiers, and other armed groups (OAGs). He added that
these were currently just ideas, and that OAGs would probably not
receive a full DDR package, but instead an armed community might be
given a development project or other community benefits if the group
as a whole disarmed. Mr. Verheul readily agreed that there are
significant political and security risks to providing DDR for OAGs.
He noted that the Northern Sudan DDR Commission had requested that
the UN conduct DDR among the Misseriya in Al Fula, and speculated
that Khartoum may want the Misseriya disarmed because Misseriya
loyalties are shifting toward groups opposed to the central
government.
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DDR Roundtable Planned In Kadugli
---------------------------------
6. (SBU) Mr. Verheul also updated donors on plans for a DDR
Roundtable scheduled for October. He said that the National DDR
Coordinating Council plans to host the meeting in Kadugli at the
request of South Kordofan's ICC-indicted Governor (NCP), Ahmed
Mohamed Haroun, and his SPLM deputy Abdel Aziz Al Helou. Mr.
Verheul said he supports this approach despite political
sensitivities surrounding Governor Haroun due to the importance of
KHARTOUM 00001087 002 OF 002
DDR in South Kordofan and the symbolic partnership forged there
between the Governor and Deputy Governor.
7. (SBU) Comment. While the efficiency of spending on DDR can be
debated, DDR is a stated goal of the CPA. Reducing the size of the
SAF and SPLA is also crucial both to minimizing the chance of
future conflict and downsizing government budget obligations. DDR
also provides tangible peace dividends to participants. The GoSS's
inability or unwillingness to fund its DDR commitments puts at risk
effective progress in this area of CPA implementation. End
Comment.
WHITEHEAD