US embassy cable - 05NDJAMENA1757

UNCLAS  NDJAMENA 001757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR AF/C, AF/EPS, EB AND PRM; 
USAID/W FOR DCHA/AA MHESS; DAA WGARVELINK; DAA LROGERS; 
DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB; MMARX; IMACNAIRN; DLILLIE; PWANEK; 
ESIMOES; MLUTZ; 
DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN 
ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU PLERNER 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
KHARTOUM FOR MBEERS; KFARNSWORTH 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA JMYER AND USAID/RFFPO NESTES 
DAKAR FOR RFFPO 
LIBREVILLE FOR REO, M. CASSETTA 
ROME FOR FODAG 
USUN FOR TMALY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, SOCI, PREF, PREL, CD, Humanitarian Operations, USAID 
SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA PROGRAMMING IN EASTERN CHAD 
 
REF: A) NDJAMENA 01741, B) NDJAMENA 01708 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  Approximately 200,000 Sudanese refugees currently 
live in reasonable but delicate harmony with their 
Chadian hosts in an arid and undeveloped environment. 
Potential problems revolve around use of natural 
resources, jealousy and political developments in Sudan 
and Chad.  UNHCR and its partners are doing a good job 
of reaching out to the host population, but expectations 
are high.  Coordination of efforts on behalf of the 
local population needs to be improved.  Security is 
good, especially the lack of banditry, for the moment, 
but could deteriorate rapidly.  The USG should continue 
to support efforts on behalf of refugee and host 
populations, and to closely monitor developments. 
 
2.  A USG team consisting of USAID/OFDA Nairobi-based 
Principal Regional Advisor Jack Myer and Embassy 
Ndjamena Assistance Officer Leslie McBride traveled in 
areas of eastern Chad affected by the presence of 
Sudanese refugees November 17-25.  The two objectives of 
the trip were to assess relations between the refugees 
and the local Chadian population and to monitor 
USAID/OFDA-funded projects in the area.  This cable 
reports on the first objective.  End Summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
A ROAD TRIP THROUGH EASTERN CHAD 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  Myer and McBride first flew to Bahai near the 
Chad/Sudan border in the  northern (BET) region and then 
drove to Abeche (capital of Ouaddai region) via Tine, 
Iriba and Guereda.  Road travel was facilitated by the 
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
and air travel by UNHCR and the U.N. World Food Program 
(WFP). 
 
4.  The entire area is under U.N. security phase-three, 
and vehicle convoy, radio-check and day-time travel 
protocols were observed.  No security incidents occurred 
during the trip and there was minimal local security 
presence. 
 
5.  The team met with local authorities including the 
governors of Wadi Firah and Ouaddai regions, prefects of 
Dar Tama and Dar Sila departments, the sub-prefect of 
Bahai and the delegate of the Ministry of Plan and 
Economic Cooperation for Ouaddai and Wadi Firah regions. 
It also met the traditional Sultans of Bahai (President 
Deby's brother), Iriba (Dar Zaghawa), Guereda (Dar Tama) 
and Goz Beida (Dar Sila), and a number of chefs de 
canton and village chiefs.  In each stop it was hosted 
and briefed by UNHCR officials and NGO representatives, 
and spoke with refugees and local people. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
200,000 Refugees, Few Chadians, No Development 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
6.  Factors affecting the situation and thus relations 
between the refugees and local people include the 
weather, the environment, jealousy over assistance 
 
 
levels, access to basic services, ethnic rivalry, 
traditional rustling, poverty, and external factors 
including the political situation in Chad, the evolution 
of the conflict in Darfur, use of camps by Darfur 
rebels, and Chadian rebel activity. 
 
7.  The eastern part of Chad where Sudanese victims of 
the conflict in Darfur have taken refuge is mostly arid 
and semi-arid, experiencing an average of between 200 
and 600 m of rain per year.  The local people struggle 
tosurvive through animal husbandry and occasional ran- 
fed agriculture in good years, supplemented i some 
areas by recessional agriculture and marketgardens. 
Although they are ethnically related inmany cases, the 
number of ethnic groups and distibution of refugees 
means that some refugees are located in areas of groups 
not related to them. 
 
8.  The 200,000 refugees are located in 12 camps 
scattered along the border area.  From north to south 
the environment is progressively less arid, but is 
subject to a single rainy season each year and many 
months of increasing dryness.  The 2005 rains were the 
best in five, 15 or 70 years depending on where and who 
was asked.  Regardless, local people could be seen in 
all areas harvesting the rain-fed millet they plant each 
year in hopes of getting enough, properly distributed 
rain to produce a crop. 
 
9.  The camps are now for the most part fully developed. 
In the six camps visited no lines for water were 
observed, and most refugees had built mud walls and had 
vegetable gardens around their huts, signs that there is 
enough water.  WFP had adequate warehouses, community 
services are developed, NGOs are managing health 
facilities and the unarmed Chadian gendarme force in the 
camp seemed respected by the refugees, and had minimal 
security around their camps. 
 
10.  Friction between the refugees and local population 
has reduced as the refugees access what they need in the 
camps, with the exception of firewood.  In fact, water 
and health services in the camps have been extended to 
local people in many cases. 
 
11.  Compared to services available in the camps, the 
villages in the area are severely undeveloped.  Few have 
health facilities or schools, and most depend on shallow 
wells dug in dry riverbeds (wadis) or distant boreholes 
for their water needs.  In the rainy season most rely on 
surface water.  Respiratory diseases in the dry season 
and water-borne diseases in the rainy season, as well as 
malaria are the principal health problems reported in 
the area.  Late in the dry season malnutrition is 
usually a problem. 
 
12.  Relations between the refugee and local communities 
in the areas visited were reported by most local 
interlocutors as currently good and certainly appeared 
so to the USG team.  However, there have been tensions 
in the past and the potential for problems still exists. 
For example, the UNHCR Head of Field Office (HOFO) in 
Iriba said that the mere rumor of a refugee child being 
killed by a car in a nearby village caused a refugee mob 
to attempt to lynch villagers.  Other incidents include 
cattle rustling and fights over water sources. 
 
 
13.  Refugee use of scarce natural resources, especially 
firewood, remains a source of tension.  Refugee women go 
out to collect firewood, competing in the harsh 
environment with local people, angry that their precious 
natural resource is being consumed.  Although UNHCR has 
thought about substituting kerosene stoves, it does not 
have the funds to provide the 40,000 or so refugee 
families with a stove and steady fuel supply.  It has 
started distributing a German made, efficient wood stove 
(the SAVE 80 model), but again lacks the resources to 
provide them for all the refugees, who will still 
require wood in any case.  Most camps access water from 
boreholes, and the local population is acutely aware of 
the risk that the water table will drop as a result. 
 
14.  As services for refugees have improved, the risk of 
tension related to jealousy on the part of unassisted 
host populations has increased.  To address this, the 
humanitarian community is beginning to help provide some 
of the needs of the local population. 
 
------------------------- 
The five percent solution 
------------------------- 
 
15.  Throughout the region, the awareness on the part of 
the international humanitarian community of the need to 
take local needs into account struck the team as quite 
high.  Not only do the humanitarian organizations worry 
about this problem, but UNHCR has gone to the extent of 
formally dedicating five percent of its budget to 
projects that solely benefit the local population.  This 
is in addition to a policy of allowing local people to 
obtain water and health services in the camps, and 
hiring and procuring locally where possible. 
 
16.  Unfortunately, the laborious bureaucracy involving 
Chadian authorities at various levels has slowed the 
approval process for the small-scale, quick-impact 
projects UNHCR is supporting.  The UNHCR Representative 
in Chad said she doubts the agency will be able to spend 
the budget it has set aside for these activities for 
2005 as a result.  UNHCR's 2006 budget will most likely 
be smaller than 2005, so the five percent will also 
shrink, she added. 
 
17.  Development priorities as articulated by local 
authorities include water, improved agriculture, road 
infrastructure, health and education.  In most villages 
visited this list was topped by water and health. 
 
------------ 
COORDINATION 
------------ 
 
18.  An emerging issue for the humanitarian and 
development community working on behalf of local 
populations in eastern Chad is coordination.  When the 
"five percent" program was first proposed, various 
levels of government from the prefecture to the capital, 
competed to have control of the process.  UNHCR firmly 
resisted requests from the GOC to turn the funds over to 
it, and has settled on a system whereby local UNHCR 
offices and prefects or sub-prefects pre-approve 
projects.  Final approval is then provided by the 
governors of the regions involved, with technical input 
from the delegates of concerned technical ministries. 
 
19.  This system is cumbersome and results in 
substantial delays.  A further complication is that the 
increasing efforts of NGOs on behalf of local 
populations using other funding are not subject to this 
coordination.  At present, each technical ministry has a 
delegate in Abeche, charged with coordinating.  But the 
delegate of the Ministry of Planning and Economy says 
that he should also be involved, and currently is not. 
He also complained of the lack of resources available to 
the delegations, and occasional NGO "end-runs" around 
the regional delegations directly to prefectural or 
lower level authorities for coordination or approval. 
 
20.  On the other hand, the delegate and NGOs both 
admit, the technical coordination is so far adequate, 
and bypassing the regional and national authorities 
removes many of the delays haunting UNHCR. 
 
21.  This issue has been taken up by the U.N. country 
team in Ndjamena, the UNHCR Representative told the USG 
team.  The U.N. has been discussing an enhanced 
coordination role for the U.N. in supporting non-refugee 
activities.  Either the U.N. Office for the Coordination 
of Humanitarian Affairs, or the U.N. Development Program 
could take on some of this role.  Notably, neither has a 
field presence.  Interlocutors in Abeche, including the 
delegate for the Ministry of Plan and Economy, said they 
would welcome such a development. 
 
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Security 
-------- 
 
22.  The security situation in eastern Chad requires the 
closest of monitoring.  At the moment, the entire area 
is under U.N. phase three, which makes it relatively 
easy to implement programs with modest procedures. 
However, latent tensions between refugees and Chadians, 
political developments in Chad and the ongoing war in 
Darfur could all easily tip the balance. 
 
23.  Fighting in Darfur shows no signs of decreasing, 
and rebel movements are split.  It is commonly believed 
that rebels travel back and forth to the camps for "R 
and R", and that there are arms in some camps.  If this 
group decided to use them in Chad, for political or 
banditry purposes, security could deteriorate.  Recent 
defections from the Chadian army in the area also worry 
aid workers.  If the defectors numbers grow, they and 
Chadian rebels thought to be operating in western Darfur 
could cause insecurity in the area. 
 
24.  Hitherto there has been little banditry or 
targeting of relief workers.  The NGO International 
Medical Corps (IMC) had one vehicle stolen November 10, 
the only such incident directly affecting the 
humanitarian community.  The vehicle was recovered in 
Darfur and returned by the Chadian army.  More recently, 
another vehicle belonging to the GOC was also stolen 
from this region.  However, with the number of guns 
thought to be in the region, and the attractiveness of 
NGO assets especially the dozens of new Toyota four- 
wheel drive vehicles and communications equipment to 
bandits and rebels alike, the risk is there. 
 
25.  The "five percent" and other efforts on behalf of 
 
 
the Chadian population is having a good impact in giving 
the local population an interest in ensuring assistance 
organizations can do their work.  If priorities or 
budgets shift away from the locals, an increase in 
banditry or other security problems is likely. 
 
26.  UNHCR is keenly aware of the security risks in the 
area and, aside from ensuring the safety of its staff, 
facilities and operations through MOSS compliance, has 
conducted several security assessments and will continue 
to do so. 
 
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Observations 
------------ 
 
27.  Throughout the trip, the USG team observed what 
appeared to be close and collaborative relations between 
NGOs and the U.N. agencies working in eastern Chad, 
especially UNHCR.  A visitor gets a strong sense of the 
unity of purpose amongst the organizations.  The result 
is that the international humanitarian community is seen 
as one by refugees and Chadians alike, facilitating the 
task of assisting both.  This is due, the USG team 
believes, to the strong leadership provided by UNHCR in 
the area.  It is also attributable to several of the 
NGOs providing assistance to both refugee and local 
populations. 
 
28.  The positive attitude towards local Chadian 
development problems has created a conceptual link 
between the refugee presence and development efforts, 
which will help ensure that organizations involved in 
development receive a good welcome locally.  The U.N. 
has decided to beef up its presence in the east in a big 
way, with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO), UNICEF and the U.N. Population Fund opening 
permanent offices in Abeche for the first time, joining 
WFP which has been in the region for 15 years and UNHCR. 
The challenge of finding funds for development 
activities will continue, but their presence in the 
region may help. 
 
29.  The UNHCR and associated operations have been 
relatively well funded to date.  However, budget cuts 
will be inevitable (indeed, NGOs were informed at a 
meeting in Abeche November 24 that UNHCR's budget will 
be significantly reduced for 2006) and the tension that 
will bring within organizations, among organizations, 
and with beneficiaries and authorities will need to be 
carefully managed.  The operation is probably at a peak 
currently, in terms of good will and positive image. 
 
30.  Expectations are high amongst both populations that 
assistance will continue to be provided.  Regardless of 
the evolution of budgets, expectations will have to be 
managed. 
 
31.  The USG team was struck by the high quality of 
international and local staff engaged by the 
humanitarian organizations, and by the high number of 
Africans serving as international staff.  Individuals 
from numerous countries hit by previous humanitarian 
crises have managed to parlay their experience as local 
staff at home into international careers.  This fact is 
not lost on the Chadians they deal with, and has 
facilitated the work of their organizations. 
 
 
32.  One aspect of the refugee impact on eastern Chad is 
the influence refugees have on the local people.  In 
several of the USG team's stops, they were told that the 
Sudanese use more advanced arid-land agricultural 
techniques which Chadian farmers are beginning to mimic. 
Another example is that Sudanese Arabic words and 
expressions are finding their way into Chadian Arabic 
usage. 
 
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CONCLUSION 
---------- 
 
33.  Eastern Chad has, with a few notable exceptions, 
been neglected for a long time by development actors, 
including the GOC.  The arrival of over 200,000 refugees 
from the Darfur region of Sudan to this delicate arid 
environment has brought local development problems into 
focus.  But it has also created jealousy and tension 
between the local Chadian population and the refugees. 
 
34.  The challenge for the GOC and the international 
community is to find the resources to not only take care 
of the refugees, but to begin the process of developing 
this neglected area.  If they fail, the delicate balance 
prevailing between the two groups may be upset.  The USG 
should continue supporting programs on behalf of 
refugees and the local population, and closely monitor 
the situation by traveling to the area on a regular 
basis. 
 
35. Minimize Considered. 
WALL 
 
 
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