The Joint Monitoring Misson Situation Report
From 6 - 12 May 2004

Commander's Assessment

1. Assessment.
The period has been quiet from an operational perspective, although other events have been of note:

a. JMC air assets supported a search and rescue operation conducted by the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA) after a civilian AN-12 was reported missing on route to El Obeid. The crashed aircraft was located. Six of the 7 crew members were declared dead at the site. From GOS sources it was reported that one individual survived the crash, but died in Dilling hospital. See Significant Events below.
b. The parties have now agreed to meetings at which senior representatives of the civil administration, judiciary and police will discuss options on judicial co-operation. Further, after a break of several months, Senior Police Liaison meetings have resumed at JMC HQ Tillo at the request of the parties themselves.
c. A valuable brief was given by the Attorney General of Southern Kordofan on the subject of Sharia Law. All Sectors and Sections were represented in order to spread the information and basic knowledge of Sharia Law, which is an important component of the current situation in Sudan.
d. Head of Mission had a successful meeting with Major General Mohammed Hassan Fadil (MI GOS). Topics discussed included the ongoing peace talks in Naivasha, and the coming handover of JMC to UN.
e. The new COS, Col Bill Prior, assumed office.

2. Concerns.
To resource and man the 6th Mandate for JMC, and to maintain progress in planning for UN takeover of the task.

3. Intentions.

a. To prepare an information campaign for implementation by the JMC to be delivered to the people of the Nuba Mountains shortly after the Peace Agreement is signed.
b. To continue close co-ordination with different organisations for the handover to UN.
c. To continue to monitor developments on the fringes of our AOR which have the potential to influence events within it.

4. Operations
Significant Events.

The Nuba Mountains were hit by strong winds, estimated up to hurricane level, followed by sandstorms and heavy rain on 11 May PM. Some of the JMC bases reported minor damage. JMC Khartoum was also requested by CAA to participate in a search and rescue operation (SAR) of a missing AN-12 belonging to Majar Airline. As it was already dark we conducted all planning and preparations to deploy 2 helicopters at first light on 12 May to operate under the control of CAA. A report from Dilling stated that some villagers had heard an explosion 30kms NE of Dilling. A medic team was requested by the CAA in a third helicopter to search for survivors. Subsequent information confirmed the wreck was found approximately 50 km E of Dilling in the so called "Six Mountains" at N 12 08.011, E 030 06.852, in an area heavily wooded, with the nearest possible helicopter landing site 4kms away. Of the total crew of 7, 6 were declared dead at the site and from GOS sources it was reported that one individual survived the crash, but passed away shortly after in Dilling hospital. JMC helicopters supported CAA to bring investigators and police teams to the site.

5. Mines and Mine Clearing.

a. Land Mine Action (LMA).
Clearance of the Tuma - Krongo Abdullah road suspended as team is on leave for 2-3 weeks. Second LMA team continues clearance operations in Mirri Hills. Weekly Clearance Total: 164 m2 (no UXOs found).
b. Danish Church Aid (DCA).
JASMAR has deployed its two teams to Andulo (Al Baro) AP MF. No output clearance figures as teams are on leave. OSIL have deployed one team to the Kauda -Heiban road with support from the DAMINAR MDD. Weekly Clearance Total 282 m2 cleared. The second OSIL team deployed to Kalandi AP minefield in the western area. Nil production this week, as team is on leave.
c. Nuba Mountains Solidarity Abroad (NMSA). NTR
d. RONCO
Consulting Corporation (UN and JMM teams). Ronco's 2 dog teams deployed to road from El Reika to Salamat. Clearance figures for week are 15760 m2 .
e Federation Swiss Demining.
Conducting survey training for 2 teams prior to deployment for survey operations.
f. Additional Mine Activities.
NRMAO Monthly Coordination Meeting involving working on both sides conducted 9 May 04.
g. MRE Activities.

(1) DCA: Continue to conduct MRE activities in support of their mine clearance operations with OSIL and JASMAR.
(2) SRC and SC (US): Both national agencies are conducting MRE in the GoS areas of the Nuba Mountains

6. Infrastructure Projects.
The Kauda Airstrip is currently closed for 35 days on the orders of the SPLM, whilst the JMC Project team works to complete prior to the rains. JMC has supported the SPLM with the information campaign to carriers in Loki.

7. CIMIC

a. TLM.
The Leprosy Mission appointed John Kuku as its new laboratory technician in Kadugli. TLM developed in cooperation with the National Leprosy Control Programme (and other partners) and under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health an integrated approach to leprosy in West and South Kordofan. TLM provides transport for the programme as well as financial support for the training and the running of the programme. TLM also provides a medical advisor for the programme.
b. FAO.
FAO procured and transported 54 metric tonnes of different field crop seeds (sorghum, maize, groundnuts, cowpea and sesame) to be distributed by the Fellowship for African Relief (FAR) in Dilling (both GoS and SPLM administered areas) and Save the Children-US (SC-US) in remaining areas. FAO warns that "food stocks of many families have completely depleted" and that families now resort to alternative methods to buy food by cutting and selling wood and grass, selling water and seeking daily labour opportunities in towns.
c. Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons.
The Humanitarian Aid Committee (HAC) called a special meeting in Kadugli 6 May to discuss with all major humanitarian organisations returnee and IDP statistics and the need for food distribution, medicine and various other items (from plastic sheets to blankets) in the GoS administered areas. According to the Peace and Resettlement Committee (PRC) a total of 5,825 people returned from January 2004 until May 2004 to Kadugli, Dilling (Sector V), Talodi (Sector III), Rashad (Sector I) and Abu Gibeiha (or Abu Jubayhah, Sector I) while "some people from the other side" returned to their villages of origin. Not clear is if these figures are included in earlier presented statistics for the period December 2003 to April 2004 (28,413 returnees and 7,103 IDPs and other vulnerable groups). Regarding earlier reported possible large Shilluk IDP movements to East and West Liri (Sector III) from Tunga (Upper Nile, about 60 km south of Malakal) because of clashes between Lam Akol's SPLM/United and Nuer militias under Major General Gabriel Tanginia (whether or not operating under direct orders of GoS) resulting in destruction, killing and displacement, about 250 people (mainly women and children) went from Tunga to Liri and from Liri to Abu Gebeiha that has since long a Shilluk community on which they now depend for their food and shelter. According to HAC another 200 Shilluk (women, children and elderly people) arrived recently in Liri to stay there for the time being. Meanwhile 3000 IDPs returned to the Talodi area (Salamat, west of Talodi, Sector III) and Heiban (Sector I). WFP will start Food for Recovery distribution, if all goes well, the next two weeks in Kadugli, Lagawa (Sector II) and Talodi.
d. UNICEF.
Mr Tore Tunold and Mr Andrew Robertson (Khartoum) are visiting the GoS administered areas for a initial assessment of Primary School reconstruction in cooperation with UNICEF Kadugli and the Ministry of Education. A total of 13 schools will be inspected from Angarto in Talodi locality (Sector III) to Abu Snoon (Sector IV) and Kaloqi (Sector III) to Amna Bintwahab (Sector V, Dilling).
e. Research.
The International Peace Research Institute (Oslo) published its preliminary findings ("Village Experiences of Peace and Violence in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan") from the interviews its team conducted in three GoS and three SPLM administered villages. The research is part of the Assistance to Mine Affected Communities project (AMAC). Under the cease-fire, to quote from the report, the villagers noted many positive changes in their lives. The most important seemed to be "freedom of movement, some people travelling between GoS and SPLA territory and feelings of security although many remained sceptical that it would lead to a lasting peace." The complete field study will appear on the PRIO website shortly at www.prio.no and a publication focusing on mine action and peace building (including the Nuba Mountains study) will be launched at The First Review Conference/2004 Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World, 29 Nov - 3 Dec 2004.
f. Security meeting.
The biweekly security meeting will take place Monday 24 May at 10.00hrs in the CIMIC Centre.
g. HAC Meeting.
Next HAC general coordination meeting will be held Wednesday 2 June at 14.00hrs in its Kadugli office.

W G PRIOR
Colonel
Chief of Staff
for Head of Mission