VZCZCXRO1158
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0191/01 0250831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250831Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1177
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000191 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SU
SUBJECT: South Sudan:  Bona Malwal: Straddling Two Sides 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY.  On January 19, Embassy officials and 
Commissioners from the U.S. Commission for International 
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) met in Juba with GOSS 
Presidential Advisor Bona Malwal.  The commissioners 
questioned Malwal on the CPA, religious freedom, 
sanctions, and Darfur.  Malwal was harshly critical of 
both the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudanese 
People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), and said the CPA was 
designed to fail.  Howeer, embedded within this 
criticism were positions that both sides could support. 
End Summary. 
 
-------------------- 
CPA Intended to Fail 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Malwal said that the CPA was intended to be too 
complicated and rigid to implement -- that it was not 
made to bring democracy, but rather to share power 
between two dictators.  Disappointed in international 
support for this "peace at any price," Malwal believes 
the people of Sudan must now pay that price.  Malwal did 
say that Salva Kiir is more democratic, which gives him 
some hope.  However, he cited Abyei as an example of the 
CPA's failings.  He also told the USCIRF commissioners 
that the biggest shortcoming of the CPA was the fact it 
did not address slavery. 
 
----------------- 
Religious Freedom 
----------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Malwal explained that he is now completely free 
to practice his religion.  The fact that he is not 
allowed to drink in Khartoum is a civil liberties issue 
and not a religious issue, despite the fact that it has 
religious justifications.  The remaining religious 
freedom issues are seizures of some church land and the 
continuation of the 1960s-era law banning missionaries. 
(Note:  This law has been modified to allow foreign 
churches to register as NGOs to deliver aid, but they 
still cannot practice missionary work.  End Note.) 
 
---------------------------- 
A New Take On The Party Line 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) While Malwal harshly criticized the government, 
explaining the situation in Sudan will not improve as 
long as the current regime is in power.  That is why he 
is forming his own party to contest the next elections. 
However, he thought that sanctions should be lifted, not 
as a reward, but because sanctions do not work.  He 
explained that this government has shown it can withstand 
sanctions and that only the common man is affected.  He 
also thought that the USG should cooperate more on 
Darfur.  The government wants out, he said, but cannot do 
it without the U.S.  Unfortunately, Khartoum is too 
defensive to accept help as long as the relationship is 
confrontational. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) While it was surprising to hear a member of the 
Government of National Unity speak so openly and 
negatively about both the NCP and SPLA, his subtext 
closely followed NCP positions.  He dislikes and 
distrusts the NCP, but he still thinks the U.S. should 
lift sanctions and stop pressuring on Darfur.  His 
discussion on the ban on missionaries, and his anti- 
slavery statement also shows that he knew his audience. 
Considered by some a traitor for embracing the North, 
there are indications that Salva Kiir has welcomed Malwal 
and considers him a close advisor.  Malwal's positive 
comments on Kiir would seem to support that, but it is 
more likely that Malwal is playing a careful balancing 
game between the north and south. 
 
¶6.  Bio Note: Bona Malwal is a Malwal Dinka from the same 
area of North Bahr Al Ghazal as Salva Kiir.  Malwal has a 
long history of cooperation with the North.  In the early 
1960's, the government sent him to the United States to 
study journalism, and he later served as Minister of 
Information in the Nimeiri government before being forced 
out over Sharia laws and the break with the South. 
Living in exile in England for most of the 80's and 90's, 
he reconciled with the current government in the late 
90's, returning to Khartoum to publish a newspaper and 
serve as a government press advisor. 
 
KHARTOUM 00000191  002 OF 002 
 
 
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