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FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
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INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ER SU
SUBJECT: TRIBAL/OPPOSITIONAL DIMENSIONS OF EAST SUDAN: 
VISIT TO KASSALA 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 1018 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Eric Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) an 
d (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  From April 11-13, Poloff and AF/SPG DeskOff 
met with government officials, opposition parties, tribal 
leaders, NGOs, and UNMIS in Kassala to discuss the political 
and humanitarian situation in Eastern Sudan.  This is the 
second of two cables (see reftel) to discuss the political 
and tribal/oppositional dimensions in Eastern Sudan.  There 
is a lack of communication between opposition leaders inside 
Sudan and those based in Asmara, and a testy union between 
the Rashaida Free Lions and the Beja Congress.  Tribal 
leaders predicted that once the SPLA withdrew from Hamesh 
Koreib, the Beja Congress and Sheik Suleiman's People's 
Defense Forces (PDF) would clash over the area.  The 
opposition leaders highlighted an increase in the detainment 
of their leaders in the past month and a growing conflict 
between the Rashaida and Beja tribes over land.  In the 
Rashaida Free Lions peace accord with the Sudanese government 
in December 2005, the government reportedly gave the Rashaida 
land in Eastern Sudan.  End Summary. 
 
Governor's Advisor: Eastern Front Union Testy 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Ahmed Tirik, advisor to the Governor of Kassala State, 
described the Eastern Front alliance as "testy", because the 
only issue the two parties had in common was their joint 
opposition to the Sudanese government.  Furthermore, he said 
that there are problems between the Beja and Rashaida tribes 
because the Rashaida are demanding ownership of Beja lands, 
and a nasir (a title granted to a traditional leader whose 
tribe owns land).  Tirik elaborated, saying that most of the 
major indigenous tribes of the East own their land; however, 
the Rashaida are considered foreigners because of their 
historical ties to Kuwait.  According to the Beja, the 
Rashaida are therefore not entitled to own land. 
 
¶3. (C) Tirik predicted that the Beja Congress and Sheik 
Suleiman,s militia (PDF) would resort to an armed struggle 
after the SPLA withdrew from Hamesh Koreib.  He confirmed 
that the government was providing arms to the militias in the 
East, and referred to them as "testy."  He added that, 
although he is a National Congress Party (NCP) member, he 
describes himself as a "floater", because the only way to 
secure services for the Beja people is to join the 
government. 
 
Free Lions:  Increased Confusion, Frustration, and Tension 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Secretary General of the Free Lions within Sudan, Ali 
Abdel Hameed Ahmed, an economics graduate from Kassala 
University in 2005, outlined that the Eastern Front needed a 
program for the East, institutional capabilities inside 
Sudan, and increased coordination between its leaders.  He 
said there is a growing disconnect within the Eastern Front, 
between the internal and external leaders, and between the 
military and political wings.  Ahmed said that the Eastern 
Front has expanded to include the Maneseer Opposition, a 
Northern opposition group opposed to the construction of the 
Merowe dam.  In an effort to broaden its support base, the 
Eastern Front outside Sudan has recruited the Shokriya ethnic 
group; however, there was no coordination with the Shokriya 
inside Sudan. 
 
¶5. (C) Ahmed said that the Rashaida Free Lions within Sudan 
were not consulted nor have they seen the dividends of the 
December 2005 agreement between Rashaida Free Lions President 
Mabrook Salim and the Sudanese government.  (Note: 
Reportedly, the Rashaida were granted land through the deal; 
however, the Rashaida tribe and the Free Lions appear unaware 
of this aspect of the deal, demonstrating the disconnect 
between the external and internal Free Lions.  End note.)  In 
his opinion, neither Libyan President Qaddafi nor the 
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is committed to solving 
the Eastern problem.  Ahmed reported that tensions in Kassala 
have increased over the last two months due to the increase 
in military intelligence and rising anger by youths due to 
their constant harassment. 
 
Beja Congress in Kassala; Constant Detainment 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6. (C) Poloff scheduled a meeting with the Kassala-based Beja 
Congress leader, Muhammed Jaffer; however, after speaking 
with Embassy personnel, he was detained by security.  He and 
his fellow four Beja Congress members were released two days 
 
KHARTOUM 00001019  002 OF 002 
 
 
later.  According to other Beja Congress members in Kassala, 
Jaffer was arrested because he crossed "the red line" by 
speaking with U.S. Embassy personnel and the UN.  In Kassala, 
Poloff and Deskoff spoke with Khartoum-based Beja Congress 
member Mohamed Oshake, who recounted that since March the 
anti-smuggling police have searched and harassed Beja 
Congress members.  He described the anti-smuggling police as 
military intelligence forces wearing special military 
uniforms and driving vehicles without license tags.  Oshake 
said there was a debate between the military and political 
wing of the Eastern Front about whether to use a military or 
a political strategy to combat the Sudanese government.  When 
questioned about the future of Hamesh Koreib, Oshake 
expressed his personal view that it was essential that the 
Beja Congress retain control of that region.  However, he 
added that the Eastern Front had not yet determined its plans 
for Hamesh Koreib once the SPLA withdrew.  In a separate 
conversation with the nasir of the Beni Amir tribe, El Sheikh 
Ali Digili, the leader stated that he believed there would be 
an unavoidable conflict between Betai,s PDF forces and the 
Beja Congress because Betai will not accept the re-occupation 
of Hamesh Koreib by the Beja Congress. 
 
Rashaida Traditional Leader:  The Free Lions and Our Land 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶7. (C) The chief of the Rashaida tribe was visiting Kuwait at 
the time of our visit.  In a meeting with umda (deputy chief) 
of the Rashaida tribe, Hamid Ahmed Hameed El Negashi, he 
recounted that the Rashaida created the Free Lions in 1993 to 
protest the government,s confiscation of its vehicles and 
goods.  Negashi stressed that the Rashaida wanted land, 
schools, jobs, and participation in the government.  He said 
that there was no conflict between the Rashaida Free Lions 
and the Rashaida umdas, and that the Rashaida Free Lions 
could negotiate with the government on behalf of the tribe. 
However, he added that the umdas should participate in the 
negotiations because they are closer to the people. 
 
¶8. (C) Negashi said "if we have lived more than 120 years on 
the land, how can we have no land?"  Although land is a major 
issue to Eastern Sudanese, the umda downplayed its importance 
by saying that no one owns land in Eastern Sudan because it 
all belongs to the government.  However, according to local 
sources, the land issue is the main problem between the Beja 
and Rashaida tribes, because without land the Rashaida are 
not viewed an important in the East. 
 
¶9. (C) Negashi highlighted that the Rashaida have a strong 
relationship with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, and Libya, 
with a delegation from the National Assembly in Kuwait 
visiting the Rashaida in November 2005.  Negashi commented 
that although the Free Lions signed an agreement with the 
Sudanese government, there was no clear indications on the 
ground that a peace deal had been reached.  Regarding the 
Free Lions and Beja Congress union, Negashi said that the 
relations were fine now; however, the future relationship is 
uncertain. 
STEINFELD