VZCZCXRO0796
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1085/01 1931442
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121442Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7850
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT:  S/E NATSIOS MEETS WITH SOUTH DARFURIANS 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: (SBU) During a July 9 visit to Nyala, Presidential 
Special Envoy to Sudan, Andrew Natsios, and US Embassy Charg 
Alberto Fernandez conducted a series of meetings with IDP camp 
representatives, the Magdoum of the Fur and civil society activists, 
as well as an impromptu meeting with the deputy wali of South 
Darfur. IDPs focused on security, land and compensation, while 
elites and political figures focused more on power-sharing. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------ 
NOT QUITE THE RED CARPET 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Although the delegation had written permission from the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to travel to Darfur, they were detained 
for about 1.5 hours at the airport upon arrival by National Security 
and Military Intelligence, who claimed to have no knowledge of their 
visit. Officials threatened to expel the delegation from Darfur 
despite the approval. Eventually the delegation was allowed to leave 
the airport, only after agreeing to see the South Darfur deputy 
wali.  In a brief meeting with the deputy wali, the Special Envoy 
said he had traveled to Sudan to move forward the process of 
obtaining a political settlement to the conflict and in particular 
to seek public and civil society input into that process.  The wali 
welcomed his efforts to achieve peace, and requested that the wali's 
office be informed of all such missions in future in order to ensure 
VIP security.  The meeting was videotaped and later broadcast on the 
Nyala evening news. 
 
--------------------------------- 
MAGDOUM: OCCUPATION OF FUR LANDS, 
NEGOTIATING TERMS 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The delegation met with the Magdoom of the Fur, Ahmad 
Rajal, along with several members of his group, Ahali Group for 
Darfur Salvation.  This group includes representatives from thirty 
tribes, and is seeking to organize IDPs and other grass roots 
stakeholders to come together on a common platform for peace.  The 
group has already held one workshop in Nyala, and presented the 
delegation with a summary of the outcomes. (Note: The group also 
previously received a small grant from USAID/OTI to facilitate 
dialogue between the Birgit and Zaghawa in Shearia. End note.) 
During the conversation, the participants confirmed that Fur land, 
primarily in Wadi Saleh, has been occupied by 40,000 Arab migrants 
from Niger, Chad and other countries to the west who have been 
invited in by the government.  The group suspects that the 
government is arming these people against the Hybrid.  They said 
that 80% of the Fur people have been displaced and that they have 
heard rumors of land mines being placed in Jebel Marra, where the 
few non-displaced Fur remain. 
 
¶4. (SBU) When asked about their bottom-line positions in the peace 
negotiations, the group identified power-sharing (vice presidency), 
unified region, resolution of land issues, individual compensation, 
and possibly the promise of a referendum similar to the CPA.  On the 
issue of individual compensation, they said that $1000 per person 
was not enough, the amount should be more like $2,500, and they 
noted that groups in Northern Sudan are being compensated due to the 
Merowe dam project.  The group said that they had explained their 
position to Abdul Mohammed, the chair of the AU-led  Darfur-Darfur 
Dialogue Commission (DDDC). 
 
-------------------- 
WHO REPRESENTS IDPS? 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The delegation also attended the weekly meeting of the 
Kalma sheikhs.  When asked how their views are fed into the 
political process, the group indicated they had not been consulted 
by the DDDC or Darfur Forum.  When asked who should represent them 
in the process, some said the field commanders could represent them, 
while others said the IDPs are strong enough to represent themselves 
if they could organize, and they should have meetings or elections 
in each camp (they noted that Kalma has its own committees, one of 
which is for reconciliation).  An informal poll of the group 
indicated that, of several leaders mentioned, the majority felt 
themselves best represented by Abd-al-Wahid and Ahmed Ibrahim 
Diraij; some identified with Minni Minawi, Khalil Ibrahim, and 
Khamis Abdullah, while none identified with Suleiman Jamous, Sharif 
Harir, Abd-al-Shafie, or the Magdoom.  (Note: The sheikh of sheikhs 
told the delegation afterward that people had come from the town and 
told them the Magdoom was not on their side. End note.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Regarding their bottom line issues, the group identified 
security (everywhere), disarmament (of everyone), individual 
compensation, justice, rehabilitation of villages and provision of 
services; power-sharing, and expulsion of occupiers.  The majority 
 
KHARTOUM 00001085  002 OF 002 
 
 
of participants in the meeting indicated that they felt the SPLM is 
not helpful in the negotiation process, and only the UN should be 
involved. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
DARFUR FORUM: ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY KEY 
TO PEACE PROCESS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Finally the delegation met with the Darfur Forum, a civil 
society group that represents elite segments of Darfurian society. 
The members come from different political parties but see themselves 
as representing not themselves or their parties, but all Darfur. 
They said that they paid their own way to Abuja, and helped the 
rebels prepare position papers, but were not allowed to participate 
in the negotiations.  They indicated that they, too, have not had 
any interaction with the DDDC consultation process.  With support 
from the EU and Justice Africa, the group organized workshops in 
Nyala and El Fasher to organize civil society input into the peace 
process, both of which were impeded by National Security.  The group 
gave the delegation a summary of the workshop outcomes. 
 
¶8. (SBU) They identified their bottom line positions in the 
negotiations as a unified region, power and wealth-sharing in 
proportion to population, vice-presidential position, and 'positive 
discrimination' for underdeveloped areas of Darfur.  This group also 
noted the disparity between levels of compensation promised to 
victims of the Darfur conflict and the compensation being provided 
to those displaced by the Merowe dam.  The group agreed that the 
UN/AU could facilitate a joint paper between the rebels and civil 
society with which they could then negotiate with the GoS, but they 
felt that the DDDC should happen first before further negotiations. 
The group also emphasized the importance of authentic participation 
of women in the process, unlike Abuja where only a few women were 
invited to participate, and the need for a quota for women in 
power-sharing. 
 
¶9. (U) S/E Natsios' staff has cleared on this cable. 
 
FERNANDEZ