VZCZCXRO2146
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1884/01 3341054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301054Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9379
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001884 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF SE NATSIOS 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AID/A(BFEINSTEIN) 
AA/AFR(KALMQUIST), AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: USAID ADMINISTRATOR FORE'S VISIT TO SOUTHERN SUDAN: LUNCH 
WITH SPLM CRISIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: SPLM Crisis Committee members told Administrator 
Fore that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is providing an 
opportunity to advance democracy and development throughout Sudan. 
They identified the "three areas," independent media, and rural 
development as priorities.  Deputy SG Yasir Armin said that 
fundamental change will only come from within Sudan and that only 
the SPLM is in a position to do this. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) On November 23, Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance 
(DFA)/USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore met with members of the 
Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Crisis Management 
Committee in Juba to discuss the ongoing conflict within the 
Government of National Unity (GNU) over CPA implementation. 
 
Participants: 
 
 U.S. 
 ---- 
 
DFA/Administrator Fore 
CDA Fernandez 
Kate Almquist, USAID Asst. Admin. 
Patrick Fleuret, USAID Sudan Dir. 
John Struble, Acting C/G (notetaker) 
Allan Reed, USAID South Sudan Dir. 
Special Asst. Barbara Feinstein 
 
SPLM 
---- 
 
Samson Kwaje, GoSS Agriculture Min. 
Anne Itto Leonardo, SPLM Deputy Secretary General (South) 
Yasir Arman, SPLM Deputy Secretary General (North) 
 
------------------------- 
Democracy and Development 
------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Administrator Fore emphasized U.S. support for the CPA and 
asked the SPLM guests for their "on the ground" perspectives on the 
situation.  Anne Itto noted that the South, as well as Sudan as a 
whole, are benefiting from the CPA.  She said that the CPA offers an 
opportunity for the SPLM and the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) to 
champion democracy throughout the whole of Sudan.  This is only 
possible with the peace provided by the CPA.  She added that the 
SPLM is seeking to implement a vision of peace and justice 
throughout the region, including by encouraging Darfur rebel unity 
in negotiations with the GNU and mediating peace between the 
government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Itto continued that development also depends on peace. 
Under the CPA, the southern economy has begun to function again and 
to grow.  Sudan must use this opportunity to develop the capacity of 
its people.  Only the SPLM is well placed to lead this effort.  To 
successfully promote democracy and development in Sudan as a whole, 
she said, the SPLM must itself democratize and mobilize for the 
effort.  Then it must reach out in the North to other, like-minded 
political parties. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
The Three Areas, Free Media and Rural Development 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Administrator Fore asked how the U.S. could focus its 
assistance to support CPA implementation.  Agriculture Minister 
Kwaje noted that development of the "three areas" along the 
North-South border (Southern Blue Nile State, the Nuba Mountains in 
Southern Kordofan, and Abyei) has been almost forgotten.  The 
National Congress Party (NCP) is using this neglect as an 
opportunity to attack the SPLM, saying "The SPLM has failed to 
develop the three areas."  There now needs to be a focus on 
developing these areas. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Samson Kwaje said there is a critical need to develop news 
media to disseminate accurate information, especially outside of 
Juba.  The GoSS recently signed an agreement with a South African 
company to develop a broadcast satellite media outlet in the South, 
putting South Sudan TV before a larger audience.  The GoSS needs to 
develop its capacity to inform and educate its population and 
counter misinformation.  For example, he said many people in the 
South do not understand the SPLM's political strategy in its 
conflict with the NCP, falsely believe that it has pulled out of the 
GNU, abandoned the people of the three areas (like Nuba Mountains 
and Blue Nile) and that the CPA has collapsed.  He also said that 
the population needs to be educated about the census to be held in 
 
KHARTOUM 00001884  002 OF 002 
 
 
2008 and the elections in 2009.  CDA Fernandez added that the SPLM 
also needs to be aggressively getting its "new Sudan" message out in 
Arabic in the North and a South African satellite will not do that, 
the SPLM should be on in Arabic on Arabsat and Nilesat. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Yasir Arman commented that Southern Sudan is too dependent 
on its share of oil exports and badly needs to develop other revenue 
sources.  Therefore, he said, the GoSS needs to focus on rural 
development.  Agriculture production should be increased, both to 
become self-sufficient in food and as a source of export revenues. 
There also is a critical need to improve the delivery of health 
services in rural areas.  Anne Itto agreed that "agriculture 
sustains peace." 
 
----------------------------------- 
Change Through Pressure from Within 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Arman went on to say that the NCP retains a monopoly on 
the levers of power in Sudan:  military forces, government revenues, 
and information.  He described Khartoum as "the head of the snake." 
To transform Sudan as a whole, it will be necessary to transform 
Khartoum.  He said that, in spite of the CPA, the NCP continues to 
seek to marginalize the SPLM.  The NCP acts in the name of the GNU 
without bothering to consult its SPLM partners. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Arman asked how the U.S. intends to deal with the NCP.  He 
argued that if offered carrots, the NCP will only continue to 
misbehave.  The NCP is unwilling to change fundamentally.  It only 
accepts change under pressure, but pressure for fundamental change 
must come from inside Sudan.  The SPLM offers the only democratic 
alternative to the NCP, he said.  To challenge the NCP, the SPLM 
needs assistance in establishing an independent media to counter NCP 
lies. 
 
¶10. (U) Administrator Fore reviewed this message before 
transmission. 
 
FERNANDEZ