VZCZCXRO5350
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0539 0981437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071437Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0495
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0144

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000539 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, AF S/E WILLIAMSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR, AND ALSO PASS USAID 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SU KPKO UNSC
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE "POLIITICAL ASSASSINATION" IN EL-FASHER 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 503 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On April 4 at approximately 20:00 gunmen 
allegedly affiliated with the janjaweed Border Intelligence Unit 
shot and killed Suliman Ishaq Korayna Daoud, a member of the Darfur 
Forum and leader of the SLA-Peace Wing (former rebel group which 
threw in its lot with the Khartoum regime), outside of his home. 
Many observers call this murder a "political assassination," though 
the exact motive for this attack remains unclear.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On April 4, Suliman Ishaq Korayna Daoud was shot and 
killed outside of his home in El Fasher, North Darfur.  United 
Nations Department of Safety and Security confirm this attack 
occurred "near the El Fasher Civil Hospital by an unknown gunman." 
On April 5, Khalil Tukras, a prominent El-Fasher lawyer, former NGO 
leader, and a close friend of Daoud's, told emboff that Daoud was a 
member of the Darfur Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, a member of 
the SLA-Peace Wing, and former director of the Darfur Rehabilitation 
and Resettlement Commission. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to Tukras, two members of the Border 
Intelligence Unit (yQ1X\Qacontacted and immediately began the 
investigation the morning of April 5.  Tukras stated that the police 
retraced the attackers' footprints in the sand to the BIU guards' 
compound.  When the police approached their compound, they were 
fired upon by border guard members and eventually retreated, 
reported Tukras. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Tukras stated that he learned this information after 
spending most of the day with the deceased's family, friends, and 
colleagues.  He stated that he was present when the Wali (governor) 
of North Darfur Osman Yousif Kibir came to Daoud's house 
(accompanied by several other senior politicians including the 
Minister of Religious Affairs).  According to Tukras, Kibir 
apologized to Daoud's family and friends for the actions of this 
government security organization, but Daoud's family gave the Wali a 
cold reception ("not even offering him a glaspQYQ\zac!9old the Wali that "We need justice.  If you don't do 
it your way, we'll do it our way," hinting that Daoud's family, 
friends, and extended political and tribal network would resort to 
violence. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Tukras stated that "there has to be a political 
motivation for this crime," emphasizing that "you can't believe they 
killed him just for a mobile phone."  Tukras stated that many 
leaders of El-Fasher's African tribes present at Daoud's home 
already started to discuss an alliance of African tribes directed 
against the Arab militias and janjaweed integrated into the 
government's security structures. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  On April 6, Ahmed Bahr, a member of the North Darfur 
legislature, confirmed to Emboff the basic details of the attack, 
including:  the participation of the members of the Border 
Intelligence Unit (whom he also called "the government's 
janjaweed"); Daoud's positions in political organizations; and the 
likelihood that this was "politically motivated as he was very 
outspoken against the government, always telling the truth." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Many of the details of this event remain 
unclear.  Nonetheless, the identity of the victim, his affiliations, 
and the basic details of the attack point to a political 
assassination, which has outraged many in El Fasher.  This violence, 
allegedly committed by janjaweed integrated into the government's 
security structures, may be part of a larger trend of an upsurge in 
janjaweed violence in El-Fasher in the last week that includes 
clashes between Arab militias and SLM-Minnawi (reftel).  Retaliation 
by African tribes against Arabs considered responsible for this 
incident or others of the past week are not out of the realm of 
possibility. 
 
FERNANDEZ