VZCZCXRO6357
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0964 1821221
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301221Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1193
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000964 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF/SPG 
NSC FOR HUDSON AND PITTMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS SU CG CT UG
SUBJECT: OYAI DENG AJAK ON ABYEI JIU FORMATION AND INTERIM 
ADMINISTRATION 
 
¶1. (SBU) SPLA Chief of General Staff Oyai Deng Ajak reviewed the 
latest developments on the Abyei Interim Administration for the 
Consul General on June 27.  As anticipated and previously reported, 
the Southern Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration 
Commission Chairman General Arop Mayak will replace Edward Lino as 
the Administrator for Abyei, and First Vice President Kiir 
reportedly successfully vetoed President Bashir's attempt to appoint 
a Misseriya candidate into the deputy slot.  The NCP has reportedly 
bowed to the SPLM's request that it be filled by an Ngok Dinka. 
However, Ajak did not know who this would be.  (COMMENT: While 
Lino's departure is in some ways a concession, many in Juba have 
been exasperated with his performance to date.  Described by some 
within the Presidency as "overly preoccupied with details," one 
frustrated contact told ConGen staff "if Lino goes back to Abyei, he 
won't have to worry that the Misseriya will kill him, we'll do it 
first." END COMMENT) 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ajak appeared pleased with the final status of the Joint 
Integrated Units and a commitment by the NCP to move the 31st 
Brigade out of Abyei North of the newly established interim Abyei 
boundary by month's end.  While the SPLM lost out on their request 
for wholly mixed JIU units, Ajak noted that squads of SPLA and SAF 
JIU would be interspersed throughout the Abyei region. 
UNMIS-facilitated joint training of the JIU forces in Abyei town is 
on schedule, Ajak reported.  Breaking the impasse on the question of 
the composition of the region's police force, Ajak stated that the 
700-strong police contingent would be a mix of Northern and Southern 
police officers.  The police commander, a Northerner, is apparently 
well-known to the SPLM and acceptable to Kiir. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ajak expressed his gratitude to the USG for the 
Commander-level training it has provided over the last several 
months, stating that it has been universally well received by his 
top generals and that additional courses are needed to bring this 
level of training down to the division and brigade commander level. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment: If the mutually accepted Abyei interim 
administration is announced, JIUs and police units trained and fully 
deployed, it will mean that most of the key elements of the June 8 
Abyei road map have been achieved. These are, however, only the 
first hurdles of what will be a complex, drawn out and dangerous 
process in one of Sudan's most volatile regions. End comment. 
 
FERNANDEZ