VZCZCXRO9037
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1130/01 2110748
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290748Z JUL 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1444
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001130 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR ROUNDUP: ATTACK ON SLM/MM, URF DISSOLUTION, AND JEM 
CRITICSM OF BASHIR'S PLAN FOR DARFUR 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 567 
 
KHARTOUM 00001130  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY:  On July 28, Minni Minnawi and two other SLM/MM 
leaders confirmed reports that a Government of Sudan (GoS) security 
force attacked and killed four SLM policemen on July 26 in North 
Darfur.  SLM/MM leaders described the event as an "intentional 
attack" on their movement coinciding with President Bashir's visit 
to Darfur.  Meanwhile, United Resistance Front leaders dismissed 
reports of the dissolution of their rebel alliance, though admitted 
that the United Revolutionary Force Front (URFF) had left the 
alliance months ago. Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leaders 
also denied newspaper reports of their acceptance of President 
Bashir's vague Darfur initiative.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ATTACK ON SLM/MM POLICE OUTPOST 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶2.  (SBU)  On July 28, Senior Presidential Assistant Minni Minawi 
spoke with Poloff by satellite phone from North Darfur, and 
confirmed reports that four MM soldiers were killed at an outpost in 
an attack by GOS forces on July 26 (he had previously denied a 
specific media report of SAF bombing though). Minawi referred Poloff 
to his military spokesman, Mohammed Dirbeen, for more information, 
and restated his eagerness to speak with CDA Fernandez later this 
week in Darfur, should the regime allow him to travel there. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Later in the day, SLM/MM military spokesman Mohammed 
Dirbeen also confirmed that 36 Central Reserve Force vehicles 
attacked an SLM police outpost near Abu Hamra (20 km south of 
Shangil Tobaya) killing four officers.  Dirbeen said that this 
convoy of GoS security forces (and formally a janjaweed unit widely 
known as the "Abu Terra brigade") was traveling from El-Fasher to 
Niyala on July 26.  As the brigade passed the SLM outpost in Abu 
Hamra, the government forces opened fire on the SLM police, driving 
away the policemen, killing four of the men, and later completely 
burning the police station.  Dirbeen stated that these events follow 
widespread bombing of Darfur occurring simultaneously with President 
Bashir's tour of Darfur.  "He [Bashir] calls for peace and all the 
while he is bombing Jebel Moon, Jebel Marra, and all over the 
region," stated Dirbeen.  Dirbeen added that UNAMID or 
representatives of the international community should immediately 
visit these sites, collect evidence, and issue reports on these 
security incidents.  Dirbeen said that the government needs to hand 
over the leaders of the central reserve unit responsible for the 
attack or present SLM/MM with immediate compensation or else "there 
will be big problems."  The SLM's Capacity and Party Building 
manager Bushara Hassan separately told poloff that this was an 
"intentional attack" on SLM Minnawi forces whose "sole mission was 
to try to bring security and decrease banditry in that region." 
Hassan said that Minnawi authorized SLM military spokesman Mohamed 
Dirbeen (who reported the story to Reuters and Al-Jazeera) to speak 
for the movement about this event. 
 
URF DENIES BREAKUP 
- - - - - - - - - - 
¶4.  (SBU)  On July 28 Poloff spoke with Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, 
Chairman of JEM/Collective Leadership and head of the coalition 
United Resistance Front (URF).  Reacting to a report claiming that 
three of the five rebel groups had walked out of the URF coalition, 
Abu Garda dismissed the report and stated that URF remains intact 
with four of the original five movements. (Note: URF was formed as aQ 
result Of SPLM-hosted Darfur consolidation talks as a conglomerate 
of five separate movements: the Arab-dominated United Revolutionary 
Forces Front (URFF), SLA-Field Command, the National Movement for 
ReForm and Development (NMRD), SLA-Khamis Abdalla, and the Justice 
and Equality Movement/Collective LeaderShip (JEM/CL). End Note) Abu 
Garda stated that the only movement to have pulled out od URF was 
one that left previously, URFF. That pullout had come as a surprise, 
he said, because URFF representatives gave no indication that they 
were unhappy with the movement. He speculated that URFF was goaded 
into withdrawing by Eritrea, who is seeking renewed influence with 
the rebel movements after losing some control. He also stated that 
some URFF rebels see the pullout as a mistake, noting that one 
individual called Him from Asmara expressing a desire to return. 
 
¶5. (SBU) When queried by Poloff specifically about the departures nf 
Adam Ali Shoggar, Khamis Abdella Abakr and Ibrahim al-Zubaidi, Abu 
Garda framed these as individual departurEs and not representative 
of any rebel factions. He noted that Ibrahim al-Zubaidi "left months 
ago" anD blamed Adam Ali Shoggar for announcing thE joint departure 
in an attempt to create discord within the URF. He also played downQ 
the departure ofKhamis Abdalla, stating that from the first days of 
URF he had opted not to play an active role due to his poor health. 
Poloff alsk spoke with Tajedine Niam, JEM/CL Political Commissar who 
served as JEM negotiator in Abuja, who stated that "some individuals 
are leaving for various purposes" but URF is still very solid and 
holding together. 
 
KHARTOUM 00001130  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Abu Garda also noted that three days ago, URF 
representatives met with Minni Minnawi in Darfur to discuss on the 
ground cooperation on humanitarian and security issues. Abu Garda 
relayed that Minnawi discussed a possible visit by CDA Fernandez to 
SLM/MM in the field, and Abu Garda told poloff that he too would 
like to meet the CDA, especially "to arrange a meeting with Special 
Envoy Williamson" whenever he decides to next visit Sudan. 
 
JEM DENIES APPROVAL OF BASHIR'S DARFUR INITIATIVE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶7.  (SBU)  On July 28, the pro-government "Akbar Al-Youm" reported 
that the GoS welcomed the JEM acceptance of President Bashir's 
Darfur initiative.  JEM Spokesman Ahmed Hussein later denied this 
report to poloff, describing it as propaganda orchestrated by the 
intelligence and security.  Hussein also stated that the JEM 
representative quoted in the story, legislative Council president 
Dr. Tahir Adam Al-Faki, was not authorized to speak on behalf of 
JEM, describing him as "a colleague who is very simple and 
occasionally troublesome."  Hussein stated that JEM will consider 
any proposal that is presented in formal negotiations with 
international observers.  He said that Bashir's initiative consists 
"just of general statements presented in the media." 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  On other issues, Hussein noted that newly appointed UN/AU 
joint Mediator Djibril Bassole has reached out numerous times to JEM 
leaders and that he was expecting a phone call from Bassole on July 
¶28.  Although critical of Bassole's silence on Ocampo's request for 
a warrant against President Bashir, Hussein was hopeful that Bassole 
will bring a new energy to the peace process.  Hussein said that JEM 
will not be attending a meeting in Arusha for Darfur leaders 
sponsored by the Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre, as it is 
designed for intellectuals, civil society leaders and academics, not 
Darfur rebel movements.  He said he discussed the initiative with 
DRDC director Abdel Bagi Jibril, and that although some loosely 
affiliated JEM members may attend the meeting, they will not 
represent JEM.  With respect to the reported URF breakup, Jibril 
stated that URF became irrelevant long ago.  He said while it is 
unlikely that URF splinter groups would join JEM, there may be close 
coordination with some of them (such as former URF leaders such as 
Khamis Abdalla Abakir) in the future. 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
¶9.  (SBU)  The day's URF and JEM stories appear to be the work of 
the GoS's state information machine. Nonetheless, these distortions 
sparked some other interesting information including URF's claim of 
meeting Minnawi this week and Abu Garda's hope to meet U.S. 
leadership in the near future.  The insubordination of one JEM 
leader's comments to the press appears to be a rare slip for the 
highly coordinated and tightly controlled JEM media machine. 
Hussein appeared embarrassed by his organization's blunder and the 
quick GoS's exploitation of it.  Most significant of all these 
events is the attack on the SLM police outpost, especially as it 
coincided with the Bashir visit and Minnawi's continued protest 
against the GNU.  While it is difficult to assess whether this was 
an "intentional attack" as SLM/MM claim, or an out-of-control 
militia force, there is need for more UNAMID fact-finding and 
reporting on security incidents, as Dirbeen and dozens of other 
Darfuris have constantly reminded us (and as we constantly remind 
UNAMID - but they need to hear it again). 
 
FERNANDEZ