VZCZCXRO7649
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1211/01 2240916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110916Z AUG 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1568
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001211 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON 
NSC FOR BPITTMAN AND CHUDSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SE WILLIAMSON MEETING WITH SLM/MM LEADERS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On August 9, senior leaders of the Sudan 
Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi (SLM/MM) told Special Envoy 
Williamson that the Darfur Peace Agreement remains in a state of 
neglect. SLM/MM leaders also criticized UNAMID, President Bashir's 
vague Darfur initiative, and the show of support for President 
Bashir following his potential indictment by the ICC.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
STATUS OF DPA 
- - - - - - - 
¶2.  (SBU) Special Envoy Williamson opened the meeting by saying he 
recognizes Minni Minnawi's leadership and patience under extremely 
difficult circumstances.  Muhammad Al-Tijani, the head of the DPA 
Implementation committee and leader of the meeting in Minnawi's 
absence, thanked Williamson and then stated DPA remains in the same 
state as it was during the SE's last visit to Sudan in May. "If 
anything, things are getting worse, not better," noted Tijani. 
Tijani praised Minnawi, saying that he has shown patience and 
self-constraint during a very frustrating period. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) SLM/MM Legal advisor Abdul Aziz Sam stated that over two 
years since its adoption, the DPA still has not been legally 
incorporated into the Sudanese constitution.  According to Sam, the 
DPA is now neither constitutionally binding, nor used as a resource 
for future consultations.  He stated that the "undeclared state of 
emergency" following the May 10 JEM attack on Omdurman continues, as 
Zaghawa and other Darfuri tribes continue to suffer from unwarranted 
harassment, detention, and persecution.  Dr. Adam Khatir Sam added 
that the security protocols of the DPA should be the backbone of the 
DPA, but noted that the joint committee and the ceasefire commission 
are two key institutions of the security protocol that are 
non-functioning.  Muhammad Tijani said that the GoS is now forming 
its own security arrangements in South Darfur, as an attempt to 
undermine SLM/MM and build up pro-government SLM/MM factions. 
(NOTE:  Prior to the meeting SLM/MM Vice-Chairman Dr. Rayah Mahmoud 
called poloff complaining that he had not invited to attend. 
Poloff informed Rayah that Minnawi personally selected the meeting's 
representatives.  Rayah stated that he would go to the press on 
August 9 and say, "I will tell them that the U.S. is trying to 
divide SLM/MM by not inviting the vice-chairman in Minnawi's 
absence." Omar Suliman Dahiya (often mentioned as a representative 
of this rival faction,) attended the meeting without an invitation, 
to which Bushara Hassan stated, "There is not much we could do but 
accept his presence."  END NOTE). 
 
RELATIONSHIP WITH UNAMID 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶4.  (SBU) According to Tijani the SLM/MM's disappointment with 
UNAMID continues.  He said the hybrid force is "doing nothing" and 
"is a big failure like the African Union."   Tijani said that within 
the last six months UNAMID has lost most of its staff with 
historical knowledge of the conflict, with the DPA, and 
relationships with SLM/MM leaders.  Muhammad Suliman added that 
UNAMID is authorized to support the DPA in resolution 1769, but 
regular UNAMID meetings at the DPA implementation office have 
stopped.  Dr. Adam Khatir Sam stated that the international 
community should take the practical steps necessary to provide 
UNAMID with the appropriate level of force and technical capacity. 
SE Williamson promised that he would raise these concerns with 
UNAMID leadership in El-Fasher and UNDPKO in New York.  Later in the 
meeting SLM/MM leaders stated that they have met with new UN/AU 
Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole and his chief of staff several times 
since his appointment. 
 
 
BASHIR'S DARFUR INITIATIVE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶5.  (SBU) CDA Fernandez asked for SLM/MM representatives' opinion of 
President Bashir's widely publicized Darfur initiative.  Muhammad 
Bashir said that President Bashir is using the initiative to rally 
political opposition parties, and that Bashir never consulted SLM/MM 
prior to his announcement.  He added that the government continues 
to try to divide SLM/MM as it publicizes this vague initiative, 
which may result in an alternate agreement to the DPA.  Muhammad 
Tijani stated that the initiative is just a reaction to the ICC 
proceedings, a "political show", and not a good will effort.  SLM/MM 
leaders opined that other political parties proposing initiatives 
for Darfur have failed to consult SLM/MM before making their 
announcements. 
 
ICC 
- - - 
¶6.  (SBU)  SLM/MM leaders stated that Sudanese opposition parties' 
disapproval of the ICC proceedings against President Bashir should 
not be interpreted as the opinion of the people of Darfur.  Adam 
 
KHARTOUM 00001211  002 OF 002 
 
 
Abdul Rahman emphasized  that it is impossible to speak freely in 
Sudan, and any statements in favor of Bashir should be interpreted 
in this context.  Abdul Aziz Sam added that it is dangerous not to 
support the government, as was proven by Hassan Al-Turabi's 
detention following the JEM attacks.  He added that other African 
heads of state are also being indicted by the ICC and therefore have 
thrown their support behind President Bashir. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  SE Williamson stated that the U.S. will continue to make 
alleviating humanitarian suffering its top priority in Sudan.  He 
added that although UNAMID has been imperfect and that the U.S. 
shares SLM/MM's views on UNAMID's slow progress, he is nevertheless 
hopeful that the new Undersecretary for Field Operations will be 
able to achieve tangible results in the coming months.  Williamson 
stated that both U.S. presidential candidates, Senators McCain and 
Obama, have been very outspoken on Darfur, and that though there 
will be a change in administration, the next president's commitment 
to the people of Sudan will remain. 
 
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 
- - - - - - - - - - - 
¶8.  (SBU) 
- Adam Khatir Sam - TDRA Consultant 
- Muhammad Suliman - Ex-Secretary General TDRA 
- Adam Abdulllah Adam - Land Commissioner TDRA 
- Muhammad Tijani - Head of DPA Implementation committee 
- Abdul Aziz Sam - TDRA Legal Consultant 
- Muhammad Bashir - Minnawi's chief of staff 
- Bushara Hassan - TDRA/SLM Capacity Building Manager 
- Omar Suliman Dahia - (Unexpected representative, allegedly 
affiliated to SLM/MM faction of Dr. Rayah Mahmoud.) 
 
¶9.  (U) SE Williamson cleared this cable prior to transmission. 
 
FERNANDEZ