VZCZCXRO1640
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1313/01 2421123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291123Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1751
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001313 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, DRL 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KDEM SOCI SU
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN SUDAN OPPOSITION PARTIES: CHANCES OF FREE AND FAIR 
ELECTIONS ARE NIL 
 
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Summary 
- - - - 
¶1. (U) During  a gathering at ConGen Juba on 25 August, southern 
opposition parties declared the chances for free and fair elections 
in 2009 to be "non-existent" given the abbreviated period to prepare 
for and conduct elections, the inability of small parties to finance 
adequately their planned activities, and the ability of the NCP and 
SPLM to use public funds, security services, and the media to their 
advantage.  One NCP and one SPLM representative also attended.  The 
NCP representative denied allegations that his party had manipulated 
the electoral timeline so opposition parties would have 
insufficient time to prepare or that NCP leaders were using  public 
funds to support their party's activities.  The CG reminded all that 
the elections are a Sudanese process and the Sudanese people and 
parties must take ownership.  He reaffirmed U.S. support for the 
elections as part of the CPA and expressed hope that the elections 
would indeed be free and fair.  End summary 
 
¶2. (U) On the evening of 25 August, the Consul General hosted 
southern opposition parties at ConGen Juba to discuss parties' 
impressions of the electoral law and party strategies going into the 
upcoming elections.  Attending were members from the Sudan African 
National Union (SANU), the United Democratic Sudan Forum (UDSF), the 
United Democratic Front (UDF), and the United Sudan African Party 
(USAP I). One SPLM rep and one NCP (Southern Sector) rep also 
attended, further enlivening the discussion when sensitive issues 
were addressed. 
 
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SPLM SHOULD IMPLEMENT POWER SHARING 
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¶3. (U) The CG welcomed the party representatives, and asked for 
their opinions about the upcoming elections and their parties' 
relationships with the SPLM.  Dr. Toby Maduot Parek Machar, the 
Chairman of SANU, began by lamenting the SPLM's failure to 
fully-implement its agreement with smaller southern parties to share 
positions in the GoSS and leadership positions in the southern 
states.  "The SPLM has ignored us (i.e., small southern parties) for 
governorships, commissionerships, and advisory roles" within in the 
GoSS.  Small southern parties are not even involved in lower-level 
leadership roles within the ten southern states, he continued.  He 
urged the SPLM to review the power-sharing decisions it agreed to 
and allow other southern parties to participate in leadership and 
management of the south. Dr. Machar added that during this period of 
resettlement in the South, "we must build the spirit of peace," and 
it is the work of all parties to make this happen, not only the SPLM 
and the NCP. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------- 
NCP ALLEGED MANIPULATION, LACK OF FUNDS 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------- 
¶4. (U) SANU Chairman Machar argued that southern parties need to 
confer before the elections and adopt a unified vision.  He said 
that lack of funding is the biggest obstacle to SANU's participation 
in the upcoming election.  "How can we mobilize our people in ten 
months with no funds?  We rely only on member contributions and do 
not have access to state funds such as the NCP and SPLM."  Angelo 
Gwang Ding, Leader of the USAP Caucus in the Southern Sudan 
Legislative Assembly (SSLA), seconded Machar's sentiments and 
bemoaned the fact that most southern opposition parties cannot even 
afford to set up state offices across most of the country.  He added 
that the NCP and the SPLM control the nation's security forces, 
making it even harder for opposition parties to work freely. 
 
¶5. (SBU) SANU member and GNU National Assembly representative 
Gabriel Matur Malek branded the NCP as "masters of deceit", 
particularly when it comes to manipulating international opinion. 
"The elections will not be free and fair," he declared.  "They are 
just a chance for the NCP to re-group."  He said that the electoral 
law is a work of the NCP, and opposition parties did not have an 
adequate chance to inform it. Northern opposition parties such as 
Umma and DUP are being "squeezed" to the point of non-existence, 
said Malek.  Were the NCP to allow free and fair elections, it would 
disappear from power.  The SPLM, said Malek, must reach out to all 
communities in order not to be voted out of power in the GoSS.  "The 
SPLM is still enjoying its honeymoon period with the people of 
southern Sudan," he warned, "but the honeymoon is eroding over 
time." 
 
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TIGHT TIMELINE AND COMPLEX ELECTIONS 
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¶6. (SBU) Southern opposition party members in general are concerned 
about the tight elections timeline, particularly with no National 
 
KHARTOUM 00001313  002 OF 002 
 
 
Electoral Commission (NEC) yet in place.  "When will there be time 
for civic and voter education?" they asked. People need to be 
empowered to vote; thus civic and voter education is very important, 
argued SANU rep Malek.  "The situation we are in now with only a 
short time to prepare for and conduct elections," charged Malek, 
"and is  a calculated and deliberate delay by the NCP.  The chances 
of free and fair elections at this point in time," he reiterated, 
"are non-existent." 
 
¶7. (U) Opposition party members emphasized the complexity of holding 
simultaneous elections for the Presidential, national assembly, 
SSLA, state assemblies, and governors.  Due to this complexity, the 
elections "will not work," they insisted.  Reps also expressed 
concern about logistical impediments to preparing for and conducting 
elections in the south. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - 
THE NCP FIGHTS BACK 
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¶8. (SBU) After listening to opposition party representatives 
lambaste the NCP and SPLM for creating what they said is an unfair 
elections environment, NCP Southern Sector representative Christo 
John spoke up.  "Everyone here is blaming the NCP and the SPLM for 
their situation."  "The NCP is not using public funds to support its 
party activities," claimed John, to the sneers and snickers of those 
around him.  The NCP, he said, uses only its member contributions to 
support the party.  "Furthermore, all members of the National 
Assembly voted to pass the electoral law, not just the NCP," he 
said.  "Elections will be fair," he emphasized. . 
 
¶9. (SBU) John had more to add, but opposition party members refused 
to let him continue.  UDF rep and member of the SSLA Sebit Abbe 
said, "this guy, our southern friend, is being used by the NCP. 
Even he knows that the NCP gives little funding to its southern 
sector branch."  Turning to John, SANU's Makel said, "You as a 
Southerner don't know what the NCP is all about."  John tried again 
to finish his statements, but opposition party members continued to 
cut him off. 
 
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SUDANESE MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR ELECTIONS 
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¶10. (U) After two hours of continuous, sometimes heated, exchanges 
between the party representatives and repeated requests for U.S. 
financial support, the CG reminded them that the elections are a 
Sudanese process, and the Sudanese people and parties must own them. 
 He noted that Sudan is only beginning its period of democratic 
transformation and that it will take time for the parties to 
develop, learn how to support themselves, and compete.  Furthermore, 
he noted, it is inappropriate for the USG to select foreign parties 
and directly support them financially, in effect, taking sides in a 
Sudanese process. The U.S. can, and will, however, assist with the 
mechanics of organizing the election and with civic education 
programs.  He reaffirmed U.S. support for the elections as part of 
the CPA and expressed hope that the elections would indeed be free 
and fair. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
¶11. (SBU) None of the opposition parties' allegations and 
accusations are shocking, and their biggest concerns continue to be 
inadequate funding and lack of control over the security and media 
environment in which all parties must operate.  It is no secret that 
the NCP and the SPLM both use public funds to support party 
activities.  It is also well-known that the NCP employs a strategy 
of "divide and conquer" when it comes to splitting apart opposition 
parties in order to weaken its competition.  Unfortunately, it also 
has been evident for some time that the SPLM is moving in the 
direction of making the South a one-party state, at least until 
after the 2011 referendum. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Comment continued:  What should be of considerable 
concern, however, is the looming electoral deadline (July 2009), the 
lack of a functioning NEC, and the inadequate preparation, including 
civic and voter education, to start the electoral ball rolling.  The 
GoSS recently submitted a request for UNMIS electoral support 
(septel), which will begin to allow preparation to start in earnest 
in the south. 
 
ASQUINO