VZCZCXRO3622
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1460/01 2730726
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290726Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1997
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001460 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, PRM 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SP, USAID/W DCHA SUDAN 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND BPITTMAN 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
BRUSSELS FOR JADDLETON 
USMISSION UN ROME FOR RNEWBERG 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SU
SUBJECT: MISSERIYA CONTINUE SEARCH FOR PEACE BENEFITS 
 
REFS: A) KHARTOUM 1455 
B) KHARTOUM 1435 
C) KHARTOUM 1427 
D) KHARTOUM 1309 
 
KHARTOUM 00001460  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) A growing influx of arms into Misseriya areas of Southern 
Kordofan State and continued feelings of disenfranchisement among 
Misseriya over perceived losses in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
(CPA) have contributed to increased tensions in this tense region. 
There is a crucial need to show Misseriya ethnic group members that 
their interests are served by continued peace in Sudan under current 
arrangements, and that the Misseriya have the political means to 
arrive at an acceptable final solution.  Destabilization in 
Misseriya areas risks increasing conflicts between Misseriya and 
neighboring ethnic groups, including the Ngok Dinka, Nuba, Rizeigat, 
Mwal Dinka, and Nuer, potentially derailing the Abyei road map 
agreement and the CPA. Misseriya officials are seeking political 
solutions to Misseriya issues, which should be encouraged and 
supported when possible. END SUMMARY. 
 
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INCREASED MISSERIYA ARMING 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Two disturbing recent reports from Misseriya contacts 
indicate an urgent need to address issues related to state 
integration in the western sector of Southern Kordofan.  First, Abel 
Gassim Gour - a Misseriya intellectual, professor in the University 
of Khartoum peace studies department, and activist in Misseriya 
peace initiatives - reports that large quantities of arms are 
flowing into Misseriya areas of western Southern Kordofan state. 
Abel Gour flagged this trend as evidence of growing frustration 
among the Misseriya, many of whom perceive a lack of benefits from 
the CPA. 
 
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FRUSTRATED MISSERIYA PLAN FOR ACTION 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Additionally Ahmed Gour (no relation to Abel Gour), the 
nephew of Mohamed Gour, a Misseriya Sudan People's Liberation 
Movement (SPLM) national parliamentarian and influential Misseriya 
leader, recently confided to USAID implementing partner staff that 
frustrations among the Misseriya regarding perceived lack of 
benefits from the CPA have reached a point requiring action. 
According to Ahmed Gour, the Misseriya have not received significant 
benefits from the development fund from Khartoum or the Kadugli 
government.  Ahmed Gour sees the recent progress on integrating 
former SPLM areas of the state (reftel), with no integration of the 
western sector, as supporting the Nuba ethnic group while neglecting 
the Misseriya.  Ahmed Gour asserted that neither the SPLM nor 
National Congress Party (NCP) is  looking out for Misseriya 
interests and that the Misseriya had no input in the Abyei road map 
agreement, which Ahmed Gour claimed ignores Misseriya interests and 
concerns.  Ahmed Gour is planning to meet the Deputy Governor of 
Southern Kordofan to ask if the Kadugli government can take steps to 
integrate the area and provide development assistance. If not, the 
Misseriya may take matters into their own hands.  According to Ahmed 
Gour, the Misseriya have planned their next steps and could 
effectively block oil production and separate the western sector 
from the rest of the state by force.  Ahmed Gour stated that the 
Misseriya would have no problems getting arms for this end. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
MISSERIYA DISSATISFACTION PRIORITY ISSUE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Neroun Phillip, the Nuba SPLM co-chair of the Presidential 
Assessment and Evaluation Committee (PAEC), also recently traveled 
around Southern Kordofan.  He told USAID staff that the Misseriya 
are more frustrated than are the Nuba at what the former see as a 
lack of progress on CPA implementation.  Phillip said that for this 
reason issues in the western sector are a more serious threat than 
those in the Nuba Mountains. 
 
KHARTOUM 00001460  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) USAID staff and other donors recently met with Omar Suliman 
Adam, the Misseriya Governor of Southern Kordofan State. Adam 
expressed appreciation for USAID-supported Misseriya-Dinka and 
Misseriya-Misseriya dialogues planned for the coming months. Adam 
would like to use these forums to discuss the way forward in 
addressing Misseriya concerns, particularly respecting integration. 
To date, no other donors are addressing issues in the western sector 
such as integration. On September 19, Mokhtar Babu Nimir, the Amir 
of the Misseriya Ajaira, called for a meeting of the Misseriya 
native administration to announce the participants of the 
USAID-supported Misseriya-Misseriya forum scheduled for mid-October 
in Muglad. 
 
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MISSERIYA-MISSERIYA MEETING 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Misseriya-Misseriya meeting will attempt to develop a 
common position and response among the Misseriya on the Abyei road 
map agreement, voluntary disarmament, and outstanding issues with 
the CPA. Participants will include traditional leaders, civil 
society, women leaders, and government officials. The Misseriya head 
of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission 
(DDRC) for Southern Kordofan State and the Southern Kordofan State 
Governor will attend the sessions to ensure government 
follow-through on meeting resolutions. A follow-on meeting is 
planned between Misseriya and Ngok Dinka to discuss common positions 
among the ethnic groups on these issues and agree on requirements 
for Misseriya migration through Ngok Dinka areas during the upcoming 
dry season beginning in November. Disarmament of Misseriya herdsmen 
migrating through Ngok Dinka areas will be a key requirement for 
Misseriya access to these areas. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶7. (SBU) The Misseriya are key to peace in the Southern Kordofan 
region.  Given NCP manipulation, they can play the dangerous role of 
spoiler to the CPA, as they have done on several occasions in Abyei. 
Increased arming of the Misseriya and continued dissatisfaction felt 
by a tribe that regards itself as having been manipulated and 
marginalized could threaten the successful implementation of the CPA 
and the Abyei road map agreement. Since the signing of the CPA, 
Misseriya have increasingly abandoned their previous support for the 
Umma Party, in search of benefits from both the NCP and SPLM. After 
fighting against the SPLA along migration routes in the fall of 2007 
and staunch SPLM support for the Ngok Dinka in the Abyei Road Map 
discussions, the Misseriya do not feel that supporting the SPLM will 
fully serve their interests.  Although some Misseriya lean toward 
supporting the NCP as a last, best option, many note that the NCP 
did not look out for the interests of the Misseriya in the CPA or 
Abyei road map negotiations. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Finding an acceptable solution to issues of Misseriya 
integration, including government-led development in the western 
sector, is an important component in achieving sustainable peace in 
Abyei and Southern Kordofan.  As we have reported previously, the 
NCP seeks to provoke continued conflict between the Misseriya and 
their neighbors, notably the Dinka and Nuba, in its strategy of 
"divide and rule."  The popular consultation is one political 
mechanism through which the Misseriya could press for the 
reconstitution of the former West Kordofan State if successful 
integration into Southern Kordofan cannot be achieved, and also 
refocus their aspirations away from Abyei. SPLM support either for 
effective integration or reviving an ethnic-Misseriya state could 
engender the trust and support of the Misseriya. CDA Fernandez has 
held several roundtables with the Misseriya and invited many of 
their leaders to the Embassy's Ramadan Iftar on September 17, but 
this key tribe needs constant attention and resources. Through its 
partners, USAID will continue to support discussions around these 
issues to facilitate the determination of potential solutions.  Post 
will continue to advocate for peaceful Misseriya interests with the 
regime, such as a separate West Kordofan State and regional 
reconciliation and integration efforts. 
 
FERNANDEZ