VZCZCXRO0190
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1713/01 3311136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261136Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2407
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001713 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, AF/C 
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON 
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: FUR MP PESSIMISTIC ABOUT BASHIR'S PROMISES 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On November 22, Abulgasim Seifeldin, an 
influential SPLM Member of Parliament from South Darfur, told CDA 
Fernandez that he is very pessimistic about the Sudan People's 
Initiative (SPI) and President Bashir's promises made at the closing 
ceremony of the SPI. Seifeldin also pleaded for more security for 
Darfuris, for the creation of one region for all of Darfur, and for 
the ICC to run its course with an indictment against President 
Bashir. Seifeldin strongly criticized the NCP's co-option of the 
Native Administration in Darfur, the GoS's inappropriate adoption of 
a traditional reconciliation methods (i.e. payments of blood money) 
and Qatari involvement in the peace process.  END SUMMARY. 
 
SUDAN PEOPLE'S INITIATIVE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶2.  (SBU) Seifeldin, a member of the Fur tribe originally from Jebel 
Marra, opened by stating that the Government of Sudan (GoS) wasted 
valuable time focusing on the Sudan People's Initiative.  (Note: 
Seifeldin is also the father-in-law of SLM rebel leader Abdul Wahid 
Al-Nur, an individual he publicly disagrees with politically and 
avoids discussing.  End Note.)  According to Seifeldin, the SPI 
excluded the real people of Darfur, but included janjaweed and those 
responsible for the Darfur conflict.  "The presence of the janjaweed 
was an insult to Darfur's victims," stated Seifeldin. He dismissed 
the promises made in Bashir's closing speech, saying "the GoS has 
promised development projects many times before and nothing has come 
of it."  CDA Fernandez agreed and said that the Sudanese government 
has always struggled to follow through on its many peace deals and 
implement its commitments. 
 
SECURITY FIRST 
- - - - - - - - - 
¶3.  (SBU) According to Seifeldin, Darfur has become more militarized 
in 2008, and "there is still more death coming to our region." 
Seifeldin asserted that UNAMID has not significantly improved 
security in Darfur. Many of UNAMID's troops arrive ill-prepared for 
their mission in Darfur and are often quickly bought off by the GoS, 
stated Seifeldin. Despite Seifeldin's criticism of UNAMID, he 
asserted that UNAMID should be responsible for all of Darfur's 
security.  The GoS military presence around IDP camps scares the 
Darfuri civilian population, and "fear is the ultimate goal of this 
regime," stated Seifeldin. 
 
NATIVE ADMINISTRATION, BLOOD MONEY, AND ONE REGION 
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶4.  (SBU) Seifeldin said that the crisis in Darfur and the 
Government's actions in the region have totally destroyed the native 
administration of the region.  According to Seifeldin, the National 
Congress Party has "totally co-opted" many of the tribal leaders and 
as a result "no one respects the tribal leadership anymore." 
Seifeldin said that Bashir's announced reparation or "blood-money" 
fund is inappropriate, as conflicting tribes used this traditional 
mechanism.  "When one party is the government, it is inappropriate 
for me as a taxpayer to cover the Government's crimes - this won't 
solve the problem and is an insult to all the Sudanese," stated 
Seifeldin. He  asserted that Darfur was once an autonomous region 
and, indeed an independent sultanate until 1916, and that the 
Sudanese government needs to respect the peoples' strong sense of 
unity and independence.  The GoS fears that Darfur will eventually 
become independent, should it create one state for the region. 
However, preventing one region will only lead to a stronger desire 
for secession, stated Seifeldin. 
 
SKEPTICAL OF QATAR, BUT THANKFUL FOR U.S. 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶5.  (SBU) Seifeldin criticized the Arab League's involvement in the 
peace process saying, "the Arabs will always support Bashir, and 
Qatar will not be different."  The Arabs have done "absolutely 
nothing" in Darfur, asserted Seifeldin and said that the GoS should 
take responsibility for its actions in Darfur rather than blame the 
conflict on environmental or tribal factors. Seifeldin also 
expressed concern over press reports that the U.K. and France would 
accept an Article 16 postponement of an indictment against Bashir, 
emphatically responding "thank God" when CDA Fernandez told 
Seifeldin the reports were entirely fabricated. Seifeldin ended the 
meeting by stating, "The people of Darfur know who has helped them 
through this very difficult period and we thank you.  The United 
States will always be remembered for its good work in Darfur." 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
¶6.  (SBU)  Although there was little in Seifeldin's presentation 
that we have not heard before, the intensity of his criticism was 
remarkable for an acting member of parliament sitting in Khartoum. 
Certainly, his criticism was not that different from the comments of 
his estranged son-in-law. Seifeldin's views are also quite 
 
KHARTOUM 00001713  002 OF 002 
 
 
representative of many widespread opinions in Darfur.  Despite the 
GoS's campaign against the ICC, many (if not most) Darfuris do 
support an indictment against Bashir. His other views on the need 
for one region, the GoS's deflection of responsibility, the NCP's 
co-opting of the native administration, and what he regards as the 
absurdity of blood money payments are also very prevalent throughout 
Darfur although there is a spectrum of views on these issues by 
people of good will throughout Sudan (for example, the subverting of 
Darfur's "native administration" long predates the NCP). 
 
FERNANDEZ