VZCZCXRO6810
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHKUK RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1842/01 3631444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281444Z DEC 08 ZDK CTG NUMEROUS SVCS
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2610
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001842 
 
DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, AF/E, AF/PDPA 
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: MINOR DEMONSTRATIONS AT EMBASSY KHARTOUM RELATED TO ISRAELI 
AIR STRIKES IN GAZA 
 
KHARTOUM 00001842  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On December 27-28, several waves of demonstrators 
gathered outside the Embassy Khartoum Chancery to exhibit solidarity 
with the cause of Palestinians following Israeli air strikes in 
Gaza. The demonstrations remained peaceful but were marked by 
anti-American slogans including "Down, Down, USA!" and the waving of 
shoes in the air, in apparent reference to the Iraqi journalist who 
threw his shoes at President Bush. Throughout the demonstrations, 
additional Sudanese police responded to ensure the safety of the 
Chancery building and coordinate with the Embassy's local guard 
force. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 27 at around 18:00, approximately 100 
protestors gathered outside the north entrance of the Embassy 
Khartoum Chancery for a show of solidarity with Palestinians in 
Gaza. The proceedings were peaceful and lasted approximately 20 
minutes. The Embassy was closed at the time, and the group did not 
attempt to deliver a petition or otherwise make contact with Embassy 
officials. Additional Sudanese police responded to ensure the safety 
of the Chancery building and to coordinate with the Embassy's local 
guard force. 
 
¶3. (SBU) About an hour after the departure of the demonstrators, the 
RSO received a call from the Sudanese National Police informing him 
that a larger demonstration was expected to occur at the Chancery 
during the afternoon of December 28. The police indicated that the 
demonstration would be peaceful, and demonstrators would be escorted 
by a large number of police officers. As a precaution, the Embassy 
moved its vehicle fleet away from the front of the Chancery to the 
General Services Office (GSO) Compound the morning of December 28 
and temporarily relocated motor pool operations to the off-site GSO 
warehouse. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Beginning at around noon on December 28, several waves of 
demonstrators passed by the Embassy's north entrance. The first 
group consisted of approximately 150 women from the Islamic Students 
Union and passed peacefully. A second group of approximately 200 men 
passed shortly thereafter, chanting slogans of "Down, Down, USA!" 
and "Down, Down, Israel!" while waving their shoes in the air, in 
apparent reference to the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at 
President Bush on December 14. Throughout this time, the Chancery 
remained well-protected by a large truck-full of riot police, 15 
diplomatic police and 10 Khartoum State police. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A third demonstration by students from the Faculty of 
Radiology at Sudan University of Science and Technology also came to 
the Chancery with students shouting anti-American slogans such as 
"The CIA can't rule us." They had an Arabic language petition that 
the RSO accepted on behalf of the Mission.  The translated text was 
as follows:    "We, students of Sudan University, bear you absolute 
responsibility for the ongoing carnage in Gaza since you and the 
Jews are from the same origin. Rights will be restored while 
injustice and its state will be diminished forever. The battle that 
our predecessors have started in Iraq and Gaza will continue. You 
will see black days... and God is Great / Pride for God and his 
Prophet and Islam / Freedom for Palestine." Later, another group of 
approximately 30 Sudan University students demonstrated in front of 
the Southern entrance of the Embassy, remaining for about 10 minutes 
before departing peacefully. They chanted in Arabic and then "Down, 
Down, USA" in English. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The demonstrations appear to be related to a larger 
gathering that includes representatives from civil society, trade 
unions and other organizations. The United Nations Department of 
Safety and Security (UNDSS), citing media and other sources, 
indicated that the "National Communities Society" may have had a 
hand in organizing one demonstration on December 28, reportedly at 
the departure terminal of Khartoum Airport. From there the group was 
expected to march on Khartoum's major thoroughfare -- Africa Road -- 
to the Afra Shopping Mall (on the other side of town from the 
Embassy). The HAC commissioner and other prominent speakers were 
expected to address the rally. All of the groups who demonstrated at 
the US Embassy also reportedly went to the Egyptian Embassy nearby. 
They were reportedly stopped en-route to the State Assembly by 
police and then put in buses and taken to the Africa Road location. 
It appears that UN and UK offices were not targeted in any 
demonstrations today. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The protests coincide with official statements from the GOS 
as well as various political parties and civil society organizations 
condemning Israeli air attacks in Gaza, according to press reports. 
The Sudanese Government issued a statement on December 27 condemning 
the air attacks and urging Israel immediately to stop its 
"aggression," and on December 28 several Sudanese dailies carried 
quotes from President Bashir calling for a united Arab position 
 
KHARTOUM 00001842  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
against Israel. Bashir also characterized the "genocide" against 
Palestinians as part of a plot against the Arab world, stating that 
"what is going on represents a plot against the Arab peoples and has 
been proved through acts of aggression on Palestine, Iraq, Somalia 
and Sudan." 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Foreign Relations Secretariat of the ruling National 
Congress Party (NCP) also issued a statement denouncing Israeli 
"barbarous and brutal military machinery against innocent unarmed 
civilians."  It accused the international community of standing idly 
by while the attacks took place, stating that "Darfur and the ICC 
are concrete evidence of international hypocrisy and double 
standards." It called on the Arab and Islamic world and its leaders 
to stand "stand decisively and strongly to halt Israeli raids" and 
to provide them with material and moral support. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Comment: The protests to date have been kept in check by 
the GOS, which in the past has organized such demonstrations itself. 
 It is quite possible that the GOS (or organizations that the GOS 
supports) had a hand in organizing some of today's protests in 
Khartoum, although it is worth noting that even without such support 
there is an abundance of popular support here for both Palestine and 
Hamas. To date, the demonstrations have remained peaceful and 
focused on the cause of Palestinian solidarity (rather than the 
pending ICC case against President Bashir). Post will continue to 
monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary. 
 
ASQUINO