VZCZCXRO5679
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0093/01 0261422
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261422Z JAN 09 ZDK CTG NUMEROUS SERVICES
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2766
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000093 
 
DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E 
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: SPLM DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL ANNE ITTO ON BASHIR, THE ICC, 
AND ELECTIONS 
 
KHARTOUM 00000093  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Following a SPLM Political Bureau meeting to 
discuss impending ICC indictments against GNU President Omar Bashir, 
Consul General met with SPLM Deputy Secretary General Anne Itto on 
January 22 to discuss the results of the party's deliberations.  In 
the course of the meeting, Itto expressed her deep distrust of NCP 
intentions, possible plans for the SPLM to engage on ending the 
violence in Darfur, and her firm support for holding elections in 
¶2009. End Summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to Itto, the SPLM believes the most likely 
outcome of ICC indictments (which she termed "inevitable") is that 
the NCP will not over-react, but rather will be "clever" in seeking 
to avoid Bashir's arrest.  One likely strategy will be for the NCP 
to attempt to fix upcoming elections in order to "democratically" 
legitimize Bashir's hold on power.  "The NCP will want to hang on at 
all costs," Itto said.  However, she added, "The NCP is an animal 
that is unpredictable, and a violent reaction to the indictments is 
also an outcome that the SPLM and the international community must 
be prepared to deal with." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Given their uncertainty over what to expect, Itto said the 
party agreed to create a "Crisis Management Committee" whose task 
will be to monitor how the NCP reacts following the indictments in 
order to be able to quickly and efficiently take "necessary action." 
 Asked if that meant that the GOSS might consider a Unilateral 
Declaration of Independence for the South should the NCP turn 
violent, Itto gave an emphatic "No."  "We will stay within the CPA 
and continue to work toward the 2011 referendum." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Concerning the SPLM position on the ICC, Itto said the 
party will not stand in the path of justice.  "We are telling the 
NCP not to reject, but to engage with the ICC to find a way through 
the crisis."  They could, for instance, use local courts to hold 
trials in ways that might satisfy the ICC.  Itto noted that Bashir 
brought this problem on himself when he failed to engage the ICC 
following the first round of indictments related to Darfur (for Ali 
Kushayb and Ahmed Haroun).  Had the NCP   established a legal 
structure to try indictees internally then, it would have created a 
precedent for use now.  Instead, in typical fashion, the NCP took a 
bullying attitude, making excuses for itself that only e.sured 
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