VZCZCXRO0463
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHDU RUEHKUK RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV
RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0124/01 0330721
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 020721Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2816
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/C 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO UN AU SU
SUBJECT: CHADIAN REBELS - HASSABALLAH EMPHASIZES ALLIANCE, 
NOT UNIFICATION, OF CHADIAN REBELS 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 118 
 
Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  On January 30, Adouma Hassaballah Djadarab, 
the First Vice President of the Union of Resistance Forces 
(UFR,) told poloffs that UFR is an alliance of existing 
Chadian rebel groups, not the "fusion" of all movements. 
Like UFR President Erdimi (reftel,) Hassaballah emphasized 
that UFR's leadership will first focus on building its 
political foundation, opening dialogue with the Government of 
Chad, and explaining itself to the international community. 
Despite these pledges, Hassaballah stated that within two 
weeks he will return to the field and that "our soldiers are 
getting anxious."  Separately, on February 1 the Chairman of 
the Sudan Liberation Movement, Minni Minnawi, told CDA 
Fernandez that he has been in contact with Timane Erdimi and 
provided his assessment of UFR's new leader.  END SUMMARY. 
 
"UFR IS AN ALLIANCE, NOT A FUSION" 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶2.  (C)  A confident Adouma Hassaballah, accompanied by a 
staff assistant and a bodyguard, told poloffs that he is 
happy with Timane Erdimi's selection as President of UFR, his 
own appointment as First Vice President, and the improved 
coordination between Chadian rebel movements.  Hassaballah 
emphasized, however, that "the formation of UFR does not mean 
that the rebel movements have fused together into one, each 
movement - UFCD, FPRN, UFDD, etc.- will still exist and 
maintain its own leaders."  As an example of this alliance, 
Hassaballah said that prominent rebel leader and head of 
UFDD, Mohammed Nouri, chose not to take a leadership position 
within UFR as he preferred to focus on his own movement. 
(Note:  Abaker Tollimi, the Secretary General of UFR, is the 
most senior ranking UFDD member in UFR.   End Note.) 
 
CONTINUED POLITICAL FOCUS 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶3.  (C)  Hassaballah stated that UFR continues to focus on 
its political foundation and that it will focus first on 
diplomatic engagement before returning to war against the 
Government of Chad.  "We are ready for dialogue with Deby, 
with civil society leaders in Chad, and with the political 
opposition," stated Hassaballah.  Hassaballah stated that UFR 
leadership will have to draft the designation of 
responsibilities for each position.  When asked about his own 
focus and priorities as First Vice President of UFR, 
Hassaballah stated, "This is a new position so we are still 
working out the details of the job."  Hassaballah added that 
before engaging in military action, UFR will first "explain 
our position to our Chadian brothers." 
 
IMMEDIATE PLANS 
- - - - - - - - - 
¶4.  (C)  Hassaballah stated that within the next two weeks he 
plans on returning to the field.  He said that "we are not 
ready to attack, but our men have been waiting for six 
months, are anxious, and want to return to their home country 
and see their families."  Despite the impatience of his men, 
Hassaballah stated that he has full command over his fighters 
and that they will wait for their orders before beginning an 
attack.  Hassaballah reported that UFR has not yet assigned a 
chief military commander for UFR.  As his movement has the 
largest number of fighters, Hassaballah stated that he 
expects that a UFCD commander will be appointed as the chief 
UFR commander. 
 
MINNAWI COMMENTS ON ERDIMI 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶5.  (C)  On February 1, Senior Presidential Assistant and SLM 
Chairman, Minni Minnawi, told CDA Fernandez that he had 
recently spoken with UFR's new President Timane Erdimi 
several times.  Minnawi confirmed that regime thugs had 
killed Erdimi's sister following his selection as UFR 
President.  Minnawi also stated that the regime's thugs had 
even broken up the Erdimi family's condolence call ("azza") 
in Ndjamena.  According to Minnawi, many of Deby's generals 
are now leaning towards Erdimi.  Minnawi stated that he is 
suspicious of Erdimi's Sudanese support and that regardless 
of his ties to the GOS, Erdimi would do the same thing as 
Deby; use support from the Sudanese regime to gain power and 
then follow his own path and probably continue to support his 
Zaghawa brethren in Darfur. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000124  002 OF 002 
 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - - 
¶6.  (C)  Minnawi's outreach to fellow Zaghawa Timane Erdimi 
is significant and shows the fluidity of national identity, 
the power of ethnic ties across the Chadian-Sudanese border, 
and the interwoven nature of the conflicts in both countries. 
 Meanwhile, Hassaballah reminded poloffs of his own 
independence within the alliance, rather than focus on the 
rebels' achievement in selecting a new leader.  His assertion 
that a UFCD commander must take the lead in military matters 
is another sign of continued factionalism and internal 
competition between the rebel movements.  However, the 
continuity between Erdimi's and Hassaballah's messages was 
striking and indicates that UFR leaders are coordinating 
their public message.  As the Chadian rebels have now 
repeatedly stated their desire to speak to Deby and the GoC, 
the USG should now begin to test the water with President 
Deby and others who have an interest in a peaceful and stable 
Chad.  In particular, it would be beneficial to directly 
learn the positions of the European Union, France, and the 
African Union on dialogue between the Chadian rebels and the 
Chadian Government.  Absent a significant push from France or 
the US for Deby to negotiate with the rebels (combined with a 
push for JEM to withdraw from South Darfur) there will likely 
be a Chadian rebel attack on Ndjamena sometime in the near 
future. 
FERNANDEZ