VZCZCXRO2213
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0307 0651330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061330Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3166
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000307 
 
DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E 
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ECON KPKO UNSC ASEC MARR MOPS SU
SUBJECT: GOSS MINISTER BENJAMIN ASSURES SAFETY OF INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTH DESPITE ICC INDICTMENTS AGAINST BASHIR 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a March 5th meeting with the international 
community in Juba, GOSS Minister for Regional Cooperation Barnabas 
Benjamin assured the international community that the GOSS has taken 
multiple steps to ensure their safety in the face of ICC indictments 
of GNU President Omar al Bashir.  The Minister urged that NGOs and 
diplomatic missions continue with their activities, stating, "within 
our territory you are protected."  Benjamin stated the GOSS position 
on the ICC was that the NCP must engage on the issue, that the SPLM 
is advising the NCP to cooperate with the international community, 
and that the indictments would not interfere with GOSS operations. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Ministry of Regional Cooperation invited the diplomatic 
community and select NGOs in Juba to a meeting on the morning of 
March 5 to discuss the impact of ICC indictments against GNU 
President Omar al Bashir.  Minister Barnabas Benjamin advised the 
community that the GOSS has taken multiple steps to ensure the 
safety of all, and urged all the organizations present to continue 
with their normal activities. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Benjamin framed the ICC situation as a "legal issue."  He 
said that the GOSS position was that the NCP must engage on the 
issue, and was advising that Bashir should cooperate with the 
international community on the indictments.  Finally, the Minister 
said that the indictments would not interfere with GOSS operations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Minister said that peaceful demonstrations against the 
indictments by the NCP and others in the South would be allowed, but 
only on their own property.  Demonstrators would not be allowed to 
march in the streets. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Consul General Juba asked the Minister about the purpose of 
the meeting GOSS President and GNU First Vice President Kiir had 
with GNU Vice President Ali Taha, who flew to Juba early on March 
4th to confer with Kiir.  Benjamin answered that Taha had tried to 
persuade Kiir to immediately return with him to Khartoum so he could 
stand with Bashir when the ICC announcement was made later that 
afternoon in order to show solidarity with the GNU President. 
Benjamin said Kiir reportedly answered Taha by asking, "Why should I 
go to Khartoum when General Tang is there being protected by you 
after what he did in Malakal?  If you were serious about our 
partnership, he would be arrested."  He then refused to travel back 
with Taha, and waited until after 4 pm to travel to Khartoum for the 
meeting with Bashir. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Asked about the expulsion of NGOs from Sudan following the 
announcement of the arrest warrant, Benjamin said that the GOSS was 
not consulted about it and did not support the expulsions.  This 
was, he said, not a GNU but an NCP decision.  Asked if the GOSS 
would support the expulsions of these NGOs from Southern Sudan, 
Benjamin answered that the GOSS will not follow orders to expel them 
from the South, and they are welcome to stay and continue their work 
here. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: The SPLM was not informed of the decision to expel 
NGOs and is irritated by this decision, especially since it will 
impact donor programming in the Three Areas.  The GOSS has assured 
donors that registrations will immediately be provided for those 
NGOs that do not have separate registrations for the South, but this 
still does not solve the problem of the Three Areas.  As of March 6, 
there were reports of HOC officials taking over NGO assets in Blue 
Nile and the Nuba Mountains, but not yet in Abyei.  The SPLM should 
use its leverage with the NCP to seek continued access by expelled 
NGOs to the Three Areas, but Kiir is likely reticent to confront 
Bashir on this issue so soon after the ICC announcement.  Over time 
it is possible that some accommodation may be reached.  It is 
interesting that the NCP did not attempt to seize NGO assets in 
Abyei, as this would have been a provocation for the SPLM.  But the 
NCP clearly wants to demonstrate that it controls Blue Nile and 
South Kordofan. 
 
FERNANDEZ