Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09ASMARA126, STRENGTHENING EASTERN SUDAN CIVIL SOCIETY

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09ASMARA126.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ASMARA126 2009-04-20 13:20 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Asmara
VZCZCXRO4132
RR RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0126 1101320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201320Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0258
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
UNCLAS ASMARA 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND AF/SPG 
USAID FOR GOERGIANNA PLATT 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KDEM SOCI EAID SU ER
SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING EASTERN SUDAN CIVIL SOCIETY 
 
Ref:  08 ASMARA 361 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Peacebuilding Center for the Horn of Africa 
(PCHA) is concluding its fifth USG-funded workshop for eastern 
Sudanese NGO leaders.  The week long workshop invited 29 
participants from the four previous workshops to attend a final 
session on "training the trainers."  Embassy officers visited the 
workshop, lecturing on the importance of strengthening grassroots 
efforts.  End Summary. 
 
ENTHUSIASTIC AND READY 
---------------------- 
 
2. (U) Participants greeted visiting EmbOffs with energetic chants 
of "abune ta-eez, Obama ra-eez," which roughly translates to 
"without discrimination, Obama is President."  The 29 participants, 
attendees from the four previous workshops, volunteered to attend a 
fifth workshop on educating fellow community members on the 
mechanics of peacebuilding.  Participants represented a range of 
political parties such as the SPLM, the Democratic Unionist Party 
(DUP), the Sudan Communist Party (SCP), and the Eastern Sudan Front 
(ESF).  Participants were also members of a variety of civic society 
organizations, including adult education centers, youth movements, 
women's movements, legal activists, and so forth. 
 
3. (U) The PCHA facilitated this "training the trainers" method by 
producing a 100-page instruction manual in Arabic outlining the 
PCHA's approach to community building in eastern Sudan.  The 
workshop also invited guest lecturers on topics such as energizing 
community organizations in eastern Sudan. 
 
GRASSROOTS VS. TREE ROOTS 
------------------------- 
 
4. (U) In much of eastern Sudan the local perspective is that the 
most powerful politician runs the community and is the person with 
whom to align, according to the impromptu survey PolOff conducted 
among the participants.  PolOff guest lectured the group on the 
importance of sustaining and strengthening grassroots movements 
instead of seeking powerful "tree roots" (such as a single 
influential governor) to cluster around.  The participants, enthused 
by the concept, requested Arabic translations of the presentation 
and volleyed dozens of questions afterwards on different ways to 
promote grassroots movements in eastern Sudan.  Participants 
particularly liked the idea of door-to-door canvassing. 
 
5. (U) The implementation of the 5th workshop concludes the 
USG-funded five workshop series on peacebuilding in eastern Sudan. 
The first four workshops were funded by an ESF grant, while the 
Sudan Programs Group (AF/SPG) funded a 5th workshop extension.  Thus 
far, all of the workshops have been well attended (reftel) and have 
received accolades from several diplomatic missions and high-ranking 
officials in the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), 
Eritrea's sole political party. 
 
6. (U) COMMENT: Peace efforts in eastern Sudan are one of the few 
areas of political commonality shared between the USG, the Eritrean 
government, and the Government of Sudan.  The five workshops, though 
occasionally delayed due to scheduling difficulties, were a success 
and demonstrated the enthusiasm of community leaders from eastern 
Sudan in strengthening civil society in their region. 
MCMULLEN