VZCZCXRO0445
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0476 0961218
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061218Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3464
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000476 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/C, CA/OCS/ACS/AF 
NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
CAIRO FOR DAVID POTTER AND CHRIS ROWAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL CASC KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: ANOTHER MURKY HOSTAGE "CRISIS" UNFOLDS IN DARFUR 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 371 
 
¶1. (SBU) On the evening of April 4, 2009, 10-20 Arabic- speaking men 
in pick-up trucks invaded the Southwest Darfur compound of a small 
French NGO, Aide Medicale Internationale (AMI), and abducted two 
female AMI employees: a French nurse and a Canadian Administrator, 
and two Sudanese employees who were later released. The two abducted 
AMI workers have been able to contact their relatives by phone, and 
have said they are unharmed and in good condition. The AMI compound 
is located 60 miles west of Nyala near the Chadian border. 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to the French DCM, the abductors claim to belong 
to an organization called "Liberation of Sudan From Foreigners." The 
Canadian Consul (protect) reports that the abductors have demanded a 
ransom of 200,000 Sudanese pounds (approximately $87,000) for 
release of the aid workers, but have not made any political demands. 
This is the same amount rumored to have been paid to abductors by 
MSF-F during the March 11 kidnapping episode (Reftel A). However, 
MSF-F officials vehemently continue to deny having paid a ransom to 
the March 11 kidnappers. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The French DCM (protect) told DCM Asquino that the Sudanese 
MFA has not been very helpful or cooperative since news broke of the 
April 4 AMI abduction. He added that the French Embassy has been 
assured by the MFA that the GoS will not attack the kidnappers to 
free the hostages (as occurred during a failed hostage rescue 
attempt of Chinese oil workers last year in Southern Kordofan.)  At 
this point, the local Darfuri authorities are investigating, and the 
local tribal sheikhs are reportedly negotiating for the release of 
the hostages. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The concocted name of the abductors, the MFA's 
unhelpful response, and the repeat ransom demand give this new 
hostage "crisis" all the trappings of another NCP stage show 
designed to demonstrate the dangerous environment for westerners in 
Darfur. Given that the GoS has made no-known efforts to prosecute 
the perpetrators from last month's kidnapping episode in North 
Darfur (reftel), the GoS may be playing a dangerous game with the 
lives of aid workers. The regime may or may not be complicit in 
these incidents.  What is clear, though, is that state-controlled 
media continue to vilify and denounce western aid workers.  As a 
result, the regime is guilty at a minimum of creating an environment 
in which armed thugs may believe they not only can get away with 
such crimes, but also can get credit for such "patriotic acts." 
Moreover, it should be noted that the area where the kidnapping 
occurred is frequented by pro-regime Arab militias and sometimes by 
pro-regime Chadian rebels.  Post will provide additional information 
as it becomes available. END COMMENT. 
 
FERNANDEZ