VZCZCXRO9128
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0514/01 1041044
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141044Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3536
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000514 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/E, PRM 
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: PGOV PREL PREF EAID KPKO SOCI ASEC AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SE GRATION'S MEETING WITH MISSERIYA ARAB LEADERS: 
GREIVANCES AND REJECTION OF ARBITRATION 
 
REFS:  A. KHARTOUM 500 
¶B. 08 KHARTOUM 939 
¶C. 08 KHARTOUM 737 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  In Khartoum on April 10, the President's Special 
Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration heard Misseriya grievances related to 
their lack of representation in CPA negotiations and the June 2008 
Abyei road map and the likely Misseriya rejection of the results of 
the ongoing arbitration over Abyei in The Hague. They appealed to 
the U.S. to allow for a process whereby Misseriya and Ngok Dinka 
leaders on the ground work out issues between the two groups, 
including borders and peaceful coexistence. END SUMMARY. 
 
MISSERIYA LEADERS DENY INVOLVEMENT IN ABYEI FIGHTING 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶2. (SBU) On April 10, the President's Special Envoy to Sudan General 
Scott Gration met with Misseriya Arab leaders including Sadiq Babo 
Nimer (brother of the Emir of the Misseriya Ajaira), Hassan Subahi 
(representative of the Emir of the Misseriya Alwlad Omran), and 
Bashtana Mohamed Salem (the Head of the Misseriya Peace Council). 
The Misseriya are a major Arab nomadic tribe which migrates with 
their cattle through the sensitive regions of Abyei and Kordofan in 
search of water and grass and onward into Sudan. They fought as 
tribal proxies for Khartoum against the Dinka and the SPLA during 
much of the bloody Sudanese Civil War.  SE Gration informed the 
Misseriya leaders that his trip was to listen and learn and he 
appreciated the leaders having traveled all the way from Kordofan to 
Khartoum to provide their perspectives. Subahi and Salem each denied 
any Misseriya involvement in the May 2008 fighting in Abyei and 
subsequent looting of the town. [Note: Continued official denial 
among Misseriya that the events took place is unfortunate given 
strong evidence to the contrary and the need for reconciliation, 
which will not occur unless Misseriya first acknowledge the events 
happened. End note.] They also rejected the notion that the 
Misseriya have been heavily armed by Khartoum, claiming that they 
only carry small arms to protect their cattle. They painted a 
picture of the Misseriya as victims of the situation, having had 
their shops burnt and looted and their lives threatened. The two 
leaders also reiterated their belief that the Misseriya have been 
the losers of the CPA, an agreement in which they were not 
well-represented, unlike the Ngok Dinka, who have significant 
influence within the SPLM and therefore have had their interests 
(somewhat) safeguarded. 
 
LEADER SAYS THE MISSERIYA WILL REJECT HAGUE DECISION 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶3. (SBU) Saddiq Babo Nimer, a member of the Umma party and brother 
of the Misseriya Paramount Chief, strongly denounced the 2005 CPA 
and 2008 Abyei Road Map, arguing that the agreements that do not 
consider Misseriya interests and that the Misseriya were not 
consulted in what was negotiations between the NCP, SPLM, and the 
Americans. He indicated that the Misseriya were not involved in the 
negotiation of the CPA and Abyei Road Map and therefore, were not 
beholden to accept the arbitrations ongoing in The Hague on the 
Abyei borders. Nimer flatly discarded the idea of a border between 
the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya, indicating that any such border would 
not be acceptable to the Misseriya. He claimed that Ngok Dinka and 
Misseriya leaders on the ground could easily resolve the border and 
peaceful coexistence issues if allowed to do so and requested that 
the U.S. support such a process. He said that if the arbitration 
goes against them, "we will fight, as it is a matter of life and 
death for us." SE Gration expressed his disappointment and concern 
that the Misseriya would reject out of hand the outcome of the 
arbitration even though the NCP and SPLM had agreed to the 
arbitration terms, encouraged the Misseriya to find peaceful ways of 
resolving their disputes with the Ngok Dinka, and promised to remain 
engaged on the issue. 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
¶4. (SBU) SE Gration's meeting with the Misseriya Arab leaders 
provided an opportunity to hear first-hand the concerns of this key 
community - a community that could be a potential spoiler of peace 
in Abyei and along the broader North-South border. There is an 
unfortunate consensus among Misseriya leaders that the NCP did not 
look out for the Misseriya's interest when negotiating the CPA and 
Abyei Road Map and therefore and that the Misseriya do not recognize 
the Abyei Protocol and Abyei Road Map and will not accept the 
results of the Abyei Arbitration. We find the Misseriya arguments 
somewhat specious, because Misseriya leaders have had the 
opportunity to frequently discuss their concerns with NCP lawyers 
working on the Abyei arbitration and some are traveling to The Hague 
this week to present their positions.  Nonetheless, the views 
expressed by these aggrieved and emotional tribal leaders do 
 
KHARTOUM 00000514  002 OF 002 
 
 
represent the broader opinion of their communities and cannot be 
ignored or discounted.  Continued engagement with these communities 
(as CDA Fernandez has done over the last two years) and ongoing 
development projects in their areas will go a long way toward 
ensuring peace in the region. END COMMENT. 
 
FERNANDEZ