VZCZCXRO6613
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1098/01 2720720
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290720Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4478
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001098 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPKO SOCI SU
SUBJECT: BORDER DEMARCATION RESTARTS, PENDING LEGISLATION MAY 
OVERWHELM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 931 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a meeting with Elizabeth Pelton of the 
Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC) on September 17, Poloff 
learned that the Ad Hoc Technical Border Committee restarted 
demarcation after vice presidential intervention.  Poloff also met 
during the week of September 6 with international donors who 
expressed concern as to whether the National Assembly is capable of 
passing the host of pending legislation facing it in its upcoming 
two month session.  In addition, at a September 16 meeting, election 
advisors for the Election Advisory Group (EAG) of the United Nations 
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) stated that the National Election 
Commission (NEC) will not be able to reconcile the complaints 
received regarding constituency delimitation.  Election advisors 
also seek U.S. support for an UNMIS team that would focus on 
preparing for the referenda. END SUMMARY 
 
------------------------------------------ 
BORDER DEMARCATION COMMITTEE RESTARTS WORK 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a meeting with Elizabeth Pelton of the AEC on September 
17, Poloff learned that the Ad Hoc Technical Border Committee 
resolved many of its differences and had restarted work through the 
intervention of Government of Southern Sudan Vice President Riek 
Machar and Government of National Unity Vice President Taha. 
According to Pelton, the Committee was stalled by the number of 
grievances that the Deputy Committee Chairman (Sudan People's 
Liberation Movement) was presenting to the Committee (reftel). 
Pelton stated that Machar and Taha resolved a number of the 
Committee's differences and agreed that the Committee must continue 
working regardless of the grievances.  According to Pelton, the 
Deputy Committee Chairman was told he would be replaced if he 
continued to hinder the Committee's work.  Pelton said that the 
Committee is actively meeting again and working on zone two (NOTE: 
Zone 2 is considered the most controversial of the three zones as it 
includes South Kordofan and Abyei.  END NOTE)  The Committee has 
already missed its September 15 deadline to begin field 
demarcation. 
 
-------------------------------- 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLATE TOO FULL 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) In meetings during the week of September 6 with donor 
countries including the UK, Norway and the Netherlands, Poloff noted 
increasing concern about the amount of legislation that must be 
passed during the October 15 to December 15 session of the National 
Assembly.  Scheduled legislation includes the Southern Sudan 
Referendum bill, the Abyei Referendum bill, the 2010 national 
budget, and reforms to the National Security Law among many other 
laws.  Donors fear that a number of laws critical to the 
implementation of the elections and the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement (CPA) will not be passed during the session. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
CONSTITUENCY DELMITATION COMPLAINTS UNRECONCILABLE 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to election advisors at a September 16 meeting of 
the Election Advisory Group (EAG), the NEC cannot manage the 
Constituency Delimitation complaints process.  Election advisors 
indicated that it may be necessary for the political parties to 
"call a truce" and simply accept the existing delimitation. 
Advisors said that resolution of more than three hundred complaints 
received by the NEC will be impossible due to a lack of "in the 
field" delimitation.  The lack of technical constituency 
delimitation available from on the ground surveys and lack of 
delimitation expertise at the NEC means resolution will be difficult 
as many complaints are below the county level, requiring detailed 
mapping to resolve complaints.  The NEC has delegated resolution of 
the complaints to the State Election High Committees, thereby 
absolving itself from responsibility for resolution of the 
complaints. 
 
------------------------------------ 
UN SEEKS REFERENDA PREPARATION STAFF 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Ray Kennedy, Senior UNMIS Elections Advisor, 
despite numerous requests from UNMIS, the United Nations Department 
of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has refused funding for an UNMIS 
team to assist with referenda preparation.  Kennedy stated that the 
UN urgently needed to establish a referendum team to support the 
Referendum Commission as soon as it is established and to assist 
 
KHARTOUM 00001098  002 OF 002 
 
 
with referenda preparation.  Kennedy said that UNMIS would like the 
United States to put pressure on the DPKO to provide additional 
staff and funding for preparation, he urged UN Member States to 
communicate the urgency of referendum preparation to UN 
Headquarters. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: It appears unlikely that the National Assembly 
will be able to pass the many bills necessary to implement the CPA 
process.  The United States should continue to encourage the Border 
Demarcation Committee to complete field demarcation by its current 
December 15 deadline.  U.S. Government support for the prompt 
establishment of a dedicated staff in UNMIS to focus on the 
referenda also seems warranted as election and referenda preparation 
must take place simultaneously. END COMMENT. 
 
 
ASQUINO