VZCZCXRO8370
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1280/01 3190851
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150851Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4734
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001280 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM SU
SUBJECT: U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY GRATION MEETS WITH SOUTHERN SUDAN 
OPPOSITION PARTIES 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a November 4 meeting U.S. Special Envoy (SE) 
General Scott Gration met with representatives of opposition 
political parties from Southern Sudan.  The representatives 
expressed concerns regarding elections, the referendum and the 
recent parliamentary boycott.  They appealed to the SE to assist in 
opening a dialogue and to mediate discussion between the less 
powerful political parties and the SPLM.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Concerns Regarding SPLM and Elections 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) SE Gration stressed that the election is not just between 
two parties, the National Congress Party (NCP) and the SPLM, but 
rather for the entire country of Sudan.  He emphasized to a group of 
14 opposition party leaders the importance that all political 
parties participate.  The group included, among others, the Sudan 
People's Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), Sudan 
National African Union (SANU), United Democratic Party (UDP), South 
Sudan Democratic Forum (SSDF), Union of African Parties-Two 
(USAP-2), and United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF). 
 
¶3. (SBU) Opposition party leaders raised concerns that the SPLM 
talks only to the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the north. 
The southern opposition parties feel marginalized, and they claimed 
that voter registration for next year's election, which opened on 
November 1, is proceeding slowly in the south.  They said that 
confusion and lack of trust in the SPLM-led Government of Southern 
Sudan (GOSS) had caused a low and tardy turnout thus far.  They are 
convinced the SPLM will not allow free and fair elections and 
claimed that citizens will therefore not invest in a process that 
they view as already tainted. 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The United Democratic Front (UDF) and others expressed 
concerns that opposition parties are not free to fully participate 
in the political process in the south.  They noted disruption of 
campaigning efforts, harassment, and even reportedly physical 
beatings by the SPLM.  Opposition parties believe that many of the 
current problems with the political process, including census 
results that did not favor the South, are due to SPLM weaknesses. 
Agreeing that elections must be held, they nonetheless worried that 
the current political situation in Southern Sudan may make this 
difficult. 
 
---------- 
Referendum 
---------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The opposition parties roundly blamed the SPLM for holding 
up progress on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 
(CPA) by making popular consultations and the Abyei referendum 
conditions to forward movement, effectively making Southern Sudan 
hostage to issues outside its territory that are political issues 
for the SPLM. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The group did not feel it would be a problem to attain a 
two-thirds turnout for the referendum vote, but some expressed 
distrust about accurate accounting of votes cast in parts of Sudan 
outside the south.  One party representative insisted the vote 
should be limited to the south. (Note: This was the initial position 
of the SPLM as well. End Note.) 
 
 
---------------------------- 
Boycott Is Not The Solution 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Therasa Siricio Iro, State Minister of Environment and 
Physical Development and SANU Deputy Party Head said the recent 
parliamentary boycott by the SPLM is not a solution.  She called for 
the southern parties to resolve differences inside the system and 
noted that the boycott prevents passage of laws essential to the 
welfare of the south.  She believes the boycott serves only to 
silence the Southern Sudan political voice. 
 
 
------------------------- 
Requests for SE Mediation 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The SANU Party Deputy Head said Southern Sudan needs to 
create a roadmap for its future, because if nothing is done, 
Southern Sudan is on a collision course with renewed conflict.  She 
lamented that the ruling party had failed to provide democratic 
 
KHARTOUM 00001280  002 OF 002 
 
 
transformation and good governance and therefore peaceful elections 
and a referendum for self-determination are not currently possible. 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) All agreed that to find a way forward, they need assistance 
with starting a dialogue with the SPLM.  They asked for SE Gration's 
assistance in opening a dialogue with the SPLM and for his mediation 
to foster open discussion. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment: Many of those present were either defectors from 
the SPLM, including Lam Akol, or from rump parties created by the 
NCP with limited following in the South.  Some of their complaints 
nonetheless ring true.  End Comment. 
 
¶11. SE Gration has cleared this message. 
 
WHITEHEAD