VZCZCXRO0600
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1339 3300748
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260748Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4803
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001339 
 
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 PHUM KDEM SU
SUBJECT: SE Gration Visits Voter Registration Centers in Sudan 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: United States Special Envoy to Sudan (SE) General 
Scott Gration visited a lively registration center in Khartoum on 
November 18 during a visit arranged by the National Congress Party 
(NCP).  Additional visits to voter registration centers in Khartoum, 
Abyei and El Geneina showed that some Sudanese citizens are 
registering to vote.  Sudanese press responded positively to SE 
Gration's message on the importance of participating in next year's 
elections.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
POTEMKIN VOTER REGISTRATION SHOW 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) SE Gration visited a registration site in the Burri 
district of Khartoum on November 18.  More than 20 NCP 
representatives were present along with a small number of opposition 
party representatives, and the over 50 men and women lined up to 
register to vote began chanting pro-Bashir slogans upon SE Gration's 
arrival.  Two National Elections Commission officials who were busy 
registering voters reported that they had registered over 1,000 
voters the previous day. (Note: This is an unlikely number given the 
time consuming registration process for each voter.  End note.)  On 
November 19, poloff returned unannounced to the same registration 
center and found the site largely vacant, with only a handful of 
people waiting to register and few party representatives present. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
NEW CENTERS IN ABYEI, EL GENEINA AND KHARTOUM 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) On Thursday, November 19, SE Gration visited the opening 
day of the Abyei town voter registration center.  The center 
consisted of a table and three chairs under a tree.  Zakaria Atiem, 
the head of the NCP political office for the area told SE Gration 
that there are approximately 7,000 eligible voters in Abyei town and 
158 had registered that morning.  Two international monitors 
assigned to Abyei by the Carter Center were also in attendance.  SE 
Gration asked whether they had witnessed irregularities, but they 
were unable to reply pursuant to election monitoring regulations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) On Saturday, November 21, SE Gration and accompanying 
delegation visited a new voter registration center in Ardenata 
internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in El Geneina, West Darfur. 
At 9:00 a.m., SE Gration shook hands and congratulated the first 
voter to register at the center, which consisted of one chair and a 
folding table alongside the main dirt road in the camp.  Speaking 
with SE Gration in Ardenata IDP camp, an UNMIS Team Leader for 
Elections in West Darfur said that he expects less than 30 percent 
of eligible voters will register to vote in West Darfur.  (Note: 
Carter Center observers have estimated that approximately 19 percent 
of the eligible population in Darfur has registered so far.  End 
note.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) On Sunday, November 22, SE Gration and accompanying 
delegation visited another center in Khartoum to inspect progress on 
voter registration in poorer neighborhoods.  The surprise visit to 
the Soba district of Khartoum took place in a underdeveloped 
neighborhood of unpaved roads and close to one of Khartoum's IDP 
camps.  Speaking with SE Gration, the center supervisor noted was 
upbeat about voter registration.  The supervisor said that eligible 
voters were coming in regularly to register, and no security 
incidents had threatened the work of his registration center. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Following a meeting with an NCP official on Sunday, 
November 22, SE Gration spoke to radio and print media 
representatives in support of the elections.  "I went to 
registration centers here in Khartoum, in Abyei and in Darfur. And I 
would encourage people to register to vote. This is a responsibility 
that I take very seriously. In my country, I vote in every election 
that I get a chance to vote. I make my will known. It is part of the 
democratic process. And we are pleased to see that Sudan is entering 
into the registration period, that things are proceeding, and we 
look forward to a good election in April." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: With ample advance notice of the visit to the 
Burri registration center, the Khartoum State Election High 
Committee put on a good show for the SE's delegation.  Other 
unannounced visits to other voter registration centers have 
nonetheless shown considerable commitment on the part of local 
participants to register themselves.  SE Gration's comments to 
Sudanese and international media received an overall positive 
response from local press.  End comment. 
 
WHITEHEAD