VZCZCXRO6193
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1404/01 3490818
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150818Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4889
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001404 
 
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 PINS PHUM SU
 
SUBJECT: Dec. 14 Opposition Protests Met by Tear Gas; Up to 100 
Demonstrators Arrested 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1400 B) KHARTOUM 1378 C) KHARTOUM 1376 D) KHARTOUM 
1359 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Government of Sudan (GOS) authorities shut down a 
demonstration led by northern opposition parties in Omdurman on 
Monday, December 14, blocking roads and bridges in the early 
morning.  Following a rally at the Omdurman headquarters of Sudan 
Liberation Movement/Minni Minnawi (SLM/MM), approximately 300 
demonstrators attempted to march a short distance to the National 
Assembly at 12:30 p.m., but GOS police arrested up over 100 
demonstrators and dispersed the crowd.  By 2:00 p.m. the rally had 
regrouped at the SLM/MM compound, which GOS police had surrounded, 
firing tear gas canisters inside, and arresting those who attempted 
to leave.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Anticipating a protest similar to the truncated 
demonstration led by members of the Sudan People's Liberation 
Movement (SPLM) on December 7 (ref B), GOS police and additional 
security services blocked roads and bridges leading to the riverside 
Government of National Unity (GNU) National Assembly building in 
Omdurman in the early morning of December 14.  A small number of 
protesters gathered but was quickly dispersed, continuing the event 
at the Omdurman headquarters of SLM/MM.  Numerous luminaries from 
northern opposition parties, including the Umma Party, the Popular 
Congress Party (PCP), and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), 
joined SLM/MM officials to rally for unity as the "Juba Alliance" of 
opposition parties.  Although some lower-level representatives from 
SPLM-Northern Sector were in attendance, SPLM sources reported that 
General Secretary Pagan Amun's and SPLM Head of Northern Sector 
Yasir Arman's attempt to travel to the demonstration from Khartoum 
was blocked by GOS Police at the bridge crossing to Omdurman. 
 
¶3. (SBU) At 12:30 p.m., following a series of speeches by opposition 
leaders at SLM/MM headquarters, a group of approximately 300 
protesters commenced a march toward the National Assembly. 
According to the UN and march participants, six separate uniformed 
GOS police and security forces met the marchers as they proceeded to 
the National Assembly, and arrested some high-profile protesters 
while using excessive force and tear gas to disperse the crowd.  The 
UN estimated that up to 100 participants were arrested following 
today's demonstration, including opposition luminaries such as 
Miriam Al-Sadiq (Umma Party), Adballa Al-Nean (PCP), Hidir Abdi 
(SPLM-Northern Sector), Mohammed Nugud (Communist), and Ali Hussein 
Dousa (SLM/MM).  Mubarak Al Fadil (DUP) told CDA he had been 
teargassed and narrowly avoided arrest.  SLM/MM estimated that seven 
high-ranking members of their party had been arrested.  One 
opposition source reported that 122 demonstrators had been arrested, 
divided between two police jails in Omdurman.  The source reported 
that less than 20 had been released from police custody by 5:00 
p.m., while the UN did not report any arrested demonstrators had 
been released. 
 
¶4. (SBU) By 2:00 p.m., demonstrators had regrouped at SLM/MM 
headquarters to revise their strategy in the wake of the arrests. 
According to witnesses, Sudanese police and security forces 
surrounded the compound, and fired what witnesses reported to be a 
potent form of tear gas into the compound from outside at 
approximately 2:20 p.m.  Several opposition party members attempted 
to leave the compound and were immediately arrested.  Witnesses 
reported that one SPLM vehicle attempted to leave the compound and 
was chased by National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) 
vehicles, until a NISS vehicle collided with the SPLM vehicle, 
causing a serious accident with an unknown number of injuries.  By 
5:00 p.m., demonstrators inside SLM/MM headquarters noted that the 
situation was less tense than it had been earlier in the day, but 
GOS police and security forces still surrounded the building. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post alerted American citizens in Sudan to the potential 
for violence with the following Warden Message on December 14: "This 
Warden Message alerts American citizens in Sudan to the potential 
for violence, and road and bridge closures, due to anti-government 
demonstrations on December 14, 2009.  The potential for violence 
between security forces and demonstrators is high.  American 
citizens should take care to avoid areas near government buildings 
or ministries in Khartoum, where such demonstrations are usually 
held.  The bridges linking Khartoum and Omdurman have been closed to 
traffic, and American citizens should be prepared to alter their 
usual transportation routes in the event of further road or bridge 
closures, which may happen with no advance notice.  American 
citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and 
be aware of their surroundings at all times." 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: Although it appears that the SPLM has patched up 
its differences with the NCP for the time being (ref A), the Juba 
 
KHARTOUM 00001404  002 OF 002 
 
 
Alliance of northern opposition parties is chomping at the bit for 
the opportunity to provoke the ruling National Congress Party (NCP). 
 Ostensibly, today's demonstration was to protest the 
as-yet-untabled National Security Act, which ironically is the same 
law which grants GOS security services the authority to arbitrarily 
arrest and hold peaceful demonstrators.  With the SPLM now reverting 
back to its traditional role as a semi-reliable GNU partner, future 
demonstrations will depend on the ability of the somnolent northern 
opposition parties to tap into public resentment over NCP policies. 
However, given Khartoum's disaffected and apathetic populace, 
rousing the public to the streets will be a tall order, even without 
the risk of truncheons and tear gas.  End comment. 
 
WHITEHEAD