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DE RUEHKH #0037/01 0100450
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100450Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4994
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000037 
 
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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: NATIONAL CONGRESS PARTY WINS CONTROVERSIAL STUDENT UNION 
ELECTION AT UNIVERSITY OF KHARTOUM 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. University student unions have long been an 
important part of Sudan's political spectrum because they serve as 
incubators for future national political party leaders. For the 
first time since 1997, the National Congress Party (NCP) won the 
leadership position of the Student Union at prestigious State-run 
University of Khartoum. The victory came without official protests, 
yet not without problems, including claims of illegitimacy and 
tactics to prevent Darfur students' full participation. Recent 
incidents of fighting among NCP university students raise questions 
as to whether these occurrences are politically- motivated or over 
benefits provided to ruling party university student union and 
association leaders. While politics plays a large role on university 
campuses throughout Sudan, many students find it preferable not to 
discuss political issues openly for fear of reprisal. End Summary. 
 
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NCP WINS PRESTIGIOUS STUDENT UNION ELECTION 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The National Congress Party (NCP) won the University of 
Khartoum Student Union election in 2009 for the first time in eleven 
years. After violent rioting occurred in 1997 amidst accusations of 
NCP fraud, university officials banned the student union election 
until 2003. Since then, and until the recent NCP victory, the 
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had prevailed in all subsequent 
elections. On November 19, 2009, university officials announced the 
NCP win, and Chancellor Mustafa Idris Al-Bashir proclaimed that they 
"did not receive a single report of accidents or fighting. All 
expressed themselves and their ideas and slogans freely." He further 
noted that he "hoped the spirit would prevail, particularly now that 
the country is heading into national elections" in April 2010. 
 
¶3. (SBU) University opposition parties disagreed with the free and 
fair characterization of the student union election, although there 
were no reports of protests or demonstrations. In addition to claims 
of harassment, obstruction of campaigning activities plus detentions 
and arrests, opposition groups called the election "illegitimate." 
Some noted that while the NCP had the greatest number of votes at 
5,428, the NCP candidate received only 44 percent of cast ballots. 
According to publicly-announced election results by university 
officials, out of the 12,228 total votes, the NDA Party candidate 
received 43 percent, only 68 votes less than the NCP winner. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
DARFUR STUDENTS' FULL PARTICIPATION IS SUPPRESSED 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Darfur students, in particular, cited suppression of 
political participation in the months leading up to the University 
of Khartoum Student Union election. On October 18, six students 
(five Darfuri and one other) were arrested by police, reportedly for 
demonstrating against a university decree that delayed Darfur 
student class registration. On October 19, National Intelligence and 
Security Service (NISS) agents arrested the outgoing Darfur Student 
Association Chairperson Othman Mohammed Ibrahim for organizing the 
latter demonstration. He was released the following day, but 
re-arrested on October 24 and held for two days, during which time 
he claimed he was beaten and tortured. Ibrahim told Poloff that four 
other Darfur students were detained on November 9. Students insisted 
they were protesting delayed class registration and payment of 
tuition fees, which are supposed to be waived under the 2006 Darfur 
Peace Agreement.  They also expressed unhappiness with other alleged 
inequitable treatment of Darfur university students.  According to 
Ibrahim, however, the police and NISS agents repeatedly asked about 
the students' political activities on campus. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Ibrahim viewed these detentions and arrests, along with the 
expulsion of approximately 51 female Darfur students from student 
housing, as systemic targeting of Darfur students in the month or so 
prior to the student union election. Further, he called it an 
attempt to prevent or minimize their participation in the election. 
Ibrahim estimates the Darfur student population at the University of 
Khartoum to be around 4,000 and, therefore, potentially a strong 
voice in the student union election process. In past years, he said 
many Darfur students formed coalitions with other parties to oppose 
the NCP, but with delayed registration, they were unable to 
effectively do so in 2009, nor could they register as candidates. 
Ibrahim said the delayed class registration, detentions and arrests, 
and other actions against Darfur students were NCP tactics to 
obstruct the electoral system and intended to prevent Darfur 
students from full participation. Since the NCP victory, Ibrahim 
said he is no longer permitted on the university campus. (Note. 
Although Ibrahim graduated in the summer of 2009, it is customary 
for Sudanese university students to frequent university campuses for 
up to a year after graduation to get documents in order, take 
 
KHARTOUM 00000037  002 OF 002 
 
 
additional exams and resolve other administrative details. End 
Note.) 
 
--------------------------- 
NCP STUDENT INFIGHTING 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Student protests and clashes, which can often be violent, 
have not been uncommon in Khartoum over the past years.  However, it 
is unusual to see fighting erupt among NCP students as has occurred 
on two occasions in recent weeks. Fighting broke out on December 16 
at Ahlia University in Khartoum among NCP student association 
members and resulted in minor injuries to approximately 20 students. 
Reportedly, the clash occurred only weeks after a new group of 
association leaders was elected in an out-of-cycle general assembly 
session. On December 16, the previous student leaders showed up with 
iron rods and Molotov cocktail explosives at a political debate and 
a fight erupted. University and government security forces broke up 
the incident without the use of force. In a second incident on the 
University of Khartoum campus, on December 20, an NCP student later 
died of injuries sustained in a fight with a fellow NCP student. 
University officials called it a "personal issue" between the two 
students; however, media reports and four different opposition 
university party leaders claimed the fight resulted from political 
disputes between the two students. Leaders of university student 
associations and student unions generally enjoy national party 
sponsorship perks and mentoring, such as vehicles, cellular phones, 
and monetary allowances. Jealousy and fear of the possible loss of 
these perks may have been the cause of the recent violence.  On the 
other hand, some students and teaching staff told the Embassy 
political specialist that they see two distinct groups forming along 
tribal lines among the NCP students. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
PREDICT NCP WIN IN NATIONAL ELECTION AND AFRAID TO 
EXPRESS OPPOSITION PUBLICLY 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7. (SBU) When questioned about predictions for the national 
elections in April, several university student leaders told the 
political specialist that the NCP is well organized. Though not all 
student leaders believe the national elections will be free and 
fair, they unanimously predicted that the NCP will win. A 
print-media report in GlobalPost on December 29 said that despite 
normal, outward appearances on the University of Khartoum campus, no 
one openly discusses politics. A recent rally opposing Sudanese 
President Omar Al-Bashir was quashed within minutes. Reportedly, 
government "inspectors" roam campus halls, listening for dissent. 
The journalist noted that only after careful negotiations would five 
students agree to answer political-related questions. Following a 
brief, nervous exchange, the students then dispersed. Only minutes 
after they left, an inspector arrived and began making inquiries as 
to what was discussed, just as the students had feared. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment. The University of Khartoum Student Union election 
is viewed as a way for the NCP to mobilize others for the national 
elections in April. This student union has long been a training 
ground for many of Sudan's current ruling figures, including Second 
Vice-President Ali Osman Taha; Presidential Assistant Nafi al Nafi; 
former Head of Security and now Presidential Advisor Salah Gosh; as 
well as others. The NCP likely wanted to set the tone for the 
upcoming general elections with the university student union 
election. Post will continue to monitor reports of any rifts among 
the NCP students as campus politics often tend to reflect what is 
happening on a larger scale. End Comment. 
 
WHITEHEAD