VZCZCXRO4125
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0260/01 0470805
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 160802Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0206
INFO DARFUR COLLECTIVE
IGAD COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000260 
 
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 PHUM PINR KDEM SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR ELECTIONS UPDATE, PART II: IN WEST DARFUR, A LAME 
DUCK WALI BOWS OUT WHILE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS NCP NOMINATION 
 
REF: 10 KHARTOUM 158; 10 KHARTOUM 102; 10 KHARTOUM 91 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Abulgasim Imam Al Hajj, the former rebel who was 
appointed Wali of West Darfur as a reward for signing the 
Declaration of Commitment (DOC) to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) 
in 2006, has no real constituency and has decided not to run in the 
April 2010 elections. In the race to replace him, there is growing 
controversy over the National Congress Party's (NCP) decision to 
nominate a highly-unpopular former governor, Jaafar Abdulhakan 
Idris, over the Masalit Sultan, Saad Abdulrahman Bahreldin. As the 
Masalit's traditional tribal leader, Bahreldin maintains broad 
allegiance among his tribe, despite being a member of the NCP. With 
the Sultan out of the picture, his brother Assad has declared his 
intent to run as a candidate from  the Democratic Unionist Party 
(DUP). Assad Bahreldin believes he has overwhelming support among 
the Masalit, who constitute a majority in West Darfur, but 
cautioned that the NCP may play "dirty games" to guarantee victory 
for its candidate. Candidates for other opposition parties are less 
well-known. End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
BACKGROUND DEMOGRAPHICS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2. (SBU) West Darfur state has a population of approximately 1.3 
million, according to the 2008 census. Among the major tribes are 
the Masalit, whose traditional homeland spans the Chad-Sudan 
border, and the Fur, who are found mainly in Zalingei and the 
western reaches of Jebel Marra. West Darfur also includes a number 
of smaller African tribes and various Arab tribal groups, the 
latter of which are found primarily in the area of Wadi Saleh. 
Aside from nomadic Arab tribes, most of West Darfur's people are 
farmers whose ability to work the land has been severely disrupted 
by massive displacement caused by the conflict. IDP camps and 
camp-like settlements are scattered throughout the state, with 
various levels of humanitarian assistance. The IDP population of 
West Darfur is estimated to be over 700,000. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
PRECARIOUS SECURITY SITUATION 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Much like the rest of the region, West Darfur's  security 
situation remains unpredictable due to the proliferation of armed 
actors. The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has bases in the capital of El 
Geneina as well as Mournei, Zalingei, Nertiti, Mukhjar, and Foro 
Baranga. Arab militia fighters, many of whom have been integrated 
to the GOS military and security apparatus, are present in most 
areas of West Darfur outside Jebel Marra and reportedly harass IDP 
populations. Masalit rebels loyal to Sudan Liberation Army 
(SLA)/Khamis Abdalla and its breakaway faction, SLA/General Line 
(also known as SLA/Mainstream) also maintain a presence in Dar 
Masalit, but are extremely weak militarily. Rebels loyal to 
SLA/Abdul Wahid hold territory in western Jebel Marra, and in 
recent weeks this area has been plagued with infighting among 
commanders loyal to the Paris-based Chairman and those who oppose 
him and favor participation in the peace process (ref B). Rebels 
from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) are increasingly 
present in the area of Jebel Moon, and according to UN Sector West 
have been clashing with local SLA/AW forces in the area since 
January 28 (septel). Finally, while most Chadian rebel forces have 
moved away from the Chad-Sudan border in Darfur, a small number are 
believed to maintain encampments south of Geneina. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
CURRENT POLITICAL LANDSCAPE 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The current Wali (Governor) of West Darfur is Abulgasim 
Imam Al Hajj, a Fur from Zalingei. (Note: Poloff discussed 
elections with Al Haj in Khartoum on January 31 (ref c). End Note.) 
A former SLA/Abdul Wahid Commander, Abulgasim split off to form his 
own faction and signed a stand-alone Declaration of Commitment 
(DOC) to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in Libya in November 
¶2006. His group is alternatively known as SLA/Mother or 
SLA/Abulgasim Imam. Abulgasim is said to have received military and 
logistical support from the GOS, which has also been accused of 
engineering his split from the mainstream SLA. As the first Fur 
rebel leader to join the DPA and DOC signatories, Abulgasim was 
 
KHARTOUM 00000260  002 OF 003 
 
 
rewarded with the post of Wali of West Darfur. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Abulgasim Imam remains highly unpopular among the Fur, due 
to their perception that he sold-out to the GOS by signing the DOC. 
He is also considered to be little more than a figurehead, 
retaining no control over the various GOS military and paramilitary 
forces operating in West Darfur.  He generally exerts little 
influence on important matters.  Furthermore, he has done little to 
establish ties between SLA/Mother and other DPA and DOC 
signatories, leaving himself and his movement isolated. Weak, 
marginalized and with no real legacy or political platform in West 
Darfur, Abulgasim has decided not to participate in the April 2010 
elections. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Speaking to poloff in at his residence in El Geneina on 
February 8, Abulgasim said elections in West Darfur would be 
neither free nor fair. He asserted that the 2008 census results of 
1.3 million vastly undercounted West Darfur's population, noting 
that the 1993 census put the population of West Darfur of 1.8 
million, and that he believed the current population was closer to 
3 million. He further noted that insecurity would present a major 
challenge to elections, noting ongoing fighting in Jebel Moon and 
Jebel Marra (septel). "We cannot have elections without peace," he 
said. Furthermore, no party outside of the NCP has the capacity or 
organization necessary to mobilize voters, he said. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
2010 GOVERNOR'S RACE 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) There has been continuing controversy NCP surrounding the 
nomination for Wali of West Darfur. The seemingly obvious choice 
for the party in a state dominated by the Masalit tribe was the 
Sultan of the Masalit, Saad Abdulrahman Bahreldin. As the Masalit's 
traditional tribal leader, Bahreldin maintains popular allegiance 
among his tribe despite being a member of the NCP. Instead, NCP 
leadership chose former West Darfur Governor Jaafar Abdulhakan 
Idris, a Fur Shartai (chief) known for his hard-line NCP views, who 
remains highly unpopular due to alleged crimes committed by the 
Government during his tenure as Governor from 2006-2007. The 
Sultan's brother Assad, himself a candidate for Governor as a 
candidate of the DUP, told poloff in El Geneina on February 9 that 
in NCP deliberations in Khartoum, Vice President Ali Osman Taha had 
supported the candidacy of the Sultan, but was vetoed by Assistant 
to the President Nafie Ali Nafie, who insisted on nominating the 
Shartai. "It was a very controversial decision," he said. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Following the NCP nomination of the Shartai, Assad 
Bahreldin stated that he advised his brother the Sultan to cut ties 
with the NCP. "I told him, you supported these people for twenty 
years, and this is how they treat you?" President Bashir invited 
the Sultan to Khartoum to attempt to smooth things over, but 
stopped short of offering him the nomination. With the Sultan out 
of the picture, "the people turned to me and told me I must run," 
said Assad. (Note: During the meeting with poloff, Assad received a 
call from his lawyer informing him that the state electoral 
commission had approved his name to be listed on the ballot for 
Governor. End Note.) Assad, a member of the DUP, was confident of 
his victory. "We have a very simple culture here. I'm a tribal 
leader, and my people will stand by me," he said, claiming that he 
had support from 90% of the electorate. The only thing that could 
derail his chances are "dirty games" played by the government, 
noting that during voter registration some voter lists had 
disappeared and the location of registration centers changed at the 
last minute with no prior notice. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The campaigning phase of the elections began on February 
¶13. Assad stated that he has traveled widely as head of the West 
Darfur branch of the Peace and Reconciliation Commission 
established by the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority (TDRA), 
and recently spent 28 days traveling to 76 villages and localities 
in West Darfur. Nonetheless, he believed insecurity may influence 
campaigning especially in the Jebel Moon area near Sileah. Other 
candidates for the Wali of West Darfur are Arbab Mohamed Ibrahim of 
the SPLM, Tajeldin Bahreldin of Umma, and Osman Risig Mohd or the 
Popular Congress Party (PCP). These candidates are not well-known 
nor do they appear to have to have large followings. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment: If West Darfuris vote along tribal lines, DUP 
candidate Assad Bahreldin should come out as the clear winner, 
given that his Masalit tribe constitutes the majority in the state. 
 
KHARTOUM 00000260  003 OF 003 
 
 
Furthermore the NCP candidate, Jaafar Abdulhakan Idris is not even 
popular among his own Fur tribe. Whether the elections will be free 
and fair, however, is another story. 
WHITEHEAD