VZCZCXRO9716
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0308/01 0531400
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 221359Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0256
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA FWD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000308 
 
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: SE GRATION MEETS WITH ABDEL AZIZ ON ELECTIONS BOYCOTT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 18 U.S. Special Envoy (SE) to Sudan, 
General Scott Gration met in Juba with Abdel Aziz El Hilu (SPLM), 
Deputy Governor of Southern Kordofan state, who attempted to 
explain the benefits of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement 
(SPLM) election boycott in that state.  Aziz stated that the 2008 
census, upon which the National Elections Commission (NEC) based 
voting constituencies, was conducted in an illegal manner which 
intentionally under-counted and disenfranchised the Nuba people. 
Aziz explained that the SPLM demands a repetition of the population 
census in Southern Kordofan, and delaying elections to accomplish 
this task is reasonable.  Aziz said he recognized that elections 
and popular consultations could proceed without SPLM participation, 
simply asserting that without SPLM participation these processes 
will not be valid.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 18 SE Gration met with Abdel Aziz El Hilu 
(SPLM), Deputy Governor of Southern Kordofan state, who told SE 
Gration that the SPLM will boycott elections in Southern Kordofan 
and attempted to explain the benefits of this action.  (Note: A 
SPLM election boycott threat in Southern Kordofan state, unless the 
government resets the census results and the NEC accordingly 
redraws geographical constituencies for the state, was first 
announced on January 24.  This request was promptly rejected by the 
NEC on January 25, with the NEC stating that there is not time to 
redraw constituencies.  End Note.) 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Aziz stated that the 2008 census, upon which the National 
Elections Commission based voting constituencies, was conducted in 
an illegal manner which intentionally under-counted and 
disenfranchised the Nuba people.  He noted systematic flaws in 
preparations for the census, such as not allowing time for the 
return of internally displaced persons (IDPs); the removal of 
mines; the integration of the civil service; and census conduct, 
such as a lack of census takers familiar with the people, languages 
and geography of the Nuba mountains.  He said these flaws led to 
many areas not being covered by the census, although he admitted 
that the SPLM boycott of the census in Southern Kordofan 
contributed to under-counting.  He said that the census is in fact 
racist because it intentionally under-counted the Nuba and 
over-counted the Arab tribes of the state, who the government in 
Khartoum views as more likely to vote for the National Congress 
Party (NCP). 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Aziz explained that the SPLM demands a repetition of the 
population census in Southern Kordofan.  He stated that he is not 
certain how long this process will take but believed it could be 
accomplished in a few weeks.  He also said that delaying April 
elections in Southern Kordofan three or four months in order to 
accomplish this task is reasonable. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Aziz informed SE Gration that the Khartoum government was 
considering giving Southern Kordofan four additional seats in the 
National Assembly, for a total of 21.  He said, however, that 
Southern Kordofan should have at least 27 seats based on a 
realistic tally of Southern Kordofan's population in relation to 
the population of Sudan as of the 1986 census. (Note: These 
additional seats would need to be appointed by the Presidency as 
there is not time for constituencies to be redrawn, with a 
negotiated portion of these seats allocated to SPLM and NCP 
appointees.  End Note.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Aziz stated that if their demands are not met the SPLM in 
Southern Kordofan are quite willing to proceed with the boycott and 
pursue their grievances in Sudan's Constitutional Court.  Aziz said 
that in this case the SPLM will still act as opposition, but from 
outside the government.  Aziz said that the SPLM recognized the 
risk that their Nuba constituency could suffer long-term 
disenfranchisement through complete exclusion from local, state, 
and national government, and loss of the opportunity for 
participation in popular consultations, which require an elected 
state legislature.  He said that these risks have been calculated 
and accepted. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment.  The NCP's subsequent agreement to rerun the 
census in Southern Kordofan and postpone state-level elections 
until then has validated Aziz's contention and shows the degree to 
which the NCP is willing to give to SPLM demands in order for the 
 
KHARTOUM 00000308  002 OF 002 
 
 
elections to occur.  That said, we are not sure that the SPLM will 
be satisfied with a census rerun if the final tally does not meet 
the SPLM's expectations.  End Comment. 
WHITEHEAD