Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03KHARTOUM374
2003-04-30 16:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:
RETURN OF SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS
P 301634Z APR 03 FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY CIA WASHDC PRIORITY DIA WASHDC PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY HMSNG WASHINGTON DC//DIA WASHINGTON DC/DHO-7// PRIORITY USCINCEUR INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ2/ECJ3/ECJ5// PRIORITY JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/HSE// PRIORITY USCINCTRANS INTEL CEN SCOTT AFB IL//J2-J/HSE// PRIORITY COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//SOCJ2/HSE// PRIORITY COMUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2// PRIORITY USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE//J5/J2/HSE// PRIORITY US SURVEY DIV SHAPE BE PRIORITY CDRUSAREUR DCSINT HEIDELBERG GE//AEAGB-IAD// PRIORITY UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY USAREUR ACE DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J2/J5-EUR// PRIORITY NGIC INTEL OPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA//IANG FMC// PRIORITY NGIC INTEL OPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA//IANG FMC// PRIORITY SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA// PRIORITY DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD//M112/S512HT// PRIORITY CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2-JCH/HSE// PRIORITY CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SOJ2/HSE// PRIORITY CDRJSOC FT BRAGG NC//J2/HSE// PRIORITY DIA WASHINGTON DC//IZTF// PRIORITY USDAO NAIROBI KE PRIORITY USDAO ADDIS ABABA ET PRIORITY USDAO ASMARA ER PRIORITY CJTF HOA PRIORITY HMSNG WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY SAFE WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 00374
E.O. 12958; DECL: 4/29/2013;
TAGS: PREL PTER IZ SU
SUBJECT: RETURN OF SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS
REF: KHARTOUM 317
CLASSIFIED BY LAUREL STEELE, POLITICAL OFFICER, REASONS 1.5 B, D
C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 00374
E.O. 12958; DECL: 4/29/2013;
TAGS: PREL PTER IZ SU
SUBJECT: RETURN OF SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS
REF: KHARTOUM 317
CLASSIFIED BY LAUREL STEELE, POLITICAL OFFICER, REASONS 1.5 B, D
1. (C) OVER 80 MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE BA'ATH PARTY HAVE
RETURNED FROM IRAQ TO SUDAN IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE MOST
PROMINENT SUDANESE BA'ATHIST AND FOUNDER OF THE PARTY IN SUDAN,
BADR-ADDIN MUDATHIR, RETURNED, POST WAS TOLD, ON PRESIDENT OMAR
AL-BASHIR'S PLANE FROM SYRIA, LANDING AT KHARTOUM'S MILITARY
AIRPORT TEN DAYS AGO. HIS RETURN WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS,
ALTHOUGH NO DETAILS WERE GIVEN.
2. (C) ANOTHER RETURNING SUDANESE REPORTED TO POST THAT SOME
SUDANESE IN IRAQ HAD BEEN SHOT BY ANTI-SADDAM IRAQIS IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE US. INVASION. OTHERS HAD FLED TO REFUGEE CAMPS
ON THE IRAQ/SYRIA BORDER. PRESIDENT BASHIR HAD VISITED SYRIA TO
HELP FACILITATE THEIR DEPARTURE.
3. (C) THE GOVERNMENT HAS REPORTEDLY ALLOWED THE RETURN OF THE
SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY NOT TAKE PART IN
ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY HERE. THE GOS IS LEERY OF PUBLIC
EXPRESSION OF ANTI-US OR ANTI-BRITISH FEELINGS. IN THE BUILDUP
TO THE IRAQ WAR, BA'ATHISTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT
GRAFFITI. NINE LOCAL BA'ATHISTS WERE ARRESTED AND ARE STILL IN
JAIL. MUDATHIR HIMSELF IS IN HIS SEVENTIES AND ILL, AND
PRESUMABLY PRESENTS LITTLE PROBLEM TO THE GOS.
4. (U) BACKGROUND: THE BA'ATH PARTY IN SUDAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN
SMALL, WITH PROBABLY NO MORE THAN 1,000 MEMBERS. BUT BECAUSE
IRAQ BACKED IT FINANCIALLY, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF
THE SUDANESE BA'ATH PARTY HAVING AN IMPACT THAT BELIED ITS
MEAGER NUMBERS. THE PARTY RECRUITED HEAVILY AMONG STUDENTS
(OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO IRAQ) AND IN PERIPHERAL AREAS, LIKE
NUBA, AND AMONG THE AFRICAN TRIBES. IN 1990, 26 BA'ATHIST
MILITARY OFFICERS WERE EXECUTED IN KHARTOUM AFTER AN
UNSUCCESSFUL COUP ATTEMPT.
RAGSDALE
E.O. 12958; DECL: 4/29/2013;
TAGS: PREL PTER IZ SU
SUBJECT: RETURN OF SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS
REF: KHARTOUM 317
CLASSIFIED BY LAUREL STEELE, POLITICAL OFFICER, REASONS 1.5 B, D
1. (C) OVER 80 MEMBERS OF THE SUDANESE BA'ATH PARTY HAVE
RETURNED FROM IRAQ TO SUDAN IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE MOST
PROMINENT SUDANESE BA'ATHIST AND FOUNDER OF THE PARTY IN SUDAN,
BADR-ADDIN MUDATHIR, RETURNED, POST WAS TOLD, ON PRESIDENT OMAR
AL-BASHIR'S PLANE FROM SYRIA, LANDING AT KHARTOUM'S MILITARY
AIRPORT TEN DAYS AGO. HIS RETURN WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS,
ALTHOUGH NO DETAILS WERE GIVEN.
2. (C) ANOTHER RETURNING SUDANESE REPORTED TO POST THAT SOME
SUDANESE IN IRAQ HAD BEEN SHOT BY ANTI-SADDAM IRAQIS IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE US. INVASION. OTHERS HAD FLED TO REFUGEE CAMPS
ON THE IRAQ/SYRIA BORDER. PRESIDENT BASHIR HAD VISITED SYRIA TO
HELP FACILITATE THEIR DEPARTURE.
3. (C) THE GOVERNMENT HAS REPORTEDLY ALLOWED THE RETURN OF THE
SUDANESE BA'ATHISTS ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY NOT TAKE PART IN
ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY HERE. THE GOS IS LEERY OF PUBLIC
EXPRESSION OF ANTI-US OR ANTI-BRITISH FEELINGS. IN THE BUILDUP
TO THE IRAQ WAR, BA'ATHISTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT
GRAFFITI. NINE LOCAL BA'ATHISTS WERE ARRESTED AND ARE STILL IN
JAIL. MUDATHIR HIMSELF IS IN HIS SEVENTIES AND ILL, AND
PRESUMABLY PRESENTS LITTLE PROBLEM TO THE GOS.
4. (U) BACKGROUND: THE BA'ATH PARTY IN SUDAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN
SMALL, WITH PROBABLY NO MORE THAN 1,000 MEMBERS. BUT BECAUSE
IRAQ BACKED IT FINANCIALLY, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF
THE SUDANESE BA'ATH PARTY HAVING AN IMPACT THAT BELIED ITS
MEAGER NUMBERS. THE PARTY RECRUITED HEAVILY AMONG STUDENTS
(OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO IRAQ) AND IN PERIPHERAL AREAS, LIKE
NUBA, AND AMONG THE AFRICAN TRIBES. IN 1990, 26 BA'ATHIST
MILITARY OFFICERS WERE EXECUTED IN KHARTOUM AFTER AN
UNSUCCESSFUL COUP ATTEMPT.
RAGSDALE