CHAD PROTESTS CROSS-BORDER ATTACK FROM SUDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NDJAMENA 001487

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/C, AF/SPG, AF/PD, D, DRL, H, INR,
INR/GGI, PRM, USAID/OTI AND USAID/W FOR DAFURRMT; LONDON
AND PARIS FOR AFRICAWATCHERS; GENEVA FOR CAMPBELL,
ADDIS/NAIROBI/KAMPALA FOR REFCOORDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF KAWC CD SU
SUBJECT: CHAD PROTESTS CROSS-BORDER ATTACK FROM SUDAN

REF: A. IIR 6 910 0091

B. STATE 182626

Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Kathleen FitzGibbon for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an action request for AF/SPG, AF/PD. See
paragraph 7.


2. (C) Summary: Chad has told the Government of Sudan to
close its consulate in Abeche and announced the withdrawal of
its consulate from El Geneina, Sudan after a cross-border
jandjaweed attack killed over 36 civilians on September 26.
Chadian Foreign Minister Ahmad Allam-mi informed Ambassador
Wall that these measures were being taken to protest Sudan's
support, direct or indirect, for the jandjaweed incursion
into Chad. Allam-mi requested support from the U.S. and
international community for its diplomatic efforts and other
steps it is taking to protect peaceful Chadian civilians from
future attacks. Allam-mi also expressed Chad's frustration
with Sudan's failure to follow through on its promises to
stop support for cross-border activities and its "false"
commitment to the negotiations on Darfur. He stated that
Sudan is "buying time" in the political talks to impose a
military solution in Darfur and that Sudanese officials
behind the Darfur policy also want to destabilize the
Zaghwa-led government in Chad. Post proposes amending AF
press guidance and demarche requests on the increasing
violence in Darfur to reflect our concerns about cross-border
attacks and loss of life in Chad. End Summary.


3. (C) On October 3, Foreign Minister Allam-mi called in
Ambassador Wall to discuss Chad's formal protest to the
Government of Sudan over a border incursion that killed at
least 36 civilians in eastern Chad on September 26. Allam-mi
reported that a joint assessment team which included Minister
of Defense Bichara and Minister of Territorial Administration
General Mahamat Ali Abdallah found that jandjaweed from Sudan
were responsible for the attack. The attackers were wearing
Sudanese military uniforms. In describing the incident,
Allam-mi said that initially seven area residents were killed
and 37 heads of cattle stolen. The local villagers tried to
defend themselves and were able to trap some of the
jandjaweed. Another group of jandjaweed intervened as did
Chadian soldiers. In the ensuing fight, at least 36 Chadian
villagers were killed, although local traditional authorities
say over 50 people were killed. Three Chadian soldiers will
killed and five jandjaweed were killed. Seven perpetrators
were captured, among them a fifteen-year-old boy who is being
turned over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
We continue to receive differing reports of the numbers of
people killed and wounded in the attack. (Ref A)


4. (C) Allam-mi said that Chad is closing its consulate in
El Geneina and has told the GOS to close its consulate in
Abeche, Chad. The closure will be effective for an
undetermined amount of time. According to Allam-mi, the
Sudanese Consulate in Abeche is used by the GOS intelligence
service to destabilize Chad. He also noted that the
instability in Darfur has ended cross-border commercial
activity and obviates the need for the consulates. Allam-mi
said that normal relations will continue to exist between
Chad and Sudan. Chad will insist that an investigation of
the cross-border action be carried out. Allam-mi asserted
that Chad is not at war with Sudan, but is determined to stop
the border incursions caused by insecurity in Darfur.
Allam-mi requested the assistance of the African Union and
the international community to support Chad's efforts to
protect its citizens from attacks from Sudanese aggressors.
Ambassador Wall expressed condolences for the deaths of the
Chadian citizens involved in the attack. He assured Allam-mi
that the U.S. is ready to use its influence and diplomatic
resources to stop the violence against civilians.


5. (C) The Sudanese Government offered to send a delegation
to Chad headed by Minister of Agriculture Magzoub Khaliffa to
discuss the issue. Allam-mi said that Chad has refused the
delegation. He said that Chad is tired of "playing a game of
hide-and-seek" in which the GOS fails to follow through on
its promises to stop its negative activities. He noted that
the GOS is using airplanes to carry out attacks. Allam-mi
joked that to his knowledge, no jandjaweed have pilot

licenses so the GOS cannot shirk its responsibility.
Ambassador Wall asked if Chad had any idea why the GOS would
allow the cross-border incursion and if the cross-border
attack is related to the recent upsurge of violence in
Darfur. Allam-mi explained that in his personal opinion, the
GOS has no political will to end the violence in Darfur and
is buying time at the negotiating table to impose a military
solution. Allam-mi cited GOS attacks during negotiations as
an example of its lack of commitment to the peace process.
Allam-mi also accused the GOS of buying off of leaders of the
Darfur rebel movements, Justice and Equality Movement's
President Khalil Ibrahim and Sudan Liberation Movement's
(SLM) Chairman Abdelwahid Nur. Allam-mi said that in
accepting a deal with the GOS, Khalil and Abdelwahid have
sacrificed their own people.


6. (C) Allam-mi expressed his view that the incursion was
part of a larger plan to destabilize Chad. On October 1,
Allam-mi told the Ambassador that he believes Vice President
Taha and Intelligence Director Salah Gosh are behind the
intertribal war between the Arab militias and the African
populations in Sudan. He asserted that President Bashir is
powerless to stop them. Allam-mi said the architects of the
Darfur crisis also see the Zaghawa-led government in Chad as
another target of opportunity for destabilization. Border
incursions can set in motion the same dynamic in Chad. In
both meetings, Allam-mi alluded to the proverbial "sword of
Damocles" hanging over Chad's head as symbolic of "poor"
Chad's relationship with wealthy and powerful Sudan.

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ACTION REQUEST
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7. (C) Post recommends that AF/SPG add language to demarches
(Ref B) and press guidance regarding our position on the
increasing violence in Darfur to reflect our concerns about
cross-border jandjaweed attacks. "The United States, at the
highest-levels, is gravely concerned by the upsurge in
violence in Darfur, particularly reports of jandjaweed
attacks on Aro and Sharow DIP camp and surrounding villages
and by reports of incursions into neighboring Chad, as well
as GOS attacks on civilians and IDPs in and around the
village of Tawila."

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COMMENT
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8. (C) As Special Advisor for International Relations to
President Deby and now as Foreign Minister, Allam-mi has been
involved in Chad's mediation attempts on the Darfur issue
since its beginning. His frustration reflects Chad's
concerns that it cannot adequately protect its citizens from
cross-border attacks. Left unsaid was the possibility that
Sudanese Government-backed Chadian rebels may have been part
of this recent cross-border activity. We have some doubts
about the attacks being solely jandjaweed, but we do share
the GOC's concerns about insecurity in Darfur spilling across
the border. We believe it is important to note the loss of
Chadian lives as the result of Sudanese-sponsored
cross-border activity in Chad.


9. (C) Tripoli Minimize Considered.
WALL


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