DARFUR: ABDEL SHAFI WANTS SLM/A TO REUNITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000648

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC ETTC ER SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: ABDEL SHAFI WANTS SLM/A TO REUNITE

REF: A. ASMARA 00624 B. ASMARA 00636

CLASSIFIED BY: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM/A)
defector Ahmed Abdel Shafi and Babikir Abdalla
Mohamed requested a meeting with the Embassy on
August 8 to discuss the recent press release issued
by 32 commanders of the SLM/A, explain the current
state of play within the organization and ask for
help in reuniting SLM/A splinter groups. Shafi
hinted at the possibility of reconciling with
AbdulWahid, but only through a transformation in
SLM/A leadership. He believes that the Darfur Peace
Agreement (DPA) could be used as a starting point for
discussions, but feels that the SLM/A has to clean
house before embarking on the road of resolving the
crisis in Darfur and amending the DPA. End Summary.


2. (C) Shafi said he was taken by surprise by the
timing of the press statement of 32 of AbdulWahid's
commanders. While all of the signatories agreed in
principle with the statement, the statement had been
issued "early". He had expected that a meeting of the
commanders would have taken place before a public
statement was issued from the field. (Note: PolOff
had similarly heard from other Sudanese sources that
there was the potential for a change in leadership in
the SLM/A, but that it probably would not be made
public until mid to late-August. End Note.)


3. (C) Shafi explained that most of the commanders
believe there is a need for new leadership and do not
support AbdulWahid in the role of chairman anymore.
He continued that the SLM/A needs transforming. The
SLM/A is not about one individual - AbdulWahid - but
about resolving the crisis of Darfur. The
organization needs to be accountable to the people
and have consensus for achieving peace. Shafi
emphasized that the commanders do not intend to expel
AbdulWahid from the SLM/A, however they also do not
believe he is the right person to lead the
organization. This lead to the decision to
temporarily appoint Shafi until an internal SLM/A
conference can be held.


4. (C) Shafi explained that the SLM/A does not reject
the DPA, but believes it has not addressed all the
problems in Darfur. When asked, Shafi stated that he
has met with the Government of the State of Eritrea
(GSE) and the SPLM. The GSE has pushed Shafi and
others to unite the SLM/A and seek consensus on
resolving the differences on the DPA. Shafi has also
met with SPLM members Yassir Arman and Malik Agar in
Asmara, both of whom have affirmed support for a
unified SLM/A and the idea of an internal dialogue.
When asked why the GNU would be open to discussing
the DPA again, he stated "that if the GNU is serious
about peace there should be good will to address the
issues not addressed in the DPA."


5. (C) Shafi asked for assistance from the USG and
the international community to bring together all of
the SLM/A - including AbdulWahid, Khamis, and the G19
- in order to unify the group and build consensus
using the DPA as a starting point to achieve peace in
Darfur. He explained that the meeting could be held
in Darfur or in Southern Sudan with the help of the
SPLM. However, he was adamant that the meeting could
only take place with the tacit approval and support
of the USG.


6. (C) Comment: This was the first time PolOff has
met with Shafi or Babikir Mohamed. Shafi had
originally announced a press conference for the
morning of August 8. He notified post one hour prior
that he had postponed the conference and requested a
private meeting. (He also requested a meeting with
the British Embassy.) Shafi appears to have postponed
the conference in an effort to seek advice and
support for unifying the SLM/A without creating yet
another splinter group. How open AbdulWahid and
former SLM/A members would be to reunifying is
unclear, however Shafi states that Khamis and others
have already intimated their support for this
initiative. End Comment.

MCINTYRE