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