SLM/A-MINAWI REQUESTS UN INTERCESSION ON BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 001682 SIPDIS SIPDIS BRUSSELS FOR AF/A/S FRAZER AND AMB HUME DEPARTMENT S/CRS AND AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2016 TAGS: PREL MOPS KPKO PGOV US AU UN SU SUBJECT: SLM/A-MINAWI REQUESTS UN INTERCESSION ON BORDER INCURSION REF: KHARTOUM 01668 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief E. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: SLM/A leader Minawi reports that more forces are preparing to cross the Chadian border and move against his positions. Circumstantial evidence suggests fighting continues in North Darfur, although at a lower level of intensity that during the previous week. AMIS and UNMIS are unable or unwilling to verify Minawi,s claims, and has not made any public statements. Minawi has sent a formal letter to UNSYG Annan requesting UN intercession; SLM Spokesman Hussein also sent a letter to a number of Western audiences. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- REPORTS OF MORE FORCES MOVING ACROSS CHADIAN BORDER -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Reporting from AMIS, UNMIS and SLM/A leader Minni Minawi suggest that reduced fighting continues in the area of Muzbat, Lill, and Gurbura. There are indications that Minawi is attempting to mobilize forces in response to the Chadian-reinforced National Redemption Front (NRF) attacks in this area (reftel). Minawi claimed that an additional force of 45 vehicles have assembled on the Chadian side of the border between Bahia and Tina. AMIS reports that they have received information concerning an imminent attack on Umm Baru late July 15, but the threat had not materialized as of July 16. -------------- --- AMIS AND UNMIS SLOW TO REACT TO INCURSION CLAIMS -------------- --- ¶3. (C) S/CRS Senior Advisor Tod Wilson met with AMIS Deputy Force Commander Br Gen Frank Kamanzi to press AMIS to verify and publicize any information it had on the cross-border incursion from Chad. Despite earlier reports of verification, Kamanzi stated that AMIS had not verified any of Minawi,s claims. (NOTE: There has been a spate of circular reporting on this event, all of which appears to have originated from SLM/A-Minawi,s group. END NOTE.) He then launched into a diatribe on the resource constraints under which AMIS operated, complaining that the international community needed to do more to assist AMIS not only with resources, but to deal with the present situation. Wilson responded that the international community needed information from an official source to generate pressure against Chad and recommended that Kamanzi query his staff to determine what information AMIS had that could be deemed &credible evidence8 of the reported incursion and Chadian involvement. Wilson added that AMIS should also issue a statement that it was attempting to verify this information, if only to put the combatant forces and the international community on notice. ¶4. (C) Wilson later met with an AMIS officer close to the AMIS Force Commander Maj Gen Ihikire, currently en route to Brussels, who said that Ihikire had requested permission to conduct a press briefing in Khartoum on July 15 with the information AMIS had thus far, but was denied permission by AU Head of Mission Special representative Kingibe. The Force Commander reportedly planned to take his case to his superiors at the AU in Addis before departing for the Brussels donor conference. ¶5. (C) Meanwhile, during a July 16 meeting with the regional UNMIS front office, UNMIS reported it could not confirm an incursion from Chad had taken place, and was therefore hesitant to make any public statements based purely on circumstantial evidence. (NOTE: Wounded SLA-Minawi fighters are being treated by AMIS and hundreds of IDPs fleeing fighting have entered the Zam Zam IDP camp near El Fasher, with others reportedly in transit. END NOTE.) Wilson repeated his advice that UNMIS at least publicly review the reporting that it had received, and also make a statement encouraging AMIS to verify these reports and actively work to avert further fighting. UNMIS acknowledged that a public statement would provide the international community leverage to press Chad, but was non-committal on potential action by UNMIS. -------------- --- MINAWI SENDS WRITTEN REQUEST FOR UN INTERCESSION -------------- --- KHARTOUM 00001682 002 OF 004 ¶6. (C) Minawi has asked AMIS to facilitate the delivery of a letter from himself as Chairman of the SLM/A to UNSYG Kofi Anna outlining the situation and requesting that the UN take immediate action to support and keep the peace in Darfur. He has also requested Embassy Khartoum,s assistance to ensure the letter is delivered before and to the Brussel,s AU donor,s conference on July 18. Translated text as follows: (Begin text) H.E. Kofi Anan (sic),Secretary-General The United Nations, New York We, in the Sudan liberation Movement/Army, have signed the Darfur Peace Agreement in Abuja although it falls short of the ambitions and demands of the Darfurian people. We did so to stop the bleeding has been caused on Darfur by the war and in a response to the desire of the International Community led by the united Nations who had sent its special envoy, Mr. Jan Pronk who was a signature of the peace agreement as a witness and he was among the most desirous to reach at a peace deal. The United Nations, which is the highest world organization, was expected to take its role in supporting and keeping this peace. However, we were frustrated when we obtained information that the Government of Chad is behind a scheme that aims at undermining and aborting the peace process. We brought that information before the attention of your office in Khartoum, headed by Mr. Jan Pronk, your Special Representative. That was in the middle of May 2006. A few days later, our positions at Pir Maza, an area under our control for three years, were attacked. Mr. Jan Pronk himself is aware of the fact that this area belonged to us, where he held several meeting with the movement. Also he held his last meeting with the movement,s leadership, following the signing of the peace agreement, at this area. Now the situation has become more worse, the Chadian Government has entered into the field with regular forces in coordination with the group known as the &198 which had no representation in Darfur before the peace agreement was signed, with the Federal Democratic Alliance which was an organization without any political or military presence in Darfur before the peace agreement, rather, it was based in Eretria, with the Justice and Equality Movement, an organization whose activity was limited within a very small area with a limited force before the signing of the peace agreement. Now fighting has been escalated in that area that was a safe place where Humanitarian organizations used to roam safely as a result of the operations carried out by Chad under elusive titles. These forces bad even participated in the attack on Hamrat al Sheik in Kordofan. These situation has been worsened by the following factors: ¶1. Dispatchment of 20 (twenty) land Cruiser Vehicles loaded with different types of guns led by a Chadian Army Officer. This force had participated in the operations around the areas of Pir Maza, Housh and Urn Sidr which took place during the period from 5-11 July 2006. ¶2. An additional force of 24 (twenty-four) vehicles was dispatched on 13 July 2006 and this time also the force was led by a Chadian Army Officer. The force had participated in attacks on areas in Mizbad, Lii, Gurbora, and Trubaa and the attack on the area of Korma in the evening of 14 July 2006. ¶3. There are large-scale operation are being carried out in Darfur, particularly in north Darfur and the forces conducting these operations are Chadian. They have actually started ladings for air crafts carrying military equipments directly from Chad at the area of Shigaig Karo. ¶4. On 15 July 2006 a Chadian military convoy crossed the border into Sudan at a point between Tina and Bahai as a reinforcing support for the groups working against the peace agreement. In view of this ever deteriorating situation we would like to lay the following facts before your attention for urgent consideration: First: Mr. Sulaiman Jamous, who is now in the custody of UN KHARTOUM 00001682 003 OF 004 is one of the people responsible for crisis and he is against the peace agreement. Second: The Republic of Chad is the party which leading the military operations and providing supplies of different types through a coordinative body composed of Commander Mohammed Drio Tangul who is the direct military commander of the operations in the area and Mr. Dousa Deby. President Deby,s elder brother, who is heading the financial and political aspects and he is in charge of the force Third: There has been no clear position on the part of the international organizations towards Dr. Khalil,s expressed statement that he is in violation of the Cease-Fire that was signed with the witness of the international community. Fourth: The African Unions work is characterized by shortcomings in investigating and verification and some of the UN personnel are of negative positions, particularly in the area of reports where the reports lack truth and precision of investigation as in the case of Korma and Tawilla where the reports were characterized by lying and false. We demand that serious steps be taken to support and keep peace, other wise we can not be responsible for peace in Darfur when we are single-handed. Please, accept with highest appreciation and thanks V Minni Arkou Minnawi, Chairman, SLMJA (End text) -------------- SLM Spokesman Delivers Similar Letter -------------- ¶7. (C) SLM Spokesman Mahgoub Hussein also delivered a similar letter in Arabic to a variety of Western audiences; dated July 15, the text of the letter is as follows (unofficial Embassy translation): (Begin text) Urgent Message Mr. Chairman of AU Commission ) Alpha Oumar Konare Mr. S.G. of the UN Mr. Chairman of UN SC Mr. Ambassador of the UK Mr. Charge of the USA Mr. Ambassador of the Dutch Royal Kingdom Mr. Ambassador of France Mr. Ambassador of Libya Mr. Representative of the EU Subject: Official Complaint from the SLA/M against Chadian Government Reference is made to the international resolutions regarding the Darfur file, the texts of the signed DPA, the role of the regional and international mediators, in addition to the clear international commitments concerning this file. The SLA/M is submitting this official complaint against the Chadian government, which is openly and disgracefully working to convulse security and peace in the region through direct and unlimited support to group of militias in Darfur in recent days, with the intention of transforming Darfur into a new swamp of blood-letting, implementing its own agenda, which is contradictory to international law, international accords and resolutions of the UN Security Council, international will, and the International Community. Hence the SLA/M is demanding immediate intervention: -- The Chadian Government should immediately stop all its hostile and military activities in the Darfur region; -- Immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all military equipment and machinery and Chadian Government militias from Darfur; -- The SLA/M is requesting the International Community to KHARTOUM 00001682 004 OF 004 denounce the Chadian behavior, which contradicts with international law and UN SC resolutions. A clear message of non-interference in the affairs of the Darfur region and the Darfur people should be sent to the Chadian government; -- SLA/M considers the Government of Chad responsible for the all military instability and the toll of unarmed civilian victims; -- SLA/M has irrefutable material evidences about the Chadian aggression on Darfur; and -- Following are some of the details; a) Attack of Hamrat Al Sheikh was done with Chad military support. b) On the 6th and 7th of this month the Chadian Government and its militias participated on the attack of Hamrai area. c) On the 12th of this month, 20 Chadian military vehicles carrying arms and ammunitions participated on the attack of the Hush area. d) On the 13th of this month, the Chadian Government participated in attacking the Musbat area with 34 military vehicles. e) At the moment there are a number of military Chadian trucks between Amrai and Tina. f) The Chadian military coordinator in the region is Mohamed Dario, and he is now inside Darfur land. Mahgoub Hussein The official chairman/spokesman and media advisor (End text) STEINFELD