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.

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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