Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM191
2006-01-25 08:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

South Sudan: Bona Malwal: Straddling Two Sides

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR SU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1158
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0191/01 0250831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250831Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1177
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000191 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SU
SUBJECT: South Sudan: Bona Malwal: Straddling Two Sides


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000191

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR SU
SUBJECT: South Sudan: Bona Malwal: Straddling Two Sides



1. (U) SUMMARY. On January 19, Embassy officials and
Commissioners from the U.S. Commission for International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) met in Juba with GOSS
Presidential Advisor Bona Malwal. The commissioners
questioned Malwal on the CPA, religious freedom,
sanctions, and Darfur. Malwal was harshly critical of
both the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudanese
People's Liberation Movement (SPLM),and said the CPA was
designed to fail. Howeer, embedded within this
criticism were positions that both sides could support.
End Summary.

--------------
CPA Intended to Fail
--------------


2. (U) Malwal said that the CPA was intended to be too
complicated and rigid to implement -- that it was not
made to bring democracy, but rather to share power
between two dictators. Disappointed in international
support for this "peace at any price," Malwal believes
the people of Sudan must now pay that price. Malwal did
say that Salva Kiir is more democratic, which gives him
some hope. However, he cited Abyei as an example of the
CPA's failings. He also told the USCIRF commissioners
that the biggest shortcoming of the CPA was the fact it
did not address slavery.

--------------
Religious Freedom
--------------


3. (U) Malwal explained that he is now completely free
to practice his religion. The fact that he is not
allowed to drink in Khartoum is a civil liberties issue
and not a religious issue, despite the fact that it has
religious justifications. The remaining religious
freedom issues are seizures of some church land and the
continuation of the 1960s-era law banning missionaries.
(Note: This law has been modified to allow foreign
churches to register as NGOs to deliver aid, but they
still cannot practice missionary work. End Note.)

--------------
A New Take On The Party Line
--------------


4. (U) While Malwal harshly criticized the government,
explaining the situation in Sudan will not improve as
long as the current regime is in power. That is why he
is forming his own party to contest the next elections.
However, he thought that sanctions should be lifted, not
as a reward, but because sanctions do not work. He
explained that this government has shown it can withstand
sanctions and that only the common man is affected. He
also thought that the USG should cooperate more on
Darfur. The government wants out, he said, but cannot do
it without the U.S. Unfortunately, Khartoum is too
defensive to accept help as long as the relationship is
confrontational.

--------------
Comment
--------------


5. (SBU) While it was surprising to hear a member of the
Government of National Unity speak so openly and
negatively about both the NCP and SPLA, his subtext
closely followed NCP positions. He dislikes and
distrusts the NCP, but he still thinks the U.S. should
lift sanctions and stop pressuring on Darfur. His
discussion on the ban on missionaries, and his anti-
slavery statement also shows that he knew his audience.
Considered by some a traitor for embracing the North,
there are indications that Salva Kiir has welcomed Malwal
and considers him a close advisor. Malwal's positive
comments on Kiir would seem to support that, but it is
more likely that Malwal is playing a careful balancing
game between the north and south.


6. Bio Note: Bona Malwal is a Malwal Dinka from the same
area of North Bahr Al Ghazal as Salva Kiir. Malwal has a
long history of cooperation with the North. In the early
1960's, the government sent him to the United States to
study journalism, and he later served as Minister of
Information in the Nimeiri government before being forced
out over Sharia laws and the break with the South.
Living in exile in England for most of the 80's and 90's,
he reconciled with the current government in the late
90's, returning to Khartoum to publish a newspaper and
serve as a government press advisor.

KHARTOUM 00000191 002 OF 002


HUME