MORE ON POSSIBLE MEETING OF SLM DISSIDENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 002020 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER NSC FOR COURVILLE AND SHORTLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2026 TAGS: PGOV PREF PHUM SU AU SUBJECT: MORE ON POSSIBLE MEETING OF SLM DISSIDENTS REF: KHARTOUM 2010 Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CAMERON HUME; REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) On August 24 CDA Hume met with Yassir Arman, SPLM parliamentary leader, to discuss efforts to secure support of SLM dissidents for the Darfur Peace Agreement. Arman said he had just returned from Asmara, where he had met separately with SLM leader Abdul Wahid and SLM dissident leader Abdul Shafi. He said he had a rough session with Abdul Wahid, who was not yet able to accept that his position was crumbling rapidly. Abdul Wahid still insisted on reconciliation with other SLM members based on his own leadership of the movement and on substantial changes in the DPA, such as immediate announcement of a re-unified Darfur region. Arman said he explained bluntly that Abdul Wahid needed to seek reconciliation of the movement first, rather than a guarantee of his own position, and to make a strategic choice for peace within the framework of the DPA. In that case Arman said others could respond to him on his concerns. Arman judged that Abdul Wahid was not persuaded to change course. ¶2. (C) Arman said he had met twice with Abdul Shafi, who said he did not want to subscribe to the National Redemption Front,s rejection of the DPA. In discussion of a possible meeting of SLM cadres to decide leadership and policy issues, Abdul Shaafi said that, if transport from Asmara could be arranged for himself and 15 other colleagues, he was prepared to travel to southern Sudan for a conference. Arman said he would brief Salva Kiir on this idea later the same evening. Hume pointed out that A/S Frazer would arrive on August 26 for a two-day visit to Khartoum and would want to discuss this possibility further with FVP Kiir. ¶3. (C) On August 25 CDA Hume met with senior SLM/Minawi leaders Dr. Salah al-Haj Manna, Ali Traio, and Mahgoub Hussain at their request. Dr. Salah told Hume that he had talked with Abdul Shafi twice in recent days. Abdul Shafi had said he wanted to leave Asmara with his colleagues if transportation could be arranged. Abdul Shafi,s preference was to go to Nairobi for a two to four day conference with other SLM leaders, including cadres in Darfur, and then to return to Darfur by traveling through southern Sudan. When asked how much financial support might be needed to arrange this conference, Dr. Manna said the SPLM had enough money to pay for the transportation and other arrangements, if it were willing to do so. ¶4. (C) Comment: The upcoming visit by A/S Frazer and AF/SPG Director Landis provides a good opportunity to pursue this matter directly with both FVP Kiir and Minni Minawi, as well as with their lieutenants who have had direct conversations with Abdul Wahid and Abdul Shaafi. End Comment. HUME