KHARTOUM - DEMONSTRATIONS AT CHANCERY

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002324 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DSS/ITA, AF/EX, CA/OCS, AF/SPG, AF/RSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CASC PREL PGOV SOCI SU SUBJECT: KHARTOUM - DEMONSTRATIONS AT CHANCERY ¶1. On 20 September, 2006, Embassy Khartoum faced 3 brief, interconnected, demonstrations directed against UNSCR 1706 and the recent statements attributed to the Pope. ¶2. A widely advertised and GNU sponsored, demonstration was planned for 1000 hours on 20 September, 2006. However, due to unusually heavy rains the night before, the gathering area for the demonstration was under water at the scheduled gathering time, and the demonstration did not take place. ¶3. Approximately 0930 a group of demonstrators, numbering about 100 to 150 persons, en route to the demonstration gathering point, (8 blocks east of the Chancery),from the University of Khartoum, (4 blocks west of the Chancery), stopped in front of the Chancery,s north Compound Access Control (CAC),to vocalize their objection to UNSCR 1706 and the comments recently attributed to the Pope. The stop-by demonstration lasted about 10 minutes, then the group proceeded east toward the planned demonstration gathering point. ¶4. Approximately 1030 hours the same group, headed back west towards their university campus, again stopped in front of the north CAC for about another 10 minutes to renew their protests about UNSCR 1706 and the Pope. About 15 or 20 minutes later, the same group came past again, protested for about another 10 minutes, and then returned to their campus. ¶5. Sudanese riot police presence, both on site at the Chancery, and moving along with the demonstrators, was substantial and effective. There were no security incidents during these three short demonstrations. HUME