DARFUR: MEETING WITH CAIRO-BASED JEM LEADER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 001911

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC KPKO EG SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: MEETING WITH CAIRO-BASED JEM LEADER

REF: KHARTOUM 960

Classified by Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs
Catherine Hill-Herndon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary and action requested: In a June 20
introductory meeting with Cairo-based Sudanese Justice and
Equality Movement (JEM) Presidency Chief of Staff Gammali
Hassan Galaleddin, Galaleddin requested further contact with
the USG and emphasized that "peace is our only option" in
Darfur. Galaleddin said that peace talks, under UN/AU
auspices, should not be based on the Darfur Peace Agreement
(DPA) but rather address the "root causes" of the Darfur
crisis: Darfur as an autonomous region; proportionate
political and wealth sharing; and the right of return for
displaced Darfurians. Galaleddin praised Sudan People's
Liberation Movement (SPLM) efforts on Darfur, though
complained of certain slights against the JEM. Relations
between the JEM and the Government of Egypt (GOE) have
improved, he said, since the GOE began reaching out to all
parties involved in Darfur. We request Department guidance
for further contact with the JEM per paragraph 6; paragraph 7
contains a bio note on Galaleddin. End summary and action
requested.


2. (C) On June 20, poloff had an introductory meeting with
Cairo-based Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)
Presidency Chief of Staff Gammali Hassan Galaleddin.
Galaleddin welcomed the opportunity to meet a USG
representative, and suggested further meetings to coordinate
policy on Darfur. Galaleddin conveyed a personal message
from JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim to the USG. In the message,
Ibrahim thanked the U.S. for being the first UN Security
Council country to declare that genocide was occurring in
Darfur and for actively pressuring the Government of Sudan
(GOS). Ibrahim believes that "peace is our only option," and
emphasized JEM's focus on democracy, equality, and human
rights. Ibrahim also complained that the U.S. included him
personally in new sanctions, believing that he is a "victim"
of U.S. political need to show that it is pressuring the
rebels as well as the GOS.


3. (C) Galaleddin laid out JEM's position on a political
solution for Darfur, commensurate with JEM's "Roadmap for
Peace in Darfur" posted on its web site. Peace talks should
be under UN/AU auspices, he said, and based on a framework
that addresses the "root causes" of the problem: Darfur's
status as an autonomous region in a unified Sudan; political
participation and wealth sharing proportionate to Darfur's
population; and right of return of displaced Darfurians to
their original land. The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) "has
failed," he said, and should not be a starting point for
negotiations. When pressed on this point, Galaleddin did
allow that the substance of any agreement is more important
than the name it is under. Galaleddin hoped that the Darfur
rebel groups could negotiate with one voice, with the
exception of Minni Minawi's Sudanese Liberation Movement,
which "does not represent the people of Darfur."


4. (C) Galaleddin praised the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) initiative to bring the Darfur groups
together. However, he complained that the SPLM had planned
to invite Darfur tribal and civil society leaders to its
now-postponed Juba conference (reftel),bypassing the JEM's
leadership role in Darfur. He also charged that SPLM leader,
GOSS President, and Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir has
delivered GOS rejections of JEM demands instead of playing a
more impartial role. Additionally, he said that Kiir has
been rude scheduling meetings, for instance by extending an
invitation to Khalil Ibrahim to meet him in Chad in spring
2007 only at the last minute.


5. (C) Galaleddin said that the JEM's relations with the
Government of Egypt (GOE) have improved since his arrival in
Cairo in 2004, as the GOE now realizes that it must talk with
all parties to realize a political solution in Darfur. In
addition to limited contact with GOE representatives on the
political front (nfi),JEM's Cairo office also works with the
GOE to assist Darfur refugees coming to Cairo that are
referred from JEM offices in Sudan. Galaleddin said that
they assist about six to seven Darfurians per month.


6. (C) Comment and action requested: Galaleddin was clearly
eager to have continued contact with the USG and often
emphasized the JEM's commitment to "shared values" with the
United States: peace, democracy, equality, and human rights.
We request Department guidance for further contact with JEM
representatives in Cairo. End comment and action requested.


7. (C) Bio note: Gammali Hassan Galaleddin, also spelled
"Jammali Hassan Gamal Aldin," has a wife and children in
Cairo. He also has a second wife, who lives near the border
between North and South Darfur. End bio note.

CAIRO 00001911 002 OF 002


JONES