KHARTOUM CDA FERNANDEZ MEETS WITH DUP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002560

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF FOR SPG; SE NATSIOS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SU
SUBJECT: KHARTOUM CDA FERNANDEZ MEETS WITH DUP
LEADER-IN-EXILE MIRGHANI AND FORMER GOVERNOR OF NORTH
DARFUR STATE SULEIMAN IN CAIRO


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Jones
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)

1.(C) Summary. Visiting Embassy Khartoum Charge d'Affairs
Alberto Fernandez met separately with Muhammad Othman al
Mirghani, exiled leader of Sudan's Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP),and retired General Ibrahim Suleiman, former Governor
of North Darfur, during his August 13-16 visit to Cairo.
Both were relatively pessimistic about Sudan's future.
Mirghani stressed that any decision on the future of Sudan
must be determined by the Sudanese people through elections.
Suleiman assessed that the struggle in Darfur could be solved
by addressing wealth, land, security and political
leadership. He argued that the GOS, in fighting the Darfur
insurgency, had armed Arab tribes "upsetting the balance of
power in Darfur for the next 50 years." CDA Fernandez said
that the next few months could be a moment of opportunity,
but that the Sudanese government's fear that the USG will act
to bring it down should not keep the GOS from fulfilling
UNSCR 1769 responsibilities, and make peace with Darfur rebel
movements. End summary.

2.(C) CDA Fernandez and poloff met August 13 with DPU leader
in exile Mirghani (also head of the Khatimyn Sufi Order and
semi-moribund National Democratic Alliance, which includes
the SPLM) at his villa in Misr al Jedida. Mirghani, in his
seventies and wearing traditional Sudanese attire, warmly
welcomed the meeting, noting that he had not met with senior
USG officials since a November 2005 meeting with
then-Secretary Powell. He gave a wandering overview of
recent political developments in Sudan, stressing that Islam
does not condone violence, and accepts Christians. Mirghani
expressed pessimism about the utility of numerous conferences
and interventions of the international and African
communities in Sudan. The future of Sudan, he stressed,
should be determined by the Sudanese people themselves. He
lamented that the focus on Darfur in recent years has taken
attention away from the primacy of the North-South divide,
and said that the international community needs to pay
greater attention to the electoral process. If there were
elections and the DUP lost, then he would be accept the
result. Mirghani presented CDA Fernandez with a document
outlining the DUP's viewpoint on settling the Darfur dispute,
as well as a proposal for "the establishment of a special
court for the prosecution of persons responsible for crimes
committed in Darfur". He argued that any real solution to
this key issue must balance justice for the perpetrators with
the need for a positive political future for Sudan.

3.(C) On August 14 CDA Fernandez and poloff met with retired
Sudanese General Ibrahim Suleiman. Suleiman explained that
he is in Cairo for medical treatment (NFI) and plans to
return to Khartoum in the coming months. Suleiman noted that
it was the first time he had met a chief of mission from the
American Embassy in Khartoum. A Berti tribesman born and
bred in Darfur, he is best known as the man who jailed
Janjawid leader Musa Hilal (later released by the GOS to
continue his murderous career). Suleiman's 37 year career in
the military ended in 1999, at which point he went into civil
service as a minister of state, and later served as Governor
of North Darfur from 2001-2003. Suleiman had little hope
for the current Sudanese political situation but did not
blame Bashir personally. He noted that he has known Bashir
for a very long time (having graduated from the 16th class of
the Sudanese Armed Forces Staff College, two years ahead of
Bashir),and had worked for him at one point.

4.(C) Suleiman gave a historical overview of Darfur, pointing
out that there have been security problems dating back to the
1960s. The Fouris had been displaced by years of drought,
and the remaining fertile land in West Darfur is now
"occupied" by refugees from Chad. This led Suleiman to his
assessment that any Darfur settlement must address land
rights and ownership. He suggested convening four
"workshops" to address land, security, wealth, and political
leadership. These workshops could be comprised of "councils
of experts" from the native administration, lawyers,
refugees, and displaced persons. Once these workshops
produced a set of findings, a larger conference could be
convened to conclude a negotiated settlement. CDA Fernandez
noted that UN Special Envoy Jan Eliasson and others have been
searching for just such ways to bring Darfuris together, and
welcomed Suleiman's ideas.

5.(C) CDA Fernandez delivered a clear message to both
Mirghani and Suleiman: there is a window of opportunity over
the coming months, but it will close quickly. The USG does
not want to bring down the Bashir government, but the regime

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must fulfill its UNSCR 1769 responsibilities, and change its
self-destructive behavior. It would be a serious mistake for
Bashir to conclude that the USG is "out to get him." It is
the regime's behavior, not USG and international pressure,
that puts it in jeopardy. Failure for the Bashir regime to
realize this would potentially lead to a "self-fulfilling
prophecy." Both Sudanese leaders welcome greater USG
engagement and contact with themselves and their
organizations.


6. (C) Bio notes: Mirghani's residence in Misr al-Jedida was
well appointed; he had a large meeting room and several staff
to wait on him. Suleiman, on the other hand, was residing at
a relatively modest flat in Mokattem (about 30 minutes from
downtown Cairo) with family members.


7. (U) Khartoum CDA Fernandez cleared this message.
RICCIARDONE