DARFUR REBEL GROUPS MEET IN CAIRO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002953 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC KPKO EG SU SUBJECT: DARFUR REBEL GROUPS MEET IN CAIRO REF: A. KHARTOUM 1535 ¶B. CAIRO 2867 ¶C. CAIRO 1911 Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reason 1.4 (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Spokesman Ahmed Hussein's push for consultations between Darfur groups appears aimed at giving the JEM a primary role in the upcoming Libya negotiations with the Sudanese government. According to Hussein (visiting Cairo),previous talks in Arusha produced a unified rebel position, but the rebel negotiating team that will visit Libya still must be decided. Hussein also reported that he lobbied the GOE to pressure the Sudanese government to halt its military activity in Darfur, and that SPLM initiatives on Darfur peace are "disorganized." According to Hussein, former JEM commander Abdullah Bandha, Mohamedein Marga Joer of SLM/Minawi, and two SLA/Unity commanders (NFI) were responsible for the September 29 attack on AMIS forces near Haskanita, South Darfur. End summary. -------------- -- JEM Spokesman Calls for Pre-Libya Consultations -------------- -- ¶2. (SBU) On October 1, visiting Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Spokesman Ahmed Hussein gave poloff a read-out of his meetings in Cairo. Also present were Cairo-based JEM Presidency Chief of Staff Gammali Hassan Gamaleddin, President of the JEM Cairo office Mohamed Sharf, and Darfur-based JEM political advisor Abu Bakr Hamid Nour. Hussein said that the purpose of his trip was to push for rebel "consultations" prior to the planned peace talks between the rebels and the Government of Sudan (GOS) in Libya at the end of October. The Libya talks "must not fail," he said, because UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) deployment and the political process must proceed hand-in-hand so that UNAMID forces are "peace-keepers, not peace-makers." The Libya talks should even be delayed to complete these consultations if necessary, he argued. ¶3. (SBU) According to Hussein, although the talks in Arusha produced a unified rebel negotiating position, further consultations are still needed to define the rebel negotiating team. These consultations (at a to-be-determined venue) should include not only rebel groups but also civil society and representatives from internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, which he emphasized would attract some of Abdulwahid Nour's followers and thus reduce his capacity to be a "spoiler." Hussein said that he made these points with Cairo representatives of "all the Darfur groups except Abdulwahid's," including Ahmed Abdu Shafie, Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Khamis, and SLA/Unity. ¶4. (SBU) Hussein dismissed the need to include representatives of Darfur's Arab tribes in the Libya negotiations, and specifically criticized the Democratic Popular Front (ref B),saying that its leader "Abu Surra is an Eritrean stooge and has no commanders in the field." Instead of "focusing on tribes," he said, "we should focus on issues, which are the same for all the people of Darfur." Hussein claimed that JEM would bring some of its Arab members to the proposed pre-Libya consultations to ensure that Arab views are represented. -------------- Egypt Should Weigh-in With the GOS -------------- ¶5. (C) Hussein also called for the GOS to "build confidence on the ground" before the Libya talks by "stopping the attacks" in Darfur, though he noted JEM was committed to attending the Libya talks regardless. It was for this reason, Hussein said, that he met with "Mr. Genawi" (NFI) of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service (EGIS). Hussein reportedly told Genawi that Egypt should use its strong influence with the GOS to push the GOS to stop attacks and be a true partner for peace. Hussein also asked Genawi for support (NFI) for pre-Libya rebel consultations. -------------- SPLM "Not Organized" -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In a separate September 30 meeting, Government of South Sudan (GOSS) liaison office head Parmena Makuet Mangar told poloffs that he had met with Hussein and representatives from other Darfur groups to encourage them to prepare a unified list of demands to be discussed at the Libya talks. "The world is helping you," he reportedly told them, referring to the Libya conference and UNAMID, "now you must CAIRO 00002953 002 OF 002 help the world." Mangar also said that the had spoken with a representative of Abdulwahid Nour, to request a meeting between Nour and GOSS President Salva Kiir. Hussein confirmed that he met with Mangar and discussed a possible SPLM role in pre-Libya rebel consultations, but said that the SPLM's efforts were "not organized." -------------- JEM Reports on Haskanita Attack -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Hussein said that a former JEM commander was partly responsible for the September 29 attack on the AMIS camp near Haskanita, South Darfur (ref A). According to information from his "people on the ground," the attack was carried out by Abdullah Bandha, formerly of JEM, in coordination with Mohamedein Marga Joer of SLM/Minawi, and two SLA/Unity commanders (NFI). Asked about JEM splinter factions, such as Bandha, Hussein downplayed that "anyone important" had left the group, and attributed each instance to interference by "Chadian and Sudanese intelligence." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Hussein, an animated speaker with excellent English, repeated previous requests for more engagement and closer coordination with the USG (ref C) and continually emphasized JEM's commitment to "democracy and human rights" and his "personal respect for the American people." Nevertheless, his proposals for pre-Libya consultations seemed a thinly veiled attempt at maneuvering JEM into the role of primary rebel interlocutor in the Libya talks. JONES