S/E NATSIOS MEETS WITH SOUTH DARFURIANS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001085 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/SPG, PRM, AND ALSO PASS USAID/W USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU SUBJECT: S/E NATSIOS MEETS WITH SOUTH DARFURIANS ¶1. SUMMARY: (SBU) During a July 9 visit to Nyala, Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan, Andrew Natsios, and US Embassy Charg Alberto Fernandez conducted a series of meetings with IDP camp representatives, the Magdoum of the Fur and civil society activists, as well as an impromptu meeting with the deputy wali of South Darfur. IDPs focused on security, land and compensation, while elites and political figures focused more on power-sharing. END SUMMARY. -------------- NOT QUITE THE RED CARPET -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Although the delegation had written permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to travel to Darfur, they were detained for about 1.5 hours at the airport upon arrival by National Security and Military Intelligence, who claimed to have no knowledge of their visit. Officials threatened to expel the delegation from Darfur despite the approval. Eventually the delegation was allowed to leave the airport, only after agreeing to see the South Darfur deputy wali. In a brief meeting with the deputy wali, the Special Envoy said he had traveled to Sudan to move forward the process of obtaining a political settlement to the conflict and in particular to seek public and civil society input into that process. The wali welcomed his efforts to achieve peace, and requested that the wali's office be informed of all such missions in future in order to ensure VIP security. The meeting was videotaped and later broadcast on the Nyala evening news. -------------- MAGDOUM: OCCUPATION OF FUR LANDS, NEGOTIATING TERMS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The delegation met with the Magdoom of the Fur, Ahmad Rajal, along with several members of his group, Ahali Group for Darfur Salvation. This group includes representatives from thirty tribes, and is seeking to organize IDPs and other grass roots stakeholders to come together on a common platform for peace. The group has already held one workshop in Nyala, and presented the delegation with a summary of the outcomes. (Note: The group also previously received a small grant from USAID/OTI to facilitate dialogue between the Birgit and Zaghawa in Shearia. End note.) During the conversation, the participants confirmed that Fur land, primarily in Wadi Saleh, has been occupied by 40,000 Arab migrants from Niger, Chad and other countries to the west who have been invited in by the government. The group suspects that the government is arming these people against the Hybrid. They said that 80% of the Fur people have been displaced and that they have heard rumors of land mines being placed in Jebel Marra, where the few non-displaced Fur remain. ¶4. (SBU) When asked about their bottom-line positions in the peace negotiations, the group identified power-sharing (vice presidency), unified region, resolution of land issues, individual compensation, and possibly the promise of a referendum similar to the CPA. On the issue of individual compensation, they said that $1000 per person was not enough, the amount should be more like $2,500, and they noted that groups in Northern Sudan are being compensated due to the Merowe dam project. The group said that they had explained their position to Abdul Mohammed, the chair of the AU-led Darfur-Darfur Dialogue Commission (DDDC). -------------- WHO REPRESENTS IDPS? -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The delegation also attended the weekly meeting of the Kalma sheikhs. When asked how their views are fed into the political process, the group indicated they had not been consulted by the DDDC or Darfur Forum. When asked who should represent them in the process, some said the field commanders could represent them, while others said the IDPs are strong enough to represent themselves if they could organize, and they should have meetings or elections in each camp (they noted that Kalma has its own committees, one of which is for reconciliation). An informal poll of the group indicated that, of several leaders mentioned, the majority felt themselves best represented by Abd-al-Wahid and Ahmed Ibrahim Diraij; some identified with Minni Minawi, Khalil Ibrahim, and Khamis Abdullah, while none identified with Suleiman Jamous, Sharif Harir, Abd-al-Shafie, or the Magdoom. (Note: The sheikh of sheikhs told the delegation afterward that people had come from the town and told them the Magdoom was not on their side. End note.) ¶6. (SBU) Regarding their bottom line issues, the group identified security (everywhere),disarmament (of everyone),individual compensation, justice, rehabilitation of villages and provision of services; power-sharing, and expulsion of occupiers. The majority KHARTOUM 00001085 002 OF 002 of participants in the meeting indicated that they felt the SPLM is not helpful in the negotiation process, and only the UN should be involved. -------------- DARFUR FORUM: ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY KEY TO PEACE PROCESS -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Finally the delegation met with the Darfur Forum, a civil society group that represents elite segments of Darfurian society. The members come from different political parties but see themselves as representing not themselves or their parties, but all Darfur. They said that they paid their own way to Abuja, and helped the rebels prepare position papers, but were not allowed to participate in the negotiations. They indicated that they, too, have not had any interaction with the DDDC consultation process. With support from the EU and Justice Africa, the group organized workshops in Nyala and El Fasher to organize civil society input into the peace process, both of which were impeded by National Security. The group gave the delegation a summary of the workshop outcomes. ¶8. (SBU) They identified their bottom line positions in the negotiations as a unified region, power and wealth-sharing in proportion to population, vice-presidential position, and 'positive discrimination' for underdeveloped areas of Darfur. This group also noted the disparity between levels of compensation promised to victims of the Darfur conflict and the compensation being provided to those displaced by the Merowe dam. The group agreed that the UN/AU could facilitate a joint paper between the rebels and civil society with which they could then negotiate with the GoS, but they felt that the DDDC should happen first before further negotiations. The group also emphasized the importance of authentic participation of women in the process, unlike Abuja where only a few women were invited to participate, and the need for a quota for women in power-sharing. ¶9. (U) S/E Natsios' staff has cleared on this cable. FERNANDEZ