SPLM MINISTERIAL SUSPENSION OF PARTICIPATION ESCALATES WITH

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001652 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, AF/SE NATSIOS DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SU SUBJECT: SPLM MINISTERIAL SUSPENSION OF PARTICIPATION ESCALATES WITH WAR OF WORDS REF: (A) KHARTOUM 1612 (B) KHARTOUM 1620 (C) KHARTOUM 1628 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The October 11 Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Ministerial level suspension of participation in the Government of National Unity (GoNU) continues, with each side resorting to a war of words, through press statements and in public fora. The SPLM remained firm in their resolve to maintain the walkout, while the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) continued to publicly urge the SPLM to end their action. Most recently, President Omar Al-Bashir, in his address to the National Assembly on October 23, said that participation is the best way to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). End summary. ¶2. (SBU) After the SPLM announced the Ministerial-level suspension from the GoNU on October 11 (ref B),the NCP addressed the SPLM accusations to the diplomatic community (ref A). On October 16, President Bashir's reshuffled the cabinet meeting one of the SPLM demands (ref C). On October 18, First Vice President Kiir and President Bashir met, but without result, with the two parties only stating that they would meet again on October 24. ¶3. (SBU) On October 23, the pro-SPLM "Khartoum Monitor" headline proclaimed that Kiir affirmed that the "SPLM continues boycott." This followed statements reported by the Monitor on October 22, quoting National Deputy Speaker Atem Garang saying that SPLM will not recognize any laws approved by a cabinet without the participation of the SPLM. ¶4. (SBU) The pro-government "Sudan Vision" on October 23 headlined Minister of Justice Mohamed Ali Mardi saying that the SPLM ministerial suspension of participation was a violation of the CPA. However, he added that the NCP "does not want to escalate the crisis." However, Mardi singled out SPLM hardliner Pagan Amum for his lack of moderation and criticized him, Yassir Arman and Deng Alor for "provocation statements." The government-controlled press agency SUNA and government-leaning paper "Al-Ayaam," reported Second Vice President Ali Osman Taha saying that the NCP will not be pressured by political threats and pointed to Sudan People's Liberation Army movements along the north/south border as a violation of the CPA. ¶5. (SBU) On October 23, during the inaugural session of the National Assembly, President Bashir called on the SPLM to rejoin the government, pointing out that participation in the government is the best way to implement the peace agreement. Bashir said that the decision to suspend participation has, "... brought dispute and conflict [between the Parties] where there was consultation and cooperation." He said that peace is a mutual responsibility and not a "selective responsibility" that allows one party [read: the SPLM] to accuse the other of misfeasance. He called peace "a continuous process," adding that implementation of the CPA has mechanisms in the event of dispute. POWERS