ELUSIVE SLA COMMANDERS' CONFERENCE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000331

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPKO AU UN SU

SUBJECT: ELUSIVE SLA COMMANDERS' CONFERENCE


1. (SBU) Summary: The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) commanders
conference in North Darfur remains indefinitely postponed as the
various factions attempt to resolve internal differences and
persuade additional key military leaders, such as former G-19 leader
Adam Bakhit, to participate in the process. Several commanders
continue to remain optimistic that the gathering will occur in the
coming weeks and that they will succeed in forming a leadership
council, which will play a principal role in a broader political
conference and the selection of more coherent leadership. While
security has been stable around the concentration of field
commanders in North Darfur, the UN Department of Safety and Security
(UNDSS) has indicated that the Sudanese government is growing leery
of the conference's continued delays. End summary.


2. (SBU) The conference in North Darfur to unite the disparate
Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatory factions remains on hold
pending the resolution of internal disputes and attempts to bring in
key players from Chad. SLA-Non-Signatory Faction (SLA/NSF)
Ceasefire Commission (CFC) representative Colonel Abdu Ismael told
S/CRS Poloffs that he remains in contact with the SLA commanders in
North Darfur, has informed them that they are losing credibility
with the international community, and does not intend to continue to
run interference for the group if they continue to delay the
conference. Abdu chastised the field commanders for the numerous
announcements, delays, and cancellations and said that he fears his
own credibility is suffering.


3. (SBU) Local civil society leaders with direct connections to SLA
commanders in the field say that the non-signatories are aware both
of the negative perception created by the continued delays and the
diminishing patience of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The SLA
commanders are also attuned to "avoiding another Haskanita" that
will lead to greater divisions (including along tribal lines). For
that reason, they have continued to seek the involvement of key
commanders such as Adam Bakhit and Saddiq Burra, who have so far
favored alignment under Chadian auspices. (NOTE: The extent of
contact between the commanders in North Darfur and the
non-signatories in Chad remains unclear, as does the level of effort
being pursued to convince them to unite under a single SLA banner.
Abdu does not believe Bakhit will participate, and other contacts
have indicated Darfurians' wariness of the National Redemption Front
(NRF) and its connections to Chad. END NOTE.)


4. (SBU) Abdu and other interlocutors contend that the conference
may still occur in the coming weeks, with approximately 300 military
leaders in the area near Umm Rai. Abdu explained that the field
commanders had developed a format that would only exclude the
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). The end result of the
conference, he held, would be the formation of a representative
military council, which would play a principal role in a future SLA
political conference and the selection of a more cohesive
leadership. In the expected eight to ten week period between the
commanders' conference and the broader event, the SLA would focus on
restoring full humanitarian access throughout their areas of
control, according to one local civil society leader who remains in
contact with field commanders. He added that this period would be
used to form a Preparatory Committee to lay the groundwork for the
general conference, to establish a negotiating team. Rebel
commanders have already conveyed a desire to hold any future
political dialogue somewhere in Europe (Norway was specifically
mentioned),where Sudan's neighbors are less likely to meddle.


5. (SBU) Colonel Abdu noted no problems with security in the area
where the commanders have convened in North Darfur - both because
the SLA are present in force and because of the negative
international backlash that would follow a SAF attack. UNDSS,
however, has indicated that the GoS is "annoyed" with the delays in
the non-signatories conference--which the SAF claims could be cover
for an extended military strategy session--and that the possibility
of armed confrontation between the groups could increase. (Note: No
major clashes between Government and rebel force have occurred since
early January. End note.)

HUME