DARFUR: MINAWI DISCUSSES CHADIAN CONNECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000093 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER AND AF S/E NATSIOS NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL AU SU CD UN SUBJECT: DARFUR: MINAWI DISCUSSES CHADIAN CONNECTION REF: A. 06 KHARTOUM 02874 ¶B. 06 KHARTOUM 02894 Classified By: CDA Cameron Hume, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In a January 20 meeting with Poloff and a January 21 meeting with AF/SPG Deputy Director Jason Small, Senior Assistant to the President and leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Minni Minawi described the Chadian connection to the Darfur crisis and to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) non-signatories, many of whom are operating out of Eastern Chad. Minawi insisted that Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim held firm control of the group, despite reports that his influence had declined. He noted Ibrahim's strong ties to Popular Congress Party (PCP) leader Hassan al Turabi -- which gave him a "political presence" in Khartoum -- and al Turabi allies Abubaker Hamid Nour, one of Ibrahim's deputies, and Suleiman Jamoos, the former SLM humanitarian affairs coordinator (reftels). Minawi said that Ibrahim had pressed him as early as 2003 to make his movement "more Islamic" and encouraged him to accept financial resources from "Islamic organizations." He said that Ibrahim was now advocating autonomy for Darfur and, with the help of Chadian President Idriss Deby's brother Dousa, had drawn one of the founding members of the now-defunct National Redemption Front (NRF),Sharif Harir, into JEM. Remaining optimistic, however, Minawi added that Harir "would come unite with us at the end of the day." ¶2. (C) Based on a recent conversation with National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) head Salah Ghosh, Minawi warned of an impending attack on Abeche, Chad, by Sudanese-backed Chadian rebels in response to a predicted attack on El Geneina by Chadian-backed Sudanese rebels. Minawi claimed that Ghosh had ordered his lieutenants to encourage the attack on Abeche while Minawi was meeting with him at his office on January 19. Aware that S/E Natsios was in Abeche, Minawi wanted to warn the USG, as he had heard Ghosh mention the presence of "the white man from the great country" in Abeche. Note: Poloff did not receive this information until late afternoon on January 20, by which time S/E Natsios had left Eastern Chad. End note.) ¶3. (C) Minawi said that he planned to travel to Addis Ababa on January 22-23 to meet with African Union (AU) officials and would travel to Darfur after returning to Sudan. Small urged him to consider attending the AU Summit on January 29-30, and Minawi expressed interest based on A/S Frazer's expected attendance. HUME