"BROKEN PROMISES:" RESENTMENT GROWS WITHIN THE SLM

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000962 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2012 TAGS: PREL PGOV AU UN SU SUBJECT: "BROKEN PROMISES:" RESENTMENT GROWS WITHIN THE SLM Classified By: P/E Chief Trevor Monroe, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) Resentment toward the lack of financial and political support from the U.S. is growing within the ranks of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM),a mid-ranking cadre in Khartoum told Poloff on June 17. Emphasizing that he was "speaking frankly among friends," the SLM member said that after immense U.S. pressure to sign the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA),the U.S. has provided only one tangible benefit to the SLM: a 1.3 million dollar political party training program through the International Republican Institute (IRI). He characterized U.S. policy toward the SLM as a record of "broken promises" and said that "we cannot be expected to sacrifice ourselves for the United States." ¶2. (C) The contact characterized Senior Assistant to the President and SLM leader Minni Minawi and his inner circle as "too polite" to criticize the U.S. for its lack of support and said that SLM partisans in Darfur believed the U.S. had abandoned the movement. "Why the focus on the non-signatories?" questioned the cadre. "The SLM would be the real power in Darfur, would be able to bring the people back to the SLM, if it had financial support." While the SLM languishes, the movement watches as the U.S. and international community lavish attention and funds on the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and non-governmental organizations in an effort to bring the DPA non-signatories to negotiations. ¶3. (C) Meanwhile, the SLM is breaking down, said the cadre. Minawi is retreating into an insular and small group of advisors who are isolated from the people of Darfur, unable to control their fighters in the field, and unwilling to involve even Khartoum-based SLM leaders in decisions about the movement's future. "You probably know more about the internal SLM than I do," said the cadre, referring to Poloff. This seclusion has raised suspicions in Darfur, where "the people view Minni as a tool of the Government." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) The mid-ranking cadre is an educated technocrat and loyal member of the SLM. His portrayal of a movement in turmoil echoes similar comments by other Embassy contacts in recent months. The rise in violence against both humanitarian organizations and the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is fueled by the SLM leadership's inability to demonstrate an incentive for loyalty to the movement. AMIS will not be able to withstand continued "disarming" of its peace-keepers, vehicle hijackings, and other attacks by rogue elements of the SLM while it transitions to a UN force. The Government will continue to blame the violence in Darfur on the DPA signatory and non-signatory movements. The DPA stipulates a Logistics Coordination Committee be established in order to provide non-military support. The U.S. should exercise its leadership of the international community to establish such a mechanism as soon as possible. End comment. FERNANDEZ