SUDANESE REBELS PASS THROUGH N'DJAMENA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000020

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SE NATSIOS, AF/SPG, AF/C, PRM, LONDON AND
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF ASEC CD SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE REBELS PASS THROUGH N'DJAMENA


Classified By: ECONOMIC/CONSULAR OFFICER JITU SARDAR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Sudanese rebel groups plan to make every
effort to meet Special Envoy Natsios during his visit to
Chad. Sudanese Liberation Movement's Ahmed Abdul Shafi and
representatives from the National Redemption Front claimed
that there was extensive military coordination on the ground,
but alluded to the need for enhanced political coordination
among the various rebel groups. The factions appear to be in
agreement on the need for a revision of the Darfur Peace
Agreement in order for a comprehensive peace to be reached.
NRF representatives continue to deny that they are receiving
support from Chadian authorities, and speculate that Sudanese
patience with Chadian rebel groups is waning. END SUMMARY.

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REBELS PLAN TO MEET WITH NATSIOS
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2. (C) On January 6 and January 8, the Ambassador met
separately with Sudan Liberation Movement's Ahmed Abdul Shafi
and National Redemption Front's N'Djamena representative
Tadjedine Niam (who also acts as the NRF representative to
the African Union). The Ambassador noted to both
representatives that Special Envoy Natsios was planning to
travel to Chad in the coming weeks, and asked whether the
representatives would be available to meet with the Special
Envoy.


3. (C) Niam stated that he had been in contact with Justice
and Equality Movement's president Khalil Ibrahim, as well as
Group of 19 representatives Adam Shogar and Sudanese
Liberation Movement's Khamis Abdallah, who were all currently
in Darfur. All individuals, according to Niam, would be
available to meet Natsios in Abeche during the Special
Envoy's trip to the region. Abdul Shafi told the Ambassador
that while he was traveling to Darfur later in the week to
meet with SLM field commanders, he would return to Abeche to
meet with Natsios as well. Niam asked that the Embassy
communicate with the Chadian authorities beforehand to ensure
that the rebel leaders would be permitted to enter Chad from
Darfur. The Ambassador said that he would contact the
appropriate authorities to facilitate their entry into the
country.

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REBELS SEEK WAY FORWARD ON PEACE IN DARFUR
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4. (C) Both Abdul Shafi and Niam were appreciative of
Natsios' interest in meeting with the DPA non-signatory
groups, and regretted that the U.S. and other donors had not
had contact with the non-signatories in the post-DPA period.
According to Abdul Shafi, the non-signatories were in control
of several areas of the region, and Presidential Special
Advisor Minni Minnawi was not only marginalized in Darfur,
but within the government in Khartoum as well. In order to
stabilize the security situation, the international community
would have to engage more actively with the non-signatories.
Niam noted that regional actors such as Libya and Egypt, who
previously had more actively sided with Khartoum, were
actively seeking engagement with the rebel movements.


5. (C) Both Abdul Shafi and Niam stated that while they have
enhanced their military coordination, the non-signatories
were still trying to achieve a common position on the way
forward toward a lasting peace in Darfur, not only in
anticipation of the meeting with Natsios, but also for future
consultations. According to Abdul Shafi, non-signatories
were coordinating on the military level, but still needed to
demonstrate a degree of political coordination. And while
there were specific differences among the non-signatories,
they did agree that a lasting peace would require a review of
the tenets of the DPA. Niam argued that the review should
focus on individual compensation, reconstruction and
development, and political representation. In all three
areas, the needs of the Darfurians were inadequately met. On
the reconstruction and development side, for example, the
Government of Sudan's commitment of 700 million USD would not
satisfy the costs associated with developing the region's
infrastructure following the four year conflict.
Politically, the Darfurian people represented more than
twenty percent of the population, and needed to be adequately
represented in the government.


6. (C) Abdul Shafi went a step further, and said that the
revision was only one step in a long-term process to
"dismantle the current structure." According to him, the

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current views of President Omar al-Bachir and the regime in
Khartoum focused on a level of pan-arabization and
islamization which would divide the country, impede national
unity, and prolong the suffering of the Darfurians. In order
to alter this trend, the Darfurian people needed to be
empowered. A review of the DPA with this objective would
pave the way for national reconciliation.


7. (C) Speaking to United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1706, Niam said that while the NRF welcomed the
resolution's focus on protection for displaced persons and
refugees, as well as humanitarian access, it could not accept
the resolution's condemnation of the DPA non-signatories.
Niam and Abdul Shafi both stated that the SLM and NRF would
welcome an international force to enhance security in Darfur,
and would be willing to coordinate their activities with the
force if they were consulted in advance.

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CHAD'S ROLE IN DARFUR
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8. (C) Niam told the Ambassador that while the Government of
Chad was allowing for rebel representatives to pass
unofficially through N'Djamena, the GOC appeared to be
distancing itself from engagement with Sudanese rebel groups.
GOC officials, for examples, had informally asked certain
NRF officials to "keep a low profile" while in N'Djamena.
Niam claimed that the GOC was not providing any military
support to the NRF in Darfur, and that no NRF forces were in
Chad.


9. (C) He also said that Sudan's patience with the Chadian
rebel movement was also waning. Sources in Khartoum close to
the NRF had reported that the regime was currently deciding
whether to continue to support the rebel movement, as support
for Chadian rebel groups have thus far been unsuccessful in
toppling the Deby regime. Niam added that the Chadian
military was continuing to reinforce its position along the
Chad-Sudan border, and President Deby, according to NRF
sources, was taking a more active role in commanding the
Chadian National Army's operations in eastern Chad.


10. (U) Tripoli Minimize Considered.
WALL