DARFUR: CAIRO-BASED SLM/A-UNION FRONT WANTS LARGER

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 000151 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2018 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC MASS PINR EG SU SUBJECT: DARFUR: CAIRO-BASED SLM/A-UNION FRONT WANTS LARGER ROLE REF: A. 2007 CAIRO 3419 ¶B. 2007 CAIRO 2093 Classified by Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons. 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) In a January 27 meeting at their request, Youssef Hassan Youssef Abdallah and Ahmed Hassan Mohamed of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army-Union Front (SLM/A-UF) asked us to lobby the UN and AU envoys to include SLM/A-UF representatives in their meetings when they next approach Darfur rebel groups. Additionally, they asked for our help to arrange direct meetings with the U.S. Congress in Washington. We responded that we will pass their request and the contact information for their commanders (paragraph 6) back to Washington. ¶2. (SBU) According to Youssef, the SLM/A-UF is distinct from other Darfur rebel groups because it claims to have support from "multiple tribes" and presents a "unique vision" for Darfur. Youssef and Mohamed themselves are from the Fur tribe, and were originally part of SLA/Abdulwahid Nour's group; many of their fighters were also originally supporters of Abdulwahid, they said. They claimed that the SLM/A-UF has about 600 fighters in Zallengi, Garcilla, and North Nyalla. ¶3. (SBU) Youssef contrasted the SLM/A-UF to other groups such as the JEM and SLA/Unity, who "have no vision for Darfur" and who are, according to Youssef, fighting a proxy war for Chad. He particularly railed against the Zaghawa-based JEM, saying that "ninety percent of Khalil's fighters are from Chad." SLA/Unity, while still fighting as a proxy for Chad, at least is "seventy percent Sudanese" rather than Chadian, he said (though in our last meeting Youssef accused SLA/Unity of being a "Libyan stooge" - ref A). The SLM/A-UF itself has no support from Chad, but also has not engaged militarily against Chadian forces, he said. ¶4. (SBU) SLM/A-UF's goal, said Youssef, is to ensure that Darfurians are fairly represented in Darfur and in any future Sudanese government. Youssef asked for the USG and the international community to pressure the Sudanese government to ensure that the upcoming elections would be fair and open to the Fur and Masalit in the IDP camps. The Fur and Masalit must have a voice "even if there is no peace," Youssef said. ¶5. (C) Comment: As during our previous meeting with the SLM/A-UF (reftels),while we cannot judge the SLM/A-UF's influence in Darfur or its leaders' commitments to democratic ideals, their contacts with us seem aimed primarily at building support for their faction. ¶6. (C) Youssef and gave the names and contact information for SLM/A-UF commanders in the field as: Abdalla Adam, in Cono Mountain, 24991541501; and Ismail Ogor, in Dege Village, ¶249121172933. JONES