TFCD01: UFDD/F OFFERS TO SWAP KHARTOUM ALLIANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000190 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, S/E WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, AND AF/C NSC FOR PITTMAN AND HUDSON ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV UN SU CD LY SUBJECT: TFCD01: UFDD/F OFFERS TO SWAP KHARTOUM ALLIANCE FOR U.S. SUPPORT Classified By: CDA Alberto Fernandez, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The United Force for Democracy and Development-Fondamental (UFDD/F) wants to end the tyranny of Chadian President Idriss Deby's regime, and in the absence of support from secular countries, its only option is an alliance with Sudan, UFDD/F Commissioner for Political Affairs and Human Rights Moukhtar Yaya told POLOFF on February 6. However, the Chadian rebels do not share Khartoum's Islamist or pan-Arab ideology and would prefer assistance from democratic governments in the West ¶2. (C) "We are forced to cooperate with the devil," said Yaya, who said he had traveled to Khartoum from the "border" in order to request assistance from the U.S. in removing Deby and setting Chad on a democratic course. "If the U.S. helps us, we wouldn't need Sudan," he explained, adding that American aid for the rebels would be "aid for the Chadian people." POLOFF reminded Yaya that the recent UN Security Council statement on Chad, which the U.S. supported, demanded that the rebels cease their hostilities. ¶3. (C) Yaya described a litany of Deby's abuses, including instigating famine, instituting racial segregation to give preference to his Zaghawa tribe, and emasculating civil society. After the October 2007 accord signed between the Chadian Government and opposition in Sirte, Deby refused to appoint a "political commission" as stipulated in the agreement and established only the military commission to disarm the forces of the UFDD/F, the UFDD, and the Rally of Forces for Change (RFC). With no viable political path, the rebels then had to take up arms, according to Yaya. "We want the right to live in a democratic country, to save Chad," he said, "and we will not stop until Deby is gone." ¶4. (C) A joint command of the three rebel groups, led by "Commander Fizani," continues to coordinate military operations against Deby's government, said Yaya. Timane Erdimi, Abdelwahid Aboud, and Mahamat Nouri also remain united in their resolve to overthrow the Chadian Government. The movements declared a temporary cease-fire to allow humanitarian access but would resume fighting in the coming days until "Deby has left." In his place, the rebel coalition would appoint a "National Front" government to select an interim president that would rule for two to three years until elections could be held. Yaya suggested that Erdimi, Nouri, and Aboud had agreed that the later would take the post of interim president as he is neither Goran nor Zaghawa. However, the UFDD/F had no intention of holding power over the long-term, he claimed. ¶5. (C) Though the rebel alliance remained ready for negotiations, Yaya insisted that it was now too late to accept any political settlement that leaves Deby in power. He alleged that Chadian soldiers had executed at least 2,000 civilians in N'djamena in the last four days due to their support for the rebels and that Deby had arrested the leaders of seven opposition parties who had welcomed the rebels' advance into the capital. Expressing little confidence in the success of Libyan-Congolose mediation, Yaya said that "only the U.S. can help us save our country." ¶6. (C) Note: Post is not able to verify Yaya's credentials as a member of or spokesman for the UFDD/F, nor verify any of his claims. He approached the Embassy through a contact in the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). While they should be treated with caution, his comments underscore the very real tensions and problems within Chad that the Sudanese regime manipulates for its own ends. Even without any Sudanese support, there would be rebels and instability in Chad (and the same is true for Chadian support of Sudanese Darfuri rebels). End note. ¶7. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. FERNANDEZ