Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KHARTOUM190
2008-02-07 06:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

TFCD01: UFDD/F OFFERS TO SWAP KHARTOUM ALLIANCE

Tags:  PREL PGOV UN SU CD LY 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1386
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0190 0380604
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 070604Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9906
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 0290
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
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)

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