S/E WILLIAMSON'S MEETING WITH RIEK MACHAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000310 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AND AF/SPG ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL UN SU CD SUBJECT: S/E WILLIAMSON'S MEETING WITH RIEK MACHAR -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) In a meeting with Special Envoy Williamson, Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) Vice President Riek Machar briefed the Special Envoy on GOSS efforts to improve stability and security in the South in the face of continued tensions along the North/South border and despite continued threats to the viability of the CPA. The Vice President called for banking sector assistance and initiatives that targeted private sector development. He also requested the Special Envoy to engage the NCP on the current impasse over the national elections law, Abyei, and greater transparency in the oil sector. Machar reviewed the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) efforts to consolidate Darfur rebel factions and its contributions to a successful peace settlement for Western Sudan. End summary. -------------- CPA CHALLENGES: CENSUS AND THE BORDER -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Meeting with S/E Williamson on February 28, GOSS Vice President Riek Machar asserted that despite resolution of some key issues, threats to the CPA remain and NCP manipulation continues. Machar alleged that the forms for the national census were printed without the SPLM's consent (even though the SPLM shares oversight for the census) and argued that the NCP's rejection of questions on ethnicity and religion was not in compliance with the Interim National Constitution and not in accordance with the spirit of the CPA. "The NCP has a political objective for the exclusion of questions which are already reflected in the first chapter of the Interim National Constitution," he stressed. "To the SPLM, diversity is a strength that we can anchor the unity of the country on." ¶3. (SBU) The Vice President emphasized his belief--following the conclusion of the Ad-Hoc Technical Border Commission's February 26 briefing to the GOSS Council of Ministers--that a buffer zone must be in place during the demarcation of the 1956 North/South border. Tensions in the border states remain high, he stressed, stoked by inconclusive meetings of the Joint Defense Board, incomplete redeployment of forces from oil fields in Unity and Upper Nile states, and continued attacks by Misseriya PDF against the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continues to occupy points in four counties in Western Bahr el Ghazal under the pretense of "protecting civilians from Darfur guerillas" despite GOSS requests that they leave. Recruitment of SAF-aligned popular defense forces (PDF) continues, particularly around Abyei. -------------- GOSS-GENERATED PEACE DIVIDENDS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The GOSS continues to face high expectations entering its third year, particularly for service delivery. Machar noted that the perceived absence of tangible peace dividends stemmed from the GOSS' initial emphasis on the stabilization of the South: consolidating the SPLA, establishing Southern Sudan Police Services posts, and disarming the civilian population. For the 2008 calendar year, the GOSS' commitment is to provide better services to the people of the South. Similarly, he emphasized recent requests by the GOSS to its international partners to refocus their efforts from humanitarian response to that of development, "to fill the gaps we are not reaching and attract more attention to the private sector." Machar also stressed that while sanctions have utility with respect to Darfur, their existence continues to deter business travelers from coming to the South. "Development of our private sector is critical," he said. "Our efforts through the GOSS budget are not enough," he said. -------------- REQUEST FOR USG ENGAGEMENT: ELECTIONS, OIL, BANKING SECTOR -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Machar reviewed the continued impasse over the national elections law and requested USG engagement to move the issue forward. The SPLM and NCP disagree over what percentage of contested seats should be subject to proportional representation and at which level of constituency such seats should be contested. The SPLM sets the constituency at the state level, with 25 percent set aside for women and party lists, and is demanding 50 percent of the contested seats be competed via proportional representation. The NCP want a constituency at the national level and only 40 percent of the available seats open to list competition. Lack of transparency in the oil sector remains problematic, but the GOSS is equally concerned by the environmental impact of petroleum development and KHARTOUM 00000310 002.2 OF 002 the need for local communities to benefit directly from the oil sector via community development programs and employment opportunities. ¶6. (SBU) A chief area of concern for the Vice President remained the South's limited banking sector. Three banks operated in the southern Sudan--one of which was an Islamic financial institution not in compliance with the INC--and none of these banks were yet established in all of the South's ten states. No system existed for intra-South financial transfers, and sanctions make wire transfers into the South difficult if not impossible. Machar would like to see Western/American banks in South Sudan. -------------- SPLM ENGAGEMENT ON DARFUR -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Vice President outlined SPLM engagement on the Darfur issue as one of paramount importance for the conduct of national elections. Stability in Darfur is essential for elections and unattainable if the rebels remain divided. Despite NCP unhappiness over the issue, Machar noted the SPLM has committed itself to engagement in Darfur along four points: outreach to DPA signatory and non-signatory groups, outreach to civil society and IDPs, outreach to the Janjaweed (Darfur's Arab tribes being an essential part of a solution in the region),and anchoring the SPLM's presence as a party in the region. ¶8. (SBU) Machar counseled that approaches to the Janjaweed and DPA signatories (both the Declaration of Commitment signatories and Minni Minawi's Sudan Liberation Movement) remain critical, terming the neglect of the signatories "dangerous" and urging recognition of the Janjaweed as an element of the peace process. "The NCP shies away from them," said Machar. "It views them as a political burden as a result of their atrocities, but we need to prevent them from being spoilers." Machar urged a USG approach to Darfur as one that handled Darfur and Chad in tandem. "Khalil Ibrahim has become active again because of Deby's support, and Deby will not stop while Khartoum is doing the same thing. They must be solved together." ¶9. (U) S/E Williamson did not have the opportunity to clear this message. FERNANDEZ