NCP ACCUSES SOUTH OF VIOLENCE AGAINST NORTHERNERS

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000569

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SE WILLIAMSON AND AF/SPG
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI KCRM KPKO SU
SUBJECT: NCP ACCUSES SOUTH OF VIOLENCE AGAINST NORTHERNERS

Ref: Khartoum 536


1. (U) On April 8, several newspapers in Northern Sudan published
stories highlighting supposed escalating violence against Muslim
Northerners living in the South. GNU Vice President Taha's public
remarks about the same issue several days earlier were also widely
featured in both the local Northern press and on pan-Arab satellite
station Al-Jazeera.


2. (SBU) Michael Makuei, the GoSS Minister for Legal Affairs and
Constitutional Development, told Congen Poloff that President Bashir
also raised this specific subject with Vice President Kiir during
their Khartoum-based meetings the week of April 1 (also reported in
reftel). In particular, Bashir cited the death of a Northern
merchant during a recent robbery in Juba. According to the
Minister, Bashir told Kiir "if you can't protect Northerners in the
South, I will pull them all out myself." Kiir reportedly responded
that if that was how the President felt, they should announce
separation now. Makuei said Bashir then back-pedaled from his
statement, while Kiir committed to do more in Juba to protect
Northerners. Upon Kiir's return to Juba, he convened an
extraordiary session of the Southern Sudan Security Council in
which he reportedly briefed relevant officials on Bashir's remarks
and demanded immediate action.


3. (SBU) The Congen DLO subsequently spoke to several
third-country-national security officials in Juba regarding
increased violence against Northern Sudanese in the South. Other
than this killing of the one Northern merchant in an armed robbery,
none of them was aware of any specific acts of violence against
Northerners in the last few months.


4. (SBU) During a meeting, however, one local security official did
mention that many the of Northern Sudanese in Juba are merchants and
that some Southerners resent what they suspect is 'some sort of
plan' involving these Northern merchants. According to this
official, it is widely believed that most of the merchants are
employed by the Northern government as spies and that their
merchandise is supplied to sell as a cover. The Northern merchants
reportedly are all provided with goods from the North via ABABEEL
airlines and the 'proof' is that all their shops carry identical
goods. (Note: There has been violence, including murder, against
these northern merchants in the past, most notably after the death
of former GOSS President and SPLM leader John Garang in July 2005
when southerners heard about the violence in Khartoum following his
death. End note.)


5. (SBU) One UN official told Congen that he did not have specific
numbers, but believed there has indeed been an increase in violence
in the last month or two against Northerners in Bentiu, Bor and Yei,
although there had been no killings. Again, he could provide no
definite numbers or incidents, but stated that in his opinion the
public mood lately is more negative toward Northerners.


6. (SBU) Comment: Juba recently has seen a sharp increase in armed
robberies, primarily directed against foreigners who are known to
carry large sums of money due to the lack of banking facilities in
the South and the resulting need to pay for everything in cash.
These robberies have resulted in only one murder, however, that of
the Northern merchant. It is conceivable that he was murdered
because of where he was from, while foreigners are left largely
unharmed in these incidents. The GoSS has treated the situation
seriously, and in the last week we have seen a dramatic decline in
armed robberies. We know of no other incidents in which a
Northerner was attacked in Juba, but cannot rule out there may be
others. However there does not appear to be evidence of a pattern
of violence specifically aimed at Northerners at this time that we
have been able to detect, although there is deep resentment in the
South against the North, and, should there be a sudden and dramatic
deterioration of relations with the North or the threat of renewed
warfare, violence could become a distinct possibility. Northern
accusations in this regard at this time, however, strike us more as
an NCP ploy to cast the South in a harsher light than the facts
would demand.

FERNANDEZ