SE WILLIAMSON'S MEETING WITH SLM-MINNAWI LEADERSHIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000876 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR SE WILLIAMSON, AF/SPG, IO/PSC, S/CRS, DRL DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KPKO UNSC SU CD SUBJECT: SE WILLIAMSON'S MEETING WITH SLM-MINNAWI LEADERSHIP REFS: A. KHARTOUM 847 B. KHARTOUM 857 C. KHARTOUM 866 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On May 31, Presidential Special Envoy Richard S. Williamson met with seven senior leaders of SLM-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM). SLM-MM representatives voiced concern about DPA implementation, UNAMID's performance, GoS-USG bilateral discussions, and the indiscriminate targeting and detention of Darfuri's following the JEM attack. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) In attendance were the following SLM officials: - Dr. Ar-Raya Mahmoud Juma, Deputy Chairman SLM - Abdel Jabar Dousa, SLM Chief Negotiator, Commissioner Darfur Development and Reconstruction Fund - Ali Traio, leader of the SLM caucus in the National Assembly - Dr. Muhammad Suliman, Deputy Chairman of the DPA Implementation Committee - Muhammad Tijani, Deputy Chairman of the DPA Implementation Committee - Abu Abeid Al-Khalifam, Khartoum State Minister for Environmental Affairs - Abdel Aziz Osman Sam, Legal Advisor of the TDRA. "NO DPA IMPLEMENTATION IN THE LAST 10 MONTHS" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (SBU) Muhammad Tijani opened the meeting saying "in the last ten months nothing in the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) has been implemented." With respect to the wealth sharing provisions of the DPA, Tijani noted that of the 700 million USD that should have been allocated to the Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund by 2008, only five million has been received. Tijani stated that although Minni Minnawi has been appointed as a Senior Assistant to the President, "power without resources does not lead to any results." ¶4. (SBU) Tijani stated that the GoS has done "nothing" to improve the lives of refugees and IDPs. According to Tijani the GoS is still actively recruiting fighters for its militias, as it targets and attempts to weaken SLM-MM. In particular, the GoS labels SLM-MM an ethnic movement and uses its proxy forces to attack their movement. Tijani stated that the GoS makes no differentiation between DPA signatories and non-signatories. "We cannot and will not continue in this very bad situation foreveZ8EA0w Union, because the African Union "would at least talk to you," opened Traio. Traio referred to a Sudanese newspaper which quoted Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai saying "I will never risk losing a single UNAMID peacekeeper." Reflecting on this statement, Traio commented, "UNAMID seeks protection instead of protecting the people of Darfur." Traio stated that UNAMID "has no color and no taste as they neither monitor what is going on in Darfur nor protect Darfur's citizens." Traio ended his remarks stating that the people of Darfur see UNAMID as "a big joke" that is "here to certify the second round of the genocide." He said that the DPA's ceasefire mechanisms need to be urgently reactivated. SLM-MM ON BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (SBU) Traio stated that if the U.S. continues its bilateral discussions with the GoS, SLM-MM should participate. "Darfur is at the center of your talks, but SLM-MM does not have a seat at the table," said Traio. He stated that some observers see these discussions as only endorsing the National Congress Party as the de facto rulers of Sudan. JEM ATTACK - - - - - - ¶7. (SBU) Abdel Jabar Dousa, the Chairman of the DRDF, stated that Sudanese opposition political parties are "trying to please the NCP after the JEM attack." According to Dousa, the NCP has used the event to marginalize SLM-MM participation in national institutions. He stated that the SLM condemned the attack on Omdurman and that the SLM-MM formed a number of committees to investigate indiscriminate Zaghawa detentions (reftels). Legal Advisor Abdul Aziz Sam said that 55% of Zaghawa tribe are Sudanese, and only a very small percentage of them participated in the attack on Omdurman. He stated that most of the soldiers were Chadian Zaghawa and child soldiers, some of which were as young as 12 years old. Sam stated that SLM-MM is working to document the location, numbers, and ethnic profile of detainees. ¶8. (SBU) SE Williamson stated the U.S. commends the SLM leadership for its willingness to work towards peace in Darfur. He stated that the U.S shares SLM-MM's frustration with respect to the lack of implementation in the DPA. He added that the U.S. is concerned about reports of ethnic targeting following the JEM attack, and stated that he shared this concern with Presidential Advisor Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie more than three times on May 31. Williamson closed the meeting stating that the DPA must be the foundation for sustainable peace in Darfur. ¶9. (U) This cable has been cleared by the office of SE Williamson. DATTA