DARFURI ARAB LEADERS IN CAIRO CONCERNED ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000634 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, AF/SPG E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2019 TAGS: PREL KISL PTER SU CD IR EG SUBJECT: DARFURI ARAB LEADERS IN CAIRO CONCERNED ABOUT ACTIONS OF DARFURI REBEL GROUPS AND SUDANESE GOVERNMENT REF: A. 08 CAIRO 977 ¶B. 08 CAIRO 1647 ¶C. CAIRO 470 Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Key Points -- Osama El Hassan, Secretary General of the Sudanese Democratic Popular Front (DPF) and Siddique Ander, Chairman of the DPF, told us on April 1 that Darfuri Arabs are fearful of being targeted by the Darfuri Rebel groups as retribution for "past crimes," even though most Darfuri Arabs opposed GOS actions in Darfur. -- The DPF is competing with the Government of Sudan (GOS) for support of the Arab population in South Darfur. The GOS is using Islamic groups such as HAMAS and Iranian groups to recruit and aid their efforts in Sudan and South Darfur. --The DPF does not support Egyptian opposition party efforts to unite Darfuri factions. -- The DPF is looking to the U.S. for media and political support to counter the perception that all Arabs in Darfur are "janjawiid." The DPF believes direct USG engagement will help to peacefully resolve the situation in Darfur. ¶2. (C) Comment: We have had a continuous, fruitful relationship with Osama El Hassan over the past year (reftels A-C). He has been arrested and imprisoned by Egyptian State Security for talking to the U.S. Embassy, but still continues to meet with us on a regular basis. During our April 1 meeting he appeared very concerned about the targeting of Darfuri Arabs by other Darfuri rebel groups. There is a tendency by the Darfuri rebel groups in Cairo to classify all Darfuri Arabs as janjawiid. In fact, many of our contacts with other Darfuri rebel groups will refer to El Hassan as "the janjawiid" even though he is an outspoken opponent of past GOS actions in Darfur. End Comment. -------------- -------------- Competing with GOS for Arab Support in South Darfur -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) El Hassan told us that the DPF is active among the Arab tribes of South Darfur. He stated his party is fighting the GOS for influence among the Arab tribes. Ander said that Sudanese President Bashir visited Darfur on March 18 and held a rally in the Sibdu area of South Darfur to drum up support for his government, and to recruit Darfuri Arabs to support him and his government efforts. ¶4. (C) El Hassan said that Bashir's government was hosting "Islamic groups" in the region and using them to recruit supporters from Darfuri Arabs. Ander told us that HAMAS members were present in Khartoum as well as others from the "Iranian Islamic Movement." He said both groups are recruiting Arabs in South Darfur (NFI). -------------- Fears of a Backlash against Darfuri Arabs -------------- ¶5. (C) El Hassan said that the DPF and Arabs fear a backlash against Arabs in the region by South Sudanese and Darfuri rebel groups. El Hassan said the Arab tribes are fearful of a retribution campaign by "African groups" because of GOS actions in Darfur. He said African groups were already targeting Arabs in South Darfur, and the DPF was doing what it needed to "protect Arab civilians." -------------- -------------- DPF Rejects Egypt Opposition Party Efforts on Darfur -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) El Hassan reported he met with Osama al-Ghazali Harb, leader of the Egyptian Democratic Front Party, about Harb's conference to unite Sudanese opposition groups to include JEM. However, the DPF opted out because of what he termed the lack of clarity about Harb's goals and support system, and the JEM's "bad intentions," which he said included the group's alliance with the Chadian Army and it's empowerment of "non-Sudanese nationals" to control Darfur. -------------- DPF Values Role of U.S. in Darfur Resolution CAIRO 00000634 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶7. (C) El Hassan claims the DPF has general support from Arab tribes in Darfur. DPF and Arab tribal leaders are concerned that the USG is engaging with ethnic, armed groups like the SPLM, JEM, and SLA-Minawi, but not with the Arab tribes. El Hassan says that he told Arab tribal leaders that the "U.S. is fair and can be our friend." He asked the USG to take seriously Darfuri Arab fears of African plans to target them for "extermination." ¶8. (C) El Hassan requested U.S. media and political support for Darfuri Arabs. He told us that there is a misconception that all Darfuri Arabs are janjawiid and he wants to engage with U.S. and world media to correct this perception. El Hassan said that the DPF never supported GOS actions in Darfur, and he left Darfur because of problems with the GOS. He asked if the USG would be open to direct discussions with DPF and Darfuri Arabs. He also encouraged the USG to engage with General Ibrahim Soliman, the former Governor of North Darfur, because he has good relations with moderate Arab and African tribes that could bring a peaceful resolution to internal Darfur conflicts. ¶9. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. SCOBEY