SUDAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT (SPLM) LAUNCHES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001197 NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM SU SUBJECT: SUDAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT (SPLM) LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN Ref: Khartoum 905 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPM) launched its campaign for the 2010 elections on October 12. SPLM's National Elections Strategic Committee (NESC) Chairman and Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Chairman, James Wani Igga and SPLM Deputy Secretary General for the Northern Sector Yassir Arman set out the party's main themes, telling the crowd that the National Congress Party (NCP) had delayed implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA),and failed to build a nation for all Sudanese peoples regardless of skin color, religion, or gender. They said the SPLM requires demarcation of the north-south and Abyei borders, and passage of nine laws required by the CPA, including on the referenda, popular consultations, and national security by November 30 as preconditions for SPLM participation in the elections. These themes were repeated on October 15, at the SPLM's first campaign rally, attended by an estimated 2,000 of the party faithful, in Omdurman. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPM) launched its campaign for the 2010 elections on October 12. SPLM's National Elections Strategic Committee (NESC) Chairman and Speaker of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Chairman, James Wani Igga, SPLM Deputy Secretary General for the Northern Sector Yassir Seid Arman, and SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum addressed the crowd gathered at SPLM headquarters in Khartoum. Also in attendance were Presidential Advisor Dr. Monsour Khalid, Federal Cabinet Minister Kosti Manibe; the International Criminal Court (ICC)-indicted Governor of Southern Kordofan State, Ahmed Haroun (NCP); the Chair of the Renewal and Reform wing of the Umma Party, Mubarak al Fadil. ¶3. (U) Keynote speaker Wani Igga told the crowd that the SPLM has consistently, since its founding in 1983, stood for the unity of Sudan, and for a "new Sudan" characterized by equality of all citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion, culture, language or gender; and on justice, human rights, freedom, and democratic transformation of the country. In contrast, Igga, said, the NCP has delayed implementation of the CPA, hindered the transformation to democracy via free, fair and credible elections and referenda for South Sudan and Abyei and via popular consultations for Blue Nile and South Kordofan. He added that the NCP has also failed to build a nation state for Sudanese people of all skin colors, religions, cultures, languages and genders. Instead, the NCP and all post- independence governments have implemented policies that Igga said encouraged marginalization, racial segregation, religious discrimination, nepotism, and corruption. He urged all Sudanese political parties to come together to reconcile the nation, to build confidence and to work to alleviate the unnecessary suffering of the Sudanese people. Igga made note of the British Non Governmental Organization Global Witness' recent report on what it described as inequitable oil revenue distribution by the north to the south. He urged that any discrepancies between what the South is owed and what has been paid be rectified. He acknowledged that corruption exists in both the south and the north, but said that corruption in the south is discussed openly and transparently, and that corrective measures have been developed to remedy it. -------------- SPLM Sets Deadline for CPA Implementation -------------- ¶4. (U) Igga reminded the group that the SPLM has put the NCP, its CPA partner, on notice that a number of conditions must be met before November 30. These include demarcation of the AByei boundaries pursuant to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) decision, demarcation of the north-south border, and passage of the nine laws that must be brought into conformity with the CPA, including the Referendum, Popular Consultations and National Security laws and criminal law and procedures acts. -------------- SPLM Only Party With Popular Support -------------- ¶5. (U) Igga maintained that the SPLM is the only party with popular support, and the only one that will fight for the rights of marginalized peoples, including women. He said that the SPLM is the only party that grants women a 25 percent share and youth a ten percent share in all levels of government. He also stated that the SPLM is determined to achieve the vision of a New Sudan based on all citizens being regarded as equal regardless of their religion, skin color, culture, language or gender. -------------- Amum Touts Juba Declaration KHARTOUM 00001197 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶6. (U) SPLM Secretary General Amum assured the crowd of the SPLM's readiness to participate fully in fair and free elections as set forth in the CPA. He said this would assure that citizens are able democratically to elect leaders. He reiterated the SPLM's invitation to the NCP and other parties to join in the Juba Declaration for National Dialogue and Consensus resulting from the Juba All-Political Parties Conference (APCC). He told the group that the SPLM rejects any return to war between north and south, and is fully committed to the CPA as a way forward. He stressed that the CPA and the constitution guarantee the right to a referendum, whereby the people of South Sudan may freely choose unity or secession. Should South Sudan opt for secession, it will not be a disaster, but rather the exercise of a right. Amun echoed Igga's support for full rights for women, and noted that the party supports both Lubna Hussein's right to privacy and to choose which type of garment to wear (see reftel). The party plans to raise and debate during the campaign issues such as the future of Sudan, investment policies, land rights, basic infrastructure, human rights, democratic transformation, Darfur peace, and the domestic economic crisis. -------------- SPLM Rallies Faithful in Omdurman -------------- ¶7. (U) On October 17, the SPLM held its first campaign rally at Omdurman Stadium, Khartoum. The rally was attended by approximately 2,000 people from Omdurman, Khartoum and the surrounding areas, and included religious as well as political leaders. Campaign materials prominently displayed had a decidedly derivative quality: "For New Sudan -- Yes We Can" was prominently displayed around the stadium. ¶8. (U) Igga emphasized that the party would only participate in the elections if the NCP complies with the preconditions that have been set, including implementation of the CPA, the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA),Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA),as well as the Cairo Agreement and Asmara Agreement. He stressed the importance of assuring that the nine pending laws are compatible with the CPA and Interim National Constitution (INC),and criticized the NCP for failing to provide basic services to the Sudanese people such as roads and other infrastructure, clean water, sanitation, health services and education. He pointed criticized the NCP's policies of investment target areas inhabited by indigenous people in Khartoum (the east side of the new Omdurman bridge),internally displaced persons camps (Soba Aradi and Jebel Aulia on the outskirts of Khartoum),historic areas (the confluence of the White and Blue Niles) and agricultural areas (Tuti Island). ¶9. (U) Yassir Arman told the group that the decision to hold the SPLM's first rally at Omdurman Stadium, opposite the Omdurman Women's Prison, was to show solidarity and support for women imprisoned unjustly pursuant to the NCP's conception of "public order." He asked the audience to stand for a minute to express support for the several hundred women and mothers, who with their babies and other small children, have been imprisoned for brewing beer (Note: A traditional form of employment for women from the south, where it is legal, but criminalized under sharia law in the north. End Note) or indiscriminately arrested. He noted that the same ruling party that arrests women in Khartoum for brewing alcohol, benefits from taxes collected in Juba and the rest of southern Sudan on the sale of alcohol. ¶10. (U) Arman noted that some progress had been made by the NCP and SPLM on the referendum law. This positive progress on the draft does not change SPLM preconditions for the upcoming general elections, he warned. The SPLM will hold to its ultimatum until the NCP complies with all required conditions. -------------- Arman: Join Juba Declaration to Save Sudan -------------- ¶11. (U) Arman called on the NCP and other political parties to join the dialogue and reconciliation resulting from the Juba Declaration for All Political Parties and Civil Society Organizations (DAPPC) as a way to save Sudan from disintegration. WHITEHEAD