FUR SHURA COUNCIL PROPOSAL TO UNITE DARFURIANS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000208

DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E, AF/C
NSC FOR CHUDSON
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: FUR SHURA COUNCIL PROPOSAL TO UNITE DARFURIANS


1. (SBU) Summary: Abdul Wahid has cemented his role as leader of the
Fur through his close contacts with the popularly-elected IDP camp
sheiks, members of the Fur Shura Council told poloffs on February 8.
The camp sheikhs have gained power at the expense of the traditional
tribal leaders, they said, and Abdul Wahid maintains frequent
contact with them by telephone. Abdul Wahid also benefits by the Fur
people's legendary patience and their desire to remain united under
one leader, they said. The Fur Shura Council members hoped that by
uniting the vision of all Darfurians towards peace, they could
convince the recalcitrant Abdul Wahid to accept peace talks or
otherwise marginalize him. With this in mind, they presented poloffs
with a proposal to convene a conference of Darfurian intellectuals
in Khartoum, followed by popular consultations in Darfur, to unite
all Darfurians towards peace. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On February 8, poloffs met with Dr. Idris Yousif Ahmed and
El Amid Mahmoud Mohamed Osman of the Fur Shura Council to follow up
on their discussion with Senior Representative for Sudan Tim
Shortley (ref A). Yousif and Osman noted that the Fur Shura Council
was an umbrella organization of intellectuals, separate from the
native administration system. (Note: the native administration is
the traditional administrative and judicial system dating back to
the period of the Fur Sultanate. In this system, tribal chiefs carry
different titles including Demengawi, Umda, Shartai, Al-Basi, Malik
(King),Sultan, Elsheikh, Magdoom, Elnasir, Fursha, and Dimlij. End
Note.) Yousif stated that while the native administration remains an
integral part of Fur society, its influence has waned during the
years of the most recent conflict and it has been challenged by the
a parallel leadership structure formed in IDP camps.


3. (SBU) Since the outbreak of the conflict in Darfur, displaced
persons have created their own system of administradion by enectin'
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