Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KHARTOUM327
2009-03-10 14:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

TURABI: FREE AT LAST - BUT WHY, AND WHAT'S GOING

Tags:  ASEC PREL PGOV PPKO SOCI AU SU 
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VZCZCXRO5319
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0327/01 0691445
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 101445Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3207
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000327 

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019
TAGS: ASEC PREL PGOV PPKO SOCI AU SU
SUBJECT: TURABI: FREE AT LAST - BUT WHY, AND WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH THE NCP?

Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000327

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019
TAGS: ASEC PREL PGOV PPKO SOCI AU SU
SUBJECT: TURABI: FREE AT LAST - BUT WHY, AND WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH THE NCP?

Classified By: CDA Alberto M. Fernandez, reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: On March 10, CDA Fernandez met with Popular
Congress Party leader Dr. Hassan al-Turabi at his house in
Khartoum. Turabi, who was released from Port Sudan prison on
March 9, appeared in good health and talked about his
treatment in prison, the strange nature of his release, and
the most recent political crisis brought on by the National
Congress Party's actions over the past week. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Turabi and his entourage were in high spirits from the
PCP leader's March 9 release from confinement in Port Sudan.
Though he appeared jubilant and in quite good health, Turabi
claimed his treatment was "extremely bad" in prison, where he
was isolated from the general population and not given
contact with the outside world save a short weekly visit from
his family. He said he developed a "serious cold" and "very
high blood pressure" from his time in jail.


3. (C) When asked why he had been released on March 9, Turabi
replied "I don't know!" He hypothesized that "if the NCP is
going to talk to (Justice and Equality Movement leader)
Khalil Ibrahim anyway," whom the regime has often accused him
of supporting, "maybe they figured they should just talk to
the source." He also suggested it may have been a favor for
the Qataris' support for Darfur peace talks. Turabi noted
that his release appeared very hastily organized - instead of
the usual calculated, press-making announcement he had
expected might happen, he instead was loaded onto a plane in
Port Sudan at 1AM (at which point he assumed he was being
transferred back to Kober Prison in Khartoum) and was only
told of his release when he was several blocks from his house
in Khartoum. He thanked the U.S. embassy for its support
throughout his incarceration, noting with our press release
in hand that the U.S. government was "the only one to do so."


4. (C) Noting the recent reaction by the Sudanese government

after the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International
Criminal Court, Turabi said that he "hadn't realized how
extreme that President Bashir had become" over the past
couple of months. "This is not the time to take on the whole
lot, this is not a true politician's decision," he said.
"Bashir is acting like a boy with a stick - where is the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Where have all the diplomats
gone?"


5. (C) Pointing to both the circumstances surrounding his
release and the decision to expel NGOs, Turabi claimed that
the NCP is "confused and behaving wildly." He continued,
saying "this erratic behavior is something you might expect
from an individual or two, but not an institution. They (the
NCP) are looking weak and moody, not strong." Turabi said
that he had talked to members of Bashir's family and advised
them that the President "should remain above the fray"
instead of "dancing on a stage for CNN to see" but even those
closest to him cannot rein him in now.


6. (C) Asked about any conditions for his release, Turabi
claimed "no one ever approached us," and also noted that
seven other members of the Popular Congress Party remain in
jail. Turabi ridiculed the idea that Bashir is experiencing
new-found popularity, noting that he "saw the same thing
happen with (former dictator) Nimeri - everyone whipped up a
frenzy, and then he fell." Warning of a possible coup in the
coming weeks, he added that "the South is worried, and the
people of Darfur will not negotiate with a fugitive." He
concluded the meeting by merrily proposing that President
Bashir should go the ICC "and save his country, defend his
name" and not let the ICC issue drag all of Sudan down with
him. A man should sacrifice for his country but the country
shouldn't be sacrificed for one man.


7. (C) COMMENT: Not even isolation in Port Sudan's prison
could wipe the smile off of Turabi's face as he explained
what he sees as the brewing instability within the NCP.
While the inveterate intriguer clearly has good reason to
want to see the NCP fall from grace (having been booted from
the government almost ten years ago after being the guiding
force of the NIF regime for over a decade) he has apparently
been briefed on the NCP's ill-advised decision to expel NGOs
and the division this has created within the NCP. We have
heard that some in the NCP do not agree with the expulsion of
the NGOs, and we expect to see growing fissures in the party
in the coming weeks. However, we have heard from several

KHARTOUM 00000327 002 OF 002


sources that Vice President Taha -- the alleged regime
moderate -- authorized the expulsion order and at the senior
ranks of the party there appears to be relative unanimity
around the decision to expel NGOs. Turabi's release may be
viewed in that light - an effort to quell the dissension
among Islamists in the NCP who do not want to see their own
master suffer unnecessarily - as the NCP cannot afford too
many internal fissures during this confrontation with the
international community.
FERNANDEZ