SLA/AW REBEL COMMANDERS' LETTER TO POTUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000489 DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/C NSC FOR MGAVIN AND CHUDSON DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: SLA/AW REBEL COMMANDERS' LETTER TO POTUS REF: KHARTOUM 487 ¶1. (SBU) During the visit of Special Envoy Gration to Deribat, Jebel Marra on April 5, 2009 (reftel),senior commanders in the Sudan Liberation Movement/Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW) submitted a hand-written letter in Arabic to President Barack Obama. ¶2. (SBU) The translated text of the letter is as follows: (start text) SUDAN LIBERATION MOVEMENT GENERAL COMMAND Date: April 5th 2009 Number: G/M/1 TO: The American President Barack Obama Through: American Special Envoy for Sudan General Scott Gration Honorable sir, And after respect and greetings, First we welcome you as the new President of the United States of America and we appreciate and welcome your great concern for the problems of the African continent in general and Darfur in particular. On behalf of the Sudan Liberation Movement and people of Darfur, the elders, widows, orphans and children, the displaced and refugees and those lost and others gazing into the unknown at the last moments of their lives. Everyone is waiting for your arrival to rescue the people of Darfur from killing, hunger, rape, displacement, genocide, and everyone is repeating words of renewable hope on your name Barack Obama and welcomes you among us. Sir, the American President, Today you are among the people of Darfur in the liberated zones, among those who respect you and the American nation and its government which has continued to provide a lot of relief and humanitarian support, furthermore the American support has been reflected in the demonstrations that called for immediate end to the violations of the government of Sudan and its Janjaweed militia. We have not forgetten the generous support provided by the government of the United Sates to try those who committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and ethnic cleansing in Darfur and your stance refusing the decision of the government of Sudan for expelling the humanitarian organizations working in Darfur. Sir, the American President, Within the mission of the Sudan Liberation Movement and its historical struggle is the intent for peaceful dialogue and serious negotiations for political settlement of the Sudanese problem in Darfur. We have continued to request that the Government of Sudan implement the signed agreements, both humanitarian and security, and the cessation of hostilities, but as usual the GoS breaches its commitments, even those witnessed by the International community. The government of Sudan has relied on military solutions and the creation of large forums to remove the Darfur issue from its contextual dimensions, and continued to create new liberation bodies to distort the image of the movement, although all those factions were originally part of its mother SLA. The government of Sudan has utilized the friendship of some countries to polarize their military, economic and political support; this is why we have lost confidence and trust in accepting initiatives submitted from the countries that have had security agreements with the NCP regime. Also, the mediators who supported the initiatives could not determine the negotiating parties and venues. Additionally, the tactic, adopted by the government of Sudan, in bringing new settlers from neighboring countries and changing the structure of the land tenure of our people who are forcibly displaced from their homeland has added additional complications to the Darfur case. Mr. President, The Humanitarian situation is worsening every day because of the expulsion of the International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs)that were very effective and accepted by the IDPs and refugees', therefore the return of the expelled INGOs is a fundamental and crucial demand for the people of Darfur; furthermore the Sudanese organizations are totally rejected by all IDPs and refugees. KHARTOUM 00000489 002 OF 002 Mr. President, The Sudan Liberation Movement is hoping from the government of the United States of America "particularly we have this case of Darfur that raised the international consciousness" to look forward for its request of build strong relations represented in building the institutional capacities of the movement and upgrade its military and political capabilities. We are confident for your positive response to this request because you are the pioneers of freedom and democracy. Accept assurance of our respect, everlasting for America the leader of freedom and democracy. Signed, The Movement Field Command (end text) FERNANDEZ