SE GRATION'S MEETING WITH MISSERIYA ARAB LEADERS:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000514

DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A A/S CARTER, AF/E, PRM
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: PGOV PREL PREF EAID KPKO SOCI ASEC AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SE GRATION'S MEETING WITH MISSERIYA ARAB LEADERS:
GREIVANCES AND REJECTION OF ARBITRATION

REFS: A. KHARTOUM 500

B. 08 KHARTOUM 939

C. 08 KHARTOUM 737


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In Khartoum on April 10, the President's Special
Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration heard Misseriya grievances related to
their lack of representation in CPA negotiations and the June 2008
Abyei road map and the likely Misseriya rejection of the results of
the ongoing arbitration over Abyei in The Hague. They appealed to
the U.S. to allow for a process whereby Misseriya and Ngok Dinka
leaders on the ground work out issues between the two groups,
including borders and peaceful coexistence. END SUMMARY.

MISSERIYA LEADERS DENY INVOLVEMENT IN ABYEI FIGHTING
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2. (SBU) On April 10, the President's Special Envoy to Sudan General
Scott Gration met with Misseriya Arab leaders including Sadiq Babo
Nimer (brother of the Emir of the Misseriya Ajaira),Hassan Subahi
(representative of the Emir of the Misseriya Alwlad Omran),and
Bashtana Mohamed Salem (the Head of the Misseriya Peace Council).
The Misseriya are a major Arab nomadic tribe which migrates with
their cattle through the sensitive regions of Abyei and Kordofan in
search of water and grass and onward into Sudan. They fought as
tribal proxies for Khartoum against the Dinka and the SPLA during
much of the bloody Sudanese Civil War. SE Gration informed the
Misseriya leaders that his trip was to listen and learn and he
appreciated the leaders having traveled all the way from Kordofan to
Khartoum to provide their perspectives. Subahi and Salem each denied
any Misseriya involvement in the May 2008 fighting in Abyei and
subsequent looting of the town. [Note: Continued official denial
among Misseriya that the events took place is unfortunate given
strong evidence to the contrary and the need for reconciliation,
which will not occur unless Misseriya first acknowledge the events
happened. End note.] They also rejected the notion that the
Misseriya have been heavily armed by Khartoum, claiming that they
only carry small arms to protect their cattle. They painted a
picture of the Misseriya as victims of the situation, having had
their shops burnt and looted and their lives threatened. The two
leaders also reiterated their belief that the Misseriya have been
the losers of the CPA, an agreement in which they were not
well-represented, unlike the Ngok Dinka, who have significant
influence within the SPLM and therefore have had their interests
(somewhat) safeguarded.

LEADER SAYS THE MISSERIYA WILL REJECT HAGUE DECISION
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3. (SBU) Saddiq Babo Nimer, a member of the Umma party and brother
of the Misseriya Paramount Chief, strongly denounced the 2005 CPA
and 2008 Abyei Road Map, arguing that the agreements that do not
consider Misseriya interests and that the Misseriya were not
consulted in what was negotiations between the NCP, SPLM, and the
Americans. He indicated that the Misseriya were not involved in the
negotiation of the CPA and Abyei Road Map and therefore, were not
beholden to accept the arbitrations ongoing in The Hague on the
Abyei borders. Nimer flatly discarded the idea of a border between
the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya, indicating that any such border would
not be acceptable to the Misseriya. He claimed that Ngok Dinka and
Misseriya leaders on the ground could easily resolve the border and
peaceful coexistence issues if allowed to do so and requested that
the U.S. support such a process. He said that if the arbitration
goes against them, "we will fight, as it is a matter of life and
death for us." SE Gration expressed his disappointment and concern
that the Misseriya would reject out of hand the outcome of the
arbitration even though the NCP and SPLM had agreed to the
arbitration terms, encouraged the Misseriya to find peaceful ways of
resolving their disputes with the Ngok Dinka, and promised to remain
engaged on the issue.

COMMENT
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4. (SBU) SE Gration's meeting with the Misseriya Arab leaders
provided an opportunity to hear first-hand the concerns of this key
community - a community that could be a potential spoiler of peace
in Abyei and along the broader North-South border. There is an
unfortunate consensus among Misseriya leaders that the NCP did not
look out for the Misseriya's interest when negotiating the CPA and
Abyei Road Map and therefore and that the Misseriya do not recognize
the Abyei Protocol and Abyei Road Map and will not accept the
results of the Abyei Arbitration. We find the Misseriya arguments
somewhat specious, because Misseriya leaders have had the
opportunity to frequently discuss their concerns with NCP lawyers
working on the Abyei arbitration and some are traveling to The Hague
this week to present their positions. Nonetheless, the views
expressed by these aggrieved and emotional tribal leaders do

KHARTOUM 00000514 002 OF 002


represent the broader opinion of their communities and cannot be
ignored or discounted. Continued engagement with these communities
(as CDA Fernandez has done over the last two years) and ongoing
development projects in their areas will go a long way toward
ensuring peace in the region. END COMMENT.

FERNANDEZ