Opposition Parties Call for Elections Boycott

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000964 NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM SU SUBJECT: Opposition Parties Call for Elections Boycott Ref: Khartoum 925 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Latif Joseph Sabag, a founding member of the Umma Party, told poloff August 17 that opposition party leaders decided August 15 to boycott next year's elections, based on their view that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) conducted a flawed census, failed to reform national security laws in a timely manner, and continue to lack transparency regarding planned election procedures. These complaints, combined with the likelihood that all citizens of Darfur would be unable to vote, support the Opposition's position that the elections will neither be free nor fair. NCP and Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) spokesmen opposed the boycott in the press. Sabag said the Umma party would continue to prepare for the elections, and "if our demands are met we will participate." END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) According to Sabag, representatives of 24 opposition parties met on August 15, 2009, at Umma Party Headquarters to discuss elections; minority parties' representatives brought the boycott proposal forward, and it was agreed by consensus. The Umma Party supported the proposal, Sabag said. Sabag explained, "We want real elections, irrespective of the results. We do not want merely to legitimize (the ruling party.)" Flawed Census Major Reason for Boycott -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The primary reason behind the decision to boycott the elections is census, which Sabag called "suspicious." Sabag claimed that census committees were hand-chosen by the NCP, and "did not visit or register anybody" in some areas that were known to be aligned with opposition parties. "Households were omitted because of political orientation." However, he added, if there were "a quick and correct registration for voters" and if constituencies were amended according to the registration, the opposition parties would view this as a good-faith effort by the NCP toward free and fair elections. ¶4. (SBU) Sabag accused the NCP of using stalling tactics to postpone the elections and remain in power, and questioned the legitimacy of the current government. The NCP should have been subjected to a vote on July 9, 2009, as provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA),he said. The NCP has "been deliberately postponing everything, to make sure the regime stays in power to continue its 20 year monopoly over business, wealth, the civil service. They are worried, and certain they will not get any votes in the South or West." No Progress on Security Law Reform -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Among other complaints raised at the meeting, Sabag noted, "[NISS] has the right to arrest and detain anyone for one full month without setting forth any accusations. How can there be free elections under these circumstances?" Sabag said that, at the August 15 meeting, "Everyone, including the SPLM," insisted that the security laws be reformed so that files on detainees are passed to the courts after a single day. The failure to reform the security laws is another major reason for the boycott, he said. NCP Controls Voting Procedure -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The opposition parties also decried the lack of transparency in the voting process, Sabag said. "It used to be that schoolteachers would operate the voting booths. Now, however, the only schoolteachers are the NCP's schoolteachers." It is still unclear who will monitor the elections, and who will physically carry out the procedures. No electoral procedures planned for the 2010 elections have been made available to the opposition parties for discussion or debate, Sabag complained. Press Censorship Rife -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The opposition parties also cited the NCP's continued imposition of press censorship as a barrier to participating in the elections. "Security officers go and visit every newspaper in the evenings, and allow or disallow articles. Even some of the First Vice President's own declarations are not allowed to be published", Sabag said. Freedom of the press is a precondition for the opposition groups' participation in the election, he said. Without Peace, Darfur Cannot Vote -------------- KHARTOUM 00000964 002 OF 002 ¶8. (SBU) As a final reason for the boycott, Sabag said the parties see the continued fighting in Darfur as a major barrier to participation in the elections by Darfur citizens. Unless the government brings "real peace" to Darfur, participation in the election will be impossible for most Darfuris, he said. NCP and SPLM Reject Boycott -------------- ¶9. (SBU) According to the Sudan Tribune, NCP and SPLM party officials both rejected the opposition parties' announcement. Sabag dismissed the NCP's position as an attempt to "legitimize their coup d'etat." As for the SPLM, Sabag commented, "SPLM wants elections to go forward because they are sure to win in the South," and added that the SPLM considers the election boycott to be a "Northern problem." Sabag noted that SPLM is dissatisfied with both the census and the election preparations as they stand now. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: The opposition are using the threat of a boycott to push for their demands. It is not clear, however, that the opposition parties, even in concert, would be able to muster sufficient votes to affect the outcome of the election; some have even argued that the opposition parties, aware of their weakness, have adopted the boycott as a face-saving measure. Nonetheless, the boycott, or threat thereof, is one more complicating element that calls into question whether the election will in fact take place. End Comment. Whitehead