NATIONAL CONGRESS PARTY WINS CONTROVERSIAL STUDENT UNION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000037 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SU SUBJECT: NATIONAL CONGRESS PARTY WINS CONTROVERSIAL STUDENT UNION ELECTION AT UNIVERSITY OF KHARTOUM ¶1. (SBU) Summary. University student unions have long been an important part of Sudan's political spectrum because they serve as incubators for future national political party leaders. For the first time since 1997, the National Congress Party (NCP) won the leadership position of the Student Union at prestigious State-run University of Khartoum. The victory came without official protests, yet not without problems, including claims of illegitimacy and tactics to prevent Darfur students' full participation. Recent incidents of fighting among NCP university students raise questions as to whether these occurrences are politically- motivated or over benefits provided to ruling party university student union and association leaders. While politics plays a large role on university campuses throughout Sudan, many students find it preferable not to discuss political issues openly for fear of reprisal. End Summary. -------------- NCP WINS PRESTIGIOUS STUDENT UNION ELECTION -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The National Congress Party (NCP) won the University of Khartoum Student Union election in 2009 for the first time in eleven years. After violent rioting occurred in 1997 amidst accusations of NCP fraud, university officials banned the student union election until 2003. Since then, and until the recent NCP victory, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had prevailed in all subsequent elections. On November 19, 2009, university officials announced the NCP win, and Chancellor Mustafa Idris Al-Bashir proclaimed that they "did not receive a single report of accidents or fighting. All expressed themselves and their ideas and slogans freely." He further noted that he "hoped the spirit would prevail, particularly now that the country is heading into national elections" in April 2010. ¶3. (SBU) University opposition parties disagreed with the free and fair characterization of the student union election, although there were no reports of protests or demonstrations. In addition to claims of harassment, obstruction of campaigning activities plus detentions and arrests, opposition groups called the election "illegitimate." Some noted that while the NCP had the greatest number of votes at 5,428, the NCP candidate received only 44 percent of cast ballots. According to publicly-announced election results by university officials, out of the 12,228 total votes, the NDA Party candidate received 43 percent, only 68 votes less than the NCP winner. -------------- -------------- DARFUR STUDENTS' FULL PARTICIPATION IS SUPPRESSED -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Darfur students, in particular, cited suppression of political participation in the months leading up to the University of Khartoum Student Union election. On October 18, six students (five Darfuri and one other) were arrested by police, reportedly for demonstrating against a university decree that delayed Darfur student class registration. On October 19, National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) agents arrested the outgoing Darfur Student Association Chairperson Othman Mohammed Ibrahim for organizing the latter demonstration. He was released the following day, but re-arrested on October 24 and held for two days, during which time he claimed he was beaten and tortured. Ibrahim told Poloff that four other Darfur students were detained on November 9. Students insisted they were protesting delayed class registration and payment of tuition fees, which are supposed to be waived under the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement. They also expressed unhappiness with other alleged inequitable treatment of Darfur university students. According to Ibrahim, however, the police and NISS agents repeatedly asked about the students' political activities on campus. ¶5. (SBU) Ibrahim viewed these detentions and arrests, along with the expulsion of approximately 51 female Darfur students from student housing, as systemic targeting of Darfur students in the month or so prior to the student union election. Further, he called it an attempt to prevent or minimize their participation in the election. Ibrahim estimates the Darfur student population at the University of Khartoum to be around 4,000 and, therefore, potentially a strong voice in the student union election process. In past years, he said many Darfur students formed coalitions with other parties to oppose the NCP, but with delayed registration, they were unable to effectively do so in 2009, nor could they register as candidates. Ibrahim said the delayed class registration, detentions and arrests, and other actions against Darfur students were NCP tactics to obstruct the electoral system and intended to prevent Darfur students from full participation. Since the NCP victory, Ibrahim said he is no longer permitted on the university campus. (Note. Although Ibrahim graduated in the summer of 2009, it is customary for Sudanese university students to frequent university campuses for up to a year after graduation to get documents in order, take KHARTOUM 00000037 002 OF 002 additional exams and resolve other administrative details. End Note.) -------------- NCP STUDENT INFIGHTING -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Student protests and clashes, which can often be violent, have not been uncommon in Khartoum over the past years. However, it is unusual to see fighting erupt among NCP students as has occurred on two occasions in recent weeks. Fighting broke out on December 16 at Ahlia University in Khartoum among NCP student association members and resulted in minor injuries to approximately 20 students. Reportedly, the clash occurred only weeks after a new group of association leaders was elected in an out-of-cycle general assembly session. On December 16, the previous student leaders showed up with iron rods and Molotov cocktail explosives at a political debate and a fight erupted. University and government security forces broke up the incident without the use of force. In a second incident on the University of Khartoum campus, on December 20, an NCP student later died of injuries sustained in a fight with a fellow NCP student. University officials called it a "personal issue" between the two students; however, media reports and four different opposition university party leaders claimed the fight resulted from political disputes between the two students. Leaders of university student associations and student unions generally enjoy national party sponsorship perks and mentoring, such as vehicles, cellular phones, and monetary allowances. Jealousy and fear of the possible loss of these perks may have been the cause of the recent violence. On the other hand, some students and teaching staff told the Embassy political specialist that they see two distinct groups forming along tribal lines among the NCP students. -------------- -------------- PREDICT NCP WIN IN NATIONAL ELECTION AND AFRAID TO EXPRESS OPPOSITION PUBLICLY -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) When questioned about predictions for the national elections in April, several university student leaders told the political specialist that the NCP is well organized. Though not all student leaders believe the national elections will be free and fair, they unanimously predicted that the NCP will win. A print-media report in GlobalPost on December 29 said that despite normal, outward appearances on the University of Khartoum campus, no one openly discusses politics. A recent rally opposing Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir was quashed within minutes. Reportedly, government "inspectors" roam campus halls, listening for dissent. The journalist noted that only after careful negotiations would five students agree to answer political-related questions. Following a brief, nervous exchange, the students then dispersed. Only minutes after they left, an inspector arrived and began making inquiries as to what was discussed, just as the students had feared. ¶8. (SBU) Comment. The University of Khartoum Student Union election is viewed as a way for the NCP to mobilize others for the national elections in April. This student union has long been a training ground for many of Sudan's current ruling figures, including Second Vice-President Ali Osman Taha; Presidential Assistant Nafi al Nafi; former Head of Security and now Presidential Advisor Salah Gosh; as well as others. The NCP likely wanted to set the tone for the upcoming general elections with the university student union election. Post will continue to monitor reports of any rifts among the NCP students as campus politics often tend to reflect what is happening on a larger scale. End Comment. WHITEHEAD