VZCZCXRO8771
RR RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2711 2481520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051520Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6774
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CAIRO 002711
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO MASS EG SU
SUBJECT: CAIRO-BASED ARAB DARFUR REBEL GROUP SENDS LETTER
TO PRESIDENT BUSH
Sensitive but unclassified, please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Summary: The Democratic Popular Front (DPF), a
mostly Arab Darfur group with representation in Cairo,
recently gave an Arabic-language letter to pol LES for
delivery to President Bush, requesting U.S. support for the
DPF to fulfill its "responsibilities" in the coming phase of
the peace process in Darfur. The letter proposes building a
"strategic relationship" between the DPF and the U.S.
Specifically, the DPF requests financial support, opening a
DPF media bureau in Washington to "direct public opinion,"
U.S.-based professional training for DPF members, "military
support," and infrastructure and humanitarian assistance in
Darfur. Complete translated text of the letter is in
paragraph 3. End summary.
2. (SBU) On August 20, Pol LES met Cairo-based DPF President
Siddique Ander and DPF Secretary General Osama Mohamed El
Hassan to discuss Sudanese refugees and expatriates in Egypt.
Ander and El Hassan claim the DPF represents the interests
of "Arab tribes" in Darfur (nfi), and passed pol LES a letter
for President Bush during an August 20 meeting. (Note: The
DPF is part of the United Revolutionary Forces Front, an
umbrella group purporting to represent the interests of
marginalized Arabs in Darfur. End note.) We have little
other information on this group in addition to an August 13
Reuters story, which reported that the Democratic Popular
Front Army kidnapped 12 Sudanese soldiers in Darfur in an
attempt to force the Sudanese government to cease using
militias to counter Darfur rebels, and which quoted El Hassan.
3. (U) Begin text of translated letter to President Bush:
To His Highness President George Bush
President of the United States of America
Through His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of
America
Greetings
The Democratic Popular Front appreciates your efforts to
establish security and peace in Darfur. The great people of
Sudan in general, and the people of Darfur in particular,
will not forget your positions in support of humanity, the
weak, and those demanding freedom and dignity.
Complementary to your great efforts and to prepare us to bear
the responsibility in the coming phase, we would like to
propose to Your Highness some demands for which we hope we
find some appreciation and response.
First: Build a strategic relationship based on cooperation,
respect, and shared economic, political, and social interests.
Second: Financial support to facilitate work and improve
performance.
Third: Media support represented by opening a Democratic
Popular Front bureau in Washington and a local radio station
and satellite channel that can direct public opinion.
Fourth: Qualifying our cadres to increase their ability to
negotiate, and open opportunities for professional training,
university education, and post-graduate studies for our
members in your country supportive of human development.
Fifth: Military support represented by a number of equipped
ambulances, qualifying and training military cadres in
different specializations, and a number of 2 (sic)
helicopters.
Sixth: Establishing roads connecting Darfur with Central
Africa, Chad, Libya, and South Sudan.
Seventh: Implementing a program for development, based on
constructing villages, digging drinking water wells, and
building specialized hospitals, schools, internal roads, and
electricity.
Many thanks,
Engineer Siddique Mohamed Abdel Rahman Ander Date:
20-08-2007
President of the Democratic Popular Front
End text of letter.
RICCIARDONE