INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Sudan People's Liberation Movement (Splm) Launches

Published: Sun 25 Oct 2009 03:53 PM
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OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
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O 251553Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4619
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001197
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DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU
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TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM SU
SUBJECT: SUDAN PEOPLE'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT (SPLM) LAUNCHES
CAMPAIGN
Ref: Khartoum 905
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPM)
launched its campaign for the 2010 elections on October 12. SPLM's
National Elections Strategic Committee (NESC) Chairman and Speaker
of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Chairman, James
Wani Igga and SPLM Deputy Secretary General for the Northern Sector
Yassir Arman set out the party's main themes, telling the crowd that
the National Congress Party (NCP) had delayed implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and failed to build a nation
for all Sudanese peoples regardless of skin color, religion, or
gender. They said the SPLM requires demarcation of the north-south
and Abyei borders, and passage of nine laws required by the CPA,
including on the referenda, popular consultations, and national
security by November 30 as preconditions for SPLM participation in
the elections. These themes were repeated on October 15, at the
SPLM's first campaign rally, attended by an estimated 2,000 of the
party faithful, in Omdurman. End Summary.
2. (U) The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPM) launched its
campaign for the 2010 elections on October 12. SPLM's National
Elections Strategic Committee (NESC) Chairman and Speaker of the
Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Chairman, James Wani
Igga, SPLM Deputy Secretary General for the Northern Sector Yassir
Seid Arman, and SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum addressed the
crowd gathered at SPLM headquarters in Khartoum. Also in attendance
were Presidential Advisor Dr. Monsour Khalid, Federal Cabinet
Minister Kosti Manibe; the International Criminal Court
(ICC)-indicted Governor of Southern Kordofan State, Ahmed Haroun
(NCP); the Chair of the Renewal and Reform wing of the Umma Party,
Mubarak al Fadil.
3. (U) Keynote speaker Wani Igga told the crowd that the SPLM has
consistently, since its founding in 1983, stood for the unity of
Sudan, and for a "new Sudan" characterized by equality of all
citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion, culture, language or
gender; and on justice, human rights, freedom, and democratic
transformation of the country. In contrast, Igga, said, the NCP has
delayed implementation of the CPA, hindered the transformation to
democracy via free, fair and credible elections and referenda for
South Sudan and Abyei and via popular consultations for Blue Nile
and South Kordofan. He added that the NCP has also failed to build
a nation state for Sudanese people of all skin colors, religions,
cultures, languages and genders. Instead, the NCP and all post-
independence governments have implemented policies that Igga said
encouraged marginalization, racial segregation, religious
discrimination, nepotism, and corruption. He urged all Sudanese
political parties to come together to reconcile the nation, to build
confidence and to work to alleviate the unnecessary suffering of the
Sudanese people. Igga made note of the British Non Governmental
Organization Global Witness' recent report on what it described as
inequitable oil revenue distribution by the north to the south. He
urged that any discrepancies between what the South is owed and what
has been paid be rectified. He acknowledged that corruption exists
in both the south and the north, but said that corruption in the
south is discussed openly and transparently, and that corrective
measures have been developed to remedy it.
-----------------------------------------
SPLM Sets Deadline for CPA Implementation
-----------------------------------------
4. (U) Igga reminded the group that the SPLM has put the NCP, its
CPA partner, on notice that a number of conditions must be met
before November 30. These include demarcation of the AByei
boundaries pursuant to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
decision, demarcation of the north-south border, and passage of the
nine laws that must be brought into conformity with the CPA,
including the Referendum, Popular Consultations and National
Security laws and criminal law and procedures acts.
------------------------------------
SPLM Only Party With Popular Support
------------------------------------
5. (U) Igga maintained that the SPLM is the only party with popular
support, and the only one that will fight for the rights of
marginalized peoples, including women. He said that the SPLM is the
only party that grants women a 25 percent share and youth a ten
percent share in all levels of government. He also stated that the
SPLM is determined to achieve the vision of a New Sudan based on all
citizens being regarded as equal regardless of their religion, skin
color, culture, language or gender.
---------------------------
Amum Touts Juba Declaration
KHARTOUM 00001197 002 OF 002
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6. (U) SPLM Secretary General Amum assured the crowd of the SPLM's
readiness to participate fully in fair and free elections as set
forth in the CPA. He said this would assure that citizens are able
democratically to elect leaders. He reiterated the SPLM's
invitation to the NCP and other parties to join in the Juba
Declaration for National Dialogue and Consensus resulting from the
Juba All-Political Parties Conference (APCC). He told the group
that the SPLM rejects any return to war between north and south, and
is fully committed to the CPA as a way forward. He stressed that
the CPA and the constitution guarantee the right to a referendum,
whereby the people of South Sudan may freely choose unity or
secession. Should South Sudan opt for secession, it will not be a
disaster, but rather the exercise of a right. Amun echoed Igga's
support for full rights for women, and noted that the party supports
both Lubna Hussein's right to privacy and to choose which type of
garment to wear (see reftel). The party plans to raise and debate
during the campaign issues such as the future of Sudan, investment
policies, land rights, basic infrastructure, human rights,
democratic transformation, Darfur peace, and the domestic economic
crisis.
---------------------------------
SPLM Rallies Faithful in Omdurman
---------------------------------
7. (U) On October 17, the SPLM held its first campaign rally at
Omdurman Stadium, Khartoum. The rally was attended by approximately
2,000 people from Omdurman, Khartoum and the surrounding areas, and
included religious as well as political leaders. Campaign materials
prominently displayed had a decidedly derivative quality: "For New
Sudan -- Yes We Can" was prominently displayed around the stadium.
8. (U) Igga emphasized that the party would only participate in the
elections if the NCP complies with the preconditions that have been
set, including implementation of the CPA, the Darfur Peace Agreement
(DPA), Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA), as well as the Cairo
Agreement and Asmara Agreement. He stressed the importance of
assuring that the nine pending laws are compatible with the CPA and
Interim National Constitution (INC), and criticized the NCP for
failing to provide basic services to the Sudanese people such as
roads and other infrastructure, clean water, sanitation, health
services and education. He pointed criticized the NCP's policies of
investment target areas inhabited by indigenous people in Khartoum
(the east side of the new Omdurman bridge), internally displaced
persons camps (Soba Aradi and Jebel Aulia on the outskirts of
Khartoum), historic areas (the confluence of the White and Blue
Niles) and agricultural areas (Tuti Island).
9. (U) Yassir Arman told the group that the decision to hold the
SPLM's first rally at Omdurman Stadium, opposite the Omdurman
Women's Prison, was to show solidarity and support for women
imprisoned unjustly pursuant to the NCP's conception of "public
order." He asked the audience to stand for a minute to express
support for the several hundred women and mothers, who with their
babies and other small children, have been imprisoned for brewing
beer (Note: A traditional form of employment for women from the
south, where it is legal, but criminalized under sharia law in the
north. End Note) or indiscriminately arrested. He noted that the
same ruling party that arrests women in Khartoum for brewing
alcohol, benefits from taxes collected in Juba and the rest of
southern Sudan on the sale of alcohol.
10. (U) Arman noted that some progress had been made by the NCP and
SPLM on the referendum law. This positive progress on the draft
does not change SPLM preconditions for the upcoming general
elections, he warned. The SPLM will hold to its ultimatum until the
NCP complies with all required conditions.
-------------------------------------------
Arman: Join Juba Declaration to Save Sudan
-------------------------------------------
11. (U) Arman called on the NCP and other political parties to join
the dialogue and reconciliation resulting from the Juba Declaration
for All Political Parties and Civil Society Organizations (DAPPC) as
a way to save Sudan from disintegration.
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