Cablegate: Darfur: Democratic Popular Front Seeks Invite To

VZCZCXRO5317
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #2867 2661458
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231458Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6989
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 002867

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO MASS EG SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR: DEMOCRATIC POPULAR FRONT SEEKS INVITE TO
LIBYA TALKS

REF: A. CAIRO 2711

B. BERMAN-LARSON 9/20/2007 E-MAIL

1. (SBU) In an introductory meeting with poloff on September
20, Cairo-based Siddique Ander and Osama Mohamed El Hassan,
President and Secretary General, respectively, of the
Democratic Popular Front (DPF), asked for USG pressure on the
UN and AU to get the DPF invited to the planned October 27
peace talks in Libya. DPF representation is essential, claim
Ander and El Hassan, as the DPF has the support of "all the
non-janjaweed Arab tribes" in Darfur, which are marginalized
by the GOS, and not represented by the other Darfur rebel
factions. Ander and El Hassan opined that by splintering
into many different factions, the other rebel groups,
particularly the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), will be
over-represented at the talks, and potentially able to claim
an unfairly large portion of wealth and power sharing in any
deal with the GOS.

2. (SBU) The humanitarian situation in Darfur is the DPF's
top concern, Ander and El Hassan said, and along these lines
they repeated their offer of military "assistance" as the
UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) prepares to deploy to Darfur
(ref A). They asserted that the DPF has "10,000 fighters" on
the ground that could assist UNAMID during the deployment
process, to guarantee security on the ground and ensure that
the GOS does not undermine deployment.

3. (SBU) Ander and El Hassan were accompanied by Jalal
Mahmoud, based in Philadelphia and currently setting up a DPF
office there. This office will help the DPF increase ties
with the USG and increase the DPF's media visibility, Mahmoud
said. All three expressed frustrations that the DPF receives
almost non-existent coverage in international media (with the
exception of one military operation in August, per reftel),
and were keen for the USG to assist with their public
relations (NFI).

4. (SBU) Comment: The DPF is clearly looking to grab as much
influence as possible in any final settlement in Darfur. Per
ref B e-mail exchange with Embassy Khartoum, we understand
that the DPF has made a similar request to the UN and AU,
with no substantive response. DPF leaders' requests for USG
support and organizational wherewithal seem little different
than those of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and SLM
faction leaders in Cairo. At this point, we have scant other
information to judge the DPF's level of support or
capabilities in Darfur. End comment.
JONES

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