Journal Entry for May 19, 2004: An Evening with Another El Madhi

Attended a speech by Sadiq El Mahdi this evening. It was part of a regular Wednesday evening gathering of the Umma Party faithful at the party HQ in Omdurman. It was really hot and I hunkered down for two hours of Arabic. Desert cooling once again put to the test. Crowd numbered maybe two thousand on the veranda and lawn of the building. Some guy kept popping up from the side singing praise. At one point he seemed to get very agitated and appeared to be pointing to me, the only gringo on the scene. He may have been singing my praise or calling down the wrath of God or neither.

Until Sadiq showed up, Mr. Kalifa sat next to me and we chatted in English. Kalifa is the grandson of the Kalifa, the follower of The Mahdi who took over at his death and ruled Sudan until the British defeated him. Kalifa the Younger is now #3 in the Umma Party.

Sadiq -- the former Prime Minister overthrown in 1989 -- arrived to great ovation and sat next to me. He asked me how much of the speeches I was following. I said "none at all" although I think I did hear an occasional salaam (peace) and Ameriki. He got his niece to translate for me during his speech. (He spoke about Darfur and peace.) When he was done, and after two hours of sweating steadily but gently and watching little tiny moths land on my white shirt, I took my leave. Another wonderful night in Sudan.

Note:  Previous El Mahdi encounter here.

04 Khartoum 0528: Mudawi Trial Drags On*

* The case against Mudawi Adam was dropped later in the year but he faced continual harassment and imprisonment by the Sudan government.  He remains active and appears to be on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mudawi.adam.54

Journal Entry for May 14, 2004: Darfur, Khartoum night life and local traffic

Spent this evening chatting and having a few beers with the African Union team that has just been to the west (Darfur) to arrange the logistics for a peace monitoring effort. We sat on the roof of my political officer, also part of the team. It cooled down rapidly tonight. Fell to 98 degrees by 7:30. But it was still 98 at 10pm. There were lots of people out at clubs, restaurants and on the street. On the way back, passed one well-lit place with two people in full body costumes out in front. They were waving and looking jolly. The costumes were furry and, I am quite sure, like a sauna inside. One was a rabbit. The ears drooped and the arms were too long for the person, so they drooped too. I hope it is shift work.

As usual, drove through the new phase of road construction. Lots of it going on. Roads are being broadened and extended. This is very necessary because of the burgeoning traffic congestion. But roads are built or rebuilt without any discernible attention to alternate traffic routes. Sometimes, you'll come to a street that used to go somewhere but now ends in a ditch or pile of dirt. Sometimes, you'll be riding on an old road when it stops. You can see the new road ahead or to the side but you'll need to go over some rough ground to get there. Everybody going both ways faces the same challenge. So the traffic backs up and everyone runs for whatever space they can get. Soon, everyone is lost in the dust, especially at night. The same thing happens in reverse. You'll be zooming down a nice new paved road until suddenly it stops. There may or may not be another road in sight. My driver always seems to know where to go and eventually we get there.

My favorite example of road work is a large exchange near the embassy. Four lanes of traffic meet at a major intersection. The old intersection: a couple of dirt roads plus a paved one. They are building a new exchange which is sorely needed. Only problem is that while they are building it, where the old one used to be, there is now no official intersection at all. Instead, the two roads pass close enough together that traffic "leaks" from one to the other over maybe 20 feet of construction area. Here traffic congeals and cars pass each other every which way and up. I like to think of it as a macro example of the physics phenomenon of "quantum tunneling." Particles from two different realms get so close they just sort of "pass through" barriers to magically reach the other side. Who needs an actual intersection. That is so old physics!

04 Khartoum 0490: Dinner with the Grandson of the Mahdi*

* Note:  The State Department archives did not contain the full text of this cable so part between paras 4 & 5 is missing.  But here follows the entry for my journal for May 13:

"Last night I spent three hours dining with the grandson of The Mahdi. (If you don't know who that is, rent the DVD of the movie Khartoum starring Charleton Heston & Laurence Oivilier.)

We dined on the veranda of the Imam El Mahdi's palace overlooking the Nile River. It was grand. There was just enough breeze for desert cooling (evaporating sweat). The Imam told me the story of his father, the only one of The Mahdi's ten sons to survive the war with the British. Abdel-Rahman was 13 when he was wounded in a battle that killed two of his brothers. By the time he died in 1959, he had helped his country reach independence from the British and had met Winston Churchill, who had fought with the British in the 1890s. Just the two of us talking under the stars about The Mahdi's effort to reform Islam and the sect's continued efforts to do the same without violence. The Imam is head of the Ansar, the descendants of the warriors – who the British called the Dervishes – of The Mahdi. A high point. The West has much to learn about Islam and they of us. Most want to have this exchange. The common enemy is the terrorists.

Most Sudanese are too polite to mention their outrage over the treatment of Iraqi prisoners by American forces. (The Imam didn’t.) But it is a real black mark against us."

From a visit to Malakal in early May 2004

From the visit to Malakal on May 8th with the CPMT:

Malakal

 Burned Tukels

Popwojo

Nyilwk

From the Embassy Arabic Press Review for 05/13/2004

AL SAHAFA:


GALLUCCI: WE DO NOT LINK DARFUR TO IGAD AND WE FAVOR UNITED SUDAN

While the favor of speculations are rising on date of signing the peace agreement between the government and the SPLM, Dr. Gerard Gallucci, US Charge asserted this week will witness the signing of the agreement on the three conflict areas and the power sharing issues.

Gallucci was addressing a small group of press corps at the American Embassy premises yesterday. He added mid June will witness the signing ceremony in Nairobi.

Gallucci, who was talking confidently about the future of the peaceful process between the government and the SPLM, seemed committed to continue on line of constructive dealing with the “fundamentalists at the Republican Palace”. He said they have started since a time ago to enter into work relationship with them.

He added the US Administration will start complete normalization of relations with the Government of Sudan as soon as a peace agreement is reached and the phase of arranging for final comprehensive cease-fire. He was reserved at linking the IGAD-sponsored peace process to Darfur.
He affirmed the vision of the EU and the US Administration is identical in this regard.

Gallucci linked lift of the US sanctions from the Sudanese government to three issues: cooperation in the so-called international counter terrorism issue, reaching a peace agreement through IGAD and achieving more comprehensive progress in the human rights issue.

While he noticed that the government is achieving progress in human rights issue, he added his Administration is waiting for lift of the state of emergency upon signing the peace agreement- according to President El Bashir’s promise.

Gallucci affirmed that most of the American aid will go to south Sudan after peace. He affirmed his government’s sympathy with south Sudan because the Americans sympathize with the weak!!
He was keen to affirm the challenges to maintain unity of Sudan- the United States and Egypt’s option. The Charge held the north Sudan the major responsibility in maintaining it.

The US Charge admitted that going far in sanctions against the government of Sudan would turn them into sanctions against the Sudanese people. He added if the peace agreement was signed next month, lift of sanctions will be before this year.

He revealed that his discussed with Sudanese businessmen resumption of commercial relations with his country and establishing Sudanese-US business council.

Gallucci seemed pragmatic toward dealing with the current situation data; he called for review of the total positive achievements realized through policy of constructive dealing with the Sudanese government; he committed that both, the government and the SPLM, will choose their allies to participate in the rule structure. He said that he encourages the Umma and DUP to work to speak through one voice. He blamed them for talking about figures and more disconnected.

Moreover, Petterson, USAID Administrative Assistance for Health declared a five-year plan- worth $5 millions US Dollars- to improve the health situation in south Sudan.
The State Department Population Refugees and Immigration Office allocated an additional $433 thousand US Dollar to International Rescue Committee to meet the Sudanese refugees needs in Chad.

Last week, the USAID started the first air relief dropping in Darfur within the context of four airdropping operations program.

WASHINGTON SEEKS TO PULL OUT MILLINGTON FROM NAIVASHA

Close sources to the ongoing negotiations in Kenya declared that Washington decided to withdraw its official of the Sudanese peace negotiations in Nairobi, Jeff Millington due to the wrong reports he has been sending to the US Administration in Washington.

The sources added that the IGAD Secretariat and the two negotiations parties- the SPLM in particular- have been resentful toward Millington’s inaccurate performance.
They added that Washington has depended in many of its resolutions regarding the peace negotiations on these inaccurate reports- including President Bush’s report before the Congress on April 21.

“Al Sahafa” learned that Michael Ranneberger, US officer for the peace issue in the State Department arrived in Naivasha yesterday.
Kalinzo Masioka, Kenyan Foreign Minister and Charles Snyder are currently visiting the negotiations venue to be acquainted with the obstacles impeding the two negotiation parties.

04 Khartoum 0483: Meeting with Dismissed Vice Chancellor*

* From my Journal for May 11:  Just had dinner with the nice man fired last month as Vice Chancellor of Khartoum University. Was at his house. Simple food and no AC. I am amazed that people can live without AC here. Was still 111o when I left.

Last night it was a group of businessmen at my house. When you are rich here, you have LOTS of money. Went well and they appreciated gesture of US reaching out to business community.

04 Khartoum 0477: Sudan - South Darfur Field Report*

*Note:  Copying of cable was inconsistent so some pages have duplicate paragraphs.

From My Journal for May 9, 2004: Visit to Malakal

Went to Malakal yesterday to look into GOS-militia violence against civilians there. One day, there and back with CPMT. Also checked out where [my son] will be for a week of his internship.

Tonight, went to the EU national day reception. It was 107o at 9:00pm. I had on my guayabera and was sweating profusely. My EU colleagues were all in their suits and long sleeves. The Brit looked like we was standing under an invisible shower. I stayed 107 minutes and gave up. I had done enough business and drank two beers.

04 Khartoum 0468: Visit to Malakal, Upper Nile