04 Khartoum 0454: Meeting with XXXXX*

* Note:  The PC was/is the Popular Congress Party headed by Hassan al-Turabi.

04 Khartoum 0451: Sudan-Violence Creates New Flow of IDPs in Upper Nile

04 Khartoum 0425: Demarche to Foreign Ministry on Darfur: Visas and Ceasefire Monitoring

From My Journal for April 23, 2004: Back From Leave

Went to work today to start digging out of some 300 plus emails (classified and un). But this afternoon, I went to the Embassy picnic for a bit. Completely organized by our local employees. Location,a farm on the Blue Nile. On the way there, my caravan of SUV plus follow-car came up behind a heard of goats completely blocking the dirt road. We all walked slowly for several minutes until the sheep sort of wandered into a field for some grass. I was listening to music and enjoying looking at all the colors and designs sheep come in. Yep, back in Sudan.

The picnic was quite nice. Was handed plates of food and played a game of volleyball. With a cool breeze from the river, it was bearable despite being way over 100. Volley ball on the shores of the Nile. Yep, back in Sudan.

04 Khartoum 0367: April 7, 2004 Meeting with Sudan's Foreign Minister*

* From my journal for April 7:  Met with the foreign minister and tried to find a way forward vis-à-vis the Chad talks. Maybe found one. Accepted his offer to have someone from the Embassy travel with him to Darfur. Meanwhile, the talks in Kenya maybe/maybe not have a breakthrough. Went to dinner on the Nile despite the heat. The warm breeze carried the smell of animal waste. Some kind of bug was out flying around the lights. But it actually wasn’t that bad. And sometimes a slightly cool, fresh breeze came along (helped by huge fans going at a respectful distance). Took the opportunity to try a waterpipe. Not bad. The slightly past full moon rose in the east over the Nile.

04 Khartoum 0341: GOS Now Says Sabotage, Not Coup Plot; Turabi's Party Says GOS moves Are Aginst Them*

* Note:  On April 4, I met with the Speaker of Parliament, to deliver our relevant standard messages plus noted that we were watching the case of arrested MP. He thanked me for my "frankness."

04 Khartoum 0342: Visit of Romanian Special Envoy

From my Journal for the end of March 2004: Trying to Set up Talks with Darfur Rebels

March 23: Had junior officers over for dinner tonight, part of charm offensive and my new approach to trying to have and encourage fun. Went well I think but I had two martinis. At ten, USAID Roger arrived and we chatted and did some business till just late. We get on fine but I had two martinis. Rest of USAID probably still hates me. Can't please everyone and still do good. Busy day.

March 24: It was a crazy day but worked out ok. Chasing Salah [Gosh]. Looks like the Darfur talks may get off the ground sometime early next week. We launch our group from here early tomorrow. I have to get up at six to say goodbye to Roger [Winter]. Janice, our poloff, is going too. I played a big role in arranging this possibility but few will ever know. But it'll be good if it works to bring peace.

March 26: Had a nice dinner last night with my IGAD colleagues -- Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Kenyan host invited Somalia rep and South African. I really like the Africans. Stayed later than I expected cause Elijah, the Kenyan, wanted to talk more about Somalia. The IGAD countries want US help. Maybe I'll volunteer to do Somalia after Sudan.

March 27: Combined work with napping today. Tried to chase down a rebel leader not yet committed to talks. Also attended a UN reception for the departing UN chief. Standing for two hours was a killer. Last night was the excellent Rec Site dance. Sore knees but good time.

March 29: It seems like the work we did has managed to avoid being derailed by [USAID and French]. Darfur talks look to start tomorrow in Chad. Last minute efforts made here seem to have gotten chief rebel holdout to go. Now if the USAID/French crew don't fuck up the actual talks, there may be hope. But I feel good that the last month of effort has gotten to this point. Sure too bad that god isn't keeping score because that'd be all the credit I ever get. I made this happen in my typical way, mostly invisible but enough showed to get me more enmity than anything else from the USAID shits.

Met with leaders of chief opposition parties today including useful lunch with Sadiq El Mahdi in his pavilion in his back garden. Janice called from N’djamena to say that the arrival of the rebels was a scene out of Lawrence of Arabia. Ah what times we live in here along the margins of the Sahara.

04 Khartoum 0322: Demarche on Biotechnology/Humanitarian Assistance, Visas, and CPMT Access

From my Journal for March 20, 2004

Got up early for tennis today and then to work. But this afternoon, I visited the new and first-ever shopping mall in Sudan. Walked through the metal detectors into a space not yet full of shops. But there was a Payless Shoe Store and a hypermarket. Bought some lentils, spices and olives. But what I really came for was to try the bowling alley. It's run -- as I think everything is -- by the Turks. There are maybe 10 lanes and they have electronic scoring and appear regulation. I bowled three games -- one for free from the manager -- and on the last reached my high score for the day, 102. The lane had a wicked curve and desperately needs polishing. It was impossible to hook left and anything from the right really hooked right. But I was bowling in Sudan!

Note:  I should add that the spectacle of the American Charge at such an typically American activity grew a bit of a crowd.  A local bowling hustler -- just learning his tricks -- bowled with me for a game.  As I remember it, it was competition that helped me reach the heights of 102.