US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN1281

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001281 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/SPG (TSMITH) 
AF/RSA (DSIMS), 
EUR/PPD (ACERVETTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, UNHRC-1 
SUBJECT: SUDANESE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER MEETS WITH 
AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: A. OCTOBER 14 EMAIL TO SMITH/SIMS 
     B. DUBLIN 573 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES C. KENNY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B), (D) 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
1. (C) Summary.  On October 14, the Ambassador met with 
Sudanese human rights activist Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam.  Dr. 
Mudawi is in Ireland for a human rights defenders conference 
and will travel to the U.S. to receive an award from Human 
Rights First, a U.S.-based NGO.  In the meeting with the 
Ambassador, Mudawi called for an international envoy to help 
settle the conflict in Sudan and criticized the efforts of 
the UN and African Union as ineffective.  Speaking the next 
day at the conference, he expressed frustration with the slow 
response of the West in terms of recognition of the problems 
while the situation in Sudan continues to worsen.  End 
Summary. 
 
Ambassador meets with Dr. Mudawi 
-------------------------------- 
 
2. (C)  On October 14, the Ambassador met with Sudanese human 
rights activist Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam who was in Ireland 
attending a conference for human rights defenders.  Mudawi, 
chairperson for the Sudan Social Development Organization 
(SUDO), came to the embassy to apply for a visa to travel to 
New York and Washington to receive an award from Human Rights 
First (HRF), an NGO operating in New York and Washington DC 
(ref A).  Pending receipt of his visa, Dr. Mudawi will travel 
to the U.S. on October 19.  The HRF-Washington office is 
arranging appointments for Dr. Mudawi to meet with 
yet-to-be-named Congressmen as well as DOS representatives. 
Mudawi was previously invited to Ireland to attend an award 
ceremony held in his honor, but was prevented by the GOS (ref 
B).  He has been arrested three times by the GOS since 
December 2003. 
 
Appointment of Non-Muslim Envoy to Sudan 
---------------------------------------- 
 
3. (C)  Dr. Mudawi relayed to the Ambassador the need for an 
assignment of a permanent envoy to Sudan.  When asked to 
describe an ideal candidate for such a position, Mudawi 
suggested a well-known and respected figure such as 
Ambassador John Danforth.  He noted that the envoy must be 
committed to stay in Sudan, and be willing to travel 
throughout the country.  Mudawi opined that the envoy should 
not be a Muslim.  According to him, many Sudanese 
increasingly identify Islam with the abuses of the current 
Islamic government.  He added that the Sudanese are growing 
increasingly suspicious of assistance and intervention from 
Islamic countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. 
 
UN/African Union participation 
------------------------------ 
 
4. (C)  Mudawi said that conditions in Sudan, especially in 
Darfur, are continuing to worsen and that there currently is 
no effective outside help.  According to Mudawi, Sudan needs 
the UN, but wants a UN that is willing to stay despite 
dangers and hardships.  He added that the African Union (AU) 
is also ineffective because it does not have enough soldiers 
in Sudan and because of the conflict of interest created by 
Sudan's presence on the AU Peace and Security Council during 
a time of conflict in Sudan. 
 
Front Line Defenders Conference 
------------------------------- 
 
5. (C)  On October 15, Dr. Mudawi addressed fellow human 
rights defenders from more than 70 countries at a conference 
here in Dublin.  He explained that Sudan has a long history 
of war, which has been especially brutal recently as outside 
forces imposed borders and boundaries on the more than 600 
tribal groups that make up Sudan.  He said that the 
long-standing culture and heritage of his people have been 
denied and claimed that two million people have been killed 
and five million have been displaced since the Darfur 
conflict began.  He said that there is little hope for the 
displaced as they move from one IDP camp to another seeking 
improved conditions.  SUDO works with these groups to defend 
their human rights, as well as provide them with basic needs 
such as water, sanitation and medical care.  Mudawi lamented 
the slow response from the west to recognize the level of 
suffering and to pressure the GOS to stop the atrocities. In 
particular, he had sharp criticism of the UN's unwillingness 
to serve in danger zones. 
KENNY