Cablegate: Drc Elections: Ballot Compilation Underway With

VZCZCXRO5371
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1683/01 3041557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311557Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5080
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001683

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: BALLOT COMPILATION UNDERWAY WITH
MINOR DELAYS IN KINSHASA

REF: A. KINSHASA 1677
B. KINSHASA 1673
C. KINSHASA 1674
D. KINSHASA 1485

1. (U) Summary: AF DAS Yamamoto emphasized to the Congolese
press strong U.S. interest in working with a freely-elected
Congolese government after heading the U.S. observer team for
the October 29 DRC elections. One of two Kinshasa television
stations owned by Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba is again
broadcasting. Collection and compilation of ballots is well
underway. Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) President
Malu Malu warned against premature announcement of results.
The CEI is conducting re-votes in Bumba, Equateur province
and Fataki, Ituri District because of disruptions caused by
crowd violence on election day. The CEI and MONUC are
investigating allegations by Human Rights Watch of
irregularities in Nizi, Ituri District. End summary.

2. (U) AF Deputy Assistant Secretary Donald Yamamoto, who
headed the U.S. Mission observer team for the October 29 DRC
elections, received wide coverage in the October 31 Kinshasa
press. DAS Yamamoto praised the conduct of the elections and
reiterated strong U.S. interest in working with a
freely-elected Congolese government. He and the Ambassador
also met with Antoine Gizenga, whose party will provide the
prime minister in the event of a Kabila victory, and with
other political figures. Gizenga said that he had high
expectations for cooperation with the United States if his
party enters the government.

3. (U) One of two Kinshasa television stations owned by Vice
President Jean-Pierre Bemba is again operational after
having its transmission interrupted October 29. CCTV
information director Patrick Palaka said the station's
technicians were able to re-establish their signal,
attributing the problem to "technical difficulties." The
other Bemba station, Canal Kin TV, had its signal interrupted
October 27 and remains off the air, although a senior MLC
official, Thomas Luhaka, told us October 30 that Canal Kin's
problem was also a technical fault.

4. (SBU) Collection and verification of ballots and tally
sheets has begun at the DRC's 62 compilation centers, the
CEI's Director of National Operations Flavien Misoni told a
meeting of international donors in Kinshasa October 31. No
major problems have been reported in the transport of
documents to the centers.

5. (U) Misoni said that in Kinshasa, collection of material
from the capital's 8,500 polling sites has been slow but
orderly. PolOffs observed a much improved process during an
October 30 visit to Kinshasa's collection and compilation
centers. They saw hundreds of waterproof bags neatly
organized in a giant warehouse according to locality, unlike
the first-round process which was characterized by
disorganized piles of ballots and paperwork. Dozens of CEI
workers were at the center to verify the contents of the bags
and to process and collate voting materials. MONUC, EUFOR and
Congolese police provided visible security at the site.

6. (SBU) CEI and MONUC had originally estimated three to four
days for collection and transfer of all material to a central
compilation center, but the process has started more slowly
than anticipated. The first deliveries of voting material
arrived several hours late, and CEI workers appeared
unfamiliar with their tasks. A MONUC logistics coordinator
told us they do not expect the collection process in Kinshasa
to be completed until November 5. We will continue to
monitor progress at these centers.

7. (SBU) Misoni reiterated the CEI intends to announce
provisional presidential results no later than November 19,
but noted this could happen sooner depending on how quickly
ballots are tabulated. He said that preliminary results from
some electoral districts may be ready for publication within
the next two days.

8. (U) In a press conference the same day, CEI President
Apollinaire Malu Malu said he was concerned about premature
publication of election results and about false results which
may be circulating. He emphasized the CEI alone is authorized
to announce results, and called on media outlets to refrain
from announcing any partial figures. He stated that such
actions would create confusion and tension.

KINSHASA 00001683 002 OF 002

9. (U) Malu Malu said that the Ituri District city of Fataki
will hold a re-vote November 1. An enraged mob there
destroyed 43 polling stations after two CEI workers were shot
dead the morning of October 30 by a Congolese soldier (ref
A). Malu Malu said the soldier has already been found guilty
by a military court and sentenced to death.

10. (U) Misoni reported voting restarted October 31 in Bumba
in Equateur province at 30 polling sites closed because of
election day violence (ref B). Misoni said a CEI delegation
had arrived in Bumba October 30 with election kits and other
replacement materials and would be monitoring the operations.

11. (SBU) MONUC and CEI officials said they are investigating
allegations by Human Rights Watch that elements of the
Congolese military prevented voters in Ituri District from
going to the polls October 29 (ref C). MONUC Electoral
Division director Ali Diabacte said MONUC was surprised to
hear of the report and is investigating it seriously. He said
that MONUC has so far not found evidence to support the
allegations.

12. (U) Several international organizations and donors issued
statements praising the conduct of the October 29 elections.
The International Committee to Accompany the Transition
(CIAT) congratulated the Congolese people for their civic
spirit and CEI officials for their efforts in organizing the
elections. European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana
called on all political actors to respect the election
results. MONUC and the Belgian government also declared their
satisfaction with the organization of the electoral process.
MEECE

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