INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Cndp Pique at Leaked Monuc Report Continues to Block Goma

Published: Mon 3 Mar 2008 08:37 AM
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FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7615
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
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UNCLAS KINSHASA 000213
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: CNDP pique at leaked MONUC report continues to block Goma
process
1. (SBU) Summary. CNDP continues to complain about the leaked
MONUC report into a January massacre at Kilonge. It called again
February 27 for outside investigation into the incident. CNDP opted
out of a February 28 meeting called by MONUC to discuss CNDP-PARECO
ceasefire violations, leaving PARECO to insist that it was not
responsible for the violations. PARECO complained that the
government was doing nothing, and questioned MONUC's impartiality.
The government's chief representative, Vice Admiral Etumba, proposed
two MONUC deployments between FARDC and CNDP forces, an idea that
MONUC is reluctant to endorse. CNDP finally agreed to meet
non-MONUC international facilitators March 1. High-level meetings
with Nkunda may help resolve the CNDP impasse, but Etumba appears
increasingly out of his depth. End Summary.
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MONUC report remains sore point for CNDP
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2. (SBU) CNDP released a letter February 27 complaining about lack
of action by international facilitators in the week following leak
of a draft report of a MONUC investigation alleging CNDP
responsibility for a January massacre at Kilonge (reftel). The
letter called for the International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch
and the Amani Forum to investigate the incident. It reiterated that
the "damaging allegations" made by MONUC "demonstrated a lack of
impartiality that was incompatible" with its role. MONUC-Goma Head
of Office Alpha Sow and human rights section chief Jairo Sanchez
have made plans to travel to Kilolirwe to share a final copy of the
report with Nkunda.
3. (SBU) CNDP continues to boycott Goma process meetings involving
MONUC. Its representatives, pleading "logistical problems," stayed
away from a February 28 meeting called by MONUC to lay out
procedures MONUC intends to use to investigate ceasefire violations.
CNDP had made a string of demands in the run-up to the meeting
seemingly aimed at adding the report to the agenda, but finally
opted out on grounds of "logistics."
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Investigating ceasefire violations
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4. (SBU) PARECO was the only belligerent represented at the meeting
on CNDP-PARECO ceasefire violations. MONUC Eastern Division
Commander General Bikram Singh set out seven categories of
violations MONUC would investigate: hostilities, violent acts,
military movements, new recruitment, attacks/sabotage/provocation,
new military positions and movement of military personnel or
equipment. He noted that half of the 40 ceasefire allegations since
January 23 involved CNDP and PARECO. He provided specifics on each
alleged violation: many were lodged by PARECO, some came from local
chiefs or authorities, and some from MONUC personnel. The majority
involved cattle thefts or attempts by CNDP and PARECO to occupy the
same villages.
5. (SBU) The PARECO president initially attempted to list new
allegations, then agreed to address those which MONUC had
documented. PARECO basically denied wrongdoing, insisting in each
instance they had "never attacked ... but were only defending"
themselves. They expressed growing frustration with the slow pace
of implementation and called on international facilitators to press
the government to take action. They proposed that MONUC deploy
additional troops, although also questioned MONUC's neutrality.
They stated, "if the accord is no longer valid, tell us and we will
bring you Nkunda."
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Etumba proposes new MONUC deployments
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6. (SBU) Singh met FARDC Vice Admiral Didier Etumba and a large
military delegation later the same day. Etumba pitched "an
intermediary ceasefire mechanism," proposing that MONUC create --
and occupy -- buffer zones between FARDC and CNDP forces in two
locations: east and south of the Rutshuru-Bunagana and
Rutshuru-Rumangabo roads, and west and south of Kitchanga in the
direction of Minova. Etumba cited recent fighting and said the two
areas were at "catastrophic" risk of being used as corridors by CNDP
for supply and reinforcement. Etumba's bottom line: "everyone
should stay where they are" in order to preserve the peace.
7. (SBU) Singh's operations chief briefed Etumba at great length on
the MONUC's current deployment in North Kivu, including some being
made that same day. He pointed out that 21 of MONUC's 22 Mobile
Operating Bases (MOB) were deployed in the Petit Nord (southern
North Kivu) to help preserve the peace. He noted MONUC could better
monitor the ceasefire as armed groups and FARDC further concentrate
their respective forces in areas closer to the MOBs. Privately,
MONUC officials expressed concern about deploying MOBs in positions
between potential belligerents.
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CNDP agrees to meeting without MONUC
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8. (SBU) Efforts by the other (non-MONUC) facilitators to set up a
separate meeting with the CNDP political wing February 28 ran into
the same complaint of "logistical problems." CNDP also cited a need
to check with headquarters. They finally agreed late in the evening
of February 28 to a meeting on March 1.
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Comment
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9. (SBU) Sow's planned visit to Nkunda and the anticipated arrivals
of EU and U.S. envoys may help loosen the current CNDP grip on
progress. However, concern is growing among international
facilitators that the government has not taken the implementation
process seriously enough. In particular, its chief representative,
Etumba, does not appear to have the experience or authority to carry
out the delicate negotiations needed to implement the still-fragile
peace process. End comment.
CLOUD
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