VZCZCXRO3669
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0293/01 0851049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251049Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7723
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000293
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EAID PREL MARR CG
SUBJECT: ABBE MALUMALU REVIEWS KEY AMANI PROGRAM CHALLENGES
AND ELEMENTS
REF: A. KINSHASA 240 AND PREVIOUS
B. KINSHASA 238
1. (SBU) Summary. National Coordinator Abbe Malumalu
discussed challenges to and key elements of the Amani Program
with the Ambassador March 18. Its chief current challenges
are armed group participation, planning and program
infrastructure. Malumalu envisions a program focused on
military reforms, humanitarian issues and roads and
infrastructure. Once the program is up and running, he plans
to divide his time in Goma and Bukavu with frequent visits
outside the capitals to raise public awareness of and support
for it. It appears that he aims for the program to do
nothing less than to re-establish state authority and
services after the government's failure so far to do so. End
summary.
2. (U) National Coordinator Abbe Muhongulu Malumalu discussed
his plans for implementing the January 23 Goma accords with
the Ambassador March 18. Abbe Malumalu focused on three
major challenges to and three key elements of what is
officially called the National Program for Security, Peace,
Stabilization and Reconstruction for North Kivu and South
Kivu, but generally referred to as the "Amani" (Swahili for
peace) program. He and the Ambassador also reviewed issues
relating to the expected structure of the program. Malumalu
aide Flavion Misoni, PolCouns and PolOff sat in.
Three major challenges
----------------------
3. (SBU) Participation: For Abbe Malumalu, keeping all the
armed groups that signed the Goma accords involved in the
process has been the major challenge to date. He was clearly
referring to the dynamics of recent negotiations with CNDP
and Pareco as well as the smaller Mai-Mai groups (ref A). He
noted that all did not have the same importance but all had
to be included. He said that leaving the smaller groups
outside the process would leave them susceptible to
recruitment by the FDLR. By contrast, treating all groups
equally detracts from players whose participation is crucial.
He emphasized in particular the importance of keeping CNDP
and the South Kivu Banyamulenge FRF inside the process, and
cited U.S. involvement as a key factor in ensuring that CNDP
in particular remained involved.
4. (SBU) Planning: Abbe Malumalu described planning for the
program as perhaps the most important issue it currently
faces. He hoped by early April at the latest to have in
place a team of Congolese and international experts working
together on a plan to address solutions for specific
challenges and problems. He said it was not clear if the
government currently had the interest or financial resources
to provide experts. He expressed hope that donors could help
out in this area, citing USAID's funding of technical experts
for the electoral commission.
5. (SBU) Program infrastructure: Abbe Malumalu cited program
infrastructure and equipment as the program's third current
challenge. He is aiming to have the program operational from
the beginning of April in Kinshasa, Goma and Bukavu. He said
he had finalized arrangements to rent buildings in Goma and
Bukavu, and was looking for office space in Kinshasa. He
said the program had already begun using equipment and
supplies provided by USAID contractor DAI from the January
conference in Goma. He called for a tour d'horizon with
donors in the near future to determine contributions in
specific areas.
Three key elements
------------------
6. (SBU) Abbe Malumulu indicated the Amani program would
incorporate a wide range of elements, including military
reform, police training, roads and infrastructure, a public
awareness ("sensibilization") campaign, and leadership
training such as that conducted by Woodrow Wilson Institute
partner ILLCE. He cited the importance of specific projects
to focus common efforts. He described MONUC as a key
partner, and its stabilization plan as the program's
strongest support.
7. (SBU) Military: Abbe Malumalu cited the limited window of
opportunity for military reform provided by MONUC's presence
in the country. He stressed the importance of installing the
KINSHASA 00000293 002 OF 002
FARDC in permanent camps, and said it could not be done
without MONUC support. He also emphasized the importance of
de-tribalizing the army in North and South Kivu. He said no
more than 30 per cent of each battalion should be drawn from
troops from the province in which they are stationed.
8. (SBU) He said he would present a plan for permanent camps
by the end of the year encompassing North Kivu, South Kivu,
Maniema and northern Katanga. The plan would include
microprojects in agriculture and stock raising, primary
schools and military canteens as secondary benefits aimed at
supplementing soldiers' salaries and accommodating their
families. He described the process in two stages: first,
obtaining tents for temporary accommodation and facilities;
second, providing the means and materials for soldiers to
construct their own camps.
9. (SBU) Humanitarian issues: Abbe Malumalu said that
prospects for the return of refugees and IDPs would depend on
the success of the plan's military element. In short, IDPs
will return when police replace the FARDC. He said at that
point the program could begin focusing on such humanitarian
and rehabilitation issues as schools, agriculture and
services.
10. (SBU) Roads and infrastructure: Abbe Malumalu cited the
importance of restoring the region's damaged and neglected
infrastructure. He had previously discussed with CNDP's
Nkunda a plan put together by his experts for North Kivu
roads (ref B). He cited USAID's experience in this area. In
Butembo, for example, DAI provided small stipends for
engineers and materials for a project enabling Congolese
workers to construct six bridges and 42 fish ponds in three
months.
New structures
--------------
11. (SBU) Abbe Malumalu and the Ambassador exchanged views on
the structure and functions of the various commissions
expected to be established in a series of forthcoming
presidential decrees. Abbe Malumalu noted that two earlier
decrees had established the program's national and
interprovincial structures, and the new text would do the
same at on the provincial level. (Note: On March 24, the
government issued six decrees signed March 20 by President
Kabila and Prime Minister Gizenga finalizing the structure of
the Amani program and naming members to fill national,
interprovincial and provincial positions. End note.)
12. (SBU) He told the Ambassador he had presented his
proposals to Kabila chief of staff Raymond Tshibanda, who was
responsible for drafting the text. Once the program was up
and running, he said he would be dividing his time between
meetings in Goma and Bukavu and missions in the provinces to
raise public awareness of the program with the population and
hear their opinions. He noted that his ongoing
responsibilities as head of the Independent Electoral
Commission would also require him to make periodic visits to
Kinshasa.
Comment
-------
13. (SBU) Abbe Malumalu's plan appears to aim at nothing less
than the re-establishment of state presence and services in
North and South Kivu. Ironically, this is the same task that
the government has failed so far to achieve in the 17 months
since elections. End comment.
GARVELINK