VZCZCXRO2999
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0600/01 2040744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220744Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8213
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000600
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: GOMA PROCESS UPDATE
REF: A. KINSHASA 593
B. KINSHASA 586
C. KINSHASA 599
1. (SBU) Summary: The International Facilitation met July 17 in
Goma with Apollinaire Malu Malu, acting SRSG Ross Mountain, and a
number of MONUC staff members to discuss a variety of issues related
to the Goma process. With respect to the continued
non-participation of the CNDP and its set of grievances (refs A and
B), the International Facilitation, Malu Malu, and EU Special Envoy
Roeland van de Geer will travel to Kirolirwe July 23 to meet with
the CNDP leadership in an attempt to bring the organization back
into the Amani process. Malu Malu stressed that the plenary of the
Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security needed to reduce
the number of regroupment centers for ex-combatants envisioned by
the military sub-commission in order to be congruent with funding
realities. The group agreed that the $72 million of World Bank
funding for DDR will be sufficient, provided that a reasonable
number of combatants enter the process, as opposed to the inflated
numbers provided by the armed groups. Malu Malu also made clear
that Kabila will not discuss the idea of conducting brassage in the
Kivus. End summary
Upcoming meetings with armed groups
-----------------------------------
2. (SBU) The International Facilitation met July 17 in Goma with
Apollinaire Malu Malu, acting SRSG Ross Mountain, and a number of
MONUC staff members to discuss a variety of issues related to the
Goma process. With respect to the continued non-participation of
the CNDP and its set of grievances (refs A and B), the International
Facilitation, Malu Malu, and EU Special Envoy Roeland van de Geer
will travel to Kirolirwe July 23 to meet with the CNDP leadership in
an attempt to bring the organization back into the Amani process.
This follows continued efforts on the part of the U.S. Facilitation
- through meetings, telephone conversations, and e-mail exchanges
with the CNDP - to accomplish this goal. (Note: Malu Malu
distributed the decree on the humanitarian sub-commission provincial
structures to the Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security
on July 17, which fulfills a key demand of the CNDP. End note)
3. (SBU) The International Facilitation traveled to the Petit Nord
July 18 (ref C) to meet with Colonel Mugabo, PARECO military
commander for the region. The reasons for this trip were to counter
perceptions that the International Facilitation is only interested
in CNDP's concerns; prepare for a July 23 meeting between PARECO,
van de Geer, Malu Malu, and the International Facilitation; and
prepare for a meeting between CNDP, PARECO, the FARDC and the
International Facilitation in the near future.
4. (SBU) The FRF, like the CNDP, remains outside of the Amani
process at the present time. Van de Geer, Malu Malu, and the
International Facilitation will travel to Kamombo on July 22 in an
effort to talk the FRF back into the process. This meeting will
also be used to obtain FRF concurrence for a future meeting between
their representatives and those from the FARDC and the Yakatumba Mai
Mai. The GDRC plan remains that once the FRF has disengaged, the
FARDC will pull out of Minembwe and Monravia and will be replaced by
police forces.
Disengagement, DDR, and Brassage
--------------------------------
5. (SBU) Malu Malu stressed during the July 17 meeting that the
plenary of the Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security
needed to reduce the number of regroupment centers for ex-combatants
envisioned by the military sub-commission in order to be congruent
with funding realities. Mountain noted that he would consult with
the World Bank on the possibility of using $4 million to fund
regroupment centers (Note: The Bank heretofore has been clear in its
opposition to funding such centers. End note) Malu Malu reported
that Kabila had said that the GDRC will make an effort to find
funding for the centers, but that donor funding would be necessary
as well.
6. (SBU) The group agreed that the $72 million of World Bank
funding for DDR will be sufficient, provided that a reasonable
number of combatants enter the process, as opposed to the inflated
numbers provided by the armed groups. In this sense, all agreed
that the "one man, one weapon" criterion is critical (Note: this
criterion holds that one can be designated a combatant eligible for
brassage/DDR only if he shows up carrying a weapon. End note) This
will inevitably lead to a great number of "ineligibles" as many
groups have far more fighters than actual weapons.
KINSHASA 00000600 002 OF 002
7. (SBU) Malu Malu said that it will be necessary to put together a
kind of alternative community reintegration program for the
ineligibles. At the same time, it was recognized that such a
program will quickly stall if the armed groups decide to bring a
great number of civilians to the program and attempt to pass them
off as combatants.
8. (SBU) Regarding brassage, Malu Malu made clear that Kabila will
not discuss the idea of conducting brassage in the Kivus, but does
not object to brassage in Maniema. In terms of financing, the
current plan is for donors to "adopt" one or more brassage centers,
by which they would provide logistical and financial support for
four months of training for the newly constituted integrated
brigades. There will also be a continuous International
Facilitation presence at the brassage centers for monitoring
purposes.
9. (SBU) Comment: While there is a reasonable plan now for moving
the Goma process forward, the lack of monetary resources and
demonstrated political will, from both Kinshasa and the armed
groups, will soon manifest as a major obstacle to progress on the
ground. End comment.
GARVELINK