VZCZCXRO3321
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0965/01 3100725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050725Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8718
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 000965
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT: SITUATION REPORT FOR DRC - NOVEMBER 4, 2008,
AS OF 5:30 PM CENTRAL AFRICAN TIME (GMT +1)
REFS: (A) KINSHASA 964
(B) KINSHASA 963
1. (U) All times Kinshasa (GMT + 1) unless otherwise
indicated.
Security Situation in Goma
--------------------------
2. (SBU) MONUC continues to reinforce Goma, to include armored
personnel carriers at key locations, although troop levels appear to
be less than optimal. MONUC military contacts said they are looking
into options for redeploying peacekeepers to Goma. In particular,
the lines of command and operation for the Pakistani battalion in
South Kivu have been extended northwards into North Kivu, thereby
extending their field of operations without submitting to Indian
command (which heretofore had been responsible for all of North
Kivu).
3. (SBU) USAID officer TDY in Goma/Gisenyi attended a UN security
briefing today, at which it was reported that most of the area
around Goma was calm November 3, with the exception of fighting
reported in Kashunga, north of Mweso (100 kilometers west of Goma)
between the FARDC and CNDP.
4. (SBU) At Nyanzale (reftels), the small FARDC presence had fled
when they heard of an eventual CNDP movement towards the area.
Although there was no fighting reported there and CNDP troops have
not entered Nyanzale, NGO's have reported that it has been emptied
of its population, including IDP's, since November 3. Mercy Corps
evacuated its staff from Nyanzale. Additionally, the CNDP is
bringing in reinforcements around Mushaki, approximately 30
kilometers west of Goma, which is of concern to humanitarian
workers.
5. (SBU) The CNDP released a letter today to SRSG Alan Doss, under
Nkunda's signature, noting that the ceasefire declared by the CNDP
is in danger, mostly because of MONUC's inability to stop
cooperation between the FARDC and the FDLR.
6. (SBU) The UNHCR office in Kinshasa told PolCouns and Poloff
today that Guatemalan Special Forces soldiers are ensuring security
at the Goma airport. Additionally, up to 5,000 FARDC soldiers and
their families have fled to Minova, just over the border in South
Kivu, and there is concern as to what instability this movement
might bring. UNHCR emphasized that the security situation in Goma
is tenuous, due to the proximity of the CNDP to the town, and that
only essential staff are operating there.
Humanitarian Developments
-------------------------
7. (SBU) WFP has begun delivering food in some locations. NGO
contacts in Goma report continued pillaging of items in the field
such as medical stocks, but the FARDC appears to have returned most
of the vehicles they had commandeered from NGO's. Separately, the
Belgian government reportedly is sending in two planes of food and
other humanitarian items, which should arrive today or soon
thereafter.
8. (SBU) The UNHCR office also noted that the UN convoy to Rutshuru
on November 3 (ref B) found that all three camps in the area had
been emptied of their inhabitants, and shelters burned. There is
strong evidence that the CNDP forced the camps' inhabitants to
return home, on the pretext that the situation was now secure.
Rutshuru is under CNDP control, according to UNHCR. UNHCR
emphasized that the passage of this convoy to CNDP area was a
substantive public relations boon for the rebel group, which it
exploited.
9. (SBU) The UNHCR office reported that 10,000 refugees have fled
to Uganda over the past several weeks, but maintained that only 50
had gone to Rwanda. These latter appeared to be waiting near the
border for security to improve to return to the DRC.
Political Developments
----------------------
10. (SBU) A MONUC Kinshasa contact reported to Poloff that UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should arrive in Kinshasa on November
9, following a trip to Kigali on November 6 or 7. The UNSG will
attempt to facilitate a meeting between Presidents Kabila and
Kagame.
11. (U) The recently named AU envoy (ref A) is Ibrahima Fall,
KINSHASA 00000965 002 OF 002
former Senegalese foreign minister, who was also previously Kofi
Annan's Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region and
Assistant Secretary-General at UN headquarters.
12. (SBU) MONUC contacts in Goma report that ex-combatants continue
to show up at the military camp at Nyaleke. The facilitation will
meet soon to continue planning the process of dealing with
ex-combatants.
BROCK