OPPOSITION SAYS IT WON'T GO TO LIBREVILLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 008382 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2010 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CG SUBJECT: OPPOSITION SAYS IT WON'T GO TO LIBREVILLE CLASSIFIED BY POLOFF JONATHAN PRATT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B/D). ¶1. (C) MOST MAJOR OPPOSITION LEADERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY WON'T GO TO LIBREVILLE TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT KABILA ON DECEMBER 21, AND CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT ALL INITIATIVES FOR THE INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE SHOULD BE PURSUED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. ¶2. (C) DURING A MEETING WITH POLOFF DECEMBER 18, THOMAS OTSHUDI, LEGAL ADVISOR TO FONUS (NEW FORCES FOR UNION AND SOLIDARITY) PRESIDENT JOSEPH OLENGHANKOY, REPORTED THAT NO ONE FROM FONUS WOULD ATTEND THE PROPOSED SUMMIT. HE CLAIMED THAT THE KABILA GOVERNMENT HADN'T EVEN CALLED WITH AN INVITATION, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MEETING WAS ONLY THREE DAYS AWAY, AND ACCUSED KABILA OF ATTEMPTING TO CREATE THE ILLUSION THAT HE IS REACHING OUT TO THE OPPOSITION. (NOTE: OLENGHANKOY IS ONE OF THE FEW OPPOSITION LEADERS WHO REMAIN IN KINSHASA, SINCE MOST OF THE OTHER MAJOR FIGURES HAVE FLED. END NOTE.) OTSHUDI REPORTED THAT OLENGHANKOY WAS ADAMANT THAT ONLY DIALOGUE FACILITATOR MASIRE COULD CALL SUCH A MEETING, NOT PRESIDENT KABILA. OLENGHANKOY'S LEGAL ADVISOR ALSO OFFERED HIS VIEW THAT KABILA'S PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION ON THE INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE HAD NO AUTHORITY UNDER THE LUSAKA ACCORDS TO BRING PARTIES TOGETHER OR EVEN PARTICIPATE IN THE DIALOGUE, SINCE THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN NAMED BY KABILA HIMSELF. ¶3. (U) OTHER OPPOSITION LEADERS HAVE MADE THEIR POSITIONS PLAIN IN THE PRESS. CHRISTOPHE LUTUNDULA OF MSDD (SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT) IS QUOTED IN "LE POTENTIEL" AS STATING THAT ALL INITIATIVES FOR A NATIONAL DIALOGUE MUST COME FROM WITHIN THE LUSAKA ACCORDS. THE DEMOCRATIC AND SOCIAL CHRISTIAN PARTY (PDSC) ECHOED THIS BELIEF IN A PRESS RELEASE. ARMED OPPOSITION LEADER JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA HAS STATED PUBLICLY FOR SOME TIME THAT HE WON'T PARTICIPATE IN ANY DIALOGUE WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF FACILITATOR KETUMILE MASIRE. SWING