KABILA ADDRESSES NATION, ANNOUNCES REFORMS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 002795 E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2010 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CG SUBJECT: KABILA ADDRESSES NATION, ANNOUNCES REFORMS CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR WILLIAM LACY SWING FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) ¶1. (C) PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA ADDRESSED THE NATION AT THE KIMBANGUIST CENTER MAY 17 ON THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF MOBUTU'S OVERTHROW. IN THIS, HIS FIRST PUBLIC ADDRESS HERE SINCE HIS INAUGURATION ON JANUARY 26, KABILA ANNOUNCED THE FOLLOWING MEASURES IN A BRIEF, LOW-KEY ADDRESS WHICH OFFERED FEW DETAILS. -- REPLACEMENT OF CONTROVERSIAL DECREE 194 WITH OTHER GUIDELINES FOR POLITICAL PARTY ACTIVITY; -- AMNESTY FOR ALL THOSE PRISONERS WHO HAVE NOT COMMITTED SERIOUS CRIMES SUCH AS MURDER (WE UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 340 DETAINEES IN ALL WILL BE FREED); AND, -- SOCIO-ECONOMIC MEASURES TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO THE POPULATION. ¶2. (C) ALTHOUGH NOT IN HIS REMARKS, SEVERAL MINISTERS CONFIRMED TO THE AMBASSADOR ON MAY 17 THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS: -- THE FOUR CHILD-SOLDIERS WHICH HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS FEARED HAD BEEN EXECUTED HAVE, IN FACT, BEEN RELEASED THIS WEEK (AND HAD NOT BEEN TORTURED); AND, -- THE NINETEEN "KADOGO" SOLDIERS FROM THE LATE PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA'S PROTECTION UNIT HAVE NOT BEEN EXECUTED (AS HAD BEEN RUMORED) AND HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER NTUMBA, WITH WHOM THE AMBASSADOR SPOKE ON MAY 17, HAS BEEN TO MAKALA PRISON THIS WEEK TO VISIT THEM. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: ALTHOUGH OPINION SEEMS SOMEWHAT DIVIDED ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRESIDENT KABILA'S REMARKS, GIVEN THE ABSENCE OF DETAIL, THE MORE GENERAL VIEW IS POSITIVE. BASED ON THE AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH KABILA ON MAY 14, IT IS CLEAR THAT HE IS KEENLY AWARE OF THE URGENT NEED FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORMS, AND THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A PROMISING BEGINNING. SWING