20,000 CIVILIANS FLEE ADVANCING FARDC TROOPS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001754 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2014 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CG PRM SUBJECT: 20,000 CIVILIANS FLEE ADVANCING FARDC TROOPS REF: KINSHASA 1600 Classified By: Poloff Meghan Moore for Reasons 1.5 B and D ¶1. (C) Summary. Seventeen to 20,000 people (mostly Hutu) fled the area around Minova September 10-13 because they were afraid they would be attacked by advancing troops loyal to South Kivu military commander Mabe for having supported Nkunda. There is no evidence of ethnic cleansing or large-scale targeted attacks on Rwandaphone populations in northern S. Kivu. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On September 17, OFDA rep told poloff that OCHA estimates 17,000-20,000 (mostly Hutu) IDPs arrived in and around Ngungu, Masisi territory, N. Kivu (15 km west of Minova) over the past several days. A Western observer who interviewed IDPs in Ngungu on September 16 told poloff there were about 3,500 families or 15,000-20,000 IDPs. The vast majority came from the area of Minova September 10-13. Several IDPs (including a number who were originally displaced in July) told her they fled because they were afraid of reprisal attacks from Mabe's troops for having supported Nkunda. The IDPS also said they would like to return home as soon as security conditions permit. Local authorities told her there were no known attacks on civilians during the recent Mabe advance. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) As of late August, OCHA estimated there were over 1 million IDPs in N. and S. Kivu (Reftel). In July, fighting in and around Kalehe (30km south of Minova) displaced about 35,000 people. The 5,000 mostly Hutu Rwandaphones went north towards Minova, in Nkunda's territory. The other 30,000 non-Rwandaphones went south behind Mabe's lines. Congolese armed groups have a well-deserved reputation for reprisal attacks on civilian groups who were perceived as aiding and abetting the 'enemy,' and reprisal attacks could have occurred as Mabe's troops advanced if the civilians had stayed in place. There is no evidence, however, of ethnic cleansing or large-scale targeted attacks on Rwandaphone populations in northern S. Kivu. MEECE