GDRC QUIETLY APPROVES KINSHASA SECURITY PLAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000987 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC MARR CG SUBJECT: GDRC QUIETLY APPROVES KINSHASA SECURITY PLAN Classified By: Poloff Meghan Moore for Reasons 1.4 B and D ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: President Kabila reportedly approved a security plan for Kinshasa in early June to prevent unrest later in the month. The Minister of Interior said the plan balances preventive and security measures, including identifying potential troublemakers, deploying the Rapid Intervention Police (PIR) to Kinshasa hotspots, and paying the police and military before the end of the month. The Minister said the military would be called in if things got out of control. The security plan appears to be a moderate, reasonable response to what could be a crisis for the transition. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The Minister of Interior Theophile Mbemba told polcouns June 5 that President Kabila approved a unpublicized security plan for Kinshasa in early June to prevent and minimize possible unrest later in the month. In his opinion, the plan balances preventive measures such as community outreach, including 'spreading money in hot communes,' meeting with opposition leaders (notably Tshisekedi),and controlling access to the media to prevent 'hate messages,' with more concrete security measures such as specifically delegating principal responsibility for maintaining public order to the police and identifying potential troublemakers to the internal intelligence agency (ANR). Mbemba told polcouns the Rapid Intervention Police (PIR) would be deployed in Kinshasa to traditional hotspots, including Limete, Masina and near the major universities. He added that police and military would be paid before the end of the month. Although tension has dropped significantly, and he did not think all these measures would be necessary, he felt it was best to be prepared. ¶3. (C) In terms of a back-up plan, Mbemba said military elements would be called in, if and only if, things got out of control. Mbemba said that the South Africans had been helping the Congolese better coordinate military and police responses to potential unrest to prevent the military from overreacting to civil unrest. (Note: During January civil unrest, the military deployed in conjunction with the PIR, instead of in support. End note.) He said military units would be on standby in areas near traditional hotspots to support the PIR. If things got out of control, he said 600-1000 Angolan soldiers stationed near the airport under the command of General Nabiolwa could be brought into Kinshasa to quell serious unrest. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) With the exception of limiting access to the media, the security plan appears to be a moderate, reasonable response to what could be a crisis for the transition. End comment. MEECE