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