NORTH KIVU FIREFIGHT SPOTLIGHTS PROBLEM OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001260 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016 TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG SUBJECT: NORTH KIVU FIREFIGHT SPOTLIGHTS PROBLEM OF NON-INTEGRATED FARDC TROOPS REF: KINSHASA 101 Classified By: PolOff TJNaber, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Summary: On August 5, a firefight in Sake, North Kivu broke out between two Congolese army (FARDC) battalions, one integrated and one non-integrated. Both battalions suffered casualties -- at least three soldiers died and thirty-two were wounded, according to MONUC. Twenty-two civilians were also confirmed wounded, and locals reported two killed. The shoot-out caused up to 3,000 Sake residents to flee. Although MONUC says the situation is now under control, this latest in a series of military attacks illustrates the continuing problem of non-integrated militia within the FARDC structure. End summary. The Players -------------- ¶2. (C) North Kivu province constitutes the 8th Military Region of the FARDC. Within the 8th Military Region, both the 8th and 9th Brigades are stationed. The 9th Brigade is integrated, meaning it -- and all its smaller component battalions -- has been through training and has a mix of soldiers from a variety of Congolese former armed factions. The 8th Brigade, which is composed of ex-ANC militia, has not gone through integration or training. Battalions within the 8th Brigade have been responsible for repeated problems in North Kivu. Some of these battalions have preyed on civilians, attacked integrated FARDC units (including the 5th which has since been relocated outside of the province - reftel),and aligned themselves with renegade General Laurent Nkunda. ¶3. (C) The August 5 firefight pitted the 94th Battalion (of the 9th Integrated Brigade) against the 834th Battalion (of the non-integrated 8th Brigade). While initial MONUC reports claimed an altercation between soldiers on patrol -- that one battalion had forcibly disarmed a soldier from another battalion -- sparked the incident, later statements indicate that tensions between the two sides had been high for several weeks. According to MONUC, the local population witnessed the taunting of 94th Battalion soldiers by elements of the 834th Battalion. Some sources reported that Major Kabundi, the ex-ANC officer in charge of the 834th Battalion, actually executed a 94th Battalion soldier. (Note: This is unconfirmed. End note.) The Events -------------- ¶4. (C) The fight itself began at 1100 Saturday, August 5 and lasted three hours, according to MONUC. As a result, between 1,000 and 3,000 Sake residents fled toward Goma, the provincial capital approximately twenty kilometers to the west. The MONUC North Kivu Brigade established a strong presence in Sake and quickly brought the situation under control. MONUC also arranged a meeting between the factions to decide on a course of action. The result was that the 8th Military Region Commander, General Amisi (himself an ex-ANC officer),ordered both sides to move to new locations. He ordered the 834th Battalion to depart for Kabati (20 kilometers north of Sake) and the 94th Battalion to move to Mugunga Barrier (location unclear). In their place, he positioned a battalion (the 111th) from the 11th Integrated Brigade to take over the sites vacated by both fighting battalions in Sake. ¶5. (C) By August 6, the 94th Battalion had departed, and the 111th Battalion had taken its place. However, the 834th Battalion remained while the 8th Brigade officers decided whether to obey the order. As of August 9, the 834th Battalion had moved two kilometers from the center of town, but no further. MONUC troops also remained in Sake, and many of the displaced had started returning from Goma by August 9. An unspecified number, however, told MONUC they would not return home until the 834th Battalion had vacated Sake completely. The Continuing Problem -------------- ¶6. (C) In an internal MONUC report, the MONUC Goma Head of Office said that ex-ANC non-integrated units, currently regarded as FARDC regular forces despite their continued refusal to report to integration centers, have repeatedly and deliberately attacked civilians and soldiers of FARDC KINSHASA 00001260 002 OF 002 integrated units. He called for the 834th Battalion to be denounced as FARDC outcasts. He criticized 8th Military Region Commander General Amisi as being unable or unwilling to effect the movement of the renegade battalion from Sake. He also noted that a special report on the conduct of non-integrated ex-ANC brigades in North Kivu is being prepared by his office. ¶7. (C) Comment: Though the current skirmish has been resolved, the underlying causes for it have not. Until all FARDC units have been integrated and basic reforms implemented to ensure minimally adequate pay, support, and discipline, such problems will persist. End comment. MEECE