BRAZZAVILLE/CONGO: PASTOR NTUMI JOINS THE PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001617

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C MADEEHA ASHRAF
INR/AA FOR JENNIFER PEKKINEN
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS GREG D'ELIA, BOB KANEDA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUMCF ASEC AU CF
SUBJECT: BRAZZAVILLE/CONGO: PASTOR NTUMI JOINS THE PARTY

REF: A. KINSHASA 00041

B. KINSHASA 00932

Classified By: CDA MARK BIEDLINGMAIER, REASONS 1.4(B)(D)


1. (C) Papal Nuncio Msgr. Andres Carrascoso-Coso contacted
Charge d'affaires on October 15 with an urgent request to
meet for an update on developments in the Pool region. Msgr.
Carrascoso has been a key contact point with former Ninja
rebel leader Pastor Ntumi for western group members of the
Brazzaville diplomatic corps through his in-country emissary,
Bishop Portella, of Kinkala. The Nuncio stated that Ntumi
planned to launch a new political party, the CNR (Conseille
Nationale des Republicans),National Council of Republicans,
by late November and wished to "sound out" representatives of
the European Union, U.S. Embassy, and UNDP for their reaction
and possible support. Ntumi's representatives, Dr. Joseph
Mbizi and Mr. Mabounda Ntsiomo, met with Carrascoso on
October 14 and asked him to facilitate appointments with the
U.S. Charge d'affaires and EU Ambassador, Mme. Dominique
Pavard. The Nuncio strongly encouraged this initiative and
noted that, in his opinion, there could be no more productive
develo
pment in the Pool region in recent years than to have a
former guerrilla organization, the Ninjas, lay down its arms
and take up constructive political activism and dialogue to
bridge the chasm between north and south. He believed that
it would attract Sassou-Nguesso's interest as well, coming
months before the 2007 legislative elections and lead-up to a
2009 presidential campaign.


2. (C) Charge d'affaires received Mbizi and Ntsiomo for a
two-hour meeting on October 17 at which time they presented a
comprehensive document which included the CNR's statutes,
organizational rules and action plan under the party banner
"Unity, Justice and Peace." CDA was unable to retain a copy
of the document, as Ntsiomo stated that they would need to
seek Patsteur Ntumi's permission before turning over the
draft. Dr. Mbizi, a member of the High Commission for the
Reinsertion of Ex-Combattants and nephew of former President
Pascal Lissouba, stated that Ntumi was "fatigued" by the
protracted negotiations with President Sassou-Nguesso which
he likened to a "cat and mouse, carrot and stick approach
yielding no results after nearly four years of false promises
and insincere gestures." When asked to comment on rumors
rife in Brazzaville that Ntumi had received large sums of
money from Sassou-Nguesso prior to the August 15 Dolisie
National Day reception as a "peace offering", Mbizi
acknowledged that some "i
nfrastructure development assistance" in the amount of USD
$20 million (a fact later confirmed by EU Ambassador Pavard)
had been provided by the government; however, he added that
vastly larger amounts would be needed to fully rehabilitate
the decimated Pool region. He added that this gesture should
not be interpreted as a payoff intended for Ntumbi, but
rather, as an investment in the future of the Pool region to
provide adequate health care, sanitation and infrastructure,
and above all, education, to those left behind in the
post-conflict harmonization program. He noted that a major
stumbling block to achieving a fruitful agreement in the Pool
had been Sassou-Nguesso's continued insistence to handle this
"internal matter" himself, without "interference" from the
international community - a contradiction to the philosophy
apparently espoused by Ntumi.


3. (C) The Charge encouraged Mbizi and Ntsiomo to have
Ntumi press forward with the arms collection and destruction
campaign financed by the European Union and World Bank which
has languished in recent months. Mbizi stated that Ntumi
whole heartedly supported this action, but wanted to engage
the western embassies and international organizations to
serve as an "honest broker and recipient of the arms," rather
than place additional weapons under the control of
Sassou-Nguesso or the Congolese military, leaving no
assurances that the arms would actually be destroyed or
disabled. As a side note, Ntsiomo stated that Sassou-Nguesso
and the Government of Congo had been intentionally
under-reporting the number of arms in circulation, not
necessarily in the Pool, but in other parts of the country
(north and east) which could be easily mobilized to their
advantage in the event of a future armed conflict. Charge
d'affaires noted that members of the diplomatic corps in
Brazzaville were discouraged by reports of an a
lleged attack on a weapons arsenal near Nkiaye days before
the August 15 National Day in nearby Dolisie; however, Mbizi
dismissed this report as highly exaggerated by Sassou-Nguesso
loyalists and claimed that it was in no manner associated
with Pastor Ntumi or the former Ninja rebels and instead, a
wanton criminal act.


4. (C) Mbizi and Ntsiomo stated that they had been
instructed by Ntumi to search for a small office set-up in
downtown Brazzaville, and to request a vote of confidence for
his CNR party initiative from the UNDP, EU and U.S. embassy,
so that CNR's entry into the political arena would be seen as
having the tacit support of the western group. He added that
this nod of approval would also provide "protection" to the
CNR staff assigned to Brazzaville. Charge d'affaires agreed
to relay the substantive of this conversation to Ambassador
Weisberg and to Washington officials for review, with mention
that the Ambassador might be available to meet with them for
any follow-up discussion necessary upon his return to post
on/about October 23.


5. (C) On October 18, Charge met with EU Ambassador
Dominique Pavard following her appointment with Mbizi and
Ntsiomo earlier in the day. In general, she viewed the
creation of the CNR political party as a positive
development, but stipulated to the gentlemen that no
financial support of any kind could be provided by the
European Union. Pavard cautioned that the Nunciature, EU and
U.S. Embassy should proceed cautiously and not be seen as
pawns in the murky waters of a Sassou-Ntumi entente, cordial
or otherwise. Her immediate interest was to pursue closure
of the EU's arms collection activities, and naturally,
welcomed news that DoD specialists had recently visited
Brazzaville to discuss potential cooperation on Light
Arms/Small Weapons with officials from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Pavard opined that, in Sassou-Nguesso's
eyes, the international diplomatic corps were "bit players"
in Brazzaville; therefore, any attempt to meddle in an issue
which he considered an internal matter might precipitate a
n uncomfortable backlash.


6. (C) Following is a brief assessment provided later that
day by former Canadian intelligence officer, Philip Lancaster
(please protect),who has been in frequent contact with Ntumi
and his associates in the Pool region on visits there as a
member of a World Bank Mission survey team, most recently in
mid-September. Quote: I see this as a very positive
development in that it's a step around the blockage presented
by Ntumi's insistence on having his own status considered as
a precondition for anything else. I'm also happy that the
CNR wants to make the transition to a political party and am
even happier that they might constitute a real opposition in
a country suffering from too little real debate. So, it's a
good thing - up to a point. I have some reservation about
encouraging a political development that leans so heavily on
outside interference. In this case, it may seem the only way
but it may also set in motion a defense mechanism from the
present elite that might actually aggravate tensions. This
will be a matter of very fine judgment about the present
balance of power and the embassy will be better placed than
me to make that call. My second concern, very ambivalent, is
over the possible directions such an initiative will take
when the French wake up to it. I think the key here is to
strive for EU participation right from the beginning. As I
have frequently argued, the French have played a slightly
malignant role in Congolese politics and thus, I see no harm
in weakening their influence if it can be done without
provoking the kind of dirty play that could harm both U.S.
and Congolese interests. Go softly, but go forward. End
Quote.


7. (C) Post will report further developments as received.
For INR: Bio data: Dr. Joseph MBIZI, DOB: 20 February 1955,
current: Commissioner, High Commission for the Reinsertion of
Ex-Combattants, Brazzaville; Mr. Mabounda-Ntsiomo, DOB: 07
January 1956, POB: Kolo, Republic of Congo, Address: 68 rue
Franceville, Moungali

BIEDLINGMAIER


MEECE