SITREP 5: INITIAL OBSERVATIONS: PEACEFUL AND

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001675 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS SUBJECT: SITREP 5: INITIAL OBSERVATIONS: PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY ELECTIONS REF: KINSHASA 1674 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Preliminary conversations with representatives of several of the international observer missions in DR Congo for the October 29 elections generally reflected U.S. Mission reports of mostly peaceful and efficient voting in all areas of the country. Missions will release official preliminary assessments during the next week. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Representatives of several international observer teams said they were impressed with the overall poll operations on October 29 and with the orderliness of the counting procedures at voting stations. The Carter Center, the South African Development Community-Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF),South Africa Observer Mission (SAOM),European Union (EU) Observer Mission, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) together fielded over 500 observers (of 1100 international observers) in all provinces. ¶3. (SBU) A Carter Center representative with whom we spoke shared our initial observations that polling procedures were largely implemented properly in Kinshasa and throughout the country. No Carter Center observers encountered hostility directed at them as members of the international community. Carter Center observers noted a large number of party witnesses but found many poorly informed and trained. Initial assessments from observers were that almost all sites visited had either been satisfactory or very satisfactory in their operations. The Carter Center expects to issue a preliminary statement by the afternoon of November 1 and a post-election report following the Independent Electoral Commission's provisional announcement of presidential results, which is scheduled to occur no later than November ¶19. ¶4. (SBU) A SADC-PF representative said he had encountered only minor difficulties, such as a few ballot boxes not properly sealed in a center in the Kinshasa district of Bandalunga. He also noted that many political party witnesses at the sites he visited seemed not to know their duties well. ¶5. (SBU) A SAOM representative told us that "as a rule, everything went well." He said most of the polling stations in the eastern part of the country had opened on time, with only the provinces of Bandundu, Bas Congo, and Kinshasa affected by the rain. According to one SAOM observer in Bukavu, a presiding officer was suspended for allegedly telling voters for whom to vote. Another SAOM observer in Bunia said that a station had closed for the night without counting the provincial votes. ¶6. (SBU) An EU observer characterized Election Day as without major incident and noted higher turnout in Eastern and Western Kasai than in the first round. He also noted an increase in political party witnesses in Kinshasa. He said the number of additional witnesses seemed to confuse poll workers, who did not understand that carbon copies of results sheets were available for each witness; the poll workers often provided only one copy and sent the rest to collection centers. He cited poor training as one reason for this error. ¶7. (SBU) A COMESA representative based in Kinshasa said COMESA observers in the other provinces saw peaceful voting and counting and officials working hard to maintain transparency. He said that nearly every voting station he visited in Kinshasa had at least 200 voters out of some 300-370 registered. Police officers throughout the city told him the situation remained calm throughout the day. COMESA had not received any complaints of fraud from political parties. COMESA observers in Kinshasa met many party witnesses, some trying to direct voting procedures. He said poll workers acted to rein in the witnesses. ¶8. (SBU) Each of these missions will use the next few days to evaluate the collection and transportation of ballots and results. They are planning to issue preliminary reports after the bulk of the votes have been compiled, as many of the problems during the July 30 election appeared not during voting but during the compilation process. MEECE