VIOLENCE QUELLED, BUT KINSHASA TENSELY AWAITING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001740 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC CG KPKO CASC ELECTIONS SUBJECT: VIOLENCE QUELLED, BUT KINSHASA TENSELY AWAITING ELECTION RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT ¶1. (U) Summary: Three hours of violence erupted in the Gombe district of central Kinshasa late in the morning on Saturday, November 11. Most of the fighting occurred near the official residence of Vice President Bemba on Gombe's main thoroughfare, and near Bemba's private riverside residence. Though there are several versions of what sparked the violence, what is clear is that both the Bemba and Kabila camps worked together quickly to diffuse a potentially explosive situation. The Presidential Guard did not deploy, and police and military forces appear to have reacted with restraint. Fighting ended by early afternoon, and representatives of the two candidates met with each other and with MONUC. No new incidents have occurred, though Kinshasa remains on edge in anticipation of the announcement of provincial results of the presidential election. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Fighting broke out in the Gombe quarter of central Kinshasa late in the morning of Saturday, November 11. Dozens of street gang members (locally known as "shegues") and armed men in civilian clothes burned tires and blocked traffic in at least three locations, while others threw rocks at passing motorists on Gombe's 30 June Boulevard. (Note: Rocks broke the rear windows of a vehicle being driven by one mission employee, as reported separately via DS channel. The employee was not injured and immediately drove from the scene. End note.) In an attempt to disperse these demonstrators in front of Bemba's official residence on 30 June Boulevard at around 1100, police fired shots in the air. Interior Minister Kalume reported later that police had also used tear gas. Armed men in civilian attire then fired at police, setting off sporadic exchanges of gunfire that lasted for almost three hours. Shooting, punctuated by several booms from RPGs, occurred near Bemba's official residence, near his riverside private residence, and near the residence of Air Force Chief of Staff John Numbi (who apparently was not at home). Per the Interior Minister, the fighting resulted in the deaths of three civilians and one security officer. ¶3. (SBU) Bemba was in a meeting with the Belgian Ambassador at Bemba's private residence when the shooting broke out. Shortly thereafter, Bemba met with SRSG Swing and MONUC Force Commander Babacar Gaye. President Kabila was in telephone contact with Bemba soon after the fighting began, as was Interior Minister Kalume. Bemba made numerous calls to commanders of his militia in order to put a stop to the shooting. Except for several scattered and smaller incidents later in the afternoon, fighting ended around 1245 and Swing and Gaye left Bemba's residence shortly thereafter. An emergency meeting of the Working Group, which included representatives of both camps and Congolese security forces, took place at 1430. Bemba claimed at the time and subsequently that the fighting was not initiated by his MLC, but rather by extreme elements not under his control. ¶4. (SBU) All fighting ended in Gombe by mid-afternoon and no new incidents have occurred since. Importantly, there were no demonstrations nor any acts of violence in any other area of Kinshasa, where business continued as usual. Even in Gombe, where many businesses closed and where there was little traffic over the weekend, activity quickly resumed. A large National Day reception at the Angolan Ambassador's residence in Gombe took place as planned in the early evening of November 11 without incident. (Note: On November 13, Kinshasa Governor Badonin Liwanga issued a statement that police had detained 337 "shegues" after the violence. Most are being sent to rural training centers outside of Kinshasa. End note.) ¶5. (SBU) AmCits were advised through the warden system to remain indoors during and after the fighting. With the exception of the Mission employee whose vehicle was stoned (para 2),we are not aware of any AmCits who were directly caught up in any of the violence. ¶6. (SBU) The International Committee to Accompany the Transition (CIAT) convened the afternoon of Sunday, November ¶12. MONUC forces are now permanently positioned at Bemba's official residence on 30 June Boulevard, and Bemba has indicated he will withdraw most of his militia from the vicinity. Bemba also agreed to participate in "joint" military patrols in a traditional hotspot area around 30 June Boulevard with General Numbi's guards and with FARDC's 7th Integrated Brigade forces. During a November 13 meeting with the Ambassador and Political Counselor (septel),Bemba KINSHASA 00001740 002 OF 002 reiterated his determination to avoid any further violence in Kinshasa. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: The critical (and fortunate) difference between this flare-up and the violence of August 20-22 is that the two principals moved relatively quickly to contain the situation rather than to escalate it. In August, both sides used their military forces to attack the other. This time, the Presidential Guard was not deployed, and police and military forces did not overreact. That said, there are clearly potential troublemakers within the broad coalition that Bemba assembled in the second round. These elements may have been behind, or at least fanning the flames of, the problems on Saturday. In an already tense environment, and with election results expected to be announced soon, the recent violence is a stark reminder that even a small spark has the potential to ignite trouble. MEECE