ITURI UPDATE: GDRC SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH KARIM, WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001768 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV KPKO CG UG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: GDRC SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH KARIM, WITH POSSIBLE AMNESTY PROVISION REF: A. KINSHASA 1165 ¶B. KINSHASA 1767 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Summary: The GDRC has signed a follow-up agreement with Ituri militia leader Peter Karim aimed at accelerating the demobilization and surrender of his Front for National Integration (FNI) forces. The latest deal promises the FNI will begin disarming by November 27, but stipulates that an amnesty agreement for Karim and his militia must be "formalized" first. The new agreement will only be effective if the GDRC agrees to abide by this amnesty clause. End summary. ¶2. (C) The GDRC and Ituri District militia leader Peter Karim have reached a follow-up agreement aimed at accelerating demobilization and surrender of his Front for National Integration (FNI) militia. The agreement was signed in the Ituri village of Doi by Karim and presidential adviser Alexandre Mwarabu, as well as MONUC military chief of staff General Christian Houdet as official observer. Karim signed a previous official disarmament agreement July 13 (ref A),but has yet to send any of his militia forces to demobilization sites. ¶3. (C) The deal is similar to the one agreed to by Mathieu Ngudjolo and the Congolese Revolutionary Movement November 16 (ref B). Karim and his militia's leadership will conduct a civic education campaign aimed at convincing militia forces to surrender. Karim and the FNI are to designate two liaison officers to work jointly with the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) in Ituri. The Congolese military is charged with providing transport to the FNI members engaged in this work. Unlike the Ngudjolo accord, the GDRC will not be giving Karim money to conduct the civic education campaign. ¶4. (C) As with Ngudjolo, Karim's deal includes a stipulation concerning an amnesty agreement. The final point of the latest agreement calls for the "necessity to formalize amnesty," again urging the withdrawal of international arrest warrants. ¶5. (C) MONUC military officials said Karim's FNI militia has between 1,000 and 1,800 members who could report for disarmament. They are expected to begin surrendering November 27 at a site in Kwandroma, approximately 55 miles northeast of Bunia. Weapons will be collected during this regrouping phase and put under the control of the FARDC. MONUC military chief of staff General Christian Houdet said transport of militia members to the site will be facilitated by both MONUC and the FARDC. Child protection services will also be established at the demobilization camp for surrendering child soldiers. ¶6. (C) Comment: Karim will not disband his militia without first receiving a formal amnesty agreement, and the GDRC has thus far been unwilling to grant this request, even though it has agreed to it in principle in previous negotiations. Karim's militia will likely continue to operate and menace the region's security until the amnesty question is finally resolved. End comment. MEECE