UDPS OFFICIAL RELEASED FROM DETENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000422 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG SUBJECT: UDPS OFFICIAL RELEASED FROM DETENTION REF: KINSHASA 409 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Following his arrest March 10 during a demonstration in Kinshasa (reftel),Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) Secretary General Remy Masamba was released from police custody after being held for approximately two hours. Masamba told PolCouns March 11 he was treated "like a celebrity" while being detained, and when MONUC human rights officers visited him 45 minutes after he arrived at the police station, they found him drinking coffee with officers. Masamba said he was in good health and experienced no problems during his detention. ¶2. (U) Since Friday morning's demonstration, Kinshasa remains quiet, and there have been no further incidents. ¶3. (C) Masamba told PolCouns the violence that occurred during the demonstration resulted from the actions of "shegues" (Congolese street youth) organized by UDPS National Committee President Valentin Mubake. Masamba said his intention was to march peacefully with about 50 UDPS members, but the demonstration became uncontrollable with the arrival of more than 100 shegues. According to Masamba, it was Mubake and his group who were responsible for the rock-throwing and other incidents of violence March 10. ¶4. (C) Masamba also told PolCouns he intends to resign from the UDPS and run as an independent candidate for president. Masamba claimed he has a network of "disaffected" UDPS followers in place who will follow his lead, quit the UDPS and run as independent candidates for the National Assembly. ¶5. (C) Masamba added that he does not believe UDPS President Etienne Tshisekedi will run for president. Masamba explained Tshisekedi's reluctance to run is based in part on his fear SIPDIS of losing the election, although he still believes he has the full support of the UDPS. Masamba argued, however, that when he resigns from the party, along with dozens of others, Tshisekedi will realize his base in the UDPS is less solid SIPDIS than he thinks. ¶6. (C) Comment: If Masamba does leave the UDPS, it will be both a blessing and a curse for Congolese politics. On the positive side, having Masamba and other UDPS leaders participate in the electoral process will refute allegations the DRC's elections are not inclusive. However, with the break-up of the UDPS, Tshisekedi will largely be left with a smaller group of hard-core, militant supporters -- the kind prone to violence -- with few if any moderating voices remaining to counsel him. Further factionalization of DRC politics and parties is not a good thing itself, although Tshisekedi's hard-line rejectionist policies seem to have SIPDIS little room for the party pragmatists. End comment. MEECE