SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN SHABUNDA

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000623

SIPDIS

AIDAC

SIPDIS

AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA- MMARX, CGOTTCHALK, MSHIRLEY
AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP- TANDERSON, NCOX, TMCRAE
AID/W FOR DCHA/OTI- RJENKINS, KHUBER
AID/W FOR AFR- KO'DONNELL, JBORNS
NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA/ARO- JMYER, ADWYER
NAIROBI FOR USAID/FFP- DSUTHER, ADEPREZ
ROME FOR USUN FODAG- RNEWBERG
GENEVA FOR NYKLOH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM PREF PGOV KPKO CG
SUBJECT: SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN SHABUNDA
AND MWENGA, SOUTH KIVU


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Summary
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1. (U) In general, security and humanitarian access have
significantly improved in Shabunda and Mwenga territories
over the past few years. Long-term security issues in
these territories are caused by the activities of
dissident Mai Mai groups rather than the actions of the
FDLR. Particularly since the capture in February of
dissident Mai Mai commander Major Alexander, residents
have begun to move relatively freely and to engage in
various livelihood activities. However, security has
deteriorated recently in the northern part of both
territories due to arrivals of FDLR fleeing FARDC/MONUC
attacks on FDLR positions in Kalehe Territory. These
retreating elements have attacked local populations and
caused new displacements estimated at 30,000 people. Some
Mwenga and Shabunda residents wonder what purpose MONUC
and FARDC think they are serving in attacking FDLR, since
such operations often result only in the movement of FDLR
from one place to another and thus spread insecurity
rather than diminish it. END SUMMARY

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Background
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2. (U) This is the first of two communications reporting
observations made by USAID/OFDA Rep Victor Bushamuka
during a visit to Shabunda and Mwenga Territories March 22
to 29. The objective of the visit was to assess the
security and humanitarian situation in the area. During
the visit, OFDA Rep met with civilian and military
authorities, humanitarian actors in the territories, IDPs,
residents, and FDLR combatants.


3. (U) Mwenga and Shabunda are territories in South Kivu
province, located 94km southwest and 200km west of Bukavu
respectively. These territories have suffered extensive
Mai Mai and FDLR activities since the start of the war in

1998. During most of the 1998-2003 DRC-Rwanda war, the two
main towns of Shabunda and Mwenga were occupied by the
forces of the Rensemblement Congolais pour la Democratie
(RCD),a then Rwanda-backed ex-rebel movement, while the
rest of the territories were controlled by Mai Mai and
FDLR troops.


4. (U) With the formation of the transitional government
in 2003, the RCD and Mai Mai forces in the areas were
theoretically merged into two FARDC brigades, the 120th in
Shabunda and the 107th in Mwenga. The merger has not yet
been fully realized as each group has in fact kept control
of the territory it occupied during the war and there has
been minimal mixing of the troops.


5. (U) Though FDLR populations reside in Shabunda and
Mwenga Territories, insecurity over the past two years has
been caused mostly by dissident Mai Mai. In 2005, Mai Mai
commanders in Shabunda and Mwenga refused an order by
military authorities to go to "brassage" (mixing)
integration camps, saying they did not want to leave their
areas of control open to a take over by ex-RCD troops.
Furthermore, Mai Mai commander Major Alexander of Shabunda
said that he would consider integration only if he were
given the rank of general in the FARDC, something which he
has not been offered. Since then, Major Alexander's group
has been one of the main sources of insecurity in
Shabunda, creating several displacements of the population
during multiple skirmishes with FARDC troops. The most
recent confrontation was in January-February 2006 in the
localities of Bakisi, Katchunga, Lumba, and Lugungu. The
fighting was believed to have displaced about 3,000
families into the forest, but some of these eventually
made their way south toward Shabunda center.

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Shabunda
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6. (U) The dissident Mai Mai commander Major Alexander was
captured by FARDC in February 2006 in north Shabunda.
However, some residents of Shabunda are still skeptical of
how effective the arrest will be in improving security
since Alexander's followers are still at large in the
forest. The dissident Mai Mai are believed to be
concentrated around Kiseku southeast of Shabunda town.
Nonetheless, since the capture of Alexander, there have
been no more attacks by this group on FARDC positions or
the civilian population.


7. (U) Shabunda residents feel differently regarding the
ex-RCD-dominated FARDC brigade present in the territory,
depending on whether they are from the north of the
territory or the south. For people living north of the
river Ulindi, the former Mai Mai stronghold area, Shabunda
will be considered insecure as long as ex-RCD troops
remain in control of it. These villagers are often accused
by FARDC of collaborating with dissident Mai Mai in the
forest, and are anxious to see the ex-RCD troops replaced
by an integrated brigade or a non-ex-RCD brigade.


8. (U) On the other hand, people living south of the river
are satisfied with the performance of the 120th brigade of
FARDC, particularly for capturing Alexander and stopping
the frequent Mai Mai attacks on civilians. Despite the
difference in opinion between the two populations, there
is a consensus among both groups that security in the
territory is generally better now than it has been since

1998. Many indicated that they are able to grow crops
without fear of looting by armed groups.


9. (U) One area where security has deteriorated is the
northeast corner of the territory where Shabunda borders
Kalehe Territory. Some FDLR combatants fleeing the ongoing
joint FARDC-MONUC offensive in Kalonge, Bunyakiri, and
around Kahuzi Biega National Park have moved west into
Shabunda Territory. These retreating FDLR have established
checkpoints in Byangama and Kigulube where each person
passing through is requested to pay $2 or the equivalent
in goods. Cow traders are also required to pay $5 for each
cow. Surprisingly, people going through the checkpoint
seem not to mind paying for their passage. According to
our interlocutors, no harm comes to people as long as
these fees are paid. However, a large presence of FDLR in
the area worries residents due to a possible FARDC-MONUC
attack on the FDLR. As a result, some of the villages near
where FDLR have resettled are now deserted. It is not yet
clear where the estimated 12,000 inhabitants of these
villages have gone.


10. (U) FARDC authorities in Shabunda are aware of these
checkpoints, but admitted to OFDA Rep that they were
unable to intervene due to a lack of troops. The 120th
brigade in Shabunda, which used to have over 2,500 troops,
now has fewer than 800 members. A large part of the
brigade has gone to the brassage process. The remaining
force is not enough to assure protection of a vast
territory such as Shabunda.

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Mwenga
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11. (U) Mwenga has been calm over most of the past year
despite a heavy presence of FDLR, who established bases in
the territory at the beginning of the 1998-2003 war. Among
the well-known FDLR bases in Mwenga are Isopo, Kigalama,
Kakanga, Ngandu, Kirungutwe, Kalame, Kalambi, and Kasika.
Mwenga FDLR elements have been coexisting peacefully with
local populations for several years now and even cultivate
their own fields and are producing food both for
consumption and sale in local markets.


12. (U) The current confrontations between FARDC/MONUC and
FDLR and Mai Mai dissidents in Bunyakiri and Kalonge in
the territory of Kalehe have, however, negatively affected
the security situation in northern Mwenga. Some retreating
FDLR and Mai Mai from Kalehe have found their way to
Mwenga, increasing the already high number of FDLR in the

territory. These recent arrivals are believed to be
concentrated in Kitamba, Kigongo, and Ngando in northern
Mwenga. In fear of a potential FARDC/MONUC attack on their
bases, the FDLR of Mwenga also deserted their bases,
retreating several kilometers deeper into the forest and
abandoning their crops and other livelihood activities.
These abandoned FDLR fields were looted in January-
February by FARDC soldiers passing through on foot on
their way to the integration ("brassage") camp in
Luberizi.


13. (U) As a consequence of FDLR in Mwenga losing their
crops and other livelihood activities, the relationship
with the local population has deteriorated, with multiple
FDLR attacks on villagers registered in the past two
months. The attacks often include looting, kidnapping, and
raping of women, and have instigated massive population
movements. OFDA Rep visited several localities including
Kalumba, Kisube, and Bikute, comprised normally of 19,000
inhabitants, that are now empty.


14. (U) Forest areas, which used to be the safe haven for
most Mwenga residents fleeing armed confrontations, are
now an FDLR stronghold. In addition, many residents
believe that the dissident Mai Mai group of "Colonel 106"
has also moved to Mwenga from Kahuzi-Biega National Park.
As a result, the forests of Mwenga are now viewed as one
of the most dangerous areas in the territory and
population displacements are now mainly towards the main
towns including Kamituga and Mwenga center. Although the
exact number of IDPs in these towns has not yet been
determined, the administrator of the territory estimates
the population of Kamituga to have doubled from the 16,000
inhabitants estimated to be living there in 2003.

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Future Prospects
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15. (U) Residents of villages located near where the FDLR
have taken refuge have begun to pay for their security.
Each household is requested to contribute about a kilo of
cassava flour and half kilo of beans per week to the FDLR
through their village chiefs. Many households that are
unable to contribute have left the area in fear of
retribution. Similarly, many villages within 10 km of the
town of Kamituga have requested protection from FARDC and
have agreed to contribute food and money to the patrolling
soldiers and their commanders in town.

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Civilian Discontent
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16. (U) Civilians that OFDA Rep spoke with in Mwenga and
Shabunda questioned the value of the current joint
FARDC/MONUC operations against FDLR in Kalehe Territory.
They observe that when under attack, FDLR elements move to
new areas, principally Mwenga and Shabunda, and that
insecurity thus spreads and increases rather than
decreases.
DOUGHERTY