SSR - BLOCKAGES REMAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000711 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO CG SUBJECT: SSR - BLOCKAGES REMAIN Classified By: A/DCM Melissa Sanderson, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Little progress was made at the May 3 meeting of the Joint Commission on Security on key issues of improving military discipline and establishing a viable rhythm for integration and demobilization. SRSG Swing strongly cautioned the GDRC officials present that the already faltering military reform process is in danger of complete collapse. Donors are expected to call upon the Security Council to convene a meeting to review SSR in the Congo, following earlier reviews in 2004 and 2005. This weekend's meetings of the Congolese Supreme Defense Council, at which President Kabila reportedly demanded progress on the key issues of SSR, may provide a way forward. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The May 3 meeting was convened after the April 19 meeting was adjourned early when donors pointed out that the absence of most of the key Congolese actors made further discussion superfluous. At the May 3 meeting, attendance was much improved, including CHOD Kisempia, DefMin Onusumba, FARDC Inspector General, the Vice-Minister of Interior, and CONADER head Daniel Kawata, among others. At the suggestion of SRSG Swing, it was decided that the Commission should start meeting every two weeks, and the next meeting therefore is scheduled for May 17. -------------- Military Discipline - What Can Be Done? -------------- ¶3. (C) The first and most pressing issue on the agenda was to urgently develop a means of addressing the increasingly flagrant abuses of human rights by FARDC troops. Although all necessary GDRC officials attended the meeting, including Chief of the Armed Forces General Kisempia, few ideas were forthcoming. Both Kisempia and Minister of Defense Onusumba noted the need for an educational campaign to instruct troops in human rights issues, and Kisempia proposed that the international community (perhaps the Red Cross) begin providing such instruction at the integration centers. Despite having been provided a list by MONUC of over 1200 specific instances of human rights violations by FARDC, GDRC officials were not prepared to discuss specific punitive measures in those cases, nor were they prepared to discuss establishing mandatory sentencing for identified violations. The FARDC Inspector General noted that there are only 300 staff in the military justice system, and appealed for 
international assistance to train and equip more judges. Kisempia noted that he had recently returned from visiting units stationed in eastern Congo, and stressed that he spoke to the officers and troops and issued a stern "zero tolerance" message. He added, however, that his ability to enforce such a message was limited by the very nature of the transition, since military elements coming from different components do not necessarily respect his orders. In closing discussion of this agenda item, Vice President Ruberwa noted that despite the Congo's "incoherent" military system there is strong political will to combat impunity. -------------- Integration - Still Lagging -------------- ¶4. (C) GDRC officials reiterated the usual litany of problems blocking the smooth functioning of integration, including inadequate supplies of fuel to ensure transport from the centers to the posts of assignment for graduating troops. They asked for international community assistance in providing fuel and transport. Elements such as the 7th Integrated Brigade are still taking up space at the Rumangabu brassage center (North Kivu),for instance, and because they have not been fully deployed to Luberu (North Kivu),it isn't possible for the next group of soldiers to arrive at Rumangabu for integration. The GDRC is still (comment: optimistically, end comment) envisioning having 12 integrated brigades deployed before elections (currently scheduled for end-July),and outlined the envisoned deployment for the 8th through 12th elements. -------------- Demobilization - Still A Problem -------------- ¶5. (C) Serious problems also continue in the demobilization sphere. Ex-soldiers opting for demobilization who have not received their promised benefits after months of waiting are KINSHASA 00000711 002 OF 002 being recruited by the militias in Ituri and are beginning to pillage local markets and farms located near other demobilization sites throughout eastern Congo. In a futile exchange, the World Bank blamed CONADER for the problems and CONADER blamed the World Bank. Both agreed, however, that there have been delays in transmitting funds, and CONADER head Daniel Kawata said that the initial payment system, using cell phone transfers, has been scrapped and a new system is being examined. There was no response by either the World Bank or GDRC officials to the question of how a new system would be funded. The Bank representative noted that with the removal of two of the three directors the Bank is now examining how the demobilization program might be more effectively managed, and indicated that perhaps it might be easier to start from scratch. CONADER pressed for immediate transfer of $4m to address back-payment issues, but it was clear that these funds would not be provided until the question of the missing funds already provided has been addressed. ¶6. (C) Likewise, there was no discernible forward momentum on the key question of registering and controlling arms turned in by decommissioning troops. -------------- Outcomes: Too Little, Too Late? -------------- ¶7. (C) Comment: Although the May 3 meeting produced no progress, a series of meetings of the Congolese Supreme Defense Council (reportedly two on May 6 and a third scheduled for May 8, to include -- for the first time -- Ministers responsible for Finance and Budget) could provide some desperately needed initiatives from the Congolese side. The agenda for these meetings reportedly included all the key SSR issues, including lack of discipline, human rights violations, and confusion and inefficiency in the integration process. Although it might eventually prove to be too little, too late, this is the first concrete demonstration of high-level Congolese concern with making SSR work. DOUGHERTY