MONSENGWO CONTINUES TO PUSH POLITICAL "DIALOGUE"

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000834 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG ELECTIONS SUBJECT: MONSENGWO CONTINUES TO PUSH POLITICAL "DIALOGUE" REF: A. KINSHASA 706 ¶B. KINSHASA 785 ¶1. (U) In an interview published May 22 by the Belgian newspaper "La Libre Belge," Monsignor Laurent Monsengwo, the Catholic archbishop of Kisangani and president of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO),reiterated his appeal for a political "dialogue" to reach a national consensus on extending the transitional government and holding elections after June 30. Monsengwo said the "Congolese people" fear that "the game has already been played" and their future leaders have already been chosen by the international community, so elections will not matter at all. Furthermore, Monsengwo said it would be better for the DRC's political actors to reach agreement on the "rules of the game" in order to head towards elections in peace. Without "consensus," Monsengwo warned, the country could be headed towards another civil war. ¶2. (U) Monsengwo said, in order to calm fears, the DRC's political class and civil society must discuss all available options regarding elections. He added that such a dialogue need not last long, only enough time to determine whether the CEI needed two months (until July 30) to prepare for elections. Monsengwo said if these political and civil society actors review the CEI's logistical assessment and find it credible, then elections can proceed as scheduled. Monsengwo noted, however, that a consensus among political actors must be achieved first, and that no one person (referring to CEI President Abbe Apollinaire Malu Malu) can unilaterally decide to extend the transitional government past June 30. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Monsengwo is dangerously upping the ante in declaring that the country risks another civil war if no political "dialogue" is held before June 30. Rather than calming tensions, Monsengwo is instead heightening them by suggesting that only a "political consensus" can prevent the country from descending into violence once again. As noted previously, the CEI is the only organization charged with establishing the electoral calendar and is not obliged to consult with any group before doing so. Furthermore, most Congolese appear to be in favor of holding elections as soon as possible and against Monsengwo's appeal for more "dialogue," especially as such a dialogue would risk further delaying long-awaited elections. End comment. MEECE