Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KINSHASA932
2006-06-13 14:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: JUNE EDITION,

Tags:  PREL AU PINR UNSC ASEC CF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0932/01 1641454
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 131454Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4107
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1097
C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000932 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C MAHEEHA ASHRAF, JULIE HUNTER
INF FOR JENNIFER PEKKINEN, JOHN BERNSTEN
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER GREG D'ELIA

FROM BRAZZAVILE EMBASSY OFFICE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: PREL AU PINR UNSC ASEC CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: JUNE EDITION,
"BRAZZA IN BRIEF" - THE HOMECOMING

REF: A. (A) KINSHASA 00578

B. (B) KINSHASA 00589

Classified By: CDC Mark J. Biedlingmaier, Reasons 1.4(B)(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000932

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C MAHEEHA ASHRAF, JULIE HUNTER
INF FOR JENNIFER PEKKINEN, JOHN BERNSTEN
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER GREG D'ELIA

FROM BRAZZAVILE EMBASSY OFFICE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: PREL AU PINR UNSC ASEC CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE: JUNE EDITION,
"BRAZZA IN BRIEF" - THE HOMECOMING

REF: A. (A) KINSHASA 00578

B. (B) KINSHASA 00589

Classified By: CDC Mark J. Biedlingmaier, Reasons 1.4(B)(D)


1. (U) SUMMARY: ROC President Denis Sassou-Nguesso is
expected to return to Brazzaville on June 13 following
widely-publicized visits to New York for his June 2 address
to the United Nations on HIV/AIDs, June 5 meeting in
Washington with President Bush and Secretary Rice, and a
brief visit with King Mohammed VI in Morocco to discuss
possible membership in the African Union. Sassou postponed
his return to Brazzaville by several days to visit his
daughter, Edith, wife of Gabon President Omar Bongo, who had
taken ill in Paris. Other Ministry observers noted that the
side-trip might have been scheduled to reinvigorate talks
with members of the Paris Club on debt relief issues
following Sassou's meetings with World Bank and IMF officials
during his Washington visit. The after-glow of Sassou's
acclaimed "foreign policy triumphs", as reported by TeleCongo
and other local media, may be short-lived as he tackles
persistent domestic and economic issues on the homefront
before heading off for the next round of t
ravels to Banjul in late June for the African Union Summit,
June 28 - July 2, as an invitee to the G-8 Meeting in St.
Petersburg, Russia, July 14-17, and also recently announced,
for a month-long vacation to Spain before returning to Congo
to celebrate National Day in Dolisie on August 15. END
SUMMARY

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NO GUTS, NO GAS
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2. (C) One of the most pressing items stacked in Mr. Sassou's
inbox will be the Presidential Decree awaiting his signature
to increase prices for gasoline and diesel fuel by 14% and
17%, respectively. The new price structure will be 495 F/CFA
per liter for gasoline (USD $0.97),345 F/CFA per liter for
diesel (USD $0.68),and a split standard for aviation jet
fuels, 290 F/CFA for domestic flights (USD $0.57) and 400

F/CFA for international flights (USD $0.78). Prior to his
departure for Washington, IMF Resident Representative Yaya
Moussa was roundly criticized by Ministry of Finance and
Ministry of Hydrocarbon officials for "imposing" this new
price structure as a precondition for HIPC debt relief and
favorable passage of Decision Point earlier this year, but in
private, one-on-one discussion with Sassou on May 28, Moussa
reported that the President was fully aware that "actions,
rather than words," would now be expected from him and the
Republic of Congo to satisfy its creditors and international
partners.
Sassou clearly anticipated that transparency issues, audit
and accounting practices for SNPC, and commitments to PRGF
would dominate talks with Mr. Wolfowitz, the IMF and
Secretary Rice. In anticipation of the price increases,

SIPDIS
hoarding of stocks and long gas lines have spread throughout
downtown Brazzaville, much to the dismay of the average
Congolese, who find it difficult to comprehend increasing
prices in one of Africa's richest oil-producing regions.
Everyone is resigned to the fact that, once the Presidential
Decree is promulgated, prices will jump across the board for
taxi and bus transport, domestic consumer goods and products
imported to Pointe Noire and Brazzaville.

--------------
WE WANT TO BE HEARD?
--------------


3. (C) The month-long demonstration by 150-200 former and
retired workers of ONPT-SOTELCO (National Post and
Telecommunications Agency) ended abruptly with the appearance
of several jack-boot, black-suited Presidential Guards to the
rallying spot in downtown Brazzaville, located between the
Central Post Office and French Embassy Compound. ONPT was
among the first state-owned companies to be privatized by the
government in 2000-2001, resulting in the early retirement or
dismissal of approximately 1500 workers. The former workers
claimed that a new, smaller successor company, SOTELCO,
Congolese Telecommunication Company, should be responsible
for the payment of severance packages and up to 86 months of
unpaid salaries. Following protracted negotiations between
the Council of Ministers and ONPT representatives, the
government initially agreed to pay the salary arrears in

January 2006; however, employees received only one month's
wages. After talks between the sides broke down in late
March, a sit-in was anno
unced for May unless a compromise could be reached with
Minister of Telecommunication, Mr. Philippe Mvouo. The daily
demonstrations attracted an expressive group of activists
intent on disrupting the solitude of the downtown business
district by chanting protest slogans, clanging pots, pans and
other metal objects, and occasionally disrupting traffic. No
doubt hoping to restore peace and tranquility prior to
Sassou's return this week, the fully-armed and imposing
Presidential Guard members appeared at the site on June 9 and
effectively impeded the right to assemble. No resistance was
displayed; no force used.

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AFRICA-STYLE DEMOCRACY
--------------


4. (C) Ministers from across Africa met in Brazzaville, June
8-11, to approve a draft "Charter on Democracy," a follow-on
document to the Lome Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes
of Governments in Africa, which would set guidelines on
elections and good governance, and will be put forward for
ratification at the African Union's Head of State Meeting in
the Gambia, July 1-2. A participant in the conference, South
Africa Embassy DCM Coen vanWyk, reported on a dizzying series
of discussions held throughout the weekend which centered on
how "African democracy" differed from that of other nations,
and that if a system worked for them, there might be a reason
not/not to change the status quo. He said the assembly was
dumb-struck by comments offered by Prime Minister Isidore
Mvouba urging caution at the onset of the ministerial. In
his remarks, Mvouba stated that "Africans must avoid mere
imitation and propose texts adapted to African states, texts
that contribution to the installation of peaceful democracy a
cross the continent." The ministers eventually reached
agreement on the 55-article draft charter which explicitly
condemns coup d'etats, criticizes corruption, and commits
governments to promoting a free press, citizens'
participation in democracy and transparency in government.
The document also prohibits the practice of "modifying" a
nation's constitution in order to extend a president's
mandate in office. By coincidence, the "Charter of
Democracy" ministerial took place just days after Nigerian
President Obansajo dismissed six members of his Cabinet for
having supported an amendment in Parliament to reject a plan
which would have allowed him to seek a third term in 2007.

--------------
A HOUSE DIVIDED
--------------


5. (C) Rumors persist amongst members of the Diplomatic
Corps, ministry insiders and opposition newspapers on an
"impending shake-up" in the Sassou-Nguesso Cabinet. Likely
candidates for early retirement still include: Minister of
Health, Dr. Alphonse Gando; Minister of Finance, Pacifique
Issiobeka; Minister of Transportation, Andre Okombi Salissa;
and talk of combining the three separate ministries of
Education under the guidance of Madame Rosalie Kama,
currently, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and
Literacy. The strongest resistance would most likely come
from Minister Okombi-Salissa, a close confidant of the
President's daughter, Edith Bongo, and, in control of a
private militia which, in the past, has apparently resorted
to physical threats and harassment to silence critics opposed
to his private, less-than-transparent, business dealings.
The Pool region remains quiet and will be lavished with
attention during this year's Congo National Day, August 15,
when the President is expected to sho
wcase a host of renovation and successful infrastructure
projects in Dolisie to government officials and invited
guests, including the Diplomatic Corps, for the annual
celebration. Embassy Brazzaville is working closely with a
Belgian entrepreneur, Rodolphe Andersen, under contract by
the Government of Congo to rehabilitate the once
state-of-the-art Dolisie Hospital, to provide funding through
a DoD Humanitarian Assistance Grant to medical equipment and
supplies.


6. (C) Post has received no further updates on the
negotiations underway with former President Pascal Lissouba,
in exile in Paris, on an amnesty agreement or terms and

conditions for his return to Republic of Congo. Observers
note that Sassou-Nguesso, the master strategist, could
conceivably deliver him to an adoring crowd of Pool
well-wishers at the Dolisie August 15th National Day event,
thereby cementing his year-long campaign for peace and
reconciliation. The 2007 legislative election will be just
around the corner. The only issue which might offset
Sassou's march toward stability is yet another rumor that the
Speaker of Parliament may led a walk-out on June 15 to
protest the President's lack of governmental reforms and the
ever-encroaching influence of his family members on business
dealings in Congo and overseas.


7. (U) And yes, inauguration of the Savoran deBrazza
mausoleum, and return of the famed explorer's remains, will
finally take place in October 2006 to commemorate the 101st
anniversary of the founding of Brazzaville. Reserve seating
required.


8. (U) Embassy Brazzaville Office - Biedlingmaier

MEECE