ITURI UPDATE: MILITIAS SURRENDERING BEFORE NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000959

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO CG
SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: MILITIAS SURRENDERING BEFORE NEW
DISARMAMENT DEADLINE


Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (C) According to internal MONUC military reports, 120
militia members -- including two women -- from the Front for
National Integration (FNI) in Ituri surrendered June 14 to
MONUC and Congolese troops in Toni (approximately 12 miles
southeast of Bunia). MONUC military officials said another 50
or so militia members were expected to run over their weapons
by June 16. Among the weapons recovered from the surrendering
militia members were more than four dozen AK-47 rifles, an
anti-tank weapon, five rocket-propelled grenades, four
mortars, and more than 16,000 rounds of ammunition. MONUC
also reports that in the past week nearly a dozen other
militia members from the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC)
have surrendered to MONUC Pakistani peacekeepers in Nizi (14
miles north of Bunia),while a few other turned in their
weapons to MONUC and FARDC troops in Tchomia.


2. (C) The new wave of militia disarmament comes as the
FARDC's new Ituri Operations Commander General Bwanyama
Nsiona issues a new deadline of June 30 for Ituri's militias
to disarm. Speaking to residents of Bunia, Nsiona reportedly
said he would be using the "carrot and stick" approach in
trying to convince militias to surrender. According to FARDC
spokesman Captain Olivier Mputu, Nsiona intends to engage the
militias in dialogue in an effort to have the voluntarily
disarm. Mputu said all militia who give themselves up before
the deadline would receive amnesty from the government. To
assist in this effort, two disarmament sites will be opened
in Aveba (25 miles south of Bunia) and Kpandroma (75 miles
north of Bunia) beginning June 19. Mputu said after June 30,
however, the FARDC will begin forcible disarming the militias.


3. (C) Comment: The increase in militia disarmament in Ituri
is certainly welcome news. The demobilization and reinsertion
of these ex-combatants, however, may be problematic as
Congolese efforts at DDR have been poorly managed. Militias
are still able to recruit members, particularly from the
tanks of ex-combatants, because they offer a level of
economic incentives the central government cannot provide.
While future military operations promised by the FARDC will
aid in brining security to Ituri, there must also be a
concerted effort on the part of the GDRC to establish its
authority and to rebuild Ituri's economic infrastructure. End
comment.
MEECE