KANKAN YOUTH CRITICAL OF POLITICAL PROGRESS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 001354 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM GV SUBJECT: KANKAN YOUTH CRITICAL OF POLITICAL PROGRESS REF: CONAKRY 1287 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A recent poloff roundtable discussion with Kankan youth leaders demonstrated that the younger generation feels increasingly marginalized from its political leaders. Kankan's youth are generally frustrated and disappointed, and feel that the consensus government has not really changed the political environment. Skeptical of government outreach efforts, they said Guinea's political actors seek to manipulate the youth in order to achieve their own political agendas. Youth leaders also expressed concern about the potential for increased violence as the country approaches the anniversary of the events in January and February ¶2007. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) During a recent road trip to Kankan, poloff met with a group of six youth leaders and representatives in order to exchange ideas and discuss perceptions of the current political and economic situation. -------------- CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) A general air of frustration and disappointment seem to hang over the table as Kankan youth leaders vented about the government's lack of understanding of the problems and concerns of the younger generation. One said that there is a general "crisis of confidence" among younger people who feel that the government largely ignores them. Another asked why there are no youths represented in government, pointing to the fact that most government officials are at least 40 years old and many of them over 50. ¶4. (SBU) The group agreed that it was Guinea's youth that generated the political momentum leading to the consensus government in January and February. However, one said, "concretely, what have we really achieved? - practically speaking, we are faced with the same problems." Another mentioned that many of their compatriots died on January 22 when security forces fired into crowds of demonstrators and asked if these individual sacrifices had really brought any fundamental change. -------------- WHAT YOUTH CONFERENCE? -------------- ¶5. (SBU) When asked about the recent government-sponsored youth conference in Kindia (reftel),the group was visibly skeptical. One said that only two representatives from each prefecture were invited to the event, and that these representatives were chosen by the government without any consultation of the actual youth associations. Another said he didn't even find out about the event until it was already over. The group said the government has its favorites and it picks who it wants to represent the young people. Picking up on that theme, one participant said that the government actively seeks to divide the younger generation and manipulate them in order to achieve their respective political agendas. ¶6. (SBU) Around the table, each agreed that one of the biggest challenges facing youth is the fact that they are disorganized. They said that they have leaders, but there is no central organization through which they can unify themselves and advance a comprehensive political agenda. One noted that even within Kankan, they don't necessarily know all the youth associations. -------------- SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Commenting on local politics, the group said that Kankan is particularly volatile and has a "high spirit of violence." They also said that increased political frustration has brought increased criminality. As an example, they highlighted an October incident that involved a mototaxi driver that was beheaded. A group of mototaxi drivers immediately banded together and reasoned that it must have been a group of bandits that beheaded their colleague and that bandits naturally congregate in bars and restaurants where they can get alcohol. In retaliation, they vandalized or destroyed a number of the city's bars and restaurants. They also went to the local gendarmerie, believing that the culprit had been apprehended, and threatened to destroy the gendarmerie if he was not released into their custody. The situation resolved itself, but the youth representatives told poloff that this type of violence and criminality is increasingly common in Kankan. ¶8. (SBU) Drawing on the same idea, one participant expressed concern about how the city will react as the country approaches the January 22 anniversary of the killings in Conakry. He said that nothing has been done and people may react violently to the lack of progress when faced with the anniversary as a catalyst. -------------- COMMENT CONAKRY 00001354 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Youth sentiments in Kankan echo those Embassy has heard elsewhere, both in Conakry and on road trips to other regions. There is a real sense of marginalization within the younger generation and an increasing self-realized need to organize themselves politically. At the same time, there is a marked disregard for this segment of the population throughout government and civil society. Many government, civil society, and political leaders do not seem to realize that the younger generation does not identify with them at all. Others do not seem to recognize that the youth have a political role to play, which is due in part to an ingrained cultural tradition of deference to elders. The youth's biggest challenge seems to be their lack of organization and cohesion. Increasing frustration within this potentially powerful societal sector could be a critical catalyst for political change and Embassy is seeking opportunities to reach out to youth leaders in order to provide guidance and encourage peaceful, constructive political engagement. At the same time, when meeting with other contacts, Embassy continues to emphasize the need for political actors to reach out to the younger generation. END COMMENT. CARTER