TFGV01: SITREP 39: FEBRUARY 13, 2007, 1700 HOURS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000176 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2017 TAGS: AEMR PINS PGOV CASC AMGT GV SUBJECT: TFGV01: SITREP 39: FEBRUARY 13, 2007, 1700 HOURS REF: CONAKRY 173 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Jackson McDonald. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) On February 13, the military has deployed numerous small patrols around the city of Conakry to enforce the curfew. The streets were closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until 1600 hours. The curfew will recommence at 2000 hours. ¶2. (SBU) The military and other security forces have intervened with live fire (mainly warning shots) to disburse small groups of people trying to reconstruct barricades in several areas of the capital, e.g., Yimbaya, Simbaya, Bambetto, and along the road from Bambetto (near the embassy) to the airport. ¶3. (SBU) To the best of our knowledge, all streets are open as of this writing. In some neighborhoods, the military has forced local youth to clean up streets littered with debris from the recent rioting. We have no information on the number of killed or injured since the declaration of the state of siege. ¶4. (SBU) Ethnic factors are beginning to surface, with Peuhls being blamed more and more for the recent unrest. The current regime, in which ethnic Sousous hold the Presidency and many powerful positions, may be using anti-Peuhl propangada to shore up its faltering support. According to an unconfirmed report, the military has arrested dozens of Peuhl "troublemakers," some of whom allegedly possessed firearms. We will monitor this ethnic angle carefully. ¶5. (U) The airport is open to some commercial aviation. Air France has announced that it will operate a Paris/Conakry/Paris flight tonight for the first time since last Thursday. We will, after Department clears, issue a warden notice to inform Americans of the flight and to suggest that they contact Air France for seats. We will also advise Amcits not to go to the airport without tickets or outside the hours of 1600-2000. ¶6. (C) At the request of Alcoa headquarters in the U.S., the Ambassador intervened to obtain permission from the Guinean government for the Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee (CBG) to use its aircraft to evacuate expatriate family members from Kamsar to Senegal. (Alcoa and Alcan own 51% of CBG. CBG possess a small plane based in Conakry to shuttle personnel to and from Kamsar in northern Guinea.) The Minister of Mines initially refused to approve the use of the company plane for this purpose, claiming that the situation in Kamsar was calm and did not warrant an evacuation. The Ambassador warned that the Guinean government risked opening itself up to accusations of holding expatriates against their will (as de facto hostages) in Kamsar. The Minister of Mines immediately changed his mind. Both the Ambassador and the Minister of Mines then intervened with the Prime Minister to obtain permission for CBG to use its plane to evacuate 20 family members, of whom only two or three are Amcits. ¶7. (SBU) Milair landed in Conakry at approx. 1550 hours to deliver three ESAT team members and equipment. The KC-135 is backhauling to Dakar 22 eligible family members, three TDYers, two direct-hire employees (including one medevac),as well as 19 private Amcits, for a total of 46 passengers. The Embassy provided transportation for all Amcit passengers, official and private. All passengers are at the airport boarding the aircraft as of this writing. ¶8. (U) U.N. resident representative reports that a U.N. plane will transport family members and some non-critical personnel to Freetown, probably tomorrow morning, February 14. ¶9. (U) We do not intend to maintain a full working group at the embassy overnight. Once the ordered departure has been accomplished, post management wants staff to get some rest as we prepare to deal with the tasks still before us. MCDONALD