GUINEAN MILITARY AWAIT CONCRETE GOVERNMENT ACTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000493

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PINS MARR GV
SUBJECT: GUINEAN MILITARY AWAIT CONCRETE GOVERNMENT ACTION

REF: CONAKRY 489

Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

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Summary
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1. (C) On May 4, Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate met with
President Lansana Conte to address the military's protest
over wages and corruption of senior military officers
(reftel). The protests have resulted in at least two deaths
and an estimated 72 injuries. After the May 4 meeting of the
National Council of Defense and Security, Conte charged the
Prime Minister with meeting the Guinean military on his
behalf. Kouyate, accompanied by several members of the
cabinet, went to Camp Alpha Yaya and was well received by
military personnel who aired their grievances. Military
representatives spoke of salary inequities, non merit-based
promotions, and the injustices and corruption that are
demoralizing the troops. After the Prime Minister's appeal,
the military agreed to stop firing their weapons in protest
and await a concrete response. Since May 4 evening, there
has been calm on bases and barracks nationwide. We
understand the soldiers expect at least a plan of action by
May 7 and, if they do not receive some concrete response,
have vowed to restart their protest. End Summary.

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Prime Minister Designated Conte's Military Envoy
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2. (C) Prime Minister Kouyate spent the entire morning of
May 4 meeting with President Conte about unrest within the
military ranks. While senior military officers and civilian
leaders claim the protests are a military-military affair,
the Prime Minister has taken a lead role in brokering a
solution to the crisis. On May 4, there was both a meeting
of the National Council of Defense and Security and a special
meeting of the Council of Ministers. The minutes from the
Council of Ministers meeting state, "After the meeting of the
National Council of Defense and Security, the President of
the Republic charged the Prime Minister with meeting the
National Armed Forces to calmly discuss all the demands and
issues being contested." (Note: The government took the
unprecedented step to release these minutes to the diplomatic
corps, and the government spokesperson gave a summary on the
national news.).


3. (C) The afternoon of May 4, the Prime Minister,
accompanied by Minister of Finance Ousmane Dore, Minister of
the Interior and Security Mohamed Bo Keita, and Minister of
Youth, Culture, and Sports Baidy Aribot, went to Camp Alpha
Yaya -- the large military camp in Conakry that was the site
of most of the unrest. According to our sources, the
soldiers initially rejected the delegation's visit, instead
demanding that Conte himself address them. It was only after
the intervention of other military officers that the more
junior military personnel accepted the visit. We understand
the civilian delegation was met with calm and respect as the
Prime Minister insisted that he was there to study the
situation and to find a solution.


4. (C) Military representatives described their unfit living
conditions and decried the shortage of uniforms, outdated
equipment, and lack of resources. They demanded promotions
that were based on merit instead of secret promotions
"conducted in air conditioned rooms" that are based solely on
money and relationships. They castigated senior officials
for corruption and the embezzlement of funds that were meant
for veterans and for soldiers who are "working hard to defend
the nation." The Prime Minister and his team listened
attentively and promised to convey the soldiers' message to
the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. General Arafan
Camara, Minister of Defense, and the most senior military
leaders were not present at the meeting.

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Meeting Encourages Temporary Calm
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5. (C) The Prime Minister said that while he was not able to
meet with soldiers in the bases and barracks throughout the
country, he implored those at Camp Alpha Yaya to relay the
information about the meeting and to implore their comrades
to be calm while they reach a solution. On the nights of May
4, 5, and 6, we received no reports of shots being fired.
The two reported deaths occurred on May 3. One soldier was
reportedly killed in Labe, after being hit by a stray bullet
that had been fired in the air. The second killing was of a
civilian security officer guarding a store in N'Zerekore.

CONAKRY 00000493 002 OF 002


The night of May 3, military personnel reportedly looted and
vandalized private shops in N'Zerekore, several of which
stocked mobile phones, cards, and supplies. Nationwide,
there are reports that some 72 persons were injured during
the military protests on May 2-3.

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Comment
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6. (C) Guinea's soldiers remained calm over the weekend but
are looking for concrete action beginning May 7. While they
do not expect the question of salary arrears to be solved in
the very short term, they hope to see movement in the
direction of making substantive changes in the military
leadership. Both mid- and junior-level military officers
have told us they will demand the departure of the majority
of the heads of units in all branches of the armed forces.
If they do not receive at least some initial gesture of
goodwill, they have vowed to resume their protest. The
implication of the Prime Minister as Conte's envoy indicates
that this crisis is not being addressed solely within
military channels. Our sources tell us the soldiers will not
negotiate with any of the current senior officers, because
they believe that all are either complicit or directly
responsible for the endemic corruption that is demoralizing
the armed forces. It remains to be seen whether Conte and
his coterie will accept the changing of the military guard.
It is a common belief that it is through these corrupt
officials that Conte is able to secure the funds he uses to
maintain his lifestyle and political patronage.
MCDONALD