Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CONAKRY521
2007-05-11 12:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:
MILITARY PROTEST CONTINUES, SOLDIERS MARCH
how-toVZCZCXRO2477 OO RUEHPA DE RUEHRY #0521/01 1311233 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 111233Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1073 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2/J5// IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000521
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC PINS GV
SUBJECT: MILITARY PROTEST CONTINUES, SOLDIERS MARCH
REF: CONAKRY 503 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba, Reason 1.4 (b,d)
-----------------------
Situation on the Ground
-----------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000521
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC PINS GV
SUBJECT: MILITARY PROTEST CONTINUES, SOLDIERS MARCH
REF: CONAKRY 503 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba, Reason 1.4 (b,d)
--------------
Situation on the Ground
--------------
1. (C) On May 10, Guinea's military once again began active
protest over pay, corruption, and the lack of a concrete
response (reftel). The morning of May 10, soldiers were
called to their barracks where promotions of mid-grade
military personnel were announced. Shortly thereafter, there
were reports of guns being fired in the air from the military
engineering base in the suburbs of Conakry. The soldiers
were not satisfied by the measure as it did not include
salary arrears or the dismissal of senior military officers.
Soldiers at Camp Alpha Yaya on the outskirts of Conakry as
well as on military bases and barracks in the interior soon
followed suit and began firing their weapons in the air.
2. (C) At least one person killed in Guekedou, a pregnant
business-woman who was struck in the head by a stray bullet.
There are reports of between five and seven injuries in
Guekedou. There have been no reports of killings or injuries
in other areas. Roads into Guekedou have all been blocked.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard throughout the night of May
10-11 near military camps in Conakry.
3. (C) At approximately 1130 hours on May 11, over 200 armed
soldiers marched on foot from Camp Alpha Yaya past the
airport and along the so-called autoroute toward downtown.
They are demanding to meet with President Conte at Camp
Samory Toure in downtown Conakry. (Note: Camp Alpha Yaya is
located less than 1 km from the airport; Camp Samory Toure is
located in the downtown Kaloum district.) Meanwhile, armed
soldiers have left the base in Kindia and entered the town.
4. (C) In addition to firing their weapons in the air,
soldiers have engaged in targeted property destruction of
senior military personnel. On May 10, soldiers fired at the
personal vehicle belonging to General Kandet Toure, Chief of
Cabinet at the Ministry of Defense. Toure was not in the
vehicle, and there were no injuries. At present, we
understand that soldiers have surrounded Toure's residence,
"holding it hostage." Also on May 10, soldiers ransacked the
private residence of Colonel Bambo Fofana, Chief Financial
Officer. There are unconfirmed reports that the residence at
Camp Alpha Yaya of General Kaba "43" Camara was also
targeted.
-------------- --------------
Negotiations Continue, But Problems Remains Unresolved
-------------- --------------
5. (C) The soldiers remain unsatisfied, even with the
conciliatory measure of promoting military personnel who had
not been promoted since 2002. Many of those on the list are
soldiers who had not been promoted because they do not have
high school diplomas, although they have served for longer
periods of time than others who were previously promoted.
While these soldiers would receive higher salaries and
increased benefits, the announcement made no mention of the
salary arrears that are key to their demands. (Note: Based
on estimates from the national budget, we calculated that the
increased salaries alone would cost the government at least
an additional 80,000 USD per month. There is no exact figure
for the costs of any of these new measures, because portions
of the Ministry of Defense budget remain sealed.)
6. (C) More important, the May 10 announcement did not
include any leadership change within the armed forces. The
soldiers have demanded the dismissal of General Kerfalla
Camara, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff, and General Arafan
Camara, Minister of Defense, in addition to General Toure and
Colonel Fofana. All four of these officers are currently at
Camp Samory Toure. While they have not made additional
pronouncements, we understand the soldiers are also calling
for the removal of the base commanders at Camps Samory Toure
and Alpha Yaya, at the road engineers base in the suburbs of
Conakry, and at the base in Kindia.
7. (C) The National Council of Defense and Security and the
Prime Minister have been actively working to prepare a list
of retirements/dismissals at the highest levels, but have not
agreed on the names of those who would go or their
replacements.
8. (C) Thus far, President Conte has remained absent from
the negotiations and has not addressed the soldiers. It is
CONAKRY 00000521 002 OF 002
questionable whether he has been fully apprised of the
crisis. Conte was reported to be at his residence at Camp
Samory Toure this morning. While Prime Minister Lansana
Kouyate has not formally said so, soldiers expected to meet
with him today for an update on the concrete government
measures to address the crisis. This meeting may be
overtaken by the most recent events.
--------------
Mission Operations
--------------
9. (C) On the evening of May 10, we sent out a warden notice
alerting Americans of the ongoing strife within the military
and urging them to stay home and exercise additional caution.
10. (C) The morning of May 11, U.S. Mission opened normally
and is fully staffed.
11. (C) At 0930 hours on May 11, the Ambassador chaired a
meeting of the full Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to
assess the situation and evaluate our posture. As a result,
we issued another security notice and warden message stating
that troubles continue within the military, that Americans
are not targeted, but that Americans should avoid all
military bases and surrounding areas.
12. (C) At 1200 hours, in light of the soldiers marching
from Camp Alpha Yaya toward downtown, the Ambassador
instructed all U.S. Mission personnel and family members to
go to standfast. We are issuing a wardens notice
recommending that private Americans do likewise.
13. (U) All Americans are safe as of this writing.
--------------
Last-Minute Update
--------------
14. (C) As of 1250, heavily armed Red Berets have deployed
at the Castro Bridge, a key chokepoint where the autoroute
and other streets leading toward downtown all converge.
According to unconfirmed reports, President Conte has agreed
to meet with the mutinous soldiers at the bridge.
MCDONALD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC PINS GV
SUBJECT: MILITARY PROTEST CONTINUES, SOLDIERS MARCH
REF: CONAKRY 503 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba, Reason 1.4 (b,d)
--------------
Situation on the Ground
--------------
1. (C) On May 10, Guinea's military once again began active
protest over pay, corruption, and the lack of a concrete
response (reftel). The morning of May 10, soldiers were
called to their barracks where promotions of mid-grade
military personnel were announced. Shortly thereafter, there
were reports of guns being fired in the air from the military
engineering base in the suburbs of Conakry. The soldiers
were not satisfied by the measure as it did not include
salary arrears or the dismissal of senior military officers.
Soldiers at Camp Alpha Yaya on the outskirts of Conakry as
well as on military bases and barracks in the interior soon
followed suit and began firing their weapons in the air.
2. (C) At least one person killed in Guekedou, a pregnant
business-woman who was struck in the head by a stray bullet.
There are reports of between five and seven injuries in
Guekedou. There have been no reports of killings or injuries
in other areas. Roads into Guekedou have all been blocked.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard throughout the night of May
10-11 near military camps in Conakry.
3. (C) At approximately 1130 hours on May 11, over 200 armed
soldiers marched on foot from Camp Alpha Yaya past the
airport and along the so-called autoroute toward downtown.
They are demanding to meet with President Conte at Camp
Samory Toure in downtown Conakry. (Note: Camp Alpha Yaya is
located less than 1 km from the airport; Camp Samory Toure is
located in the downtown Kaloum district.) Meanwhile, armed
soldiers have left the base in Kindia and entered the town.
4. (C) In addition to firing their weapons in the air,
soldiers have engaged in targeted property destruction of
senior military personnel. On May 10, soldiers fired at the
personal vehicle belonging to General Kandet Toure, Chief of
Cabinet at the Ministry of Defense. Toure was not in the
vehicle, and there were no injuries. At present, we
understand that soldiers have surrounded Toure's residence,
"holding it hostage." Also on May 10, soldiers ransacked the
private residence of Colonel Bambo Fofana, Chief Financial
Officer. There are unconfirmed reports that the residence at
Camp Alpha Yaya of General Kaba "43" Camara was also
targeted.
-------------- --------------
Negotiations Continue, But Problems Remains Unresolved
-------------- --------------
5. (C) The soldiers remain unsatisfied, even with the
conciliatory measure of promoting military personnel who had
not been promoted since 2002. Many of those on the list are
soldiers who had not been promoted because they do not have
high school diplomas, although they have served for longer
periods of time than others who were previously promoted.
While these soldiers would receive higher salaries and
increased benefits, the announcement made no mention of the
salary arrears that are key to their demands. (Note: Based
on estimates from the national budget, we calculated that the
increased salaries alone would cost the government at least
an additional 80,000 USD per month. There is no exact figure
for the costs of any of these new measures, because portions
of the Ministry of Defense budget remain sealed.)
6. (C) More important, the May 10 announcement did not
include any leadership change within the armed forces. The
soldiers have demanded the dismissal of General Kerfalla
Camara, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff, and General Arafan
Camara, Minister of Defense, in addition to General Toure and
Colonel Fofana. All four of these officers are currently at
Camp Samory Toure. While they have not made additional
pronouncements, we understand the soldiers are also calling
for the removal of the base commanders at Camps Samory Toure
and Alpha Yaya, at the road engineers base in the suburbs of
Conakry, and at the base in Kindia.
7. (C) The National Council of Defense and Security and the
Prime Minister have been actively working to prepare a list
of retirements/dismissals at the highest levels, but have not
agreed on the names of those who would go or their
replacements.
8. (C) Thus far, President Conte has remained absent from
the negotiations and has not addressed the soldiers. It is
CONAKRY 00000521 002 OF 002
questionable whether he has been fully apprised of the
crisis. Conte was reported to be at his residence at Camp
Samory Toure this morning. While Prime Minister Lansana
Kouyate has not formally said so, soldiers expected to meet
with him today for an update on the concrete government
measures to address the crisis. This meeting may be
overtaken by the most recent events.
--------------
Mission Operations
--------------
9. (C) On the evening of May 10, we sent out a warden notice
alerting Americans of the ongoing strife within the military
and urging them to stay home and exercise additional caution.
10. (C) The morning of May 11, U.S. Mission opened normally
and is fully staffed.
11. (C) At 0930 hours on May 11, the Ambassador chaired a
meeting of the full Emergency Action Committee (EAC) to
assess the situation and evaluate our posture. As a result,
we issued another security notice and warden message stating
that troubles continue within the military, that Americans
are not targeted, but that Americans should avoid all
military bases and surrounding areas.
12. (C) At 1200 hours, in light of the soldiers marching
from Camp Alpha Yaya toward downtown, the Ambassador
instructed all U.S. Mission personnel and family members to
go to standfast. We are issuing a wardens notice
recommending that private Americans do likewise.
13. (U) All Americans are safe as of this writing.
--------------
Last-Minute Update
--------------
14. (C) As of 1250, heavily armed Red Berets have deployed
at the Castro Bridge, a key chokepoint where the autoroute
and other streets leading toward downtown all converge.
According to unconfirmed reports, President Conte has agreed
to meet with the mutinous soldiers at the bridge.
MCDONALD