SITREP NO. 3: MILITARY UNREST, MAY 14, 1030 HOURS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000529

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2017
TAGS: PINS ASEC CASC GV
SUBJECT: SITREP NO. 3: MILITARY UNREST, MAY 14, 1030 HOURS
GMT

REF: CONAKRY 527 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Jackson McDonald. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) On the surface, Conakry appears normal this morning,
May 14, despite serious, unresolved problems within the
military. Traffic is flowing. Schools, shops, and offices
are open.


2. (C) The status of the military remains fluid, within both
the ranks and the senior command.


3. (C) Disgruntled soldiers, who have been airing their
grievances over the past two weeks, do not speak with one
voice and have no defined leadership within their ranks.
They still expect President Lansana Conte to come to Camp
Alpha Yaya today to address them. He has already stood them
up twice. Moreover, many soldiers appear unhappy with the
change in the military command, which falls short of their
demand for new leadership. They are especially unhappy with
the appointment of retired General Bailo Diallo as Minister
of Defense, because of his advanced age and track record of
corruption. He does not represent change but, rather, more
of the same. In addition, the soldiers are still demanding
increased pay and payment of salary arrears, which the
government cannot afford.


4. (C) As of this writing, there has been no official
turnover within the military command. General Kerfalla
Camara remains Chief of Defense Staff; General Arafan Camara
remains Minister of Defense. No turnover ceremony has been
scheduled.


5. (C) According to President Conte's senior military aide
at the Presidency, General Kerfalla, General Arafan, and
other senior military officials learned of their dismissal
when the presidential decree was read on national radio about
1000 hours, May 12. They had not been informed ahead of
time. The same source claimed that the decree was hastily
drafted on the morning of May 14, when President Conte
dropped by the house of his third wife (the fortune-teller).
We have no independent confirmation of this, but the third
spouse has exerted influence -- often nefarious and
self-interested -- on presidential nominations in the past.
Colonel Emmanuel Konate, Secretary General of the Defense
Staff, who normally drafts all decrees relating to the
miltary, claims no involvement in this one.


6. (C) President Conte's senior military aide claimed that
Conte asked three times on Saturday afternoon and again on
Sunday where Generals Kerfalla and Arafan were and why they
had not come to see him. Conte's staff reportedly had to
remind him that he had fired them. If this is true (we have
no independent confirmation),then President Conte's is still
suffering from short-term memory loss and remains subject to
manipulation.


7. (C) On the night of May 14-15, soldiers and civilians
looted warehouses in the Matam district, reportedly stealing
7000 tons of rice, 400 motorcycles, 20 4x4 vehicles, and
20,000 cartons of soap. Although several warehouses were
looted, the main one belongs to Alpha Amadou Diallo, a major
Peuhl merchant closely associated with President Conte. His
warehouses were also attacked during the February 1996
mutiny.


8. (C) On the night of May 15, several truckloads of
Chinese-trained army commandos arrived at Camp Alpha Yaya
(presumably from their base in Kinda) and then departed
towards downtown. It remains unclear whether they are part
of the patrols that the government has just announced to
prevent renewed looting.


9. (C) The U.S. Mission is fully staffed and functioning
normally. All Amcits are safe for now. We are continuing to
monitor the situation very closely. It remains uncertain
whether Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate will be available to
receive the Ambassador this morning as scheduled.
MCDONALD