MANU RIVER UNION SECRETARY GENERAL FEARS RETURN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000091 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/EX E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2017 TAGS: ELAB PGOV PREL GV SL SUBJECT: MANU RIVER UNION SECRETARY GENERAL FEARS RETURN TO VIOLENCE IN GUINEA REF: A) CONAKRY 130 B) CONAKRY 143 Classified By: Ambassador Thomas N. Hull for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Meeting in his downtown Freetown office on February 8, Manu River Union (MRU) Secretary General Aliou Diallo briefed the Ambassador and DCM on efforts to resuscitate the MRU, which will be reported septel. When the conversation turned to the crisis in Guinea, Diallo, who returned February 6 from Conakry, told the Ambassador that he believed that there would be a resurgence in violence if Guinean President Conte fails to appoint a prime minister by February 12, the deadline set by Guinea's CNTG-USTG union coalition. (Reftels A and B) Diallo, who is Guinean, said that Guineans are "fed up" and "are not afraid anymore" to call publicly for Conte's resignation. He added that the situation could lead to bloodshed if Conte ignores the unions' demands, depending on how the army reacts. ¶2. (C) Diallo said that the USG has considerable influence with Conte and should use it. He added that every person on the street in Guinea knows this. The Ambassador responded that a message has been delivered, but we are not sure if it has been absorbed. Diallo reiterated that there is great respect for the U.S. in Guinea, and that Guineans do not want to see a succession crisis similar to the one that occurred in Togo in 2005. ¶3. (C) Diallo said that if President Conte does appoint a prime minister, that he will not do it willingly. He said that President Conte's deteriorating health had compounded the situation, and that the President's "mental ability to rationalize is gone." He explained that he felt that President Conte existed in another world and never would have expected that a young woman would lead the unions and stand up to him. He did compliment President Conte's wife Henrietta on the positive role she has played behind the scenes, but said that two of his other wives (he has four total) have not been at all helpful. ¶4. (C) Diallo, who said that he has never met Conte, told the Ambassador that he had discussed the crisis with Guinean government officials. He explained that as Secretary General for the MRU, he could not publicly comment on the issue because he had not received Conte's blessing for the position and is viewed as being Sierra Leonean President Kabbah's man. Like President Kabbah, Diallo has a professional UNDP background. ¶5. (C) Commenting on Guinea's recent announcement to ban all exports, he said that the Government felt that it was necessary to reign in increasing prices, although Government officials were fully aware that this decision would ultimately cause larger problems. He said that Government was exercising a rationale that what we are doing is good for the country and that problems that arise from this decision are not the issue today. He added that the entire system is corrupt, and that Guineans need a new government with a different profile and different experiences. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Diallo's public silence on the matter is probably more symptomatic of the MRU's limited regional influence. But his leadership is a vast improvement over his predecessor, and he appears to be making great strides to revamp the MRU and put it back on solid financial ground using his experience and contacts from when he worked for the UNDP. He told the Ambassador that some of his family members were victims in the violence that ensued during the general strike and are still in the hospital recovering. END COMMENT. HULL