ITURI DDR: PHASE III PASSES THE DEADLINE

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001179 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG SUBJECT: ITURI DDR: PHASE III PASSES THE DEADLINE REF: KINSHASA 802 ¶1. (SBU) The official deadline for the Phase III disarmament, demobilization, and reinsertion program (DDR) in Ituri District officially passed on September 30. However, disarmament points and the demobilization transit sites remain open. Nearly 35 per cent of those on the official lists from the three militias eligible to participate in Phase III have entered the process. Community leaders have called for extensions of the deadline, but the defense ministry has yet to respond. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) As of the September 30 deadline for militia members to join the final Phase III of the Ituri District DDR process, only 1,616 of 4,665 eligible combatants (about 35 percent) have entered the DDR process. Participation has varied widely by the three militia groups involved in Phase III: Matthieu Ngudjolo's Movement of Congolese Revolutionaries (MRC),Cobra Matata's Patriotic Forces for Resistance in Ituri (FPRI),and Peter Karim's Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI). ¶3. (SBU) While more than 90 per cent of eligible MRC fighters have entered the process, only a small percentage of the FNI have done so, purportedly due to internal splits over ideology. On September 29, 79 combatants arrived in Bunia, about 50 of whom reportedly belonging to the FPRI, bringing its participation to about 20 per cent. The FPRI combatants appealed for a grace period for their comrades who were already en route to Bunia, citing poor communications and travel distance. ¶4. (SBU) Some UNDP managers believe FPRI participants to date may in fact be the result of individual initiative rather than any directive from Matata authorizing his troops to join the process. Differences between the GDRC and Matata, inflated numbers and ethnic politics may also be holding down FPRI participation. An initial agreement promised the FPRI 46 FARDC ranking officer positions as an inducement to join the process. The most recent agreements in 2006 reduced this to 23, including one for Matata. DDR officers at UNDP's sub-office in Bunia told us Defense Minister Chikez Diemu is now insisting only 11 positions be awarded to the FPRI. Matata has reportedly countered that if there are only 10 commissions for his men, then the minister himself must choose them -- relieving Matata of any obligations to angry and disgruntled FPRI "officers." ¶5. (SBU) In a September 27 meeting with SRSG William Swing, Ituri District notables requested an extension of the September 30 deadline. Senator and former minister John Tibassima stated, "The DDR III deadline needs to be prolonged, in order to give a chance for the FPRI to join this program." While it is not clear whether an extension will be formalized, in light of previous public pronouncements by Chikez threatening a September 30 offensive against those not in the program, a de facto extension is in fact operating. UNDP plans to use funds and materials already on-site to accommodate any additional "informal" participants who arrive after the deadline. While the late entrants may not be given full demobilization benefits, they are being provided with "disarmament certificates" and will be allowed into the demobilization transit sites. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: It is not clear to us that a formal extension of this program would be helpful. Not only might it undercut the credibility of the program, but it could also allow the process to drag on without a fixed completion point. UNDP would like to segue directly into a "mop-up DDR mode," and is interested in U.S. financial support to continue to process for those who may straggle in under an extension. While it is important to demobilize as many ex-combatants as possible, there are other pressing DDR needs in Congo. In the end, UNDP could decide on its own to take on stragglers if it so chooses. End comment. BROCK