SENIOR ADVISOR SHORTLEY'S MEETINGS WITH FARDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001251

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NSC FOR BLEO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO PHUM CG
SUBJECT: SENIOR ADVISOR SHORTLEY'S MEETINGS WITH FARDC
COMMANDERS IN NORTH KIVU


Classified By: CDA Samuel Brock. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary: In a November 2 courtesy call on the 8th
Military Region Commander, Senior Advisor for Conflict
Resolution Tim Shortley briefed Brigadier General Mayala
Kiama on his findings from a four-day visit in North Kivu.
Both the Commander and his deputy vehemently denied
collaborating with Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda (FDLR) against renegade General Nkunda,s National
Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). The Congolese
officers also alleged that Rwanda is aiding and abetting
Nkunda,s force and indicated that it was only because of
their obligation to confront the CNDP force that the
Congolese Army cannot tackle the FDLR. Mayala asked for USG
assistance in finding a solution to the Nkunda problem. End
summary.

It,s all about Nkunda
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2. (U) In a November 2 courtesy call on the 8th Military
Region Commander, Special Representative for Conflict
Resolution Tim Shortley briefed Brigadier General Mayala
Kiama on his findings from a four-day visit in North Kivu.
General Mayala was accompanied by his Deputy for Operations
and Intelligence, Colonel Delphin Kahimi.


3. (C) Following Mr. Shortley,s summary, Mayala launched
into a tirade that may have been more for his deputy,s
consumption than it was heartfelt. Mayala claimed to be a
professional officer who is apolitical and executing GDRC
policy in the troubled North Kivu Province. The commander
vociferously reminded Shortley that DRC is a sovereign
country with a legally elected government and mature
political institutions. Referring to renegade General
Nkunda,s Tutsi-dominated militia, Mayala stated that the
GDRC cannot accept a parallel army operating within its
territory. General Mayala claimed that out of Congo,s 245
territories, there are only problems in Masisi and Rutshuru,
where Nkunda is in control. The Deputy Commander
characterized Nkunda and his senior leaders as criminals,
suggesting that they were using the local population as a
human shield to avoid arrest.


4. (C) General Mayala accused the international community of
being overly focused on Nkunda and claimed that the priority
should rather be creating a national army which is capable of
tracking the FDLR. Why, Mayala asked rhetorically, is the
international community opposed to us combating Nkunda,s
force but it doesn,t mind us going after the other armed
groups in Eastern Congo? Mayala asked for USG assistance in
finding a solution to the Nkunda problem but preemptively
refused to entertain the idea of negotiating with the
renegade general.

Double-dealing Rwanda
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5. (C) Colonel Kahimbi, well-known for his dislike for
Tutsis, and whom the NGO community considers a gross human
rights violator, continued his commander,s diatribe accusing
the Government of Rwanda of supporting General Nkunda,s
rebellion. Kahimbi stated that there are 1,300 demobilized
Rwanda Defense Force troops in Nkunda,s ranks, charging that
Rwanda is allowing men and materiel to cross from Rwanda in
the vicinity of Runyoni. Kahimbi also claimed that Nkunda is
allowed to recruit both men and children from among the
40,000 Tutsis in Rwanda,s refugee camps.

Nkunda,s keeping us from dealing with the FDLR
-------------- -


6. (C) Colonel Kahimbi adamantly denied any involvement with
the FDLR or any other armed group, and offered as proof the
relief of General Mayenga Buatishuba who was removed for
collaborating with the FDLR in late 2006. Even MONUC, said
Kahimbi, has never found evidence of FARDC complicity with
the FDLR.


7. (C) Kahimbi ended his rant saying that the FDLR is a
"false problem." He further claimed that the Congolese Army
could dispense with the FDLR in a month, characterizing the
Hutu extremist force as weak and unprofessional. Colonel
Kahimbi stated that the only reason the FARDC is not engaging

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the FDLR is because it does not have the capacity to fight
two enemies at once. General Mayala claimed that given the
terrain and disposition of Negative Forces surrounding
Nkunda, the FARDC would be obliged to attack the CNDP before
it could engage the FDLR, Mai-Mai, and PARECO forces in the
vicinity of Nkunda,s stronghold at Kitchanga.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) While the discussion was very intense, Shortley
clearly expressed that coordination of FDLR crossed U.S. red
lines. Shortley also convinced North Kivu commanders of the
importance of seconding staff to the Joint Verification
Mechanism. Shortley also stressed the need to adjust
Congolese military strategy from sequential to simultaneous
operations to achieve maximum effect on both Nkunda and FDLR
forces. MONUC interlocutors told Shortley privately that
there is overwhelming anecdotal
evidence of FARDC complicity with not only FDLR, but also
PARECO and some Mai-Mai groups.


9. (U) Mr. Shortley has cleared this message.
BROCK