November 22 Goma Update

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001311

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KPKO CG
SUBJECT: November 22 Goma Update


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

Note: Following report was submitted November 22 by Political
Counselor David Brown, currently on TDY in Goma. End note.

Mushake roadblock lifted
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1. (SBU) Commercial traffic between Goma and Masisi is flowing
again after MONUC installed a mobile operating base at Mushake at
midweek. CNDP forces had set up a roadblock there that, in the
words of Governor Paluku, was "strangling" the provincial capital.
Prices of staples such as beans had exploded exponentially and
warehouses were down to their last sacks of grain. The roadblock
had also cut off Masisi from any imported products. Reports are
circulating that the FARDC is now impeding commercial traffic into
the area at its barrier and Mugunga on the road to Sake.

Gaye, Kayembe in Goma
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2. (SBU) MONUC force commander General Babukar Gaye and FARDC chief
of staff General Kayembe arrive today. Expectations are that the
visit will include final preparations for the Joint Verification
Mechanism. FARDC area commander Mayala noted last Saturday that the
Congolese delegates were in place in Goma -- FARDC has rented
houses, bought two SUVs for them -- but have heard nothing from
Rwanda. Greater information about this and items referred to below
will obtained after meeting with MONUC's head of office tomorrow.

SADC delegation
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3. (SBU) A 21-member delegation from the Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) arrives today. This is believed to be
the anticipated assessment mission from the SADC security commission
in response to President Kabila's request for activation of the
pact's mutual defense mechanism.

Nairobi communique accords
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4. (SBU) After discussions between the U.S. Goma rep and provincial
deputies, the head of provincial assembly's majority caucus met with
Governor Paluku and the head of the provincial pacification cell,
Clovis Muni, to discuss a joint campaign between the governor's
office and parliamentarians to get the word out about the agreement
in their home districts. Such a campaign is still in the talking
stages and needs to be encouraged. The assembly as an institution
went on record in a press conference last Saturday in favor of the
accords, but real action to explain what it means to constituents
has been lacking. Hutu communities, especially those with strong
ties to the FDLR and the Pareco Mai-Mai militia, are suspicious of
the accords and extremist Hutu politicians have been manipulating
fears of a pro-Tutsi sellout by Kabila to fan up hostility to it.

Radio campaign
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5. (SBU) Poloff in Goma spoke at length yesterday by phone with a
representative of the NGO "Search for Common Ground" regarding ideas
for a radio campaign to explain the Nairobi accords. The
conversation took place poloff and OFDA colleagues were confined to
the MONUC mobile operations base during the panic in Rutshuru.

Wolpe, Kassa workshop in Bukavu
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6. (SBU) Howard Wolpe and Michel Kassa's workshop for FARDC and
other military continues in Bukavu, with all FARDC units in the
province represented. Today and tomorrow are the crucial sessions
during which participants will agree on what, if any, concrete steps
should be taken next. Wolpe is leaving for the U.S. through Burundi
but Kassa plans to stay in the province if he is needed to travel to
the High Plateaus or elsewhere to help mediate or support follow-up
actions. Olivier Richard of the French Embassy and Belgian Consul
Hugues Chantry are observing proceedings.

GARVELINK