PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT IN BAS-CONGO PROVINCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000134

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV CASC MOPS KPKO ASEC CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT IN BAS-CONGO PROVINCE

REF: A. A. KINSHASA 102

B. B. 05 KINSHASA 1064


1. (SBU) Summary. Protests in Bas-Congo province, sparked
by the controversial result of the January 27 gubernatorial
election, turned violent January 31-February 1 with clashes
between security forces and demonstrators led by adherents of
an ethnic Kongo political-religious movement, Bundu dia Kongo
(BDK). There are unconfirmed reports of as many as 80
fatalities. The Consular Section checked with local wardens,
and there are no reports of any American citizens being
involved in the incidents. Business has returned to normal
in the province and the situation is currently calm, but with
a strong security presence in the province's major towns. End
summary.


2. (U) Election-related clashes January 31 and February 1 in
several locations in Bas-Congo province involving security
forces and adherents of Bundu dia Kongo (BDK),an ethnic
separatist movement, have left as many as 80 dead according
to preliminary but unconfirmed reports. There were civilian,
police, and military casualties. Violence was greatest in
the Congo River ports of Matadi (the provincial capital and
link to the western DRC) and Boma, and Muanda on the Atlantic
coast, but several smaller locations, including Kasangulu and
Kinzaomvwele, were affected as well. It is not clear to what
extent the incidents may have been coordinated.


3. (U) Reports received February 2 from residents in the
province indicate the situation is now calm, but with heavy
presence of security forces on the streets. Consular officer
called registered American citizens in the province, and
Embassy has no reports of any Americans being involved in the
violence. Two MONUC vehicles were stoned by a large crowd,
and one was set on fire; no injuries were reported.


4. (U) The violence disrupted economic activity throughout
the province, resulting in the January 31 closure of all
commercial ports and the temporary shutoff of the petroleum
pipeline to Kinshasa. Most of the western DRC's petroleum
products enter the region through this pipeline, as do a
large percentage of the country's imports.


5. (U) The violence was sparked by discontent with the
results of the January 27 Bas-Congo gubernatorial election
(ref A). Provincial assembly deputies narrowly elected a
nominally independent but pro-Kabila candidate in a province
that voted heavily for rival presidential candidate
Jean-Pierre Bemba in the October 2006 general elections. BDK
spiritual leader Ne Muanda Nsemi, a member of the National
Assembly, was the candidate for vice governor on the losing
ticket, headed by a member of Bemba's MLC party.


6. (U) Following announcement of the election results
January 28, the BDK called for people to refrain from going
about ordinary business the following week and show their
dissatisfaction through a "ville morte," or general strike.
From all reports, BDK's call brought little response,
although its charge that pro-Kabila politicians corrupted
deputies to vote for their candidate has received wide
currency in the province.


7. (U) On the evening of January 31, police attempted to
raid a BDK residence in search of arms. Nsemi, a National
Assembly deputy, was in Kinshasa, but the police were met
with resistance from his supporters; nearly a dozen people
reportedly died in the incident.


8. (U) The following day, BDK adherents set up roadblocks
and burned cars to prevent entry to several towns and impede
access to the main provincial highway, which links the ports
of Matadi and Boma to Kinshasa. Further violence erupted
when police attempted to clear the streets and disperse the
demonstrators. BDK adherents also attacked police and
government installations. Later in the day, military forces
arrived to assist the police in re-establishing order in
Muanda.


9. (SBU) No official casualty figures have been released,
but there have been fatalities reported in Matadi, Boma,
Moanda, and Kinzaomvele. Violence in Boma was apparently the
worst, and included decapitation of a policeman by
machete-wielding BDK militants.


10. (SBU) Presidency officials rejected claims of electoral
fraud, and condemned the violence. Interior Minister Denis

KINSHASA 00000134 002 OF 002


Kalume traveled to Matadi February 1 to confer with
provincial and security authorities and BDK representatives.
He had earlier met in Kinshasa with BDK leader Nsemi, who
called on his followers not to engage in violence. Kalume
told reporters that President Kabila has ordered the DRC's
prosecutor-general and auditor-general to the province to
head an investigation of the incidents. The Congolese
military sent a battalion from the Seventh Integrated Brigade
from Kinshasa to Bas-Congo.


11. (SBU) Comment. This is not the first time that the BDK,
a millennial movement whose most radical members dream of
recreating the medieval Kongo kingdom from large parts of
present-day Angola, the DRC and the Republic of Congo, has
been involved in violence. Most recently, BDK-led
demonstrations in July resulted in several deaths in Matadi
(ref B). There is no doubt that Bas-Congo political figures
who allied themselves with Bemba will attempt to further tap
into discontent long present in the province among BDK
adherents. End comment.
MEECE