ITURI UPDATE: KARIM SURRENDERS ADDITIONAL 131

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000292 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV KPKO ASEC CG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: KARIM SURRENDERS ADDITIONAL 131 MILITIA MEMBERS REF: KINSHASA 281 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Front for National Integration (FNI) leader Peter Karim surrendered an additional 131 militia members March 10 in Doi, approximately 55 miles northeast of the Ituri District capital of Bunia. Karim had promised Congolese military (FARDC) officials he would surrender an additional 200 militia after sending an initial group of 170 for demobilization February 27 (reftel). The 301 ex-FNI members are now awaiting identification and processing in nearby Kpandroma before beginning training and integration into the FARDC. ¶2. (C) Karim himself did not surrender March 10 despite an earlier pledge to do so. MONUC Force Commander Lt. General Babacar Gaye told us March 12 Karim still insists on amnesty before reporting for integration. Karim reportedly claimed he has more than 300 FNI militia members still waiting in the bush who will not surrender until the GDRC grants him amnesty. ¶3. (C) As with the previous group of FNI ex-combatants, this group also turned in few weapons. MONUC military officials report the FARDC recovered just 18 weapons, including 12 AK-47 rifles, most of which were unserviceable. Gaye said he suspected many in this new wave were simply "farmers" seeking the cash payment given to demobilizing soldiers. He also speculated that Karim is purposely withholding weapons to force the GDRC's position on the amnesty question. A MONUC-Bunia political officer who met with Karim March 9 told us the militia leader rejected the "one person, one weapon" principle, claiming the militia's weapons are "community assets" being used for their protection. MEECE