BEMBA NOT PLANNING TO RETURN TO KINSHASA SOON

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000624 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017 TAGS: PGOV KDEM PO CG SUBJECT: BEMBA NOT PLANNING TO RETURN TO KINSHASA SOON REF: KINSHASA 419 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Close aides to Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba said the former Transitional Vice President and MLC President will remain in Portugal and not return to the DRC anytime soon. A 60-day leave of absence granted Bemba by the Senate ends June ¶11. Bemba and his advisers say he will not come back until he has guarantees about his personal security. End summary. ¶2. (C) Senator and former DRC Transitional Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba will not be returning to Kinshasa in the near future according to his advisers. His former chief of staff, Fidele Babala, told PolOff June 5 that Bemba intends to remain in Portugal until his "security arrangements" are guaranteed by the GDRC. Bemba left the temporary sanctuary of the South African Embassy compound in Kinshasa April 11 after his militia forces were effectively routed by government troops during fighting March 22-23 (reftel). He went to Portugal for follow-up medical treatment for a leg injury suffered in December. ¶3. (C) Babala said Bemba is concerned about his personal security were he to return to Kinshasa. He claimed that an agreement to provide Bemba with a guard force had not been respected by the government, adding that in any case the small contingent of twenty that had been agreed to would be "insufficient" for Bemba's security. Babala added that Bemba is also seeking compensation from the GDRC for the pillaging of his residence during the March fighting, as well as an end to the "persecution" of opposition politicians. ¶4. (C) Babala also said there are "questions" remaining about Bemba's Senatorial immunity. The Senate granted Bemba a 60-day leave of absence from Senate business for medical treatment. That leave ends June 11 and has yet not been renewed. Babala said an extended, unexcused absence from the Senate could serve as a pretext to revoke Bemba's status as Senator, and thus his immunity. There is, however, no motion in the Senate to lift Bemba's immunity, nor are there indications that the Senate leadership intends to support such a move. Babala added that the MLC intends to ask for an extension to allow Bemba to remain in Portugal. ¶5. (C) Comment: The current standoff seems to suit the government well, and there is little interest among Kabila supporters to facilitate Bemba's return to the DRC. MLC supporters of Bemba complain that government officials ignore their requests to discuss special security arrangements. We expect they will work to get authorization for Bemba to extend his absence from the Senate on medical grounds. End comment. MEECE