ITURI UPDATE: FRPI, MRC MILITIAS STILL AWAITING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000088 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2017 TAGS: PGOV KPKO CG SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: FRPI, MRC MILITIAS STILL AWAITING FULL DEMOBILIZATION REF: A. KINSHASA 86 ¶B. 06 KINSHASA 1851 Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Mathieu Ngudjolo's Congolese Revolutionary Movement (MRC) and Cobra Matata's Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI) militias have largely disarmed, although the number of militia members who have surrendered to date is far lower than earlier expectations. Ex-FRPI combatants are currently undergoing military training in Ituri, but those from the MRC are still waiting for demobilization authorities to provide services. Ngudjolo has reportedly promised Congolese officials that another 500 militia members will surrender if the GDRC meets new demands. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Unlike fellow Ituri militia leader Peter Karim of the Front for National Integration (ref A),Ngudjolo and Matata met a December 31 deadline imposed by the GDRC to surrender their militia forces. On December 14, 118 FRPI ex-combatants surrendered outside of Bunia. Another 263 members of the MRC disarmed December 28. Ngudjolo had earlier claimed he had 800 members in his ranks, while Matata estimated nearly 2,400. Since their demobilization, the ex-combatants have been temporarily placed in camps at Rwampara outside Bunia. A total of 5,278 Ituri militia members have surrendered to MONUC or Congolese authorities since the last phase of demobilization began in June 2006. ¶3. (C) Ngudjolo promised FARDC officials January 24 he will have another 500 of his MRC members surrender if the GDRC agrees to meet certain demands. Ngudjolo's first condition is to complete the disarmament of the first group of 263 ex-MRC members. The second is for prosecutors to examine the cases of the 107 MRC members being held in prisons in Bunia, Kisangani and Kinshasa. Ngudjolo reportedly told FARDC officials if these two items are resolved, it would motivate remaining MRC members to surrender. ¶4. (SBU) The ex-FRPI combatants at Rwampara are undergoing military training before being integrated into the Congolese military (FARDC). Training was originally to take two weeks, but is now scheduled to finish at the end of January. MONUC and FARDC officials reported the training was delayed because of a lack of funds to provide the ex-combatants with food and uniforms. In addition, the program was pushed back to allow former militia members to arrive at the camp. ¶5. (C) The 263 ex-MRC members are still waiting to be demobilized at Rwampara. MONUC officials in Bunia told us the UNDP, which is preparing the transit site and will organize the disarmament effort, does not have the funds to run the program. CONADER, the Congolese national disarmament agency, is also unable to provide the ex-combatants with demobilization kits. MONUC officials told us the World Bank, which funds CONADER, and its donor partners still refuse to release funding and material to assist Ituri militia disarmament efforts (ref B). ¶6. (C) Ngudjolo and Matata themselves are circulating freely throughout Ituri District. Vice Minister of Defense Bernard Mena told us Ngudjolo has chosen to stay largely in Bunia and spends most of his time at FARDC headquarters in the city. MONUC officials told us the FARDC Ituri Operations commander General Vainqeur Mayala has named Nudjolo as his "special adviser." Mena said Matata is traveling between Bunia and southern parts of Ituri, where he is trying to convince other FRPI members to surrender. Mena added that neither militia leader appear to pose a security threat. ¶7. (C) Comment: The fact that only about 400 militia members, as opposed to nearly 3,000, surrendered from the FRPI and MRC is not surprising since the original estimates were never considered realistic. Ngudjolo and Matata appear not to pose immediate threats to Ituri's security for the time being. If demobilization and integration efforts are not sped up, however, the GDRC runs the real risk of having the two and their followers become disgruntled and return to the bush. End comment. MEECE