Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LUANDA166
2007-02-21 10:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Luanda
Cable title:  

CAROL THOMPSON DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH THE

Tags:  PREL PGOV KDEM AO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2964
RR RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0166/01 0521056
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211056Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3725
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LUANDA 000166 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF FRONT OFFICE AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM AO
SUBJECT: CAROL THOMPSON DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH THE
ANGOLAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, OPPOSITION AND NGOS

REF: LUANDA 163

Classified By: Ambassador Cynthia Efird for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LUANDA 000166

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF FRONT OFFICE AND AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM AO
SUBJECT: CAROL THOMPSON DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH THE
ANGOLAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, OPPOSITION AND NGOS

REF: LUANDA 163

Classified By: Ambassador Cynthia Efird for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) Summary. During AF/DAS Carol Thompson,s visit to
Angola, the Chairman of the National Election Commission was
bullish on the success of the voter registration process
while opposition leaders had reservations about elections in
general. Opposition leaders thanked us for our support for
party strengthening and civic education and requested
additional USG and international assistance in these areas
and in securing additional ways to get their message out to
the population. The opposition leaders are, as in the past,
looking for the international community to help them fight
their battles, but appear to have a more well thought out and
cohesive stance. NGO representatives relayed concerns from
the populations outside provincial capitals where voter
registration hasn,t yet arrived and no schedule has been
announced as to when these communities will be registered.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) On February 1, 2007, DAS Carol Thompson discussed
Angola,s voter registration process and future elections
with Angolan opposition leaders, National Election Commission
(CNE) Chairman Caetano de Sousa, and with US-funded
international NGOs. Thompson, DCM and poloff also visited
the CNE headquarters. Opposition leaders Isaias Samakuva
(UNITA),Eduardo Kuangana (PRS),Ngola Kabango (FNLA),Analia
Vitoria Perreira (PLD),Luis Nascimento (FPD),Luis dos
Passos (PRD),and Sediangani Mbindi (PDP-ANA) participated in
a roundtable at the US Embassy, and USG-funded NGOs HALO
Trust, Mine Action Group (MAG),Norwegian People,s Aid
(NPA),National Democratic Institute (NDI),International
Republican Institute (IRI)and IOM attended an informal dinner
with DAS Thompson.

CNE: Decidedly Upbeat on the Elections
--------------

3. (SBU) CNE Chairman Caetano de Sousa was upbeat on the
voter registration process, noting that registration
processing efficiency had improved and that he recently saw
ten people complete registration in just six minutes in one

station. De Sousa stressed the importance of getting an
accurate count of eligible voters and their geographical
distribution for the CNE to design the plan for the election.
He predicted that the CNE would register between seven and
eight million people this year. DAS Thompson,s visit is
featured on the CNE website at www.cne.gv.ao.


4. (SBU) De Sousa explained the electoral process: the CNE
will recommend a date for elections once registration is
completed, but the Council of Ministers will set the actual
date. For logistical reasons, De Sousa believes a month in
the dry season, e.g., September, would be the most practical.
He assured Thompson that the Commission would allow time for
political campaigning, as well. With a view to elections in
2008, everyone who will turn 18 by the end of 2007 is being
registered, but once a date has been set, the CNE will open a
special registration period for young voters to capture
anyone who will turn 18 before election day.


5. (SBU) De Sousa also expressed a hope that by election day,
all polling stations in the country will be linked together
in a communications network, permitting individual stations
to relay their votes to the provincial and then the national
commissions for an immediate tally.

Opposition: Painting a Much Grittier Picture
--------------

6. (SBU) At an Embassy round table discussion, major
opposition party leaders took turns voicing their concerns
about the registration and electoral process to DAS Thompson.
PLD President Analia Pereira opened the meeting, noting that
the elections were important to Angolans as well as to the
international community in Angola, which wants a certain
security for their investments. She said that there remains
still some fear of violence with elections and that the
opposition has asked President dos Santos for guarantees that
the Angolan army has clear rules about how it should and
should not act during an election. She acknowledged the
opposition,s weaker position and noted some of the
advantages held by the MPLA (better funding, organization,
government support),characterizing the election as the
championship game between the first and third division teams.
PRD,s Luis dos Passos noted that this is a country highly
influenced by paternalism and the population identifies
itself with the government which is now seen to be taking
better care of them.


7. (SBU) FNLA representative Ngola Kambango attacked the

LUANDA 00000166 002 OF 003


government for not setting and announcing an election date.
He had little faith that the Council of the Republic could
influence the government to name and stick to an election
date. Sediangani (PDP-ANA) seconded Kambanga,s comments,
underscoring the council,s real lack of power, by quoting an
Angolan joke, &The group goes into the meeting as counselors
and comes out having been counseled by the President.8 Luis
Nascimento (FPD) cast his doubts that elections would occur
in 2008, noting, &Since 2003 we regularly discuss elections,
and the announcements are always for elections next year.8
He sadly noted that regular elections should not just be a
privilege of the west and asked the USG to use its influence
to press the government for elections as soon as possible.
UNITA,s Samakuva also expressed doubts that elections would
occur in 2008, characterizing the President,s announcement
as just a way to get rid of international pressure.


8. (SBU) The PRS,s Eduardo Kuangana discussed the voter
registration process, noting the challenges to the
computerized system presented by typical Angolan elements of
rain, lack of electricity and newness of computers to the
majority of the population. He expressed real concern that
all eligible voters would be successfully registered in the
six months allotted to the process, noting that in the first
month not even a million were registered. (Note: During the
first month 945,000 were registered; total number to be
registered is estimated at over seven million.) Kuangano and
Sediangani led off a heated discussion of the government
payment of USD 200,000 to each party to help defray costs of
the parties, registration monitors, noting that it only
covers half the party,s costs and presented DAS Thompson
with spreadsheets and calculations to substantiate their
arguments (See reftel A).

Need International Support for Democracy
--------------

9. (SBU) The parties universally acknowledged the need for
&serious investment8 in democracy in Angola. Noting the
lack of access to the press, Luis dos Passos asked for the
international community to underwrite an &institute for
democracy,8 i.e., a center where the opposition could have
access to internet connections, computers and printers for
desktop publishing etc. A number of the party leaders
stressed the need for continued and increased support for the
NDI and IRI programs in Angola and also requested our help in
encouraging the international companies to support democratic
process.


10. (SBU) DAS Thompson thanked the opposition leaders for
their frank views, acknowledging the challenges they face.
She reassured them that a fair, free, democratic electoral
process is a priority for the USG, acknowledging that we are
also concerned that the calendar has slipped several times.
DAS Thompson stressed that the USG can and will continue to
pressure the GRA to set a public timetable. She said she
strongly heard their requests for additional training with
NDI and IRI and understood they believed this would help them
perform better in the election.


11. (SBU) Using the US experience, DAS Thompson said that
having a political record can also be exploited as a
detriment, noting that the alternate party can express a new
point of view; how it can improve the situation. She
encouraged the opposition to work together to insure that
basic milestones are put into place such as increased press
access, an election timetable and greater decentralization.

NGOs: Reality Checks from the Provinces
--------------

12. (SBU) The NGO reps, who operate extensively in the
provinces, provided DAS Thompson with overviews of their
respective programs and relayed concerns they hear in
Angola,s hinterlands. Regarding elections, the main concern
was the lack of a schedule for when brigades would arrive in
each municipality and information on the deployment of mobile
brigades. NDI noted the difficulties presented to the NGO
groups in planning their voter registration education
programs and ability to sponsor accredited observers without
a schedule of brigade movements. The HALO Trust
representative noted that in many of the remote
municipalities she hears doubts as to whether voter
registration will reach the villages, particularly in those
provinces considered traditional UNITA strongholds.


13. (C) Comment: As evidenced by the wide range of
viewpoints, there is no easy sound-bite on the Angolan voter
registration and election process. CNE President Caetano de
Sousa is justly proud of CNE accomplishments; the opposition
is realistic in assessing its disadvantage against the MPLA
and government power and questioning when elections will

LUANDA 00000166 003 OF 003


really take place. Now that registration is underway, there
has been a noticeable shift in the position of the opposition
parties. Rather than simply complaining about the excessive
power of the ruling MPLA, the main subject at previous
opposition roundtables, they are now taking stock of
themselves and their electoral prospects. They continue to
request international and USG assistance and appear to think
that they cannot win against the MPLA machine without such
help but appear to be taking greater responsibility for
trying to boost their own party images. End Comment.


14. (U) DAS Thompson has cleared this cable.
EFIRD