UNOCI CONCERNED ABOUT DDR PROCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000063

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W-EPLUMB AND INR/AA-BGRAVES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2018
TAGS: MARR MCAP PREL PGOV IV
SUBJECT: UNOCI CONCERNED ABOUT DDR PROCESS

REF: ABIDJAN 08

Classified By: Political/Economic Section Chief Silvia Eiriz for reason
s 1.4(b/d).


1. (C) Jean Marc Tafani, the new chief of the United Nations
Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) Office of Disarmament,
Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) described the
government's DDR plan as ambitious and fragile and noted it
could increase instability. Tafani expressed concern about
lack of coordination and duplication of efforts within the
government on the DDR process. He stated that the Forces
Nouvelles (FN) and the government armed forces have separate
DDR timetables. The government armed forces announced the
completion of DDR on January 24 while the FN are scheduled to
finish on April 1. Having 5,000 FN troops join the
government armed forces, as planned, will have serious
budgetary implications on an institution already experiencing
financial difficulties, Tafani said. Gianmarco Scuppa, head
of the European Commission (EC) delegation's Political
Section, said the EC will not fund the DDR program as
currently constituted, but will observe the process for
another 2 months, and will then propose a different approach
if it observes no concrete results. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Jean Marc Tafani, the new chief of UNOCI'S DDR
Office, provided an update on the status of DDR on January 24
to representatives of diplomatic missions, international
organizations, and civil society. Tafani stated that the
disarmament and demobilization process launched on December
22 was supposed to include regrouping, disarmament, profiling
of ex-combatants, and demobilization. Tafani described the
DDR events of December 22 as purely ceremonial (See Reftel).


3. (C) Tafani described the government's DDR plan as
ambitious and fragile and noted it could increase the risk
factors for instability rather than strengthen peace. Tafani
advised that the FN and the government armed forces now have
2 separate DDR timetables. The government armed forces
officially completed the DDR process, which involved 12,000
combatants, on January 24. The Forces Nouvelles is carrying
out a separate DDR process, which involves 37,500 combatants,
and which is scheduled to be completed on April 1. Of the
37,500 FN combatants, 20,000 are to go into the civic
service, 5,000 will be integrated into the government armed
forces, 4,000 will be integrated into the government
gendarmerie force, and 8,500 will go through a program for
reinsertion into civil society.


4. (C) Tafani advised that Chief of Staff of the FN General
Soumaila Bakayoko is currently traveling to meet with FN Zone
Commanders to explain how DDR will be carried out. Tafani
said he believes the FN have a real desire to disarm and take
up some other employment, but are not very interested in
participating in a reinsertion program. Scuppa stated it
could be difficult to get the Zone Commanders to buy into the
plan. Tafani added that they won't accept it unless they
receive financial enticement to do so. Scuppa remarked that
the EC will not fund the DDR program as currently
constituted. He said the EC will observe the process for
another 2 months and, if there are no concrete results, the
EC will propose a different DDR approach.


5. (C) Tafani expressed concern about lack of coordination
and duplication of effort within the government on the DDR
process. The Ministry of Defense, through the Integrated
Command Center (ICC),is in charge of disarmament. Tafani
said the ICC lacks the budget and planning officers necessary
to carry out its mission. Both the ICC and the National
Program of Reinsertion and Community Rehabilitation
(Programme National de Reinsertion et de Rehabilitation
Communitaire - PNRRC),which reports to the Prime Minister,
are responsible for demobilization. Reintegration is to be
carried out both through the PNRRC and the civic service.
Tafani said the government was unable to provide details
about the civic service and PNRRC programs.


6. (SBU) Tafani also expressed concern about the implications
on the government's budget of having 5,000 FN troops join the
government armed forces. He noted that the armed forces are
experiencing budgetary difficulties and that this will have
an affect on morale. Tafani said government soldiers have
not been paid salaries for 3 months, but Scuppa clarified
that the delay only applied to the war bonuses and not the
base salaries.


7. (C) Comment. Tafani is correct that the fragility of the
DDR plan could increase tensions. First of all, there are
the differing DDR timetables for the government armed forces
and the FN. This could be portrayed by parties wanting to
cause trouble as the FN dragging its feet on disarmament.
The government's plan lacks detail and also seems to lack
adequate financing. If these weaknesses impede momentum on
DDR, citizens' concerns about the ability to organize
elections that will be safe and free of violence will
increase. While President Gbagbo publicly calls for
elections in 2008, there are rumors that he is working behind
the scenes to delay the election. If DDR has not taken
place, Gbagbo could argue that there is still too much
instability and concerns of violence to allow holding of
elections. End Comment.
AKUETTEH