GUINEA'S HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BLOCKED AGAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000170 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL SHARON COOKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC GV SUBJECT: GUINEA'S HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BLOCKED AGAIN REF: CONAKRY 0120 Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. After finally receiving long-awaited government funding to launch an investigation into the human rights abuses allegedly committed by security forces in early 2007, Guinea's Human Rights Association is blocked again. The Central Bank has frozen the Commission's bank account, allegedly under the directive of the president's camp, effectively closing off access to all funds. In response, France and the European Union have reportedly suspended their financial commitments until the Guinean Government fulfills its own legal obligation to the Commission. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) During a meeting with Poloff on May 5, the president of Guinea's Human Rights Commission, Mounir Houssein Mohamed, said that the Commission has been forced to halt its official investigation before it even had a chance to get started. The Commission, officially known as the "Commission d'Enquete," was created by law and is tasked to investigate the alleged human rights abuses committed by security forces in early 2007. Two weeks ago, Mohamed told Poloff he was planning to launch the investigation in early May since the government's long-awaited financing had finally materialized (reftel). Frustrated, but deeply committed to his mission, Mohamed told Poloff on May 5 that he had been blocked once again. ¶3. (SBU) According to Mohamed, after finally receiving a budget from the government, he wrote a check to cover eight months rent on an office suite intended to serve as the Commission's headquarters. However, he said the landlord later called him and told him the check had bounced. Mohamed told Poloff that he immediately called the Central Bank and was told that the account had been frozen. When he inquired as to who was behind the blockage, he was reportedly told that it was the Governor of Conakry. Mohamed said that after he investigated further, he discovered that President Conte told the Governor to take care of the account, although he was vague when Poloff questioned him on his sources, saying that "everyone said the same thing...what authority does the Governor have to interfere in the Central Bank?" ¶4. (SBU) Mohamed said that when he took the job as head of the Commission, he was fully aware of what he was getting himself into. Because the alleged abuses happened before the installation of the Kouyate administration, he said that the investigation naturally targets President Conte and his closest advisors. Mohamed told Poloff that even within the Commission itself, members are cautious, and in some cases reluctant to go after those who are likely responsible for the alleged crimes. ¶5. (C) When Poloff asked about the support from the prime minister, Mohamed said Kouyate is absolutely useless. Pointing out that the PM has only met with the Commission once since its installation, Mohamed said Kouyate "has done nothing...every time the European Union or the IMF ask about the Commission, he drops everything and runs around to try and make it look like he is doing something so that he can collect money from the international community...in reality, it is all a false front...he's not interested in pursuing the investigations." Mohamed added that the law creating the Commission, which was signed in May 2007, clearly states that the government is supposed to provide "all necessary means," which it has failed to do. ¶6. (SBU) Turning again to the issue of funding and the blocked account at the Central Bank, Mohamed said that France and the European Union, who have each committed significant funds to the Commission, have temporarily withdrawn their support. According to Mohamed, the Europeans said they cannot fund the Commission if the Guinean Government is not going to demonstrate political will by putting up some financing of its own. ¶7. (C) To address funding issues, Mohamed said he went to see the President of the National Assembly, Aboubacar Sompare, on April 30 and asked him to intervene with the president. Since then, Sompare has reportedly been avoiding Mohamed's calls. When he finally did get through, Mohamed said it was only to Sompare's secretary who told him Sompare was busy and unavailable. According to Mohamed, he told the secretary to tell Sompare that he was organizing a press conference to reveal the blockage. Mohamed said that Sompare immediately called him back and told him to hold off on doing CONAKRY 00000170 002 OF 002 a press conference and that he would speak to the president. ¶8. (SBU) Mohamed told Poloff that he is waiting for the time being, but will not hesitate to hold a press conference if necessary. He was not optimistic that the investigation would happen in a timely manner, if at all. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (SBU) A lawyer by trade, Mohamed is passionate about his work and willing to take risks to see justice served. However, the government (both Kouyate and Conte's camp) appear to be blocking the Commission at every turn, whether by inaction or targeted decisions. Mohamed is convinced that the only reason he was able to shake loose government funding in the first place is because he published a highly critical letter in January, detailing the government's lack of support. If he does not see this latest blockage resolved soon, he will likely follow through on his threat to hold a national press conference. However, the reality is that even if the Commission succeeds in completing its investigation, the government is unlikely to take appropriate actions to address human rights abuses, given the current political context. END COMMENT. CARTER