YOUTH MOVEMENT SPLINTERS IN THE FACE OF BRIBES AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000525

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2018
TAGS: ASEC PGOV KDEM GV
SUBJECT: YOUTH MOVEMENT SPLINTERS IN THE FACE OF BRIBES AND
FEAR OF RETALIATION

REF: CONAKRY 0520

Classified By: A/DCM SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D


1. (C) SUMMARY. The broad-based youth movement that began
to take shape last week (reftel) appears to be losing
momentum. According to initial information from one of the
main youth leaders, Thierno Balde, some of the youth groups
have accepted bribes while others have backed down because of
fear of retaliation. Despite the break-down in leadership,
youth meetings continue. In addition, Monday morning started
off with renewed spontaneous street demonstrations. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) Over the weekend, Prime Minister Souare appeared on
national television and asked the population to be patient
and calm with respect to the lack of public utilities. The
Minister of Communication, Tibou Camara, conveyed the same
message and then said that the government would continue to
maintain law and order. In both cases, the government
referred only to the random youth demonstrations of the past
week, dismissing them as nothing more than spontaneous and
unconnected events.


3. (C) Despite the public rhetoric, inside information
suggests that members of the government were taking the
growing youth movement as a significant threat, and were
actively working behind the scenes to diffuse it. The owner
of the Guinean Cement Company told the Charge that a
prominent unidentified minister had called him and asked if
he could seek refuge at the businessman's house if trouble
developed. The businessman told the minister that he could,
as well as his wife and children, but no one else would be
allowed in, including the minister's bodyguards.


4. (C) According to Thierno, high-level political actors
were actively courting various youth groups over the weekend
and offering bribes, which some of the groups accepted. The
bribes reportedly came directly from Prime Minster Souare,
the former Minister or Finance Kassory Fofana, and the
President of the National Independent Electoral Commission
(CENI),Ben Sekou Syllah, among others.


5. (C) Thierno, who had dropped by the DATT's private
residence on September 14, said that "everyone has been
bought off." He said that of the nine groups that has
already coalesced, six broke off, leaving only three groups,
all of which are closely identified with the Fulani ethnic
group. Thierno said that the youths had been trying to get
the labor unions to support them, but that the unions had
also been bought off, and had been refusing to meet with the
youths.


6. (C) Fear also began to take its toll with a number of
youths reportedly expressing concern that they would be
killed. According to Thierno, one young leader broke down in
tears at the last meeting, saying "the president is going to
kill us all; this is crazy, dangerous."


7. (C) Despite the breakdown in leadership, meetings
continue. Thierno is still talking about holding a press
conference, now planned for Thursday at 10:00, to publish the
youth declaration as is, with however many signatures and
endorsements they are able to obtain by then. As of 9:30
this morning, youths were already demonstrating around two
key traffic circles. The anti-riot police had responded and
were dispersing the crowds, possibly by firing bullets into
the air.

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COMMENT
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8. (C) Based on initial information, the planned youth
movement appears to be losing momentum as various groups and
leaders splinter off. Embassy plans to meet with some of
these youth leaders in the next few days to get more detailed
information about what might have transpired. In the
meantime, there does not appear to be any slow down in
spontaneous street demonstrations. END COMM
BROKENSHIRE