YOUTH EXCHANGE BLOWS OVER POLITICAL AGENDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CONAKRY 000565 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2018 TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC GV SUBJECT: YOUTH EXCHANGE BLOWS OVER POLITICAL AGENDA REF: A. CONAKRY 0538 ¶B. CONAKRY 0520 ¶C. CONAKRY 0525 Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (C) Some of Conakry,s youth leaders came to blows the evening of September 18 over differences of political opinion. Over the past few weeks, a group of twelve youth leaders have been trying to organize a massive youth movement to force President Conte,s resignation and a complete dissolution of the national government. Ethnic issues, individual political agendas, and high-level bribes have undermined the youths, ability to coalesce (reftels). The youth leaders were planning to finalize their public declaration on September 18 and had scheduled a press conference. However, sources report that the various players could not come to consensus. ¶2. (C) According to Mouctar Diallo, leader of a new opposition political party and one of Guinea,s key youth leaders, the youths were divided according to their individual political allegiances. Some groups wanted to keep Conte in power and fire the prime minister, while other groups maintained that a complete dissolution of the government was the only way to assure change. ¶3. (C) A fistfight broke out when youths from a group called &Haal Pular8 showed up unexpectedly and claimed that the assembled groups had no authority to speak on behalf of all youths. Diallo said that Haal Pular, which is described as an ethnic organization for the Fulani (Peuhl),supports Prime Minister Souare and former prime minister/opposition political leader Cellou Diallo, both of whom are Peuhl. According to various sources, some of the youths started throwing punches while others broke chairs. The scuffle reportedly ended relatively quickly and the various players went home. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Youth leaders have told Poloff that they are continuing with their agenda and still trying to bring everyone together. However, contacts outside the core group of youth leaders have expressed skepticism about the strength and motivations of the movement. Some key contacts are informed and unwilling to participate for various reasons while others claim that they know nothing about it. Sources indicate that Prime Minister has given a significant amount of cash to Haal Pular in order to buy their support, and to undermine the youth movement. The youths as a whole could potentially be one of the most influential players in Guinean politics, but their continued failure to overcome ethnic divisions, corruption, and petty politics continues to leave them as little more than political pawns for the big players. END COMMENT. RASPOLIC