PROTEST ACTIVITY CONTINUES, BUT CITY IS NOTICEABLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000675

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PHUM GV
SUBJECT: PROTEST ACTIVITY CONTINUES, BUT CITY IS NOTICEABLY
CALMER

REF: A. CONAKRY 0663

B. CONAKRY 0668

C. CONAKRY 0670


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Random protests continue in Conakry this
morning, although the city appears calmer than it has since
the civil disturbances started four days ago. Embassy has
received reports of at least three dead, possibly four, and
more than 40 injured. GoG security forces continue to
respond with relative restraint, refraining from firing
directly on protestors, although there have been reports of
violent beatings. The situation in the interior of the
country remains calm. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Interventions by the Minister of Security and the
leaders of an ethnic youth group (Haal Pular) yesterday
afternoon may have had a calming effect on at least some of
the protestors who have been forcing the capital city to come
to an almost complete standstill since November 2 (reftels).
The city began to quiet down yesterday evening although there
were still indications of unrest and general unease. Embassy
employees coming to work this morning reported less evidence
of possible protest activity, and many locally engaged staff
were able to get to the Embassy safely. Vehicle traffic
remained light, but there were more vehicles on the roads,
including some taxis. Security forces were out, but there
seemed to be fewer officers than witnessed earlier in the
week.


3. (SBU) Haal Pular youths and the NGO "Network of Friends
for Life" organized an anti-violence march yesterday
afternoon, encouraging protestors to end the demonstrations.
The youth leaders reportedly told the protestors that they
were "making the neighborhood look bad."


4. (SBU) However, the situation remains tense. Two LES
employees driving an Embassy vehicle were held up at gunpoint
this morning at approximately 0330 by three armed men in
camouflage uniforms. The employees were threatened and
robbed, but physically unharmed. The Secretary General of
the Ministry of Security told DCM that the ministry would
investigate the incident.


5. (SBU) By 0930, Embassy began receiving confirmed reports
of protest activity, including tire burning, in Donka (near
the CMR) and in Cosa. The Donka protest was reportedly
kicked off by local high school students who were angry that
their teachers had not reported to work for the third day in
a row. Specific details about the Cosa demonstration were
not available, but the area has consistently been a hotbed of
protest activity over the last few days.


6. (SBU) Although difficult to confirm, available
information suggests that there have been at least three
deaths since the protests began, possibly four. The Deputy
Director of Donka Hospital (Conakry's largest hospital) told
Econ LES yesterday that the hospital was treating about 40
people who had been injured by bullets and/or rocks.
However, when Econ LES called for an update today, the doctor
(who is a government employee) angrily told him to stop
calling because the hospital cannot provide a daily update.
He said that when the crisis is over, the hospital would
inform the general public through a press conference.
(COMMENT. The GoG almost never publicly reports casualty
totals, and certainly did not do so after similar recent
crises such as the May military mutiny and the 2006 strikes.
The GoG did provide an official casualty total from the 2007
strikes, but only after significant international and
domestic pressure to do so. END COMMENT.)


7. (SBU) Recent international press reports have suggested
that the GoG is responding to the crisis with undue force,
possibly violating basic human rights. Although past
practices support this claim, sources indicate that the
security forces have been responding with relative restraint.
They have been firing into the air, but Embassy has not
received any reports to date of security forces firing
directly at protestors. However, there have been numerous
reports of security forces violently beating protestors. At
the same time, many of the injuries appear to be the result
of the protestors' activities. At least one of those killed
was a police recruit and there have been reports of security
forces sustaining injuries.


8. (SBU) Although some contacts suggest that the Minister of
Security's intervention helped calm the situation, others
indicate that many protestors remain undeterred. One
participant told Econ LES that the minister had brought some

CONAKRY 00000675 002 OF 002


cattle as a peace offering, slaughtering them on the spot,
and then offering the meat to the protestors as a gift of
encouragement to return to their homes. The youths
reportedly turned down the offer claiming that the meat would
only give them indigestion, and then urinated on it. Another
youth contact told Poloff that people are getting tired and
hungry, especially since it is becoming increasingly
difficult to buy food, which may force a temporary return to
calm. However, contact emphasized that people remain deeply
frustrated and are unlikely to back down in the long term.


9. (SBU) Some contacts have told Embassy staff that there is
less protest activity today because many youths stayed up
late to watch the results of the U.S. presidential election
and then celebrate Senator Barack Obama's win. (COMMENT.
Guineans have been following the U.S. elections very closely
and there has been a high level of interest in the outcome.
END COMMENT).


10. (SBU) Contacts throughout the interior of the country
continue to report that the civil disturbances are confined
to the capital area. However, they pointed out that there
are now significant fuel shortages in Kindia, Boke, Labe, and
Kankan. They added that the black market price for fuel now
ranges between 10,000 GnF ($2.08) and 20,000 ($4.16) GnF per
liter, as opposed to the official 5,500 GnF rate ($1.15).

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


11. (SBU) The situation seems calmer today, but there is
still a high degree of uncertainty. If the civil
disturbances continue, people are soon going to be affected
by fuel shortages and lack of access to basic food supplies.
These same shortages may in turn cause a ripple effect in the
interior since many critical supplies transit Conakry, with
imports (such as rice) going out to the interior, and locally
produced agricultural products coming in. END COMMENT.

RASPOLIC