S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000796

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PMIL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: PUTSCHISTS ANNOUNCE MEMBERS OF TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL

REF: A. CONAKRY 0787

B. CONAKRY 0788

C. CONAKRY 0793

Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D


1. (S) SUMMARY. Coup organizers officially announced the
formation of a transitional council on December 23, which
includes 32 members. The Council is predominantly military
with reported ties to drug kingpin Ousmane Conte. Mutiny
leader Claude Pivi is also a member. Civilian contacts are
saying that the Council membership is unacceptable. Conakry
remains calm, but there have been some incidents of violence.
The airport remains open although commercial airlines are
independently deciding to cancel or divert flights. The
French are reviewing evacuation plans as part of normal
operating procedures, but are not currently considering
evacuation. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The situation in Conakry remains relatively calm on
December 24 as putschists continue to assert their authority
and define a transitional government. However, gunfire could
be heard throughout the night, and there were reports of
several small businesses being robbed by armed soldiers. A
French media source, France24, claimed that the putschists
had instituted a curfew between the hours of 19:00 and 06:00.
Embassy has not been able to confirm that there is in fact a
curfew in place, but military elements did set up various
roadblocks throughout the city last night.


3. (S) The former Minister of Foreign Affairs (former as in
part of the government overthrown by the coup) told DCM that
soldiers attacked his vehicle when he was driving home from
the People's Palace after a late night meeting. He said that
the soldiers beat him up and then stole his cell phone and
other valuables. A former Minister of Security, Damba, said
that soldiers broke into his home, beat him up to the point
of fracturing some bones, and stole valuables.


4. (SBU) Conakry International Airport remains open, but
commercial airlines have been independently deciding to
cancel or divert incoming flights. Air Senegal, Air Mali,
Air Maroc, and Brussels Airlines all c

anceled flights
yesterday. Air France is diverting its regularly scheduled
December 24 flight to Dakar. (COMMENT. The airport also
remained open during the May 2008 military mutiny with
commercial airlines making similar decisions over a period of
a few days until the security situation became clearer. END
COMMENT).


5. (S) The French liaison officer to AFRICOM told AFRICOM
that the French are currently reviewing their evacuation
plans as party of standard contingency planning. The French
have not indicated that they are considering evacuations,
only that they are reviewing the plans in order to be
prepared if the situation escalates. (COMMENT. They did the
same thing during the May military mutiny even though they
reported at the time that they were not considering
evacuations. END COMMENT).


6. (S) At approximately 20:00 on December 23, the putschists
announced the composition the new National Council for
Development and Democracy (CNDD), which included 32 members.
Captain Moussa Gadis Camara, a soldier who had received U.S.
and German training in the past, and who contacts say is
linked to drug kingpin Ousmane Conte, was named as the head
of the CNDD. Of the remaining appointees, 25 were military
and 6 were civilian. Two other soldiers had received U.S.
training in the past. Three soldiers are directly or loosely
associated with the 19th Promotion--LTC Mathurin Bangoura,
LTC Aboubakar Sidiki "Idi Amin" Camara, and LTC Mamadou Korka
Diallo. Two others had purported ties to Ousmane Conte, but
contacts have suggested that the number may be higher. The
leader of the May military mutiny, Claude Pivi, was also
included on the CNDD.


7. (S) Civilian contacts have repeatedly expressed their
concern to Embassy officers over the composition of the
council. Youth leader Thierno Balde, who has been working
with the 19th promotion on their coup plans, said that the
CNDD is clearly linked to Ousmane Conte. He described them
as a group of close friends looking to continue a cronyist
government system with little to no interest in civilian
rule. Several contacts have said that the ethnic composition
of the CNDD is worrisome because Peuhls and Soussous are not
adequately represented. A journalist told PD LES that some
of the people on the list are refugees from Sierra Leone and
Liberia, and therefore, not "real Guineans."


CONAKRY 00000796 002 OF 002



8. (U) The morning of December 24, the CNDD issued two
additional communiques. In the first one, the CNDD stated
that certain generals continue to recognize the National
Assembly as a legitimate government institution,
demonstrating a lack of respect for the people of Guinea.
The spokesperson said that they (these generals) are
anticipating the intervention of foreign mercenaries already
in Guinea, commenting that such behavior is unworthy of a
responsible citizen. In the second communique, the CNDD
stated that "taking power was a civic act responding to the
will of a distressed people." The CNDD emphasized that it
had no ambition to say in power and was only looking to
safeguard territorial integrity. The spokesperson stated "We
are engaged in organizing elections at the end of December

2010. We ask the population not to protest in the streets."


9. (SBU) Discussions among the putschists continued this
morning. Youth leaders participated in part of the
discussions, but were later asked to leave. Further
announcements are expected.

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


10. (S) There seem to be at least three competing factions
within the ranks of the putschists. Details on internal
discussions and further analysis will be reported septel.
The situation remains uncertain as there is as of yet no
clear picture of what shape the new government is going to
take. Civilian contacts have indicated that they will
ultimately reject the new CNDD if the membership is not
changed. END COMMENT.
RASPOLIC