RESCUING THE GUINEAN STATE - A CNDD MEMBER'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000810

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SNAR ASEC KDEM GV
SUBJECT: RESCUING THE GUINEAN STATE - A CNDD MEMBER'S
PERSPECTIVE

REF: A. CONAKRY 0787

B. CONAKRY 0788

C. CONAKRY 0789

D. CONAKRY 0793

E. CONAKRY 0796

F. CONAKRY 0797

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


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A member of the Council for Democracy and
Development (CNDD) outlined the new government's political
agenda, emphasizing that the CNDD had no interest in
governing the country in the long-term. Characterizing the
CNDD as a patriotic movement to restore the Guinean State,
Contact said that the new government will work to hold
credible, transparent elections, amend the constitution,
address corruption, and strengthen the country's justice
system. Contact spoke in general terms and could not
articulate specific plans for achieving the CNDD's
objectives. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On December 29, Poloff met with Alpha Yaya Diallo,
a Customs inspector in charge of fuel and now a member of
Guinea's governing body, the Council for Democracy and
Development (CNDD). Diallo has been a reliable Embassy
contact for several years. He is a schoolmate of the new
president, Moussa Dadis Camara, and also worked extensively
with him in his Customs capacity when Camara was in charge of
procuring fuel for the military.

--------------
WHY A COUP WAS NECESSARY
--------------


3. (SBU) Diallo went on at length about the CNDD's
motivations for organizing the December 23 coup d'etat
(reftels). He explained that certain young military officers
felt that a battle for succession to the presidency was
imminent, whether President Conte died while in office or
whether he was ultimately forced out. Diallo said that all
of Guinea's previous prime ministers harbored personal
political ambitions that undermined their overall
effectiveness. He added that both the National Assembly and
the Supreme Court were dysfunctional and unwilling to declare
Conte incompetent, as provided for in the constitution.
According to Diallo, there were signs that the country was
hovering on the brink of civil unrest, possibly worse than
that of early 2007, while the government was incapable of
averting a social crisis. "When the president died, we had
to take action," he said.


4. (SBU) Addressing the constitutional question, Diallo
emphasized that the previous president of the National
Assembly, Aboubacar Sompare, was completely unacceptable as
even an interim leader. "Sompare has done absolutely nothing
for years; why should he profit now?," he asked. Diallo said
that both he and President Camara had been students of
Sompare's while at university and know him and his political
methods well. For Diallo, allowing Sompare to accede to the
presidency as provided for in the constitution would have
been tantamount to perpetuating the many problems of the
Conte regime. He added that with Sompare in power, the
ruling Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) would have stolen
the elections. At one point, he called Sompare
"Machiavellian."

--------------
NO INTENTION TO STAY
--------------


5. (SBU) As for the CNDD's ambitions, Diallo assured Poloff
that no one on the CNDD has any interest in governing the
country for the long-term. "If we can organize in elections
in three months, six months, or two years, we will be ready
to step down," he said. Diallo added that he planned to
report to his regular job at the Bureau of Customs on
December 30, which he called proof of his long-term agenda.
"We just need a credible democratic process, which is what
the population has been demanding," he said. At one point,
Diallo said "if the civilians come to us tomorrow with a
credible governance plan, we will glad turn things over to
them." When Poloff asked for clarification, Diallo admitted
that the CNDD would still function as an "advisory group,"
and to maintain law and order, until elections are organized.


6. (SBU) Later in the discussion, Diallo characterized the
CNDD as a political legacy that will benefit the country for
centuries to come. He pointed out that all members of the

CONAKRY 00000810 002 OF 002


CNDD are university educated and young, but when Poloff
disagreed, he said that "most" of them are academics. "Our
sole preoccupation is to facilitate a peaceful democratic
transition," he said. Diallo added that President Camara is
intentionally operating out of Camp Alpha Yaya in order to
avoid the temptation of the trappings of state. "We don't
even want to taste the air conditioning at the presidential
palace because we know it is not for us," he said.

--------------
EXPANDED AGENDA - NOT JUST ELECTIONS
--------------


7. (SBU) According to Diallo, the CNDD is planning to revise
the constitution. "We will restore term limitations and
shorten the presidential mandate to four or five years," he
said. "We also need to formally include the prime minister's
position within the constitution; a one leader system does
not work here; we need to balance the power," Diallo added.
Pointing out that he had served five years on the GoG's
anti-corruption committee, he said that the CNDD is also
planning to immediately address corruption issues. "We will
be conducting audits and holding people accountable," he
said, although he did not clarify how this process would
work. At the same time, Diallo said that the CNDD plans to
restore the country's justice system, again not specifying
exactly how this would be accomplished.

--------------
SEEKING ASSISTANCE, NOT LEGITIMACY
--------------


8. (SBU) Poloff told Diallo that the U.S. Government had
condemned the coup and is looking for an immediate transition
to a civilian-led government, and then explained U.S. law and
foreign policy that could ultimately require the USG to
suspend foreign aid to Guinea. Diallo said "we are not
looking for legitimacy, but we do need help to move forward."
Poloff emphasized that the current government is essentially
military and that there have been little indications to date
that the CNDD plans to deliver on its promise to transition
to civil rule. Diallo nodded his head in apparent
understanding.


9. (C) Poloff also noted that the USG is concerned about
several problematic personalities who were appointed to the
CNDD. She specifically mentioned mutiny leader Claude Pivi,
emphasizing that he had been responsible for known human
rights abuses. Poloff added that several names had also been
linked to drug trafficking. Diallo said that the CNDD plans
to address these issues, but that it would take time. Poloff
pointed out that military contacts have been telling the
Embassy for more than six months that they would handle Pivi,
but that they had failed to do so, which ultimately resulted
in further human rights abuses. Poloff emphasized that these
problematic personalities need to be addressed immediately,
not on a drawn out timetable.

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


10. (C) Diallo was gracious throughout the meeting and
seemed to sincerely appreciate the opportunity to share his
perspective, and to hear key USG concerns. He clearly towed
the party line in justifying the coup and explaining its
ephemeral character. Diallo said that he would reflect on
the discussion and that he looked forward to continued
exchanges. Several of Diallo's comments suggest that the
CNDD may be realizing that its members are ill equipped for
the demanding business of governing a country. They continue
to talk about reforms, but do not seem to have any concrete
ideas as to how to work toward those reforms. Diallo was not
optimistic that the CNDD would be able to remove problem
personalities from its ranks, although he was open to hearing
the USG position. The CNDD continues to assert its intent to
transition to civilian rule, but its agenda appears far more
complex than simply organizing elections. END COMMENT.
RASPOLIC