RWANDA HOSTS SUCCESSFUL JOINT MONITORING GROUP

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000410

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA HOSTS SUCCESSFUL JOINT MONITORING GROUP
MEETING

REF: A. KIGALI 0393

B. KINSHASA 0488

Classified By: Ambassador Michael Arietti for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) Summary. On June 4, Rwanda hosted delegations from
the DRC, the European Union, United States, United Nations,
South Africa, and African Union for the fourth Joint
Monitoring Group - Envoys' Level meeting. Participants
discussed continuing implementation of the Nairobi Accord and
its intersection with the Goma Accord and efforts by MONUC
and the DRC government to disarm and disband Rwandan armed
groups in eastern Congo. In a plenary session and later
closed door meeting of delegation principals, the Envoys
agreed upon: pursuit of "triangulation" efforts against the
FDLR in eastern Congo; enhanced efforts to achieve full
diplomatic relations between the DRC and the GOR; refinement
of plans to "receive" several hundred RUD-Urunana forces in
reception areas; increased "sensitization" efforts against
the FDLR, including possible BBC and VOA Kinyarwanda programs
and restrictions on FDLR leadership in the US and Europe; and
support for the Goma Act of Engagement governing indigenous
armed groups in the Kivus. Rwanda expressed concern over
increased FDLR infiltration and movement of FDLR battalions
close to border areas. MONUC proposed and delegates agreed
to coordinated cordon-and-search operation to move these
battalions away from border regions. Real proof of progress,
as ever, will lie in the forest and mountains of eastern
Congo, as the international community seeks to confront the
FDLR. End summary.


2. (C) Led by EU Envoy Roeland Van de Geer, delegations
from the EU, U.S., UN, AU, and South Africa met in Goma June
4 with DRC and GOR delegations to discuss progress on the
Nairobi Agreement and its intersection with the Goma Accord
and MONUC and DRC efforts to end the threat of armed groups
in the eastern Congo. Senior Advisor Tim Shortley, MONUC
SRSG Alan Doss, Ambassadors Arietti and Garvelink, DRC
Presidential Advisor Seraphin Ngwej, and GOR Special Envoy
Richard Sezibera attended, as did Kigali-based ambassadors
from the UK, Germany, and the EU.


3. (C) In discussions in an opening plenary session,
representatives agreed to redouble efforts to disarm and
disband Rwandan armed groups operating in the DRC. In
separate presentations, Seraphin Ngwej described the GODRC's
enhanced efforts to encourage FDLR rank-and-file to enter
DDR, and delineated the proposed calendar for RUD-Urunana and
RPR forces to arrive at assembly zones (following their late
May agreement in Kisangani to disarm)(ref B). Ngwej also
described efforts by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) to
engage and pressure the FDLR since the formal March 15
operational start of actions against the FDLR. SRSG Doss and
staff members showed slides of joint FARDC/MONUC
"triangulation" plans in four areas of North and South Kivu
to press the FDLR militarily, disrupt its economic
activities, and protect local populations. Doss called for
the reinvigoration of the Joint Verification Mechanism, and
said MONCU needed agreement from the DRC government to begin
unannounced inspections of airstrips to forestall FDLR
resupply and commercial activities. He noted the FARDC
needed adequate resources to make a "credible, disciplined"
effort in the field, and summed up the situation in the Kivus
by quoting Winston Churchill: "We are not at the beginning
of the end, but may be at the end of the beginning."


4. (C) Ambassador Sezibera detailed Rwanda's efforts under
Nairobi to police its borders (noting the accidental
helicopter intrusion in Ugandan airspace occurred in this
context) (Ref B). He said the GOR was working closely with
MONUC on encouraging FDLR "returns," noting that the numbers
of combatants now housed in Mutobo Demobilization Camp near
Ruhengiri were higher than previous months. Sezibera
cautioned that there had been increased FDLR infiltrations in
the last few months, and several battalions had moved
significantly closer to the Rwandan border, potentially
threatening economic targets along Lake Kivu (ref A). He
asked that a fifth "triangle" of effort be conducted along
the DRC-Rwandan border, to confront these FDLR forces. He
also asked for concerted actions against FDLR command and
control centers, and against FDLR leadership operating in
Europe and the U.S. A Joint Monitoring Group Task Force
spokesman noted continuing success on maintaining the
cease-fire among the various Congolese militias, and the
pull-back of various forces to reduce tensions. A Joint
Technical Commission had formed two key subcommittees on
military and humanitarian issues, he said, and had begun
their work.


5. (C) Summing up the discussions, EU Envoy Van de Geer
noted the following essential actions: enhanced military
pressure against the FDLR; organized returns of FDLR factions
ready to disarm; outreach to the BBC and VOA Kinyarwanda
Services to assist in "sensitization" programs; joint FARDC
and MONUC action against the FDLR forces near the Rwandan
border; a reinvigorated Joint Monitoring Mechanism; the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the DRC and
GOR; and tripartite discussions among the DRC, GOR and UNHCR
on refugee returns. Van de Geer said that he was "guardedly
optimistic," and said the situation was "encouraging," given
the combined interest and efforts of the assembled parties.


6. (C) In a later closed session of the EU, U.S., UN, DRC
and GOR delegation leaders, the participants reached
agreement in principle on joint and coordinated
cordon-and-search operations along the Congolese/Rwandan
borders. MONUC agreed to coordinate this with DRC and GOR
military leaders. Regarding demobilization of RUD-Urunana
forces, Sezibera said the GOR would be ready to send
representatives to assembly points to try to convince
disarmed FDLR fighters to return to Rwanda. The Rwandans
noted that headline FDLR political leaders, such as Ignace
Murwanashyaka in Germany and Callixte Mbarushimana in Paris
have regular access to VOA and BBC Kinyarwanda broadcasts
which they use to oppose the Nairobi agreement and FDLR
disarmament. All participants agreed that VOA and BBC should
be asked to provide opportunities for proponents of peace and
disarmament to send their message to Kinyarwanda listeners,
including FDLR foot soldiers. EU Envoy Van de Geer noted
that EU representatives had met recently in Europe to focus
attention on negative actions by FDLR leaders in their
countries, with the goal of finding ways to counter their
negative propaganda.


7. (C) Participants at the closed-door session also agreed
in principle to hold future JMG Envoy meetings in the Great
Lakes region. Van de Geer proposed that the next meeting
take place in late July or early August, to be followed by
another JMG Envoy meeting in early September in the DRC.


8. (C) Comment. The Rwandans found the meeting quite
productive, and were pleased that the assembled parties
focused heavily on the FDLR and actions to take against them.
The Rwandans were pleasantly surprised by what they
considered to be the positive attitude and cooperation of the
Congolese delegation. However, the actions to be taken in
the field, in the "triangular" areas and along Rwanda's
border, are ambitious and not without risks for both
governments -- a cornered FDLR has the ability to fight back.
If this is indeed the "end of the beginning," the proof will
be the forests and mountains of the Kivus, as MONUC and FARDC
seek to confront the FDLR. End comment.
ARIETTI