RWANDA REINFORCING CONGOLESE BORDER; INVESTIGATING

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000755 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018 TAGS: EFIN PGOV PREL RW SUBJECT: RWANDA REINFORCING CONGOLESE BORDER; INVESTIGATING RWANDAN BANK AND CNDP FUNDS REF: KIGALI 752 Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) Charge met October 24 with outgoing Great Lakes Envoy Richard Sezibera to discuss eastern Congo issues and other matters. When asked of the UN Group of Experts investigations into financial transfer by CNDP supporters to a Rwandan bank (reftel),Sezibera said he had met with the Group's member Jason Stearns, and took very seriously the allegations of overseas monetary transfers to a BCR Gisenyi branch account controlled by Nkunda's wife. He said he had directed the requisite Rwandan offices to begin an investigation. Sezibera also mentioned that the Rwanda Defense Forces were moving additional troops to its border areas with the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC. The RDF, he said, was seeing very worrisome joint operations planning by FARDC and FDLR units immediately along the Congo/Rwanda border -- these planning activities directed at nearby CNDP formations. Sezibera further described this joint planning as the most troubling development he had witnessed in his five years as Special Envoy. ¶2. (C) Comment. Sezibera's quick action (in his waning days as Special Envoy) to direct an investigation of the Gisenyi BCR account shows the GOR appreciates the need to move swiftly in regard to serious allegations of funding channels to the CNDP. End comment. SIM