EASTERN DRC NOTES - NOVEMBER 19

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001026 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG SUBJECT: EASTERN DRC NOTES - NOVEMBER 19 ¶1. (U) The items contained in this report consist principally of spot information from various sources. This report is not exhaustive, nor can all the information contained therein be confirmed at this time. Security Situation -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The CNDP announced publicly on Tuesday that it would withdraw its troops 40 kilometers along two axes in North Kivu: Kanyabayonga-Nyanzale and Kabasha-Kiwanja. CNDP called on MONUC to secure the zones of separation, which its withdrawal would create. MONUC welcomed the CNDP withdrawal. ¶3. (SBU) Press reports and a UNDSS briefing indicated that the FARDC had engaged in "serious pillaging" of the towns of Kayna and Kirumba on November 18. PARECO forces in the area confronted the FARDC forces and a firefight ensued. UNDSS said that the FARDC reportedly killed five civilians, who they suspected of being PARECO members, and burned alive a sixth. FARDC officials in the area reported five PARECO killed, and one FARDC soldier killed. ¶4. (SBU) There are unconfirmed reports of CNDP presence at Miriki, 20 kilometers west of Kayna and Kanyabayonga. There are other rumors that the CNDP is moving northward up Lake Edward from Vitshumbi. One hypothesis is that the CNDP will try to encircle Kanyabayonga. Humanitarian Situation -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Handicap International reported that when 20 civilians in Kiwanja refused to carry water for CNDP troops, CNDP soldiers summarily executed the civilians. According to Handicap International, there have been 12 cases of forced recruitment by CNDP in Rutshuru and eight cases in Kiwanja. Many young men are now hiding in the bush. ¶6. (SBU) UNHCR announced it plans to reopen a base in Rutshuru and start an assessment on November 18. During the week of November 17, WFP, FAO, the Food Security Cluster, and various NGO's also plan to conduct an evaluation of Rutshuru. A multi-office (Human Rights, Child Protection, and Civil Rights) MONUC team is conducting a five-day assessment visit to Kiwanja to investigate reports of recent atrocities. The team is also concerned about possible human rights violations at Rwindi. ¶7. (SBU) The humanitarian community continues to discuss the possibility of relocating IDP's from Kibati 1 and 2 camps to Mugunga 3 camp. Humanitarian agencies continue to prepare the Mugunga 3 site, and MONUC planned to commence work on an access road to the camp on November 18. ¶8. (SBU) Humanitarian agencies announced on November 17 that an additional 3,000 refugees had arrived in Uganda, bringing the total of recent DRC refugees in Uganda to 13,000. The GDRC Minister of Humanitarian Affairs announced that the DRC now has 2.5 million IDP's ¶9. (SBU) A USAID/DART team visited Minova in South Kivu on November ¶18. Between November 12 and 14, more than 1,000 people fled from Ngungu to Minova, raising the total number of IDP's in Minova to 32,000 - 40,000. Political Developments -------------- ¶10. (U) Visiting UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa, Asia and the United Nations Lord Mark Malloch-Brown told a Kinshasa press conference on November 18 that he would not exclude the possibility of sending EU troops to Eastern DRC. However, Malloch-Brown emphasized that the best solution is to reinforce MONUC's existing forces and the second-best option would be a regional force. ¶11. (U) According to Radio Okapi, the NGO Journalistes en Danger (JED) wrote a letter to Laurent Nkunda asking him to stop "attacks and intimidation" against journalists operating in CNDP areas. JED specifically mentioned the cases of two journalists from Radio Tele Groupe L'Avenir (RTGA) and Digital Congo accused of propagating hate. GARVELINK