CNDP CLAIMS NO INTENTION TO ATTACK GOMA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001165 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG SUBJECT: CNDP CLAIMS NO INTENTION TO ATTACK GOMA KINSHASA 00001165 001.5 OF 002 ¶1. CNDP Spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa issued a press statement on December 25, declaring the CNDP's intention to refrain from attacking Goma in light of political progress in negotiations with the GDRC. The statement also warns that advances by government forces could jeopardize the CNDP's October 29 unilateral ceasefire. The statement appeals to MONUC to pressure government forces to vacate former CNDP-controlled areas to lower the risk of confrontation. Unofficial embassy translation follows. Original French is at paragraph 3. ¶2. Begin unofficial translation of CNDP press statement: National Congress for the Defense of the People Press Statement by the Movement Following the press reports issued by a press service working to increase the distress of our compatriots regarding alleged preparations by CNDP troops for the fall of the city of Goma during the year-end festivities, the CNDP's political directorate informs public opinion, both domestic and international, and specifically our compatriots living in the city of Goma, that it will not undertake any military initiative that could undermine serenity and peace in the city, particularly at this moment when a political, rather than a military, solution seems to be prevailing, despite our adversary's reticence. The CNDP's political directorate recalls that on October 29 of this year it decreed a unilateral ceasefire just as the city of Goma was fully within its reach. Our movement's troops had been instructed to carry out a unilateral withdrawal of approximately 12 kilometers along the Goma-Kibati axis, not only to avoid panicking the city's population but also to reaffirm its commitment to a negotiated resolution of the crisis. Even now the political directorate of our movement remains committed to these principles and asks the population of Goma to stay calm and go about its business. Our movement asks MONUC to exercise necessary and sufficient pressure on the government coalition's troops for the purpose of taking them from areas that have been vacated by the CNDP and thus avoid any possibility of confrontation between troops. It goes without saying that the government coalition's troops have advanced along different axes evacuated by our movement with the intention of taking control of CNDP areas. Such initiatives could compromise the precarious calm that has been observed until today. The movement's political directorate avails itself of this opportunity to present its best wishes to all our compatriots, to whom it recommends meditation and sustained prayer for a lasting peace in the east of the country in particular and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in general. Bizwa, December 24, 2008 For the political directorate of the CNDP, the Chairman, Laurent Nkunda Mihigo Major General End unofficial translation of CNDP statement ¶3. Begin original French version of CNDP statement: CONGRES NATIONAL POUR LA DEFENSE DU PEUPLE COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE DU MOUVEMENT CONSECUTIVEMENT AUX INFORMATIONS DIFFUSEES A TRAVERS UNE CERTAINE PRESSE PAR LES FAISEURS DU MALHEUR DE NOS COMPATRIOTES SUR LES PRETENDUS PREPARATIFS DE LA CHUTE DE LA VILLE DE GOMA PAR LES TROUPES DU CNDP PENDANT LES FESTIVITES DE FIN D'ANNEE, LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DU CNDP INFORME L'OPINION TANT NATIONALE QU'INTERNATIONALE ET PLUS PARTICULIEREMENT NOS COMPATRIOTES HABITANTS LA VILLE DE GOMA QU'ELLE NE PRENDRA AUCUNEMENT L'INITIATIVE DE LA GUERRE SUSCEPTIBLE DE PERTURBER LA QUIETUDE ET LA SERENITE DANS LA VILLE, SURTOUT EN CE MOMENT OU LA SOLUTION POLITIQUE SEMBLE L'EMPORTER SUR CELLE MILITAIRE, EN DEPIT DES RETISSANCES DE LA PARTIE ADVERSE. LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DU CNDP RAPPELLE QU'ELLE A, EN DATE DU 29 OCTOBRE DE L'ANNEE EN COURS DECRETE UN CESSEZ-LE-FEU UNILATERAL ALORS QUE LA VILLE DE GOMA ETAIT PLEINEMENT A SA PORTEE. LES TROUPES DE NOTRE MOUVEMENT AVAIENT ETE INSTRUITES D'OPERER UN RETRAIT UNILATERAL DE 12 KM SUR L'AXE GOMA-KIBATI POUR NON SEULEMENT EVITER DE PANIQUER LA POPULATION DE LA VILLE MAIS AUSSI REAFFIRMER SON ATTACHEMENT A UNE ISSUE NEGOCIER DE LA CRISE. AUJOURD'HUI ENCORE, LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DE NOTRE MOUVEMENT RESTE ATTACHE A CES PRINCIPES ET PRIE LA POPULATION DE GOMA DE GARDER LEUR KINSHASA 00001165 002.2 OF 002 TRANQUILLITE ET DE VAQUER PAISIBLEMENT A LEURS OCCUPATIONS. A LA MONUC, NOTRE MOUVEMENT DEMANDE D'EXERCER UNE PRESSION NECESSAIRE ET SUFFISANTE SUR LES TROUPES DE LA COALITION GOUVERNEMENTALE EN VUE DE LES AMENER A SE RETIRER DES ZONES DESENGAGEES PAR LE CNDP ET ECARTER AINSI TOUTE POSSIBILITE DE CONFRONTATION DES TROUPES. IL VA S'EN DIRE QUE LES TROUPES DE LA COALITION GOUVERNEMENTALE ONT AVANCE SUR DIFFERENTS AXES DESENGAGES PAR NOTRE MOUVEMENT DANS L'INTENTION DE PRENDRE LE CONTROLE DES ESPACES CNDP. DES TELLES INITIATIVES RISQUERAIENT DE COMPROMETTRE LE CALME PRECAIRE OBSERVE JUSQU'A CE JOUR. LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DU MOUVEMENT PROFITE DE CETTE OCCASION POUR PRESENTER SES VOEUX LES MEILLEURS A TOUS NOS COMPATRIOTES AUXQUELS ELLE RECOMMANDE LA MEDITATION, LA PRIERE SOUTENUE EN FAVEUR D'UNE PAIX DURABLE A L'EST DU PAYS EN PARTICULIER ET EN REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO EN GENERAL. FAIT A BWIZA, LE 24 DECEMBRE 2008 POUR LA DIRECTION POLITIQUE DU CNDP LE CHAIRMAN LAURENT NKUNDA MIHIGO GENERAL MAJOR End original French version of CNDP statement GARVELINK