KAMINA UPDATE - SITUATION CALM FOLLOWING FEBRUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000216 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2018 TAGS: PHUM MARR PGOV CG SUBJECT: KAMINA UPDATE - SITUATION CALM FOLLOWING FEBRUARY 17-18 SHOOTOUT REF: KINSHASA 186 Classified By: PolCouns D. Brown for reason 1.4 (b & d) ¶1. (U) The situation is currently calm at FARDC's Kamina base in northern Katanga, site of the February 17-18 shootout between FARDC commandos and brassage candidates drawn mainly from Nkunda's CNDP forces (reftel). MONUC officials confirmed this state of play in separate briefings March 3. However, verification of certain key details remains elusive, chief among them the casualty figures. ¶2. (C) While officially no deaths resulted from the firefight, one MONUC analyst told us he is aware of five. Three reportedly died in the hospital following the original fight. The other two were ex-CNDP fighters who fled the base and were killed by civilians in a nearby village, in an environment of local mistrust of Rwandaphone brassage candidates. The analyst noted that it is possible that other candidates who fled the base might still be missing. As for the number injured, current reports place the number at as many as 37. ¶3. (C) A team has been in the process of screening and registering the brassage candidates at Kamina base to prepare for their training and integration. According to a MONUC political officer, the screening uncovered 17 underage soldiers, who have been demobilized. MONUC's Radio Okapi claims that at least some ex-Nkunda fighters are refusing to be integrated into FARDC units, preferring to form their own regiment. ¶4. (C) Additionally, base commanders have decided to separate the brassage candidates from the commandos in an effort to avoid further incidents. MONUC analysts we spoke to have concluded that the brassage candidates are receiving only token training at the moment, in an effort to occupy their time. They had no information as to whether the FARDC's policy of separating the commandos and brassage candidates will continue in the future, or if a plan exists to provide the brassage candidates with serious training. CLOUD