NEW SOUTH KIVU GOVERNOR TARGETS SECURITY, GOVERNANCE,

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000375 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EMIN KDEM PINR CG SUBJECT: NEW SOUTH KIVU GOVERNOR TARGETS SECURITY, GOVERNANCE, POVERTY REF: Kinshasa 315 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Governor Louis Muderhwa of South Kivu targeted security, governance, and poverty issues in his April 8 meeting with the Ambassador. He requested computer and communications technology to extend provincial authority and accelerate the disarmament and reintegration of foreign fighters. He called for an official Amani Program representative in Bukavu. He said he intends to produce a provincial mining plan to increase transparency in exports. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Recently elected South Kivu governor Louis Leonce Muderhwa (reftel) highlighted security, governance, and poverty concerns in his April 8 meeting with the Ambassador. Muderhwa was accompanied by Congolese Ambassador to the U.S. Faida Mitifu and Phelps Dodge representative Melissa Sanderson. PolOff sat in as notetaker. ¶3. (SBU) Muderhwa said the province's primary security concern is the continued presence and destabilizing influence of FDLR/ex-FAR/Interahamwe (IH) and demobilized but non-integrated ex-combatants. He noted the importance of linking progress on various agreements concerning armed groups, and referred specifically to the Rome declaration, Nairobi communique, and Goma accords. He said he had received correspondence from FDLR leadership in Europe criticizing their exclusion from the Nairobi negotiations and requesting participation in the Goma process. ¶4. (SBU) Muderhwa said he had raised the idea with President Kabila of a establishing a national government representative in Bukavu as part of the Amani Program; he said Kabila was receptive to the idea. Muderhwa stated that a dynamic, credible official with experience of the Rome, Nairobi, and Goma negotiations could push the Amani Program forward. He envisioned the position as representing the national government both regionally and provincially. The Ambassador concurred in principle and said that he would raise the issue with Interior Minister Denis Kalume, who chairs the Amani Program steering committee. ¶5. (SBU) Muderhwa delivered two requests for security assistance. He asked for U.S. funding to produce posters of wanted genocidaires and suggested production of a film documenting the successful return and integration of ex-fighters into Rwandan society. He said the film would assist the DRC public awareness campaign to persuade FDLR/ex-FAR/IH groups to disarm. The Ambassador said the requests were timely, as the U.S. is in the process of concluding an assessment for deployment of psychological operations against foreign armed forces in the DRC. ¶6. (SBU) Muderhwa said the largest problem confronting the provincial government was the projection of state authority, and proposed that international donors fund VSAT communications technology for border and customs control. (Note: USAID funded VSAT satellite communications equipment for the Independent Electoral Commission during the 2006 national elections. End note.) He cited reducing corruption and completing integration of ex-combatants as other governance priorities. ¶7. (SBU) Muderhwa said poverty in South Kivu fuels security and governance challenges and intellectual capital flight from the province. He stated that integrating ex-combatants into the workforce is critical to attracting foreign investment. Muderhwa noted that he was the former vice minister for mines and said that he plans to develop a provincial mining plan that will include an assessment of existing natural resources and aim to increase the transparency of transactions across provincial borders. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: Muderhwa garnered the support of Kinshasa-based PPRD leadership to overcome the candidacy of fellow PPRD member Aime Boji, brother in law of National Assembly President Vital Kamerhe. His interest in seeing a central government official installed in Bukavu to represent the Amani Program appears aimed at focusing greater attention on the South Kivu side of the Goma process. End comment. ¶9. (SBU) Bio notes: Louis Leonce Muderhwa Chirimwami, an ethnic Mushi, 45, was born in Bukavu. A lawyer, he studied at Kinshasa University before teaching law at Catholic University in Bukavu. He served as vice-minister of mines before being elected to the National Assembly in July 2006 from Bukavu. GARVELINK