NEW WAVE OF CONGOLESE EXPULSIONS FROM ANGOLA

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000598 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM PGOV PREL AO CG SUBJECT: NEW WAVE OF CONGOLESE EXPULSIONS FROM ANGOLA REF: A. KINSHASA 150 ¶B. 07 KINSHASA 1428 ¶C. 07 LUANDA 1221 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: According to reliable sources, Angolan forces have expelled more than 60,000 Congolese in the first six months of ¶2008. A CARITAS-Germany representative and a MONUC Joint Military Analysis Center (JMAC) analyst told PolOff July 8-9 that Angola is expelling Congolese nationals from four provinces along the DRC - Angola border including a wave of more than 30,000 within the last month. A MONUC investigative team confirmed cases of maltreatment of expelled Congolese during a June trip to Bandundu province. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has formed a working group to address the expulsions. Clearing the border area in order to grant mining concessions is the most likely reason behind the expulsions, according to OCHA. The GDRC has not reacted and appears content to let the international community address the humanitarian concerns. End summary. ¶2. (U) Angolan military forces have expelled undocumented Congolese from Angolan territory, including Cabinda, Zaire, Malanje, and Lunda Norte provinces (reftels). According to a CARITAS-Germany representative and a MONUC JMAC analyst July 8-9, more than 60,000 Congolese have been expelled during the first half of 2008, including a wave of more than 30,000 within the previous 30 days. ¶3. (U) The CARITAS representative said that MONUC facilitated a multi-agency team to Kasongo-Lunda territory of Bandundu province June 10 to investigate the new wave of expulsions. The MONUC team reported cases of extortion, theft, and physical and sexual violence against the Congolese committed by Angolan forces. ¶4. (U) The majority of the expelled Congolese arrive in the DRC without food, water, or personal belongings. Both the CARITAS representative and JMAC analyst told us these arrivals are putting resource pressure on the local populations. The most desperate of expellees resort to looting. ¶5. (SBU) In the absence of a response from the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (GDRC),the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has formed a working group of international organizations and NGO's to address the expulsions. The working group meets weekly to discuss emergency aid proposals and logistics. A Senior Field Coordinator from OCHA told the working group July 14 that Ross Mountain, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary and MONUC's second in command, was to meet with DRC Interior Minister Denis Kalume July 16 to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis (Note: An official from Mountain's office confirmed to us July 18 that the meeting did take place and that the results would be shared at the next working group meeting July 21. End note). The OCHA officer also said that the Angolan Interior Minister recently told an OCHA counterpart in Luanda that the GoA is currently planning to conclude the expulsions near the border and commence expelling illegal Congolese from Angolan cities, potentially impacting as many as many as 150,000 Congolese. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: The two theories put forward by CARITAS and JMAC for the expulsions are (1) the removal of potentially illegal voters before the upcoming Angolan elections, and (2) the expulsion of illegal immigrants to facilitate the granting of mining concessions in the areas occupied by undocumented Congolese. The latter seems to us more likely, as the registration period has already passed for the Angolan elections. The areas have a high diamond extraction potential. The expulsion of Congolese from urban areas may prove difficult for the GoA due to the presence of families as opposed to the majority of single men currently being expelled along the border. The GDRC appears to be content to let the international community address the expulsions due to its unwillingness to rock the boat of good relations with Angola and because of its own lack of border control presence and capacity. End comment. GARVELINK