Goma Report September 16

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000769 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO PHUM PREF CG SUBJECT: Goma Report September 16 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The only area of continued firing remains the Ngungu-Kirtoshe area. Nkunda and CNDP are not communicating with EU special envoy Van de Geer. MONUC has presented a plan for zones of separation to the government, to include FARDC departure from positions in Rutshuru buffer zone. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) As of September 16, CNDP has almost entirely withdrawn from areas beyond its previous area of control. The only exceptions are a few stragglers in the large northern area around Nyanzale and continued fighting in the Ngungu-Kirotshe area in the southwest. In the latter there was a brief exchange of fire between CNDP and FARDC this morning near Kirotshe-Shasha. North Kivu brigade assesses that this was not an attack by either side, but rather forces in movement too close to each other who opened fire. North Kivu brigade has given PARECO until noon to day to clear out of Ngungu, where there has been significant human displacement. There has been ongoing exchange of fire between CNDP and PARECO in and around Ngungu. North Kivu brigade commander is present today in Kirotshe and Ngungu. ¶3. (SBU) In the large northern zone around Nyanzale, North Kivu brigade assesses that CNDP has 95 percent cleared out with only a few CDNP elements still left around Kibirizi. North Kivu brigade continues to occupy its own base at Nyanzale as well as the FARDC brigade headquarters north of the town, having expected FARDC to return to the area byu now. However, FARDC has effectively kept out of the entire region south of Kanyabayonga, leaving a vacuum that has been occupied in part by PARECO, Mai Mai, and FDLR. North Kivu brigade has warned PARECO at Kikuku and pushed it at least out of that village. ¶4. (SBU) In the Rutshuru corridor, North Kivu brigade confirms that CNDP has withdrawn from the one forward position it held (since August 28) in the buffer zone, at Kanombe. The FARDC continue to hold the positions taken within the buffer zone, i.e., Ntamugenga and Mutabo, as well as Kishebere near the Uganda border. The water source for Rutshuru town, located in CNDP territory, remains cut off. (Note: This issue was mentioned to the CNDP team at Kimoka by Eastern Coordinator Alpha Sow on September 13, and CNDP promised an immediate solution. End note.) The local population on the Birao to Bunaganga road has staged a protest over closure of the road. ¶5. (SBU) EU Special Envoy Roeland van de Geer remains in Goma until September 17. He hoped for a meeting with Nkunda, or failing that at least another meeting with the CNDP team at Kimoka, but there has been no return call from Nkunda, nor any willingness of the CNDP team to meet again. He also planned to helicopter to meet the leader of the southern wing of PARECO, but ongoing fighting around Ngungu appears to have also negated that possibility, as the PARECO commander is evidently too engaged. ¶6. (SBU) Yesterday, September 15, MONUC presented a rapidly-prepared plan for North Kivu zones of separation to the government (before SRSG Doss and Minister of Interior and other ministers left Goma). The plan was not coordinated with the international facilitation team. It appears that the plan proposes that FARDC evacuate Ntamugenga, Mutabo, and Kishebere. The government has not given its response. MONUC proposed to present the plan to CNDP at Kimoka, but CNDP has thus far shown no willingness to meet MONUC or receive the plan. GARVELINK