NEW DETAILS IN CABINDA SHOOTING POINT TO POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000081

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NCS PASS TO PITTMAN/LEO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC KSAC AO
SUBJECT: NEW DETAILS IN CABINDA SHOOTING POINT TO POLITICAL
MOTIVATION

REF: 07 LUANDA 01281

Classified By: AMB DAN MOZENA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. SUMMARY: (C) On January 18, Roberto Ferreira, Chevron's
Superintendent of Security in Cabinda (protect),relayed to
RSO and PolOff additional information on the December 26
shooting death of a Brazilian national in Cabinda Province
(reftel). His report (unconfirmed) paints a picture of the
deliberate killing of an expatriate oil industry worker
(employed by the U.S. company Geokinetics) by a small group
of well armed anti-GRA insurgents. The GRA has made no
public statement on the attack, but has privately assured
Chevron security that those responsible have been detained.
The mix of increasing on-shore oil exploration in Cabinda and
some well-armed locals discontent with their political and
economic fortunes could spark more such tragic incidents in
the future. END SUMMARY


2. (C) According to information received by the
well-connected Chevron Superintendent of Security in Cabinda
from both official and unofficial sources, the incident
occurred near an onshore exploration area approximately 70
kilometers north of Cabinda City. In the early morning of
December 26, up to six young men dressed in mixed civilian
and military attire and armed with AK 47s and an RPG attacked
a small group of Angolans who had stayed overnight at the
onshore oil exploration site. The Angolans, employees of a
Brazilian seismic testing company, were stripped naked and
robbed. The attackers then set up an ambush in the area's
lone access road and attacked the Brazilian and his driver as
they arrived at the site. They too were stripped and robbed;
the Brazilian was also verbally harangued for stealing
Angolan jobs and resources, while the attackers took pictures
and video footage. The attackers set fire to the Brazilian's
Land Cruiser; the resulting smoke alerted another approaching
vehicle, which reversed down the access road as the attackers
fired an RPG round towards it. The round missed, and the
vehicle fled to the nearest military camp to report the
incident. At this point the attackers killed the Brazilian
with a gunshot wound to the chest and fled on foot into the
densely forested surrounding area, leaving pro-FLEC pamphlets
in their wake. The other victims were not harmed.

No Public Response From the GRA
--------------


3. (C) As with most incidents in Cabinda, the GRA has not
publicly responded. FAA insiders informed Chevron that FAA
commanders received a letter calling the attack "only the
beginning" and threatening additional attacks. FAA sources
also told Chevron the attackers were also responsible for
several attacks on police outposts in the area in the days
surrounding the Brazilian's death, and that the attackers had
been captured and detained by the authorities. There has
been no public confirmation of an investigation or arrests.


4. (C) Chevron has already taken steps to review and
strengthen its security procedures and restrict travel
outside the Malongo operating base. Ferreira pointed out,
however, that while the large oil companies are concerned by
these security incidents, smaller oil companies are more
likely targets for attacks due to their involvement in
onshore (vs. offshore) exploration activities; these same
small companies are also less likely to have or enforce
strict security guidelines. Ferreira said that, according to
FAA and police sources, the company had not notified nearby
FAA or police units that its officials would be traveling in
the area, and they did not ask for security escorts, an act
Ferreira called "unwise."

Potential Fallout for Brazil
--------------


5. (C) Brazilian Embassy officials told Poloff the GRA's
handling of the incident is affecting their bi-lateral
relationship. The death certificate issued by the GRA states
only that the victim died of a gunshot wound; his Brazilian
insurance policy requires proof that the wound was not
self-inflicted. Provincial government authorities have
flatly refused to respond to the Brazilian Embassy's request
for an official statement clarifying the cause of death, and
MIREX also has yet to respond. The Brazilian ambassador
separately told Ambassador Mozena of his mounting frustration
over the GRA's failure to provide information on the
incident. The death was widely covered in Brazilian
newspapers; their Embassy fears the issue could become more
threatening to the bilateral relationship should the

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Brazilian media run the story of a widow unable to receive a
death settlement because of the GRA's refusal provide
information about the killing and the political context in
which it occurred.


6. (C) COMMENT: Given the GRA's lid on security information
from Cabinda, we are unable to quantify or qualify the nature
of the threat there and the efficacy of the GRA's response.
Reports of sporadic insurgent activity targeting the FAA and
police have been coming out of Cabinda since July 2007. Now,
however, the increasing movement of oil workers engaged in
on-shore exploration gives anti-GRA elements easy targets to
generate international attention to their cause. The mix of
increasing on-shore oil exploration in Cabinda and some
well-armed locals discontent with their political and
economic fortunes could spark more such tragic incidents in
the future. End Comment.
MOZENA