UN/DRC SANCTIONS: MOVING ON SECOND GROUP OF FDLR

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000908 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018 TAGS: DRC PREL UNSC PGOV ETTC SUBJECT: UN/DRC SANCTIONS: MOVING ON SECOND GROUP OF FDLR TARGETS REF: STATE 090905 Classified By: DEPUTY POLITICAL COUNSELOR ELLEN GERMAIN, FOR REASONS 1. 4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 5. ¶2. (C) On October 1, representatives from the U.S., France, UK and Belgium UN missions reviewed progress on designating members of the FDLR rebel group for targeted sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Sanctions Committee (1533 Committee). (NOTE: Rwanda initially proposed designating nineteen FDLR names in May 2008, but because Rwanda's list lacked adequate identifiers and evidentiary information, France, the UK, Belgium and the United States placed holds on all names. END NOTE). The Europeans noted that they are now waiting on Washington to approve moving forward with the initial set of four names agreed to in September. They expressed frustration that the U.S. process has yet to be completed. The UK distributed draft releasable statements of case on these four individuals (emailed to IO/PSC) and requested comments on their content as soon as possible. ¶3. (C) The UK, France and Belgium said capitals should now begin consideration of a second group of names ("Tier 2"), even as we wait for the first four names to be formally designated. Five names were proposed for this second group: four of the five were previously prioritized by the United States (reftel); the fifth, Juma Ngilinshuti, was proposed by Belgium. The UK, France and Belgium asked for more information in particular on Apollinaire Hakizimana -- Belgium expressed concern that the information available on Hakizimana does not confirm that the individual currently meets the designation criteria, and further surmised that the Government of Rwanda may be seeking to use targeted sanctions as a punitive (not preventative) measure in this case. ¶4. (C) The tiers discussed are: TIER 1: CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION Mbarushimana, Callixte Nzeyimana, Stanislas Ntawunguka or Ntawungula, Pacifique Mujyambere, Leopold TIER 2: PROPOSED NEXT GROUP FOR CONSIDERATION Byilingiro, Victor / Iyamuremye, Gaston Ruzindana, Emmanuel Hakizimana, Apollinaire Mugaragu, Leodomir Njilinshuti or Ngilinshuti, Juma (note: Belgium feels strongly that Ngilinshuti merits designation) TIER 3: FOR DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE Dusabe, Enock Nzabamwita, Felicien Bisengimana, Abraham Sam or Abraham Kunda Nsengiyunva, Venuste Nizeyimana, Wenceslas Ntabareshya, Kiyombe ¶5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: USUN requests the Department: -- Consider moving forward with the Tier 2 package of names. Please provide any guidance on changes to either Tier 2 or Tier 3. -- Review and provide any comments on the draft statements of case for Tier 1 names prepared by the UK for submission to the DRC Sanctions Committee. -- Provide requested information on Apollinaire Hakizimana suitable for distribution to UK, France and Belgium. Wolff