MILITARY JUNTA OPERATES UNDER CHAOS AND DYSFUNCTION

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 CONAKRY 000156

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: MILITARY JUNTA OPERATES UNDER CHAOS AND DYSFUNCTION

REF: A. CONAKRY 135

B. CONAKRY 120

C. CONAKRY 155

Classified By: POLOFF J.TULLY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. The chaotic and dysfunctional nature of
President Moussa Dadis' government appears to be deepening.
Military Camp Alpha Yaya is apparently the President's
preferred base of operations where he feels secure surrounded
by trusted officers and friends. Most presidential business
is conducted at night with the camp full of military
officers, visitors, and government ministers until the early
morning hours. Drugs, booze, and prostitutes round out camp
activities. Dadis seems to be at the center of it all,
essentially reinforcing a centralized power structure where
he holds ultimate decision-making authority. His erratic and
aggressive behavior continues to confound the international
community as well as the Guinean public. END SUMMARY.
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SOURCES AND ANALYSIS
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2. (U) Information for this cable was gathered from a variety
of sources and included civilian contacts, Embassy LES
contacts, senior Embassy staff, and anecdotes recounted by
other reliable sources. Press reports, previous reporting
cables, and personal observations are also included to create
a sense of Camp Alpha Yaya and how business is conducted
there.

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NIGHT IS DAY AT CAMP ALPHA YAYA
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3. (C) A conversation with a civilian contact, Mr. Yaya
Diallo, who has been living at Camp Alpha Yaya for the past
eight years and has provided credible information in the
past, described a military barracks that does not sleep and
is fueled with booze and testosterone. Most "real" business
is reportedly conducted after the sun goes down. Throughout
the night and into the early morning hours the camp is full
of cars, military officers, ministers, government officials
and women. Young prostitutes from surrounding neighborhoods,
attracted by the free-flowing money, are brought into the
camp. Embassy LES sources report that Dadis often does not
sleep until 5 or 6am stating, "Night time is like the day at
Alpha Yaya." Some speculate that Dadis' paranoia is
increasing and he feels more secure at night with his
entourage and trusted military officers surrounding him. Drug
abuse could also contribute to unpredictable hours, random
spurts of energy, and accentuate his paranoia (reftel A).

4. (C) According to Diallo, Dadis is fearful of some type of
action against him, is constantly expecting a counter-coup,
and is always armed, at a minimum, with a gun in a leg
holster. He sleeps in the same building as the Minister of
Economy and Finance, while the notorious Claude Pivi
(nicknamed "Chef du Village" by Dadis) is in a building
directly behind him. Although Diallo stated that most of the
military seems to support Dadis, the arrests of prominent
drug-traffickers have made elements of the military nervous
while other officers are disgruntled over the lack of
promotions, reportedly increasing Dadis' feelings of
insecurity.
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A "TRANSPARENT" GOVERNMENT
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5. (C) Diallo's description of the camp revealed a frenetic
enclave with all of the elements of an action movie: opulent
cars, booze, prostitutes, undisciplined military and guns,
plotting, and celebrations. He noted that each weekend there
are three to four weddings taking place at the camp, which he
said was highly irregular. This could be due to an increase
in wealth and/or prestige, allowing camp residents to take
more wives, or weddings at Camp Alpha Yaya under Dadis'
patronage may simply have become status symbols. Unlike the
rest of Conakry, the camp also seems to have plenty of meat
to eat. Cows from herds that roam the compound are routinely
"sacrificed" for various ceremonies or prayers providing
ample food for the troops and visitors.

6. (C) Diallo wryly described the camp as an example of
"transparent government." Everything is out in the open and
news and gossip flies quickly across the rundown courtyards,
through the buildings, and into the prisons. Cell phones make
sure that even the old cook is up to date on the most recent
drug-related arrests.
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"A GROUP OF GANGSTERS"
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7. (C) A Senior Management LES and visitor to Alpha Yaya,

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described the day-to-day functioning of the government as
"running a group of gangsters". In Conakry a visible military
presence seems to foster an atmosphere of intimidation and
latent violence. It is common to see pickup trucks with their
lights flashing, full of Red Beret guards bristling with
weapons, speeding through Conakry's streets. Frequent
appearances of armed motorcades add to the peoples'
perceptions of intimidation. Outside of Conakry, new
roadblocks and military checkpoints are common. An American
from a neighboring country on a road trip through the region,
reported being stopped 14 times in Guinea at military and
police roadblocks before reaching Conakry.
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SEVERAL HOURS LATER(
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8. (S) It is not unusual for appointments with the President
to begin several hours later than scheduled. Contacts
routinely report being made to wait for hours for Dadis. For
example, International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) Regional Director, Mohammed Beagovui (a senior Guinean
international civil servant who in early 2007 had been
considered for Prime Minister following the violence that
year),now working in Rome, described to the USAID Guinea
Mission Director a recent visit to Camp Alpha Yaya to pay a
courtesy call on President Dadis. While waiting five hours,
Mr. Beagovui was approached by a beleaguered government
official who had been sent to secure the President's
signature on the payment authorization for the World Bank
loan urgently due in the next few days. Becoming unnerved by
the wait and the prospect of getting the signature from the
President, the official, moaning that this signature was
very, very important, turned to Mr. Beagovui and asked him to
take the documents into his meeting to be signed. Mr.
Beagovui declined.

9. (S) Later, Mr. Beagovui's meeting was interrupted when a
General barged into the room leading a group of Lebanese
businessmen who needed to speak immediately with the
President, leaving Mr. Beagovui to wait ) once again. Mr.
Beagovui described the Presidential scene as very chaotic and
believes that President Dadis is surrounded by incompetent
advisors.

10. (S) A senior executive with Rio Tinto revealed at a
private dinner party attended by PolOff that he also waited
five hours at Camp Alpha Yaya to see the President.
Mis-identifying the Rio Tinto executive as a disreputable
diamond dealer, Dadis proceeded to upbraid the executive for
20 minutes, shouting that he was a "traitor" while standing
just a few inches from his face, surrounded by guards with
machine guns. The six or seven ministers, including the
Prime Minister who were standing next to the Rio Tinto
executive, never attempted to inform the President of his
mistake. Dadis finished his outburst and stormed away.
Immediately after, all of the ministers and government
officials in attendance reportedly laughed heartily about the
incident, but the executive did not share their amusement.
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ERRATIC BEHAVIOR
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11. (C) Many sources are appalled at the government's
chaotic functioning; others focus on the President's
disturbing behavior. Dadis is often illogical and suspected
of substance abuse. His appalling public behavior at this
month's ICG-Guinea meetings reinforced these observations
(reftel B)

12. (C) Dadis' frequent appearances on national television
suggest deliberate public grandstanding. Dadis is a volatile
public speaker: often angry, sometimes intimidating, and fond
of wild gestures and theatrics. His public discourses lack
coherence as he is quick to go off on tangents. He
interrupts others and generally uses the microphone as an
opportunity to expound at length about unrelated topics.
People on the street are often bewildered by Dadis'
unpredictable style. Guineans frequently comment on the fact
that he smokes on television, emphatically gesticulating with
his cigarette. They also comment negatively on his tendency
to wear sunglasses at public and private events.
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Corruption, Drugs and Missing Monies
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13. (C) Operating within this chaotic atmosphere, the Guinean
Government is now determinedly focused on three principal
activities: fighting corruption; recovering monies stolen
from government coffers; and reducing the illegal drug trade.
Relationships with the international community, crucial debt
payments, shrinking foreign aid, and a timetable for
elections appear to be taking a backseat for the CNDD in
terms of priorities.

14. (C) Contributing to the chaos is the fact that most

CONAKRY 00000156 003 OF 003


ministries are located downtown, requiring a minimum
30-minute commute to Alpha Yaya. Almost all government
business must therefore make its way through Conakry's
congested downtown streets and then out to the camp. Serious
traffic delays and accidents are common. Once government
officials arrive at the camp, they may wait hours before
completing their business - if they are fortunate enough to
do so at all.
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Team of Rivals
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15. (C) Dadis's immediate circle of advisors is composed of
First Vice-President and Minister of Security Brigadier
General Mamadou "Toto" Camara, and the Second Vice-President
and Minister of Defense Lt. Colonel Sekouba Konate (nicknamed
"le Tigre" by Dadis). All three men are potential rivals,
and are commonly believed to have been the three candidates
for president before Dadis was selected. Toto and Konate's
prominence flucuate. Toto is often isolated by Dadis and
Konate who reportedly perceive Toto at cross-purposes with
their own agenda. A member of the press reportedly saw Tot
wait hours to see Dadis over the weekend, and was ultimately
turned away (reftel C). Konate is perceived to hold
significant influence over Dadis. Many believe Prime Minister
Komara is merely a figurehead, while some continue to believe
there is meaningful communication between him and Dadis.

16. (S) Another member of the inner circle is Lt. Celestine
Bilivogui, who accompanies Dadis day and night and wields
significant influence. Both men were trained as accountants,
are from Guinea's Forest region, and have known each other
for more than fifteen years. Lt. Bilivogui reportedly
advocates for elections and is seen as a pro-democratic force
in the inner circle.
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COMMENT
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17. (C) Information gathered from multiple sources suggests a
chaotic and highly dysfunctional government. Dadis' erratic
behavior and paranoia, coupled with the camp's undisciplined
environment will likely pose significant challenges in the
months ahead. The absence of any short or long-term
planning, a lack of daily scheduling, and no established
management structures reinforce this impression. It is also
increasingly clear that Dadis is at the center of it all,
essentially reinforcing a centralized power structure where
he holds ultimate decision-making authority. However, unlike
during the Conte regime, there is not even the veneer of a
constitution, a legislature, or a Supreme Court to balance
presidential power. As economic and political pressures
mount, the likelihood of a counter-coup and/or civil unrest
increases. END COMMENT.

RASPOLIC