FORMER SECURITY MINISTER CONCERNED DADIS PLANS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000289 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2019 TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL GV SUBJECT: FORMER SECURITY MINISTER CONCERNED DADIS PLANS TO STAY IN POWER REF: CONAKRY 274 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION KENT C. BROKENSHIRE ¶1. (C) Summary: Former Minister of Security Madifing Diane told Embassy Officers May 19 that Junta leader Dadis is considering a national referendum to extend his tenure as head of state. Dadis had reportedly asked the former minister to determine the feasibility of such a referendum and is currently awaiting a response. Diane plans to recommend that the referendum not be undertaken at this time due to the current climate of fear created by rogue elements of the military. While Diane has deep concerns over the security situation in Guinea, he also fears that in the current political climate Dadis would likely win a referendum and manipulate the mandate to remain in power indefinitely. Diane said Dadis had also asked him to urge President Mubarak of Egypt to press the US to establish closer ties to junta in Guinea. According to Diane, soldiers recently arrested in Conakry for crimes against the population claim to be operating under instruction of Presidential Security Minister Claude Pivi. Dadis is reportedly looking for a way to arrest Pivi. -------------- A PROPOSED REFERENDUM -------------- ¶2. (C) On May 19 former Minister of Security Elhadj Madifing Diane met with DCM, RSO and RSO LES as a follow-up to a previous discussion with RSO LES during which he revealed that Junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara is searching for a political strategy to convince the National Independent Electoral Commission to postpone elections (Reftel). According to Diane, Dadis now wants Diane to weigh the possibility of holding a national referendum to prolong Dadis' tenure at the Presidency. Diane said Dadis made the request at a recent meeting in which he also stated that he wished to stay on as President until the end of 2010 but needed a legal mechanism to do so. ¶3. (C) Diane confided, "Dadis says he wants to stay in power until the end of 2010 but I do not believe him. I am convinced that this referendum will not be sincere. He will take advantage of it to stay in power, and it will all end in catastrophe." Diane said he planned to tell the CNDD president that such an undertaking would be impractical at present due to the lack of security as evidenced by attacks on civilians by rogue soldiers. ¶4. (C) Diane said the military have usurped the role of the police in maintaining order in Conakry, while at the same time elements of the army continue to prey on the population. He noted that just the previous day elements of the presidential guard assaulted a family in the Madina neighborhood of Conakry, but were eventually driven off by neighbors hurling stones. Though Diane is unsure if such a recommendation will stop Dadis' plans, he hopes it will prompt the president to address the security issue by stemming the growing power of the military, re-invigorating the police force, and returning the gendarmes to their regular duties. Note: Gendarmes have recently extended their authority to cover Conakry's international airport and seaport, which Diane claims is against their mandate. End Note -------------- MISSION TO THE MIDDLE EAST -------------- ¶5. (C) In a curious aside, Diane said Dadis had recently requested that he approach Egyptian president Mubarak and urge him to press the US to extend greater support for the military junta in Guinea. Diane claims previous experience working in the Middle East, which Dadis apparently interprets as a warm personal relationship with an array of Middle East leaders. Diane has not moved on this request. -------------- PIVI THE WILD CARD -------------- ¶6. (C) Diane stated that soldiers recently detained for crimes against the population have widely confessed to be working under the instruction Minister of Presidential Security Claude Pivi. Diane claimed that tensions between Dadis and Pivi were clearly on the rise, and Dadis was looking for an opportunity to arrest Dadis. In the meantime, the GOG announced that Pivi and current Security Minister Toto Camara have been instructed to take the lead in fighting CONAKRY 00000289 002 OF 002 night-time street crime in Conakry. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Comment: A veteran of the US-funded ILEA police program, Diane has been a close and useful contact whose pro-active approach to Embassy concerns achieved results. However, his motive behind divulging the above information is unclear. He may be sharing this information out of genuine concern for the future of Guinea. On the other hand he may be approaching Embassy officers for self-serving motives that are not clear. Other international observers in Conakry say they are unaware of even rumors of a referendum. As General Controller of Police, Diane is currently the country's highest ranking police officer though he holds no particular post under the new government. RASPOLIC