FORCES VIVES PLAN TO BOYCOTT AUGUST 31 MEETING

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000514 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC GV SUBJECT: FORCES VIVES PLAN TO BOYCOTT AUGUST 31 MEETING WITH DADIS ¶1. (U) CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara issued a communique on August 26 calling for an "important meeting" to be held on August 31 at the People's Palace to discuss Guinea's transition process. A wide range of groups were invited to send representatives, including Les Forces Vives, political parties, unions, civil society, presidents of local government units (Rural Development Communes),religious entities, womens' organizations, youth groups, and the diplomatic corps. ¶2. (SBU) Francois Fall, a political party leader (FUDEC) and member of Les Forces Vives, told A/DCM on August 27 that the Forces Vives plans to boycott the meeting. Its membership prefers to wait for the International Contact Group meeting scheduled to begin on September 3. Youth leaders Dansa Kourouma and Alessandre Camara, who are traveling up country, told Pol LES the same thing. Other contacts within Les Forces Vives also confirmed that everyone is in agreement about the boycott. Les Forces Vives is expected to issue an announcement to that effect on August 29. ¶3. (SBU) Other contacts report that Dadis is planning to transport hundreds of youth from the Forest Region to Conakry over the weekend so that they can participate in the Monday meeting as a show of support. Contacts confirm that various vehicles and buses have already been deployed to N'Zerekore to designated pick up zones. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Dadis may decide not to go forward with the meeting once he hears that Les Forces Vives plan to boycott it. However, the fact that he is bringing in ranks of "support" suggest that he would like to use the meeting as a platform to bolster his image and convince domestic and international observers alike that he has a popular mandate, especially since the meeting is scheduled to take place just before the International Contact Group meeting. The Forces Vives' position demonstrates continued unity against Dadis as a candidate. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE