CIVIL DEMONSTRATIONS UP COUNTRY, PEOPLE WORRIED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000590

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: CIVIL DEMONSTRATIONS UP COUNTRY, PEOPLE WORRIED
ABOUT MONDAY

REF: CONAKRY 0587


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Protests/demonstrations took place in
three distinctly different parts of the country on September
24, all of them connected to CNDD efforts to organize
pro-Dadis political rallies. In Labe, thousands of people
peacefully took to the streets to protest CNDD efforts to
rally support in anticipation of a Dadis visit to the region
on September 26. In Siguiri, pro-CNDD youths clashed with
youths from opposition parties while in Guekedou, local
authorities forcibly closed local businesses after traders
refused to comply with a request to help clean up the city
for a pro-Dadis rally. Meanwhile, many contacts seem to be
worried about what is expected to be a "significant"
demonstration in Conakry on September 28. END SUMMARY.

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DADIS' CANDIDACY NOT WELCOME HERE
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2. (SBU) On September 24, at least three different
politically charged demonstrations took place in the interior
of the country. In Labe, which is predominantly Peuhl and
widely seen as the stronghold of political support for UFDG
(Union of Guinean Democratic Forces) party leader Cellou
Dalein Diallo, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets
in anticipation of CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara's
planned September 26 visit to the regional capital.
According to sources, there were between 6,000 and 20,000
demonstrators, but the exact number is unknown.


3. (SBU) The Labe demonstration started in the early
morning, was conducted peacefully, and ended in the early
afternoon. Local businesses were closed and police and
gendarmes were on site. Available information indicates that
security forces behaved responsibly and there were no
incidents of violence. One contact reported that twelve
youths were briefly arrested and detained, but released
within a few hours.


4. (SBU) Local press reports claim that the citizens of Labe
decided to organize a demonstration as a message to Dadis
after they heard that he was planning a pro-CNDD political
rally in the their. There were reportedly rumors that the
CNDD planned to transport people from the villages
surrounding Labe to the regional capital in order to
demonstrate how popular Dadis is in the Fouta Region. One
resident reportedly said "we can receive Dadis as the
President of Guinea, but not Dadis as the junta's candidate."


5. (SBU) Another Embassy contact told A/PAO that the Labe
demonstrators were planning further protests over the next
few days, but details were sketchy. The Contact indicated
that some of the Labe demonstrators would travel to
neighboring Mamou (about two hours away) to organize
demonstrations there.

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NO DADIS T-SHIRTS HERE
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6. (SBU) A few hundred kilometers to the east, violent
clashes reportedly broke out in Siguiri (Upper Guinea) when
local residents discovered that a CNDD delegation was
distributing Dadis T-shirts in an attempt to rally support
for the CNDD. The delegation reportedly included Dadis' wife
and the CNDD Permanent Secretary, Commandant Moussa Keita.
Supporters of the Alpha Conde led RPG party (Rally for the
Guinean People) and the Sidya Toure led UFR party (Union of
Republican Forces) reportedly said they would rather wear
T-shirts displaying photographs of their own political
candidates rather than that of Dadis. Fistfights broke out
between pro-CNDD youths and members of opposition political
parties. Embassy has not received any further information as
to the extent of the violence.

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EVEN IN THE FOREST REGION...
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7. (SBU) In the town of Guekedou (Forest Region),local
traders clashed with security forces when military personnel
attempted to close down the market for the entire day. The
Mayor and the Prefect were reportedly planning to organize a
rally to support Dadis' candidacy and had demanded that
vendors shut down their businesses in order to participate in
a campaign to clean up the city in anticipation of the rally.
Some vendors defied the order, saying that they had not been

CONAKRY 00000590 002 OF 002


informed in advance. Local authorities reportedly ordered
the military to forcibly close the businesses. No
information was available as to whether there were arrests or
injuries as a result.

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LOOKING TO MONDAY
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8. (SBU) Meanwhile, socio-political actors in the capital
continue to discuss plans for what many expect to be a
"significant" demonstration on September 28. The CNDD's
order to close the stadium, which was the site initially
proposed to launch a Forces Vives rally (reftel),does not
seem to have deterred anyone. Aboubacar Syllah, political
party leader and communications director for Les Forces
Vives, told A/DCM that the Forces Vives still plans to go
forward with the demonstration, which is supposed to start at
8:00 Monday morning. However, he was heading to a Forces
Vives meeting at the time, saying that he would advise the
Embassy if the plan changed.


9. (SBU) A youth contact told A/DCM that the Embassy should
expect "major activity" on Monday. "This is not a couple
thousand people...we plan to mobilize in force to demonstrate
once and for all that we will no longer accept the CNDD," he
said, drawing analogies with the situation in early 2007 when
the population demanded that former President Conte step down
from power. "We need a true transition government...we asked
for it in 2007 and we are going to demand it now."

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COMMENT
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10. (SBU) Embassy contacts have been warning of the
likelihood of a surge of anti-junta protests to follow the
end of Ramadan on September 20. The early part of the week
was quiet, but three different events in three distinctly
different parts of the country on Thursday may indicate that
more protests/demonstrations are likely in the weeks ahead.
Many people seem to be worried about what may happen on
Monday with the Forces Vives' anticipated demonstration.
Members of the diplomatic corp have expressed concern and
there are indications that the French School may preemptively
close its school on Monday. At this point, it is difficult
to anticipate whether a mass demonstration will actually take
place, or if it will ultimately end up being a few hundred
people, or if it will simply be called off. Embassy is
holding an EAC today and will continue to monitor the
situation. END COMMENT.
BROKENSHIRE