Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CONAKRY602
2009-09-29 16:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:
RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS COMMENT ON PROTESTS
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UNCLAS CONAKRY 000602
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS COMMENT ON PROTESTS
REF: CONAKRY 00600
UNCLAS CONAKRY 000602
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS COMMENT ON PROTESTS
REF: CONAKRY 00600
1. (SBU) Summary. Employees from the Catholic Relief Service
(CRS) and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) painted a brutal
picture of the September 28 protests in Guinea. Although
neither organization was able to estimate the final death
toll, they corroborated wide-spread rumors of public rapes
and indiscriminate killings.
2. (SBU) During yesterday's events, MSF focused mainly on
staffing and providing supplies to Conakry's Donka hospital
and Matam Health Clinic. At the Donka clinic, at least three
hundred people were treated in the Emergency room. The
patients were divided up into three categories: "beaten,
shocked and beaten, and bullet wounds." After 7pm, the staff
stopped counting the numbers of patients asking for
treatment, as the situation became too chaotic. In Matam, the
staff treated fifteen wounded patients, three of who were
suffering from bullet wounds. MSF also had five women come
into the clinics who appear to have been raped. While one
case was identified and "dealt with," the other women left
the clinics before MSF could follow up on their rape reports.
3. (SBU) MSF says that they are bracing themselves for new
clashes later this week and getting all of their materials in
place for another round of violence. According to the
Director, yesterday was merely a "first step" in a series of
violent incidents.
4. (SBU) David Bernocchi Director of CRS, whose offices were
closed today, said that they are exchanging information with
other NGOs and trying to gather information about yesterday's
events. Located in the often volatile Cosa neighborhood, CRS
employees witnessed several violent incidents over the past
two days.
5. (SBU) Bernocchi personally saw Cellou Diallo taken to the
hospital yesterday (reftel). Apparently, Cellou was in a
"terrible state - with blood all over." Bernocchi said that
Cellou was first brought to a private clinic by Tiegboro
Camara. Three minutes later, a set of Beret Rouge, led by
Tiegboro, carried Cellou back out to the car screaming "Go to
the camp." Cellou was apparently in shock and treated very
roughly by the Beret Rouge.
6. (SBU) Bernocchi also said that a CRS guard, who was on
duty early this morning, witnessed a Beret Rouge attack on an
elderly civilian. Apparently the armed group shot an elderly
man who was driving by the CRS headquarters on a motorcycle.
According to the guard, the group killed the man in order to
steal his motorcycle. They apparently drove the vehicle away
from the scene.
7. (SBU) Bernocchi also heard rumors that the military is
encouraging youth to loot businesses in order to show their
alliance to the armed forces and, possibly, be recruited into
the military. Bernocchi believes that the military is simply
"out to loot," and has lost sight of any real political goal.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
8. (SBU) CRS and MSF stories corroborate other information
received by Embassy Conakry. The directors of both
organizations seem nervous about the situation over the next
week and will be watching it closely.
BROKENSHIRE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS COMMENT ON PROTESTS
REF: CONAKRY 00600
1. (SBU) Summary. Employees from the Catholic Relief Service
(CRS) and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) painted a brutal
picture of the September 28 protests in Guinea. Although
neither organization was able to estimate the final death
toll, they corroborated wide-spread rumors of public rapes
and indiscriminate killings.
2. (SBU) During yesterday's events, MSF focused mainly on
staffing and providing supplies to Conakry's Donka hospital
and Matam Health Clinic. At the Donka clinic, at least three
hundred people were treated in the Emergency room. The
patients were divided up into three categories: "beaten,
shocked and beaten, and bullet wounds." After 7pm, the staff
stopped counting the numbers of patients asking for
treatment, as the situation became too chaotic. In Matam, the
staff treated fifteen wounded patients, three of who were
suffering from bullet wounds. MSF also had five women come
into the clinics who appear to have been raped. While one
case was identified and "dealt with," the other women left
the clinics before MSF could follow up on their rape reports.
3. (SBU) MSF says that they are bracing themselves for new
clashes later this week and getting all of their materials in
place for another round of violence. According to the
Director, yesterday was merely a "first step" in a series of
violent incidents.
4. (SBU) David Bernocchi Director of CRS, whose offices were
closed today, said that they are exchanging information with
other NGOs and trying to gather information about yesterday's
events. Located in the often volatile Cosa neighborhood, CRS
employees witnessed several violent incidents over the past
two days.
5. (SBU) Bernocchi personally saw Cellou Diallo taken to the
hospital yesterday (reftel). Apparently, Cellou was in a
"terrible state - with blood all over." Bernocchi said that
Cellou was first brought to a private clinic by Tiegboro
Camara. Three minutes later, a set of Beret Rouge, led by
Tiegboro, carried Cellou back out to the car screaming "Go to
the camp." Cellou was apparently in shock and treated very
roughly by the Beret Rouge.
6. (SBU) Bernocchi also said that a CRS guard, who was on
duty early this morning, witnessed a Beret Rouge attack on an
elderly civilian. Apparently the armed group shot an elderly
man who was driving by the CRS headquarters on a motorcycle.
According to the guard, the group killed the man in order to
steal his motorcycle. They apparently drove the vehicle away
from the scene.
7. (SBU) Bernocchi also heard rumors that the military is
encouraging youth to loot businesses in order to show their
alliance to the armed forces and, possibly, be recruited into
the military. Bernocchi believes that the military is simply
"out to loot," and has lost sight of any real political goal.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
8. (SBU) CRS and MSF stories corroborate other information
received by Embassy Conakry. The directors of both
organizations seem nervous about the situation over the next
week and will be watching it closely.
BROKENSHIRE