CNDD PLANS TO RELEASE 58 BODIES TO GRAND MOSQUE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000615 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY - REMOVED SENSITIVE CAPTION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ASEC PREL PGOV SOCI GV SUBJECT: CNDD PLANS TO RELEASE 58 BODIES TO GRAND MOSQUE REF: CONAKRY 00611 ¶1. (U) At least 58 bodies of victims of the September 28 violence will be returned today, according to government press releases and religious leaders. The government, which maintains that only 58 people were killed in the violence, will be releasing the bodies to Conakry's Grand Mosque at 1030 this morning. Apparently the mosque will be providing a short service, and then releasing the bodies to the designated family members. ¶2. (U) Some sources who were planning to demonstrate in a "Red March" (reftel),have decided to delay the rally out of respect for today's funeral. Although the rally may still occur due to yesterday's wide-scale SMS dissemination regarding the event, many would-be demonstrators may prefer to keep the peace during the funerals. ¶3. (U) The government's confiscation and subsequent failure to return the September 28 victims' bodies remain a rallying point for opposition forces, and will most likely continue to be until the government returns the estimated 150 other bodies to their families. Dadis and the CNDD still holds that a majority of those killed in the attacks died as a result of a general stampede. On the contrary, humanitarian groups argue that a majority of those killed and wounded were stabbed, beaten, shot, or raped. ¶4. (U) In a country where rumors abound, the mystery of the missing bodies has become the subject of much speculation. Some sources have reported that Pivi himself has been loading dead bodies onto helicopters whose destination is unknown. Others report that they have seen mass graves at Camp Alpha Yaya. One local journalist published an interview with a Camp Alpha Yaya escapee who said that he and three others were forced to dig graves at the camp and were then promptly shot by soldiers. The witness says that he pretended to be dead until he had the opportunity to flee the camp. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (U) Although it is unclear where the bodies are being kept, the military is most likely trying to keep them out of the public eye so they can continue to underestimate the number of dead as well as the causes of death. The decision to release some of the bodies on Guinea's Independence Day is most likely intentional, as several protests were planned for the historical anniversary. BROKENSHIRE