CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLITICAL PARTIES PUBLICLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000096

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI ELAB PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLITICAL PARTIES PUBLICLY
CRITICIZE CNDD, BEGIN TO COALESCE


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Guinea's civilian and political leaders
may be starting to coalesce and find a common voice. Both
groups independently issued public declarations the week of
February 2, which were highly critical of Dadis and the CNDD.
In addition, civil society articulated a clear set of
demands and expectations. Contacts have been increasingly
concerned about CNDD decisions and actions, which may have
provided the impetus for these groups to begin trying to
define a common agenda. Divisions continue, but these
declarations indicate that the civilian sector is starting to
see where it needs to go. In response, Dadis plans to hold a
meeting on February 9 with political parties and civil
society. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Six weeks after the December 23 coup d'etat, Guinean
civil society organizations and political parties may be
beginning to coalesce as an opposition force to the National
Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD). Contacts have
been increasingly uncomfortable with recent CNDD decisions
and actions. They have also begun to question CNDD President
Moussa Dadis Camara's overall competence to run the country,
as well as whether or not he truly intends to cede power to
civilian authorities within a reasonable timeframe.

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CIVIL SOCIETY ARTICULATES CRITICISMS AND EXPECTATIONS
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3. (U) On February 3, the National Council for Civil Society
Organizations (CNOSG),including representatives from the
labor unions, issued a formal declaration outlining concerns
and expectations. They stated that the military's seizure of
power was a positive development, but questioned whether the
CNDD intends to fulfill the promises it made just after the
coup. CNOSG specifically outlined the following concerns:
-- Dadis' public statements regarding the CNDD's priorities
suggest that the transition will not be completed before the
end of 2009.
-- The CNDD has not made any effort to establish an interim
legislative body.
-- The CNDD's methods of conducting audits and
investigations are extralegal and do not guarantee the
protection of human rights.
-- The population has been victim to multiple abuses by
military forces since the coup, especially in the interior of
the country.
-- The CNDD's effective management of the transition and
elections is critical to maintaining Guinea's relationships
with international partners, and to progressing towards HIPC
debt relief.


4. (U) In light of these concerns, CNOSG outlined the
following demands:
-- The CNDD needs to formally commit to ending the
transition within 12 months, and develop a plan of action to
achieve that goal.
-- The CNDD needs to establish a transitional council,
composed of civilian representatives, which should also serve
as a legislative body with legitimate powers.
-- The CNDD needs to reinforce the electoral process,
including the release of adequate funds.
-- The CNDD needs to lift its ban on political and labor
activity.
-- The CNDD needs to re-launch the Commission of Inquiry so
that the human rights abuses of 2006 and 2007 can be fully
investigated.
-- The CNDD needs to conduct audits in full respect of the
law and human rights.
-- The CNDD needs to remove roadblocks targeting vehicles
and pedestrians, a practice that has proven to be a source of
illegal enrichment for uniformed personnel at the expense of
the civilian population.
-- The CNDD needs to guarantee security and effectively
curb banditry.

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POLITICAL PARTIES ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT CRITICAL OF CNDD
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5. (U) Shortly after the CNOSG declaration was issued,
several of Guinea's major political parties gathered on
February 5 to discuss ways to harmonize their positions and
activities in order to ensure a smooth, timely political
transition. Political party contacts remarked to POL LES
that various parties had already taken strong stances, but
that the CNDD has generally ignored their demands. Party
members reportedly realized that their efforts may have
lacked impact because of a lack of unity among the parties

CONAKRY 00000096 002 OF 002


themselves. To remedy this problem, the political parties
agreed to act as a bloc.


6. (U) As such, they also issued a declaration. They
publicly condemned Dadis' failure to discuss a concrete
transition plan. They criticized Dadis for having not met
with political parties since the first meeting just after the
coup, for making cabinet appointments without broad-based
consultations, and for lavishing public funds on regional and
religious organizations. (COMMENT. The regional
organizations are largely perceived to be ethnic
organizations. Dadis gave each of the four regional
organizations 100 million GnF ($22,000). The Christian and
Islamic Councils also received 100 million GnF each. END
COMMENT).


7. (U) A political party contact told Pol LES that the
parties have reached out to the labor unions and to civil
society in order to work towards closer collaboration and
unity. Late on February 6, Dadis announced that he would
hold a meeting with political parties and civil society on
February 9 at Camp Alpha Yaya. In order to prepare for this
meeting, political parties, labor unions and civil society
met on February 7. They reportedly agreed to demand that the
CNDD announce a precise election date, and that both
legislative and presidential elections be held within the
year. An Embassy contact told Pol LES that the group had a
agreed on a single spokesperson, but did not identify the
individual.

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) Embassy has been advocating widely in favor of a
more concerted civilian movement to serve as an effective
counter-weight to the CNDD, and to ultimately pressure the
CNDD to cede power to a civilian government. For example,
Embassy used its January meeting of the Human Rights Working
Group as a platform to encourage cooperation towards a
strategic political vision, define USG expectations and
concerns, and to subtly influence actors to work towards a
more constructive dialogue. Contacts seem to be beginning to
realize that Dadis and the CNDD may be settling in for the
long-term. Even if that is not the case, citizens seem
increasingly alarmed over Dadis' decisions and political
antics.


9. (SBU) Both of these statements were highly critical of
the CNDD and suggest that civil society and political parties
are beginning to find a common voice. Contacts have
repeatedly emphasized that the transition must end by
December 2009. Political actors appear to be mobilizing to
ensure that the CNDD gets that message. However, while they
all agree on the end objective, there are still diverse
opinions as to what needs to happen between now and the end
of the year. Civil and political leaders will likely need to
sacrifice some personal interests, set aside mistrust and
suspicion, and continue to build unity if they are going to
be successful in the end. END COMMENT.
RASPOLIC