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. -------------- -------------- CIVIL SOCIETY ARTICULATES CRITICISMS AND EXPECTATIONS -------------- -------------- ¶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. -------------- -------------- POLITICAL PARTIES ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT CRITICAL OF CNDD -------------- -------------- ¶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. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶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