Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KINSHASA1063
2009-12-07 13:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:
GDRC THOUGHTS ON CNDP INTEGRATION, SGBV, AND SADC
how-toVZCZCXRO9388 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHKI #1063 3411312 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071312Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0374 INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001063
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWMN ECON CG
SUBJECT: GDRC THOUGHTS ON CNDP INTEGRATION, SGBV, AND SADC
Classified By: William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001063
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWMN ECON CG
SUBJECT: GDRC THOUGHTS ON CNDP INTEGRATION, SGBV, AND SADC
Classified By: William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) During a December 2 meeting with polcouns, John
Muabma, an advisor in the Ministry of Regional and
International Cooperation, discussed the CNDP's transition
from a military movement to a political party, sexual and
gender based violence (SGBV),and the DRC's role in SADC and
other Central and Southern African regional organizations.
SGBV
--------------
2. (C) In Muamba's opinion, undisciplined government and
rebel forces were the single most frequent cause of SGBV in
the DRC. While violence against women was a nationwide
problem, the conflicts in the East had greatly exacerbated
SGBV. An effective way to combat SGBV would be to shore up
military justice, Muamba added (Comment: on-going training of
military magistrates on sex crimes by the U.S. military's
Defense Institute of International Legal Studies -- DIILS --
continues to make steady progress in this area. End comment).
CNDP
--------------
3. (C) Commenting on GDRC relations with the CNDP (Muamba's
ministry had the lead in negotiating with the CNDP over the
past several years),and the rebel group's transformation
into a political party, Muamba noted that such transitions
had always been uneven and difficult in recent DRC history.
Pointing to RCD-G, RCD-K, and the MLC as examples of such
transitions, he argued that it would similarly take time for
the CNDP to transition completely to a political entity.
SADC and Other Regional Organizations
--------------
4. (C) Muamba maintained that SADC, in the view of most
Congolese, had evolved from an organization that "supported
anti-DRC groupings" (RCD-G, and to a lesser extent the CNDP)
into one in which the DRC now "felt very comfortable."
(Comment: Muamba was clearly equating South Africa with
SADC, as many other SADC members, including Angola, Zimbabwe,
and Namibia, have been rather more sympathetic to the GDRC in
its conflicts with rebels. End comment.) Now, thankfully,
SADC's focus had shifted towards economic integration issues.
On Zimbabwe, Muamba was hesitant to offer any comments on
next-steps, reflecting typical DRC ambiguity on Zimbabwe. On
Madagascar, Muamba radiantly recounted Foreign Minister
Thambwe's handling, as SADC chair, of Transition President
Rajoelina's failed attempt to speak at UNGA.
5. (SBU) Muamba said, for the moment, the DRC continued to
prefer membership in a wide-range of regional organizations
(SADC, COMSEA, CEEAC, CEGPL, ICGLR),as opposed to putting
all its egss in one regional basket. The GDRC, according to
Muamba, recognized that the developed world preferred dealing
with regional economic organizations, rather than on a
bilateral basis. The GDRC, Muamba added, would concentrate
on deepening its participation in regional organizations that
offered economic benefits to the country.
GARVELINK
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWMN ECON CG
SUBJECT: GDRC THOUGHTS ON CNDP INTEGRATION, SGBV, AND SADC
Classified By: William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) During a December 2 meeting with polcouns, John
Muabma, an advisor in the Ministry of Regional and
International Cooperation, discussed the CNDP's transition
from a military movement to a political party, sexual and
gender based violence (SGBV),and the DRC's role in SADC and
other Central and Southern African regional organizations.
SGBV
--------------
2. (C) In Muamba's opinion, undisciplined government and
rebel forces were the single most frequent cause of SGBV in
the DRC. While violence against women was a nationwide
problem, the conflicts in the East had greatly exacerbated
SGBV. An effective way to combat SGBV would be to shore up
military justice, Muamba added (Comment: on-going training of
military magistrates on sex crimes by the U.S. military's
Defense Institute of International Legal Studies -- DIILS --
continues to make steady progress in this area. End comment).
CNDP
--------------
3. (C) Commenting on GDRC relations with the CNDP (Muamba's
ministry had the lead in negotiating with the CNDP over the
past several years),and the rebel group's transformation
into a political party, Muamba noted that such transitions
had always been uneven and difficult in recent DRC history.
Pointing to RCD-G, RCD-K, and the MLC as examples of such
transitions, he argued that it would similarly take time for
the CNDP to transition completely to a political entity.
SADC and Other Regional Organizations
--------------
4. (C) Muamba maintained that SADC, in the view of most
Congolese, had evolved from an organization that "supported
anti-DRC groupings" (RCD-G, and to a lesser extent the CNDP)
into one in which the DRC now "felt very comfortable."
(Comment: Muamba was clearly equating South Africa with
SADC, as many other SADC members, including Angola, Zimbabwe,
and Namibia, have been rather more sympathetic to the GDRC in
its conflicts with rebels. End comment.) Now, thankfully,
SADC's focus had shifted towards economic integration issues.
On Zimbabwe, Muamba was hesitant to offer any comments on
next-steps, reflecting typical DRC ambiguity on Zimbabwe. On
Madagascar, Muamba radiantly recounted Foreign Minister
Thambwe's handling, as SADC chair, of Transition President
Rajoelina's failed attempt to speak at UNGA.
5. (SBU) Muamba said, for the moment, the DRC continued to
prefer membership in a wide-range of regional organizations
(SADC, COMSEA, CEEAC, CEGPL, ICGLR),as opposed to putting
all its egss in one regional basket. The GDRC, according to
Muamba, recognized that the developed world preferred dealing
with regional economic organizations, rather than on a
bilateral basis. The GDRC, Muamba added, would concentrate
on deepening its participation in regional organizations that
offered economic benefits to the country.
GARVELINK