Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KINSHASA325
2009-04-06 10:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON GDRC-CNDP PEACE AGREEMENT

Tags:  PGOV PREL CG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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O 061055Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9429
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000325 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL CG
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GDRC-CNDP PEACE AGREEMENT

REFS: A) KINSHASA 322; B) KINSHASA 319; C) KINSHASA
273

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000325

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL CG
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GDRC-CNDP PEACE AGREEMENT

REFS: A) KINSHASA 322; B) KINSHASA 319; C) KINSHASA
273


1. (SBU) Summary: Sources have informed us that, as a follow-up to
the GDRC-CNDP Agreement, a cabinet reshuffle, at the national level,
could bring in a CNDP minister and another to represent the other
armed groups. However, the issue of a "total" amnesty that would
prevent any arrest in the DRC of figures such as Bosco Ntaganda and
Nkunda, but also of less prominent individuals such as General
Makenga, who is alleged to be responsible for the Kiwanja massacre,
continues to pose problems for follow-up work. Nevertheless, our
source close to the GDRC negotiating team believes the GDRC has
taken steps that demonstrate good faith on the amnesty issue. End
Summary.

New Ministers and Monitoring Committees
--------------


2. (SBU) Sources have informed us that, as a follow-up to the
GDRC-CNDP Agreement (ref C),a national cabinet reshuffle could
reportedly bring in a CNDP Minister and another to represent the
other armed groups. This will in turn be followed by the
appointment of two three-person Monitoring Committees, one each for
North and South Kivu. The roles and responsibilities of both the
international monitoring committee (to be appointed by the Obasanjo
Mediation and likely to include General Sumbeiywo) and its national
counterparts are at present unclear.


3. (SBU) Father Apollinaire Malu Malu, head of the Amani peace
process, told us that he believes that there will be a perfunctory
follow-up mission by the Mediation, that a final report will be
issued by the prescribed three-month deadline, and that the
Mediation's role, along with that of the national committees, will
end there. However, another source close to the GDRC negotiating
team is not so sure: implementing all aspects of the agreement may
take some time and the Monitoring Committees may become involved
with implementation of some of the reconciliation issues,
particularly with regard to the preparations for refugee return.
The committees will likely be placed under the supervision of
Minister Tshibanda, who can be expected to play an active role in
ensuring implementation of the agreements.

Amnesty Wrangles
--------------


4. (SBU) The issue of a "total" amnesty that would prevent any
arrest in DRC of figures such as Bosco Ntaganda and Nkunda, but also
of less prominent individuals such as General Makenga, who is
alleged to be responsible for the Kiwanja massacre, continues to
pose problems for follow-up work. Nevertheless, our source close to
the GDRC negotiating team believes the GDRC has taken steps that
demonstrate good faith on the amnesty issue. He said he was pleased
that the Senate has already taken up the amnesty bill as its first
order of business since reconvening (Note: Ref B reported on
contentious issues surrounding the Amnesty Law. Following long
debate on the law on April 2, the Senate did not vote on the
National Assembly's draft. End note). The CNDP's concerns that the
current draft is too "restrictive in nature" will be transmitted to
the Senate for its consideration during the debate.


5. (SBU) In an additional step, he told us that a prominent CNDP
supporter who had been imprisoned in Kinshasa, a Professor Kalindzi
(as heard),was released and brought to Goma in time to join the
CNDP delegation for the signing ceremony.


6. (SBU) Comment: Such rapid movement on an issue as highly
sensitive as bringing a CNDP minister into the national cabinet
strikes us as somewhat unrealistic, although the rapid pace of
events over the last several months has admittedly left many
observers surprised. Nevertheless, even if political implementation
of the agreement is proceeding apace, the integration of former CNDP
fighters into the FARDC is continuing in problematic ways and the
GDRC's new alliances may themselves be sowing the seeds of future
conflict with other communities in North Kivu (ref A).


7. (SBU) Comment Continued: The "new CNDP," i.e., not the Nkunda
loyalists, has now achieved (albeit in unpredictable ways) much of
what the "old CNDP" had been demanding throughout 2008: accelerated
integration into the FARDC without leaving North Kivu and with
little or no requirement for retraining; an immediate role in the
campaign against the FDLR; full transferability of rank; the bulk of
the FARDC commands in North Kivu; extension of its military
influence into areas it had never before been able to penetrate
(Walikale, Lubero); the promise of consideration for its political
agenda; and assurances of representation at every level of
government. Every one of these items had, if only by implication,

KINSHASA 00000325 002 OF 002


been on Nkunda's list of seemingly wild demands a year ago.

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