NANDE CONCERNS WITH INTEGRATION AND RWANDOPHONIE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000409

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MOPS CG
SUBJECT: NANDE CONCERNS WITH INTEGRATION AND RWANDOPHONIE

REF: KINSHASA 390

Classified By: Ambassador William J. Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Summary: The military leader of PARECO-Nande,
"General" LaFontaine, recently told us that, although the
FARDC was readily integrating his rank and file troops, it
was allegedly shunning him and his officers. LaFontaine
complained that the FARDC had readily accepted CNDP and
PARECO-Hutu elements in order to promote a pro-Rwandophonie
agenda. LaFontaine said the FARDC in North Kivu fell into
three general categories: those from Western DRC who only
wanted to profit from their military position; Rwandophones
who used their positions to further their ideology; and
non-Rwandophone natives who, according to LaFontaine, were
the only FARDC that protected the population. LaFontaine,
who claimed to support the integration process, nevertheless
warned that PARECO-Nande "could make trouble," if the FARDC
did not address its concerns. End summary.

PARECO-Nande Rank and File Integrated into FARDC...
-------------- --------------


2. (C) We recently met with "General" LaFontaine military
head of the Nande wing of PARECO to discuss the integration
process and the rise of Rwandophonie influence in the Petit
Nord (Note: In theory, LaFontaine is the military commander
for the entire PARECO movement, although in practice he only
exercises control over the Nande wing. End note.)
LaFontaine noted that, although many of his troops had
already integrated into the FARDC, there were an additional
2,000 awaiting integration, 800 for the FARDC and 1,200 for
the Congolese National Police (PNC). This number also
included the Hunde commander, "General" Ntasibanda, who has
50-200 troops near Pinga, with other forces in the Grand
Nord. LaFontaine stressed his group's willingness to
integrate and he was confident that the FARDC would
eventually accept them. However, there were issues to
address: sensitizing his forces; working out logistics; and
ensuring the troops were efficiently integrated into the
FARDC or PNC. LaFontaine claimed that he had persuaded
Father Apollinaire Malu Malu, the Congolese Government's
special envoy for the peace process in the Kivu provinces, to
undertake a joint trip to Pinga and the Grand Nord to raise
awareness, but this effort still needed financing.

...But PARECO-Nande Commanders Left Out
--------------


3. (C) In contrast to the FARDC's willingness to accept his
rank and file, LaFontaine lamented that neither he nor his
officers were welcome in the FARDC. In January, according to
LaFontaine, PNC General John Numbi had met with him in Goma,
promising "to be in touch" about a command position in the
FARDC. LaFontaine has not heard back from Numbi, nor have
any of his 36 officers been integrated. Recently, LaFontaine
approached General Amuli on the subject, but Amuli reportedly
only offered to integrate four PARECO-Nande officers. Amuli
told LaFontaine that his case "could only be decided in
Kinshasa." LaFontaine pointed out that both RDF and FDLR
elements have even been integrated into the FARDC. When
pressed, he could not give figures, but he insisted that many
had been brought in as part of the overall plan to increase
Rwandophone influence. (Comment: Most observers agree that
some Rwandans have integrated, but no one is able to estimate
the numbers. End comment.)


4. (C) Despite all his complaints, LaFontaine maintained
that he would continue to support integration, i.e., he would
not block peace and reconstruction efforts. Nevertheless, he
felt as if he and his officers had to grovel to try to obtain
positions in the FARDC. The FARDC had accepted all CNDP and
PARECO-Hutu officers because they were Rwandophones,
LaFontaine claimed. The whole integration process, in
LaFontaine's opinion, has aimed to privilege the Rwandophones
over other ethnic groups in North Kivu, with redrawing the
country's provincial borders (French: "decoupage") as an
important tool to achieve domination.

The Different Faces of the FARDC
--------------


5. (C) Unsurprisingly, LaFontaine repeated predictable, but
accurate, criticisms of the FARDC -- "they are a bunch of
disorganized thieves." However, he also offered a more
sophisticated analysis of the FARDC in North Kivu. He
suggested that there were three separate types of FARDC
operating in the province:


KINSHASA 00000409 002 OF 002


-- "Westerners," who were primarily ex-FAZ, Lingala speakers.
This group was not interested in North Kivu politics. Their
sole goal was to use the military operations to steal and to
make commercial profit.

--"Rwandophones," who claim they want to eliminate the FDLR,
but, in reality, they are more likely to do business with the
rebels. This group favors redrawing the country's political
map as a means to dominate the Petit Nord. They often use
military operations to further this agenda by attacking,
looting, and raping the non-Rwandophone population.

--"North Kivu Natives," who are non-Rwandophones. This group
really wants peace, according to LaFontaine, and they use
their position within the FARDC to protect the population.


PARECO-Nande Could "Make Trouble"
--------------


6. (C) LaFontaine said that he had recently raised his
concerns about Rwandophone domination with Malu Malu. When
Malu Malu did not respond directly, LaFontaine suggested that
he could "make trouble on the ground," if the FARDC continued
to ignore him and his officers. He underscored that he and
his troops would be willing to serve anywhere in the DRC,
once integrated into the FARDC, provided they were confident
that the North Kivu political and security situation was
stable, e.g., no decoupage. (Comment: It was unclear from
his often contradictory statements whether LaFontaine
believed North Kivu was developing on a positive path. End
comment.)


7. (C) Comment: As noted in reftel, non-Rwandophones in the
Petit Nord, particularly the Nande, are apprehensive about
the recent increase in attempts to promote Rwandophonie in
the region. However, the Nande are most likely not in a
position to actively challenge the Rwandophones. LaFontaine
appears to recognize these limitations; hence his
frustration, but his unwillingness to openly defy the
integration process. For the moment, LaFontaine is more
interested in trying to get some personal gain from the new
dynamics. It is significant that LaFontaine put some
distance between himself and Malu Malu on the Rwandophone
question. This could be evidence of a split in the Nande
community between Nande on the ground in the Petit Nord and
Nande politicians in Kinshasa. The Nande are a tight-knit
group, so as long as enough senior players are on board with
the current direction in North Kivu, it is unlikely that
LaFontaine or others outside the fold will take up arms. End
comment.
GARVELINK