EASTERN DRC NOTES - APRIL 27

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000410

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT: EASTERN DRC NOTES - APRIL 27


1. (U) The items contained in this report consist principally of
spot information from various sources. This report is not
exhaustive, nor can all the information contained therein be
confirmed at this time.

Security Situation
--------------


2. (SBU) MONUC sources say the villages of Kayna and Kamba (north
of Kanyabayongo) have received threatening messages from the FDLR,
warning that the group will target them next for destruction and
retribution. MONUC and the FARDC are deployed to the area, but the
FDLR typically avoids villages where it may encounter armed
resistance. The police chief in the village of Luofo, who was badly
beaten by FDLR marauders on April 17, has died of his wounds.


3. (SBU) Ten FDLR combatants and 21 dependents have surrendered to
MONUC at Kashebere. Another five FDLR combatants surrendered in
South Kivu last week.


4. (SBU) A new Mai Mai group under "Colonel" Eszera has emerged
near Bitobolo in South Kivu. The group robbed unarmed MONUC
military observers at a roadblock along the Lake Tanganyika road
last week.


5. (SBU) The FARDC has looted the village of Konge (near Bukavu),
as well as Muku and Rawakabiri (near Walugu) in South Kivu. MONUC
notes that the responsible soldiers are not part of Operation Kimia
II, and may not have received pay or rations. At present, MONUC is
providing food to 16,000 FARDC troops who are participating in
Operation Kimia II. A EUSEC source reports that 6,000 of the 30,000
FARDC troops in the Kivus have not been paid for January, and a
similar number were not paid for February. All of the troops have
reportedly been paid for March, even if they were not registered
and/or issued biometric identification. Newly integrated troops
received a fixed amount regardless of rank.


6. (SBU) MONUC and the FARDC continue to put pressure on armed
groups in Ituri. The FRPI may be out of food and ammunition and
ready to surrender, according to a MONUC source. The FARDC has
occupied Poto Poto and plans to begin the third phase of its
campaign on April 27.

Integration
--------------


7. (SBU) MONUC has exhausted the $10 million set aside to build
regroupment centers for integration. It is now waiting for
committed funds from Germany to continue construction in South Kivu.



8. (SBU) The leader of Mai Mai Kifuafua told Goma PolOff on April
24 that he has over 2,000 fighters deep in the bush around Walikale
who have not been integrated. He claimed that the fighters could
not leave their protection duties to come into regroupment centers.
He also claimed that Kinshasa politicians and businessmen have
approached him and asked if his fighters could be available as part
of an armed opposition movement against the GDRC. PolOff noted that
Mai Mai Kifuafua had signed the agreement marking the end of armed
struggle in the Kivus, and any move to take up arms against the
legitimate government of the DRC could be considered treason
(Comment: This self-promoting Mai Mai leader is seeking attention
or position and is vastly overstating his strength. Several dozen
Mai Mai Kifuafua fighters have entered regroupment centers in North
Kivu, apparently without his knowledge. Nor did they turn in any
weapons. End comment).

The Volatile Border Region
--------------


9. (SBU) An NGO contact, who just returned from the Hombo-Bukavu
axis, reports that the area is thick with FARDC troops. The contact
stated that many "Rwandans" are conspicuous by their language and
slight variance in uniform (Comment: These are more likely CNDP,
many of whom speak Kinyarwanda and maintain some vestige of their
previous CNDP camouflage uniforms to distinguish themselves from the
regular FARDC. End comment). The FARDC are an unwelcome presence
in villages, taxing anyone who passes their roadblocks. Even
children on their way to school were searched by soldiers, noted the
source. The FDLR had been a major presence in the area, and often
provided produce to village markets. Those markets are now largely
empty. The FDLR has faded into the thick forests, but has engaged
in hit and run attacks against the FARDC and burned some houses in
retaliation against locals (Comment: The area remains one of the
most volatile in the Kivus, and planned operations against the FDLR

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will likely spark new incidents of retaliation. End comment).

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