MEETING WITH NEW CNDP LEADERSHIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000422 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF CG SUBJECT: MEETING WITH NEW CNDP LEADERSHIP REF: KINSHASA 406 KINSHASA 00000422 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: We recently met with members of the new CNDP leadership who, while remaining generally patient with the government, nevertheless displayed some anxiety and distrust over certain aspects of the new dynamics in North Kivu. This was displayed primarily in their continued antipathy towards the Amani program and their condemnation of the recent ceremony heralding the end of the integration process in North Kivu. End summary. Members of the Leadership Team -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The CNDP team was composed of three representatives: Desire Kamanzi, Jean Munyampenda, and Jean Baptiste Gasominari. Kamanzi, the President, is a Masisi-born Tutsi, who claims to be a founding member of CNDP, but acknowledges he has spent most of his time "in the diaspora." He mentioned his time in South Africa, but, significantly, not his time in Rwanda, where he has actually spent the majority of the past 15 years. Munyampenda, the Executive Secretary, is a Tutsi and self-proclaimed "rebel of 13 years," having been with the AFDL, RCD, and also as a founding member of the CNDP. Gasominari, whose position is unclear, is a Tutsi and was among the delegation to the Goma Conference and the Nairobi talks. GDRC-CNDP Agreement -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The CNDP team said that there has been no progress since March 23 due to total GDRC inaction. The monitoring committee to the agreement has not even been created, although the CNDP has submitted all their lists and recommendations as agreed. However, they appeared untroubled by this inaction, putting it down to "standard GDRC incompetence" and the Kamerhe troubles. Indeed, they made a point of underlining their confidence in the GDRC's "continued good faith." ¶4. (SBU) During the meeting, the following points related to the agreement's key elements emerged: -- Police de Proximite (Local Police Force): The CNDP is willing to accept that those who staff these units come from outside the Kivus. However, they must be "properly versed in local affairs," including being able to speak the local language, e.g. Kinyarwanda, and must remain in the same community throughout their career (Comment: This means in effect that only locals are likely to meet or be willing to meet these conditions. End comment). -- Return of refugees: Unsurprisingly, this was mentioned several times as a priority. However, the team referred only to the refugees in Rwanda (vast majority Tutsi) and did not mention those in Uganda (vast majority Hutu). -- Division of North Kivu ("Decoupage"): Unprompted, Munyampenda said the CNDP opposes this division and apparently, although for reasons unknown, decentralization in general. Integration -------------- ¶5. (SBU) When pushed, Kamanzi acknowledged that some CNDP fighters have not yet been integrated into the FARDC. However, he insisted that the remainder were ready and willing. Some integrated CNDP fighters are unhappy because of the lack of pay and food, although the leadership is encouraging them to be patient. ¶6. (SBU) The CNDP representatives, however, denounced the recent ceremony (reftel) declaring an end to the integration process in North Kivu, citing a number of reasons. The first was that since they already handed over total control of their forces to the GDRC on January 16, the ceremony was irrelevant (Comment: This ceremony, however, was intended to mark the end of the integration process for all armed groups in North Kivu, not just the CNDP. End comment). ¶7. (SBU) The second and much more important reason was that the ceremony included several references to the Amani program and its upcoming second phase, consisting of reconciliation and stabilization. While there was no explicit commitment by any of the armed groups to participate in the program, the ceremony - unlike the March 23 agreement - did place the CNDP alongside the other North Kivu armed groups, as the Amani program did. The CNDP officially left Amani last year and so it rejects any concept of its continued involvement in this program (Comment: "Amani" to the CNDP is code for them being lumped in with all the other armed groups. Complaining about it now reveals that beneath their proclaimed confidence in the GDRC's good faith they are anxious that the GDRC KINSHASA 00000422 002 OF 002 may renege on its commitments and are alert to any government backsliding. End comment). Nkunda -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Kamanzi gave the now official CNDP line on January's change of leadership: Nkunda's approach had only led to further fighting, and had failed to deal with the root causes of the problems in North Kivu. Change was needed. NKUNDA resisted, so he had to be removed by force. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: Several aspects of the meeting hinted at ongoing tensions within the movement. Notably, Munyampenda led the conversation, clearly articulating his views. Kamanzi appeared measured, somewhat hesitant and meek; he introduced himself as first and foremost a member of the CNDP and only secondarily as its President. Our impression was that this was for Munyampenda's benefit, and a tacit recognition of his own outside status, as many perceive that Kigali imposed him on the CNDP leadership. Munyampenda made several significant declarations which bear on the Rwandophone agenda and possible resistance to it within the CNDP: the CNDP apparently opposes the division of North Kivu; the CNDP is concerned with life in the DRC, not the DRC-Rwanda rapprochement; and the CNDP may be Rwandophones, but they are not "Rwandophonistes," i.e., bent on Rwandophone supremacy. End comment. GARVELINK