RESTARTING UNHCR TRIPARTITE MEETINGS

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000423

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL AO CG
SUBJECT: RESTARTING UNHCR TRIPARTITE MEETINGS

REF: KINSHASA 378


1. (SBU) Summary: PolOff recently met with officials from the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the DRC's National
Commission for Refugees (CNR) to discuss USG interest in restarting
tripartite meetings. UNHCR recommended that the USG send observers
to the Tripartite Working Groups to add credibility and importance
to the process. The CNR recommended that the USG become more
involved in organizing/facilitating the Tripartite Working Group
meetings. Active USG participation will potentially give the GDRC
political and diplomatic coverage to reach out to its neighbors to
resolve refugee issues, a key stumbling block to finally achieving
peace in the region. End summary.

2. (SBU) PolOff recently met separately with UNHCR's External
Relations Officer and the Congolese Permanent-Secretary to the
National Commission for Refugees (CNR) to discuss USG interest in
restarting tripartite meetings with the DRC's neighboring countries,
UNHCR, and the GDRC. Both UNHCR and CNR officials were very
receptive and eager to resume formal dialogue and negotiations for
refugee returns.

3. (SBU) Per UNHCR, the security situation in eastern DRC had until
recently effectively put the Tripartite meetings on hold. UNHCR
External Relations Officer Francesca Fontanini said that the GDRC
has not addressed land issues in the east, although one NGO appears
to have had recent success with land issues. Arche d'Alliance has
helped form local mediation committees in North Kivu that apparently
have a 70% success rate in resolving land disputes. UNHCR would
like to create an awareness campaign promoting this model.
Fontanini said that UNHCR would recommend that the USG send
observers to the Tripartite Working Groups to add credibility and
importance to the process.

4. (SBU) According to the CNR interlocutors, the GDRC recognizes
the need to re-energize the Tripartite Working Groups. However, the
uptick in armed conflict last fall prevented continuing with the
process. The GDRC has been in close communication with Rwanda,
Angola, Tanzania, and Zambia on refugee issues. However, it has had
trouble getting responses from Uganda and Burundi.

5. (SBU) The CNR agreed that resolving land issues is the key to
solidifying peace and creating a favorable environment for refugee
returns. However, it feels that facilitating the return of IDPs in
a given area should have precedence over facilitating the return of
refugees. To resolve land issues, the CNR is searching for a
mechanism that would include both traditional chiefs and civil
society. The highest concentrations of land issues/conflicts are
found in traditional chiefdom areas. The CNR Permanent-Secretary,
Rigobert Moupondo, suggested that local mediation committees could
help resolve most of the problems.

6. (SBU) The CNR recommended that the USG become more involved with
helping organize/facilitate Tripartite Working Group meetings. It
also recommended that the U.S. provide support to arrange for "go
and see visits" to try to convince refugees to return back home.
Finally, it recommended that the USG provide financial support to
the CNR.

7. (SBU) Our engagement with the UNHCR came against the backdrop of
recently reconvened Tripartite Working Groups for the
DRC-Rwanda-UNHCR and the DRC-Angola-UNHCR. The result of the April
7-9 DRC-Angola-UNHCR meetings is a new verification/census of
Angolan refugees in the DRC that will begin in May. The next
DRC-Angola-UNHCR Tripartite Working Group will meet in the summer to
discuss planning actual repatriations.

8. (SBU) The April 14-16 DRC-Rwanda-UNHCR meeting produced an
agreement to continue efforts to improve the economic conditions in
Eastern DRC, to entice DRC refugees in Rwanda to return home, to
intensify the public awareness campaign for Rwandan refugees in the
DRC to return back home, to reinforce mechanisms that prevent
refugee recycling, and to clarify the legal status of civilian
refugees living in both countries. Per UNHCR, the next
DRC-Rwanda-UNHCR Tripartite Working Group meeting will take place in
July at a location to be determined.

9. (SBU) The next DRC-Tanzania-UNHCR Tripartite Working Group is
scheduled for May 15. However, per UNHCR, there have been no recent
agreements to reconvene the DRC-Uganda-UNHCR Tripartite Working
Group or the DRC-Burundi-UNHCR Tripartite Working Group.

10. (SBU) Comment: Both UNHCR and the CNR welcome increased USG
interest and participation in the Tripartite Working Groups. In the
current situation, there is growing political pressure (reftel) to
facilitate the return of IDPs and refugees in North Kivu. Active
USG participation will potentially give the GDRC political and
diplomatic coverage to reach out to its neighbors to resolve refugee
issues, a key stumbling block to finally achieving peace in the
region. End comment.

GARVELINK