EASTERN DRC NOTES - MAY 4

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000435 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG SUBJECT: EASTERN DRC NOTES - MAY 4 ¶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 reported significant, but unspecified, numbers of refugees returning to Haut-Uele from Sudan. In North Kivu, four FDLR fighters surrendered to the MONUC base at Kashebere on April ¶29. In South Kivu, MONUC has completed reconnaissance of the two "zones of action" for Kimia II operations. ¶3. (U) According to Radio Okapi, three villages in Lubero Territory - Fatuwa, Masekeseke, and Makwakondro - have remained hostage to FDLR forces since February. The local administrator confirmed that the FDLR does not allow the population in these villages to circulate freely; rather it forces the locals to cooperate with the rebels in this area with gold deposits. The FARDC commander in the area, Colonel Yav, has vowed to "liberate the population." ¶4. (SBU) A crowd of approximately 200 surrounded and threatened to stone a MONUC convoy in Sake. They were protesting the forced payment of taxes to unspecified armed groups (or FARDC) between Sake and Kitchanga. MONUC recognizes that it has a responsibility to remove illegal barriers from all routes in the Kivus and will therefore follow up on the complaint. ¶5. (U) Radio Okapi reported that MONUC has demobilized 23 child soldiers in South Kivu over the past week. According to MONUC, four of the liberated children had been CNDP soldiers integrated into the FARDC. Fifteen of the children had been within FARDC ranks. ¶6. (SBU) In South Kivu, MONUC is worried about public unrest around the Luberizi camp where ex-combatants who have been there since April 16 are becoming increasingly impatient for the FARDC to integrate them. DDRRR -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Approximately 300 ex-CNDP combatants have passed through the DDRRR program in 2009. These ex-combatants are mostly Rwandans who joined the CNDP in 2007 and 2008, were forced this year into the FARDC through the accelerated integration process, but who wanted to return home. Additionally, some of them originally came to the DRC with promises of employment and found themselves pressed into military service. GARVELINK