EASTERN DRC NOTES - MAY 20

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000487 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG SUBJECT: EASTERN DRC NOTES - MAY 20 ¶1. (U) The information contained in this report consists principally of spot reports from various sources. This cable is not exhaustive, nor can all the information contained therein be confirmed at this time. Visit of UNSC Ambassadors -------------- ¶2. (U) Ambassadors to the United Nations Security Council concluded their two-day visit to the DRC on May 19. In Goma, the delegation met with provincial leaders, senior MONUC political and military officials, and international and non-governmental organizations. Kinshasa meetings include the Presidents of the National Assembly and Senate, Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito, and President Joseph Kabila (septel). In a closing press conference, SGSR Alan Doss and French PermRep Jean-Maurice Ripert outlined the themes that were discussed with their GDRC interlocutors: ending abuses by rebel forces in the east; providing for humanitarian needs; reforming the DRC armed forces and police; and a commitment to establish rule of law and prosecute those guilty of sexual and gender-based violence. Ripert also announced that the additional 3,000 MONUC peacekeepers would arrive in Eastern DRC "no later than in early July." ¶3. (U) Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a declaration, in conjunction with the UNSC visit, urging MONUC to refrain from any military action with FARDC officers involved in human rights violations. The declaration, in which HRW claimed to have received numerous civilian reports implicating FARDC soldiers in abuses, claimed that undertaking a military operation with known human rights violators "would only lead to disaster." HRW also noted that since the beginning of the year, at least 200 civilians had been killed in FDLR reprisal attacks. Government Spokesman Lambert Mende acknowledged that some FARDC elements had been involved in incidents, but he maintained that the Congolese military justice system was able to deal with the perpetrators. CNDP Applies to Become Political Party -------------- ¶4. (U) Desire Kamanzi, President of the CNDP, submitted paperwork at the Ministry of Interior for the former rebel group to be officially recognized as a political party. Head of the Congolese National Police, John Numbi, was present for the event. The CNDP announced on March 23 that it would transform from a rebel group into a political movement. Security Situation -------------- ¶5. (U) Radio Okapi reported that a group of Mai Mai-Pareco militia attacked a FARDC camp on May 18 at Kamndi-Lac on Lake Edward. FARDC had deserted the camp in advance of the attack, but the Mai Mai stole goods and money. Ten village fishermen drowned while attempting to escape the group. ¶6. (SBU) MONUC has provided 93 vehicles and 115 tons of food - a 30-day supply - to the FARDC in North Kivu to support its participation in Operation Kimia II. In South Kivu, MONUC has provided 14 vehicles and 100 tons of food (Comment: EUSEC contacts maintain that food rations may be more important than pay for deployed FARDC soldiers, because there is not much to buy in the bush. End comment). MONUC is also providing fuel to the FARDC. Plans to provide assistance centers for FARDC dependents, however, have not been implemented. ¶7. (SBU) Militia continue to trickle into transition centers at Luberizi (574) and Kalehe (416) for a total of 990 in South Kivu. The German Government provided $1 million for construction of more centers, but MONUC has reportedly faced delays in completing assessment missions to proposed sites. ¶8. (SBU) On May 18, the FARDC turned over three child soldiers to MONUC's Child Protection Unit. The FARDC has released 27 child soldiers from the 100 identified as being in FARDC units. The whereabouts of the remaining children is unknown. GARVELINK