EASTERN DRC NOTES - JULY 9

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000663

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: EASTERN DRC NOTES - JULY 9


1. (U) The information contained in this cable 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.

Security Situation - Haut Uele
--------------


2. (SBU) Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) elements attacked the village
of Gamu (west of Dungu) on June 30, killing 12 people.


3. (SBU) MONUC transported 120 FARDC troops to Doruma near the
Sudanese border on July 7. MONUC estimates 400 additional FARDC
will deploy to the forward base, which is close to the areas where
the LRA remains active. Further south, a MONUC Moroccan battalion
(Morbat) will conduct reconnaissance at Dingala on July 9 in
preparation for deployment in the near future.

Security Situation - North Kivu
--------------


4. (SBU) North Kivu province has been calm following the June 30
Independence Day ceremony, with no reports of FDLR attacks and few
reports of FARDC human rights violations. The FARDC leadership
recently issued several pronouncements warning soldiers that they
will be prosecuted for harming civilians. (Comment: The
pronouncements follow the release of a Human Rights Watch July 2
report that was highly critical of the FARDC human rights record and
a July 1 Human Rights Watch meeting with President Kabila. End
comment).


5. (SBU) MONUC has condemned increasing cooperation between
PARECO-Nande and the FDLR in the Kanyabayonga - Lubero region. The
two groups have reportedly mounted at least one joint attack, and
appear to be coordinating their movements. A report that the FDLR
abducted dozens of villagers near Nyalima has not been confirmed.



6. (SBU) Elements of the CNDP anticipated that President Kabila
would announce a cabinet reshuffle during his visit to Goma last
week that would put former CNDP cadre into senior positions in the
GDRC. The expected change did not occur and MONUC reports that CNDP
troops took rapid action to show their displeasure by establishing
at least three roadblocks on the Sake-Kirolirwe road axis. (Comment:
Goma POLOFF will seek additional information to clarify if the CNDP
move is a coordinated strategy and if it indicates a CNDP loss of
faith in GDRC commitment to the March 23 Agreements. End comment).


7. (SBU) Many residents of Goma assumed infrastructure projects
would halt after President Kabila's visit, but road repair is
continuing, at least on main thoroughfares. The MONUC curfew, which
was pushed forward to 2100 for the Presidential visit, has been
pushed back to 2300.

Security Situation - South Kivu
--------------


8. (SBU) Significant movements of FDLR were reported near the
villages of Kabula and Mugombo, near Mwenga, but there were no
reports of recent clashes in South Kivu.


9. (SBU) MONUC suspects significant parts of Zebuloni and Yakatumba
Mai Mai are cooperating with the FDLR. At least three Mai Mai
groups, including Kifuafua and Shikito, boycotted an integration
conference in Bukavu this week as the official integration period
winds down in South Kivu.


10. (SBU) Chief of Staff General Didier Etumba will reportedly
launch Operation Kimia II in Nzabira, west of Walungu, in the coming
week. (Comment: Officially, Kimia II was launched over two months
ago, but the initial phases involved limited deployments to assume
gradual control over communication and transport routes. Etumba
apparently refers to the next phase in which the FARDC will begin
military operations to increase pressure on the FDLR and dislodge
them from strategic sites. End comment.)

South Kivu DDRRR and Integration
--------------


11. (SBU) MONUC's DDRRR office reports a window of opportunity in
South Kivu. DDRRR teams have deployed from the east to Kingalube
(west of Walungu) to intercept FDLR troops that may be moving east
to avoid a FARDC eastward advance from Shabunda. DDRRR contacts
claim some of these FDLR troops, positioned in very remote parts of
South Kivu, may not have been exposed to previous messaging
approaches and may be open to repatriation.

KINSHASA 00000663 002 OF 002




12. (SBU) The Luberezi transition center remains overcrowded, still
unconverted to a "brassage" center where troops can be formally
trained and integrated into the FARDC. Mai Mai combatants who
reported for integration at Luberizi are leaving the overcrowded
center, often taking their weapons with them. The GDRC will
reportedly approach donors for assistance with the conversion.
Meanwhile, a new transition center was established on July 8 in
Kingulube, on the Walungu - Shabunda axis. The Baraka transition
center has also seen desertions. The Kimombo center has not yet
been formally established and most FRF ("Forces Republicaines
Federalistes" in French) of the Haut Plateau area do not appear
willing to enter the process in any case.

Human Rights Protection
--------------


13. (SBU) MONUC has established a Rapid Reaction Early Warning Cell
(RREWC) to monitor and respond to threats to IDPs and vulnerable
civilians. A new initiative, the RREWC is composed of members from
several UN organizations in order to improve coordination,
information sharing and response.


14. (SBU) MONUC is helping to spread GDRC and FARDC command
messages that warned government troops that their primary duty is
protection of civilians (see para.4),and that soldiers will be
severely disciplined for human rights violations. Rather than hope
that the messages will filter down through the FARDC ranks, MONUC is
using Radio Okapi and hand-delivered letters to spread the word to
FARDC units. MONUC sources say it is too early to judge the
messages' effectiveness.

GARVELINK