Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LIBREVILLE430
2009-09-25 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:  

GABON: OPPOSITION ORGANIZES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE

Tags:  PGOV PREL GB 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHLC #0430/01 2681518
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251518Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1430
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000430 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR A/C FOR LISA KORTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL GB
SUBJECT: GABON: OPPOSITION ORGANIZES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE

REF: 09 LIBREVILLE 00421

Classified By: Ambassador Eunice Reddick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000430

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR A/C FOR LISA KORTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL GB
SUBJECT: GABON: OPPOSITION ORGANIZES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE

REF: 09 LIBREVILLE 00421

Classified By: Ambassador Eunice Reddick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) A 19-member delegation representing Gabon's political
opposition presented their case against the election of Ali
Bongo Ondimba to the Ambassador on September 25. The
opposition is using its newly-found united front with foreign
embassies and international missions to underscore their
arguments. Over the next week, opposition candidates that
filed official complaints will be appearing before the
Constitutional Court. The delegation noted that they expect
the Constitutional Court to finish its work and Ali Bongo to
be inaugurated on October 5 even though the court has one
month to consider the challenges. Despite a lack of
confidence in the court, the opposition continues to follow
the constitutional process. END SUMMARY.

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OPPOSITION APPEARS AS A UNITED FRONT
--------------


2. (C) For the first time in the process to elect a successor
to the late Omar Bongo Ondimba, members of the opposition
gathered in one place to voice their collective opinion that
Gabon's presidential election results announced on September
2 are fraudulent. The opposition delegation, composed of 19
representatives of opposition parties and former presidential
candidates including Andre Mba Obame (independent),Jean
Eyeghe Ndong (independent) and Zacharie Myboto (UGDD),
visited the Embassy to meet with the Ambassador and EmbOffs
on September 25. Also present in the delegation were
representatives of former candidates Casamir Oye Mba, Paul
Mba Abessole, and Pierre Mamboundou. Besides the U.S., the
delegation had already visited the French Embassy and planned
to visit the South Africans, the European Commission, UNICEF
and UNDP.


3. (C) Up until this meeting, the opposition was disorganized
and fractious (reftel). The delegation noted that the U.S.
Embassy was their second stop in a series of meetings, after
a visit to the French. Representatives in the delegation
said that they viewed the U.S. as a fair broker in the
Gabonese political scene, especially in light of other
countries' congratulations of Ali Bongo's victory or public

statements suggesting the election was free and fair.
Despite their protests, the delegation said they expect Ali
Bongo Ondimba to be inaugurated as President of Gabon on
October 5.

-------------- --------------
OPPOSITION STILL REFUSES TO ACKOWLEDGE BONGO'S WIN
-------------- --------------


4. (C) While the grouping of political faces was new, the
complaints were not. The complaints fell into three broad
categories. First, that the ruling Democratic Party of Gabon
(PDG) used underhanded methods to manipulate the vote count
so that Ali Bongo was assured of a victory. The delegates
specifically cited irregularities in Port Gentil, heart of
opposition to the Bongo family, and Haut Ogooue, home of the
Bongo family. The delegation also noted that even
considering the numbers announced, the opposition commands
more than 60 percent of the vote and that Ali Bongo will need
to negotiate with the opposition to rule effectively.


5. (C) The second major complaint focused on behavior of the
Gabonese security forces. The recent unrest and violence in
Port Gentil is unacceptable, they said. They noted that
official reports claim three deaths occurred in the city
during rioting, but that numerous unofficial reports and
personal accounts suggest the number is at least 6 dead with
possibly hundreds unaccounted for. As for the capital,
security forces in Libreville remain prominent with numerous
checkpoints and searches. One member of the delegation said
he is afraid to travel home at night for fear that he will be
stopped, his valuables confiscated, and then arrested. The
delegation called for an independent international
investigation into the events in Port Gentil.


6. (C) The third common complaint was that the PDG is
monopolizing the media. Local television and the state-owned
media will not entertain requests for access by the
opposition. Andre Mba Obame, who owns substantial media
assets in Gabon including a television station, complained
that he is being refused access to his own broadcasting

LIBREVILLE 00000430 002 OF 002


equipment. He said that the local regulation board will not
grant the necessary permission and licenses (which he already
owns). Security forces are compounding the problem by
restricting access by himself and his employees to the
equipment. The delegation requested the Embassy help them
carry their story and complaints to the international media.


7. (C) In a separate meeting earlier in the day, PolOff met
with economist and former presidential candidate Albert Ondo
Ossa. Ondo Ossa complained of similar media restrictions
saying that a local television show had requested an
interview. When he discovered the interview would be
pre-taped and then edited, he asked for the interview to be
broadcast live or that he get to approve the edits. The
television station, funded by the PDG, refused to allow Ondo
Ossa approval rights or the ability to go on the air live.
Ondo Ossa said the refusal was for fear that he might say
something derogatory about the fragile economic state he
believes Gabon faces.

--------------
L'UNION EDITOR ARRESTED
--------------


8. (C) Embassy contacts tell us that Albert Yangari,
Editor-in-Chief and Director General of the state-owned daily
newspaper l'Union was arrested on September 25. When asked
about the arrest, the opposition delegation said he had been
arrested because of a series of stories in the last three
days about the post-election situation in Port Gentil. In
those stories, l'Union claims six deaths occurred due to
security forces, in contrast to the three deaths the
government claims. Further, the l'Union stories exposed a
series of beatings and possible human rights abuses by
security forces.

--------------
OBAMA'S U.N. SPEECH RESONATES
--------------


9. (C) Already aware of the specifics in President Obama's
speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Andra Mba Obame made a
point to reference Obama's statement on democracy and the
need to focus on deeds and not words. "This is what we are
doing," said Mba Obame.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


10. (C) This is the first time before or after the election
the opposition has spoken with one voice. It was clear in
the meeting that the individual candidates are still not
entirely comfortable with each other, with many of the
statements directed towards their opposition colleagues
rather than the EmbOffs. However, the opposition has
successfully slowed down the inauguration of Ali Bongo
through the use of constitutional measures at their disposal
to challenge the election results. Also as a result of the
delay, Ali Bongo did not travel to New York for UNGA because
he had not been sworn in. The Constitutional Court has one
month (from September 19) to consider the opposition's
challenges, but apparently is pushing to hear all the
candidates' cases over the next week. There may be merit to
their speculation that Ali Bongo,s inauguration could take
place as early as October 5. END COMMENT.
REDDICK