UNOGBIS AT THE UN: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MOVE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000383

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DAKAR: PLEASE PASS TO BISSAU WATCHER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC PU XY
SUBJECT: UNOGBIS AT THE UN: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MOVE
GUINEA-BISSAU FORWARD


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: UNOGBIS SRSG Joseph Mutaboba told the
Security Council on April 8 that swift implementation of
Security Sector Reform (SSR),economic recovery, a
comprehensive approach to drug trafficking, and timely
national elections were all essential elements in
Guinea-Bissau's democratic development. Brazilian PR Viotti
spoke for the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC),noting that the
PBC would mobilize funding for the June 28th Presidential
elections and would participate in the April 20 Praia donor's
meeting on SSR implementation. Guinea-Bissau PR Lopes Cabral
asked the Security Council to endorse and support a possible
ECOWAS troop contingent deployed to Guinea-Bissau prior to
the elections. Ambassador DiCarlo stressed the importance of
SSR, warned of the threat of drug trafficking, and supported
the fight against impunity. Other Security Council members
joined DiCarlo in calling for an end to impunity for human
rights violations by the military, and urging the Secretariat
to expedite its recommendations for transformation of UNOGBIS
into an integrated peacebuilding office. The Council adopted
a Presidential Statement on April 9 which, inter alia,
condemns arbitrary detentions by the military, calls for
free, fair, and transparent elections, and invites ECOWAS to
coordinate with Guinea-Bissau any necessary troop deployment.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau
(UNOGBIS) SRSG Mutaboba briefed the Security Council in both
open and closed sessions on April 8. In the open session, he
detailed events since the early March assassinations of
President Vieira and Defense Chief of Staff Tagme Na Wai. He
enumerated several cases of military personnel intimidating
human rights activists and politicians through extra-judicial
arrest and torture, and spoke about the Commission of
Inquiry's concerns on the intimidation of witnesses by the
military and lack of transparency on the workings of a
parallel inquiry by Chief of Staff Induta into the killing of
General Na Wai. Mutaboba noted swift international
condemnation of the killings and pressure on the
Guinea-Bissau government to hold elections within the
sixty-day period specified by the Constitution.


3. (SBU) While the situation remained calm, but fragile,
Mutaboba said there were four areas where the government
needed international support in order to expeditiously act.
The first area would be meeting the pent-up desires of the
people for the resumption of basic social services as well as
the payment of civil service arrears. If Guinea-Bissau
received no assistance, Mutatoba warned, ordinary citizens
would lose faith in the democratic process, given that
successful presidential elections last year had led to only
political chaos and violence. Secondly, Mutatoba stated,
Guinea-Bissau needed a strong Commission of Inquiry on the
assassinations, with adequate technical support from the
United Nations and the international community. This could
require protection for witnesses called before the
Commission.


4. (SBU) SRSG Mutaboba's third priority was the swift
implementation of Security Sector Reform (SSR),including the
retirement of senior military personnel who had long before
reached retirement age. He said he was working to develop
concrete proposals for engaging the military in the
construction of homes, schools, and farming on
military-owned land. In conclusion, Mutatoba urged the
Security Council to strongly signal its support for the
upcoming elections, an end to impunity, and SSR.


5. (SBU) The Chair for the Peacebuilding Commission's (PBC)
engagement with Guinea-Bissau, Brazilian PR Maria Viotti,
briefed the Security Council on the PBC's activities. She
noted that the PBC would attempt to mobilize donors to fill
the remaining gap of approximately 2.5 million USD in
election expenses. The PBC will also meet in video
conference with the GOGB to consider SSR with the results of
the meeting to be passed to the April 20 Praia donor's
meeting on implementing the government's SSR strategy.


6. (SBU) Guinea-Bissau PR Lopes Cabral noted that this was
the 34th briefing by the Secretariat to the Security Council
on Guinea-Bissau. "Guinea-Bissau is not a lost cause," he
stated, calling for increased international assistance to
help restore the rule of law, implement SSR, and achieve
national reconciliation.


7. (SBU) In the closed session, SRSG Mutaboba called for a
needs-based approach to SSR, including the provision of
agricultural machinery to enable the military to produce for
the market. He said another priority should be training and


equipping the Guinea-Bissau police in order to improve the
investigation and prosecution of crimes. He warned of the
increasing threat of narco-trafficking through Guinea-Bissau
and said the country could slip into non-constitutional rule
if the military continued its "shifting, opportunistic"
alliances with politicians. Finally, he called for more
resources for UNOGBIS, including the provision of a
helicopter to enable the ferrying of ballots prior to the
election.


8. (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo congratulated Guinea-Bissau for
adhering to its constitution under extraordinary
circumstances. She noted the importance of holding early
elections and stressed the importance of SSR. DiCarlo said
drug trafficking was primary among the threats to
Guinea-Bissau's stability. She also raised the need to
support the Commission of Inquiry and the fight against
impunity, and the continued importance of vigilance against a
return of cholera to Bissau.


9. (SBU) Burkina Faso said that the elections were not an end
in themselves and only stopping impunity would ensure an end
to political violence and true national reconciliation.
Uganda concurred, calling for a scaling-up of Peacebuilding
Fund support for SSR, and arguing that the international
community should help Guinea-Bissau address narco-trafficking
and youth unemployment. Libya welcomed the upcoming
Presidential elections and expressed concern over human
rights. Libya also expressed concern that the global
financial crisis had led to a shortage of financing for
Guinea-Bissau's cashew crop. Japan spoke about the military
"spreading a culture of impunity" and pledged additional
support for the elections. Japan asked the PBC to monitor
elections preparations and the outcome of the April 20
donor's meeting on SSR.


10. (SBU) Other delegations raised similar concerns about the
Rule of Law in Guinea-Bissau, the state of implementation of
the ECOWAS regional strategy for anti-narcotrafficking (for
which Guinea-Bissau would be the initial country),and
international support for SSR. Several delegations,
including the United States, also inquired when the
Secretariat would issue recommendations on the transformation
of UNOGBIS into an integrated peacebuilding office (Note: the
mission to assess a possible transformation has been delayed,
and has yet to be rescheduled. End Note).


11. (U) The Council adopted on April 9 a Presidential
Statement (S/PRST/2009/6),drafted by Burkina Faso, which,
inter alia, condemns arbitrary detentions by the military and
calls for free, fair, and transparent elections.
Rice