DDRRR AWARENESS ACTIVITIES APPEARS TO DELIVER RESULTS, BUT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000010 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KPAO PREL PHUM CG RW ICTR SUBJECT: DDRRR AWARENESS ACTIVITIES APPEARS TO DELIVER RESULTS, BUT MORE RESOURCES NEEDED ¶1. (SBU) Summary: While MONUC awareness activities appear to have had positive results in encouraging FDLR combatants to participate in the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR) process, additional resources are needed to sustain their efforts, according to MONUC. MONUC DDRRR and other offices are proving to be helpful in Embassy Kinshasa's efforts to promote the Rewards for Justice Program. End Summary. MONUC DDRRR awareness efforts -------------- ¶2. (SBU) MONUC officers noted to APAO on December 10-11 that DDRRR awareness efforts have made inroads in encouraging Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rank-and-file to leave the movement and participate in the DDRRR process. DDRRR Political Officer Matthew Brubacher, awareness team leader Sam Howard, and Public Information Office chief Sylvie Van Den Wildenberg all indicated that the FDLR information campaign, which previously had been quite effective in discouraging participation among rank-and-file, was being countered by awareness efforts. Weaknesses in the current FDLR presence in the Kivus, resulting from military pressure following the Umoju Wetu and Kimia II operations and coupled with the recent arrests of FDLR leaders Ignace Murwanashyaka and Straton Musoni, have been necessary for the awareness efforts to be successful. But, according to DDRRR team members, as the recent military pressure on the FDLR has made some tactical gains, and put the rank-and-file on notice, information campaigns, which have been synergized with military campaigns, have had more success. DDRRR team members noted that during 2009, 1664 FDLR combatants were repatriated, which was a three-fold increase compared to 2008. While MONUC does not officially survey ex-combatants to determine motivation to return, DDRRR team members indicated a number of ex-combatants attributed their decision to return to information products distributed by MONUC. What are these products? -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The sustained awareness campaign has included the distribution of written materials through air-drops, the transmission of messages through the MONUC mobile radio stations in the Kivus, and the continued regional broadcasting of Radio Okapi's "Gutahuka" program (which interviews recently returned ex-combattants to Rwanda). Currently, there are 20 reception sites in North and South Kivu and thirteen active radio stations. To generate a greater listenership among FDLR rank-and-file and local audiences, MONUC has permitted local and international organizations to broadcast non-DDRRR messages on their mobile radio stations. For more remote areas where the stations' signal cannot reach audiences, or where combatants do not own radios, flyers and pictorials have proven to be effective tools (for instance, anecdotal information has revealed many FDLR combatants come to DDRRR facilities with these flyers). More recently, DDRRR and PIO have partnered together to show FDLR members images of ex-combatants who have been successfully reintegrated back into Rwandan society, and combat misperceptions (intentionally promoted by the FDLR information campaign) of the "Gacaca" justice process. On a more limited scale, DDRRR is also providing satellite phones to ex-combatants to phone individuals still part of the movement to encourage participation in the DDRRR process. Need for further resources -------------- KINSHASA 00000010 002 OF 003 ¶4. (SBU) Despite progress in the awareness efforts, MONUC DDRRR has noted more resources are needed to sustain the program. While the British government has provided some support to assist in the production of films for FDLR audiences, additional resources have been limited. Howard provided APAO with a draft proposal (which has yet to receive any funding support from MONUC or other donors) that requests $25,000 in additional assistance to maintain existing programs and support new initiatives. The funding would cover additional materials to upgrade the existing mobile transmitters, as well as support the development of additional print and broadcast materials. ¶5. (SBU) Brubacher asserted that flyers and booklets on DDRRR that were produced last year by the Mission Information Strategic Team (MIST) and airdropped into FDLR territory proved to be effective (as many FDLR combatants referenced these products when explaining their reason for coming to DDRRR facilities),and indicated similar products would be helpful. (Note: APAO did provide DDRRR with the Swahili version of the VOA editorial that highlighted the Murwanashyaka and Musoni arrests, which has been broadcasted on the mobile radio units. End Note.) Howard noted DDRRR has contemplated augmenting the capacity of community radio stations (which are more widely followed in certain communities than MONUC's mobile radio stations) to help transmit information on the DDRRR process, but funding limitations have restricted efforts to pursue this option. Support for Rewards for Justice -------------- ¶6. (SBU) MONUC DDRRR and PIO have expressed great interest in supporting USG efforts to publicize the Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program, noting that it complements the overall objectives of the DDRRR process by targeting International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (ICTR) indictees, some of whom are affiliated with the FDLR (for instance, they have learned informally from local contacts that two ICTR indictees, Jean Bosco Uwinkindi and Charles Zikubwabo, are located in FDLR territory in North Kivu). MONUC officials in Kinshasa and the field have assisted in "getting the message out" about the program to key audiences in the Kivus (such as church networks, civil society and press representatives) and have agreed to broadcast Rewards for Justice information on both Radio Okapi and mobile radio units in the region. ¶7. (SBU) MONUC also proposed news-oriented programs to help explain the program and address specific concerns about RFJ. Most of the questions that emanate from MONUC's informal outreach efforts have revolved around the manner in which payments would be made to those with information on the ICTR indictees. They specifically wanted concrete instances in which Congolese citizens were rewarded by the program for any information offered to track down any of the indictees. MONUC PIO also indicated that while security has improved in most areas of the Kivus, any messages concerning RFJ would have to clearly identify the United States as promoting the initiative, so as to not expose the entity broadcasting the message. ¶8. (SBU) Comment: MONUC appears confident in its assertion that the awareness programs have been a bright spot in the DDRRR process. While military pressure is necessary to weaken FDLR morale and encourage repatriation, awareness efforts are unarguably a necessary complement that supports the DDRRR process and combats the FDLR's own information campaign. As MONUC awareness tools KINSHASA 00000010 003 OF 003 appear to be an effective vehicle for the U.S. to promote the RFJ program, we should explore avenues to augment MONUC's capacity, and to collaborate more intensively in this area. End Comment. GARVELINK