Cablegate: Dhrf Annual Summary Report -- Fy 2000

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008357

SIPDIS

AF/RA FOR NICOLE PEACOCK, USAID/AFR/SD/DG FOR MELISSA
ROSSER, DRL, USAID/AFR/DP, NAIROBI FOR AID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID XA CG
SUBJECT: DHRF ANNUAL SUMMARY REPORT -- FY 2000

REF: A. STATE 216032
B. KINSHASA 6473

1. THIS IS EMBASSY KINSHASA'S ANNUAL SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE
DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND (DHRF). EMBASSY'S FUNDING
REQUEST FOR 2001 PROJECTS FOLLOWS SEPTEL.

2. POST REQUESTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CONGO WHEN EVALUATING RECENT
DHRF PROJECTS. ADMINISTERING THESE FUNDS HAS BEEN A
CHALLENGE GIVEN THAT IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE EMBASSY HAS
UNDERGONE TWO WARS, TWO EVACUATIONS, FOUR SELF-HELP/DHRF
COORDINATORS, AND THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE EMBASSY. AS A
RESULT, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THE BOOKS ON SEVERAL
PROJECTS FROM 1996 AND 1997, PROJECTS THAT BEGAN PRIOR TO THE
EVACUATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
RECEIVED FUNDING LOST THEIR RECORDS, WHICH MADE ACCOUNTING
VERY DIFFICULT. HOWEVER, EMBASSY HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO
CLOSE OUT THESE PROJECTS AND IS PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE
HAVE SUBMITTED TO USAID ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO CLOSE OUT
PROJECTS PRIOR TO 1999.

3. WE NOTE THAT IN 1998 THERE WERE NO DHRF PROJECTS IN THE
DRC BECAUSE THE EMBASSY WAS CLOSED TEMPORARILY. DUE TO LOCAL
BANKING RESTRICTIONS AND INITIAL DIFFICULTIES GETTING FUNDS
RELEASED TO PROJECT RECIPIENTS, EMBASSY HAS ALSO EXTENDED THE
CONTRACTS OF 1999 PROJECTS. TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS GO
FORWARD SUCCESSFULLY, WE PLAN TO PAY VENDORS DIRECTLY FOR
MATERIALS AND SERVICES THAT DHRF RECIPIENTS NEED IN ORDER TO
CARRY OUT THEIR ACTIVITIES, THUS AVOIDING LOCAL BANKS
ENTIRELY. EMBASSY IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH USAID TO ENSURE
THAT FUNDS ARE RE-ISSUED DIRECTLY TO VENDORS SELECTED BY DHRF
RECIPIENTS. WE INTEND TO FUND ALL 2000 AND 2001 PROJECTS IN
THE SAME WAY.

4. DHRF FY 2000 ACTIVITIES

FUNDING FOR 2000 PROJECTS HAS NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED. EMBASSY
AND RECIPIENTS SIGNED CONTRACTS FOR 2000 PROJECTS ON
SEPTEMBER 22, 2000, AS REPORTED REF B.

NAME OF GRANTEE: CAMPAGNE POUR LA PAIX DURABLE
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-660-00-01
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: SEMINARS, OPEN FORUMS, PLAYS,
SKITS ON DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE. PUBLISHING AND
DISTRIBUTING THE LUSAKA AGREEMENT IN OCCUPIED AREA OF THE DRC.
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000

NAME OF GRANTEE: GROUPE JEREMIE
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-660-00-02
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: PROMOTING COMMUNICATION ON
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN ALL OF THE DRC INCLUDING
REBEL-CONTROLLED TERRITORIES. MONITOR REPORTING ON HUMAN
RIGHTS CONDITIONS IN EASTERN CONGO, PUBLISH FINDINGS.
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000

NAME OF GRANTEE: LES KAMIKAZES
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-600-00-03
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: THEATER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE
DEMOCRACY, PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS. FOLLOWING THE
PERFORMANCE, WILL LEAD DISCUSSIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE
SENSITIVITY TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY VALUES.
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000

6. OUR DHRF SUCCESS STORY COMES FROM 1997, AS 1999 AND 2000
PROJECTS ARE PENDING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGREEMENT
DHRF-96-660-07, SIGNED WITH THE EMBASSY ON SEPTEMBER 25,
1996, "LIGUE DES ELECTEURS" CONDUCTED TRAINING SEMINARS FOR
ELECTION OBSERVERS AND DEMOCRACY "ANIMATORS" DURING 1997 IN
SIX CITIES: MATADI AND LUOZI IN BAS CONGO, KIKWIT IN
BANDUNDU, MBUJI-MAYI IN EASTERN KASAI, KANANGA IN WESTERN
KASAI, AND KINSHASA. THE NGO TRAINED 75 OBSERVERS AND
ANIMATORS PER WORKSHOP USING DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. ELECTION TRAINING FOCUSED ON
GATHERING CENSUS FIGURES, MANAGING POLLING STATIONS, AND
TABULATION METHODS. EMBOFFS AND THE DHRF COORDINATOR
ATTENDED THE KINSHASA WORKSHOP AND WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH
THE QUALITY OF THE TRAINING. ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO
ELECTIONS SINCE KABILA TOOK POWER IN 1997, THE TRAINEES WILL
PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC
INITIATIVES IN THE CONGO. FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE
WORKSHOPS, LIGUE DES ELECTEURS PROVIDED EXCELLENT REPORTING
TO THE EMBASSY.

7. DHRF PROJECTS IN THE CONGO ARE MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN
EVER BEFORE. CONGO HAS EXPERIENCED SERIOUS AND EXTENSIVE
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS, VIOLATIONS
THAT CONTINUE TODAY. EMBASSY RELIES ON THE MANY HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS WHO DOCUMENT THESE VIOLATIONS AND WORK TOWARD
IMPROVING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CONGO. MOREOVER,
THERE IS A SERIOUS NEED FOR PROJECTS THAT EDUCATE THE
POPULATION WITH REGARD TO DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES, IN LIGHT OF
THE EXPECTED INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE. DESPITE THE MANY
RECENT CHALLENGES TO ADMINISTERING DHRF PROJECTS IN CONGO, WE
REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT GIVE EVERY CONSIDERATION TO
FUNDING 2001 PROJECTS (SUBMITTED SEPTEL), AS THE RECIPIENTS
PERFORM FUNCTIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WORK OF THE
EMBASSY AND OUR MISSION OBJECTIVES IN THE COUNTRY.
SWING

© Scoop Media