Cablegate: Drc Elections: Eight Observer Missions Issue
VZCZCXRO0317
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1709 3101019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061019Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5115
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS KINSHASA 001709
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CG ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: DRC ELECTIONS: EIGHT OBSERVER MISSIONS ISSUE
POSITIVE JOINT STATEMENT
REF: A. KINSHASA 1692
B. KINSHASA 1703
1. (U) On November 2, eight international observer missions
issued a positive joint statement on the October 29 DRC
provincial and second-round presidential elections. The
missions collectively deployed teams in all eleven provinces,
including the capital, Kinshasa. They represented the Carter
Center, the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa, the
Economic Community of Central African States, the Electoral
Institute of Southern Africa, the EU Electoral Observation
Mission, the International Organization of Francophonie, the
Southern African Development Community-Parliamentary Forum,
and the African Union.
2. (U) The joint statement expressed satisfaction that
voting and counting operations took place in a calm and
peaceful manner, with the exception of isolated incidents in
Equateur province and in Ituri District. It congratulated
the Congolese people as well as election workers, political
party witnesses, Congolese observers and the police. It
singled out for praise the "remarkable improvement" of
election operations by the Independent Electoral Commission
(CEI). It also characterized the media as "excessively
partisan" during the campaign, however.
3. (U) The international missions recommended that the CEI
publish results by voting station to increase transparency.
They also highlighted the post-electoral commitments made by
the two presidential candidates. They cited the candidates'
responsibility for the actions of their followers and called
on them to make use of legal channels to adjudicate any
complaints.
4. (U) A number of these organizations have also issued
individual statements on the elections (reftels).
5. (U) A copy of the joint statement has been transmitted
to AF/C.
MEECE