Cablegate: Media Reaction: Executive Order Blocking Property Of

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DE RUEHKI #1775 3251334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211334Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5200
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001775

SIPDIS

Treasury for AMORGNER

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PREL ETTC KPAO UNSC CG
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: EXECUTIVE ORDER BLOCKING PROPERTY OF
INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTING TO CONFLICT IN D.R. CONGO

1. (U) Media and public reaction was generally positive to the
October 27 Executive Order blocking the assets of seven
international arms traffickers and warlords, including renegade
Congolese general Laurent Nkunda and Ignace Murwanashyaka, the
president of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda
(FDLR). The directive, made public on October 31, two days after
presidential runoff elections in the DRC, was also welcomed by the
DROC government.

2. (U) The independent daily "La Reference Plus," November 2
edition, commented that President George Bush wants to get
personally involved in efforts to restore peace to the Congo.
According to this paper, President Bush is committed to reducing
drastically the room to maneuver of "people who have been fully
involved in the chaos, unrest and wars that have plagued the Congo."

3. (U) The pro-Kabila daily "L'Observateur," November 2 issue,
regarded the White House order as being George Bush's resolve to
neutralize those who are obstacles to peace efforts in the Great
Lakes region, including the DRC, to end the plundering of the DRC's
natural resources, and to stop trafficking in illicit arms in the
region. The paper noted U.S. commitment to support the momentum
toward peace and reconstruction in the DRC.

4. (U) Dissenting commentary appeared in the pro-opposition daily
"La Tempete des Tropiques," November 2 edition, which saw the order
as being a subliminal message to President Kabila and Jean-Pierre
Bemba, his challenger in the run-off presidential election, warning
the eventual loser not to resort to violence to contest unfavorable
election results. A cartoon published in the pro-opposition "Le
Phare," November 2 issue, advocated a more inclusive spectrum of
sanctions that would also affect economic criminals.

5. (U) The Association Africaine de Defense des Droits de l'Homme
(ASADHO), a Congolese rights group, was cited in the November 3
edition of "La Reference-Plus" as depicting President Bush's
decision as a strong and clear signal to all political leaders to
avoid opposing the DRC peace process. ASADHO also urged the
international community to bring all criminal perpetrators to
justice.

6. (U) The pro-Kabila daily "L'Avenir," November 3 edition, called
the directive a cosmetic decision meant to distract the Congolese
people's attention from Laurent Nkunda's unhampered potential for
destabilization. "L'Avenir" urged the USG to go further and include
the dissident general in its list of most wanted international
terrorists. The paper pointed out that the best way for the U.S. to
neutralize Nkunda is to arrest, try and condemn him.

7. (U) Henry Mova Sakanyi, the government spokesman and minister for
press and information, was quoted by the Associated Press (and
picked up by the "International Herald Tribune" on November 1) as
welcoming the international community's increased recognition of its
responsibility in ending the conflict in Eastern DRC. He called on
other foreign countries to follow the American example.

8. (U) The Embassy answered inquiries on November 1 from Congolese
radio stations Tropicana FM, Radio Okapi (Kinshasa and Goma), as
well as the Associated Press.

9. (U) On November 7, the Ambassador taped an interview with MONUC
television on the Executive Order, the transcript of which also
appeared on the MONUC website. He described the Executive Order as
being the USG's implementation of sanctions adopted against the
seven individuals by the UN Security Council, which was the
responsibility of all UN member states. He stated further that the
Executive Order should have a positive effect on the DRC's
stability, which is its intention. The Ambassador's remarks were
reprinted in the November 8 issue of independent daily "Le
Potential."

10. (U) It is worth noting the reaction of the FDLR leadership, who
publicly characterized the sanctions as being unjust and needless,
claiming they are not implicated in arms trafficking and conflict in
the Great Lakes region. Khawa Mandro, former president of the PUSIC
militia and one of the seven targeted individuals serving a life
sentence in northeastern Congo, denied having assets abroad.

MEECE

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