Cablegate: Patriot Day Activities

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RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1111 2610602
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180602Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6891
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEHFR/UNMISSION UNESCO PARIS 0005

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001111

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO CG UNESCO
SUBJECT: Patriot Day Activities

Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet Distribution

1. (SBU) Summary: Embassy Kinshasa carried out several activities
on Patriot Day in remembrance of the 9/11 events. Charge d'Affaires
and Public Affairs Officer delivered remarks at Kinshasa educational
institutions. Press reported on CDA's statement. Statements will be
posted on Embassy's open net website. End Summary.

2. (U) Charge d'Affaires Samuel Brock addressed an audience of
teachers, students and press on September 11 at Institut Salongo de
Lemba, a Protestant high school. CDA underscored the resilience of
the United States in the face of adversity. He discussed the threat
posed by terrorism, with emphasis on the need to respond to the
fast-changing pattern of terror in an adaptive manner, and called on
the DRC to end its history of violence and to work with its partners
to restore stability to the region. He also took questions from
attendees. Kinshasa dailies "La Reference Plus" and "La Prosperite"
reported on the event.

3. (U) PAO Katya Thomas delivered a similar speech at Simon Kimbangu
University. The audience included undergraduate and graduate
students. This event also featured spirited Q&A sessions.

4. (U) CDA's speech in English and French has been posted to the
Embassy website.

5. (U) In compliance with President Bush's 2007 Patriot Day
Proclamation, a moment of silence was observed at all Embassy
compounds at 1:46 pm local time (8:46 EDT) and flags were lowered to
half-mast.

6. (SBU) Comment: During the Q&A sessions, audience members
displayed much skepticism regarding the USG war on terror, as well
as U.S. support for Israel. People in attendance also urged the USG
to play an active role in the arrest of Laurent Nkundabatware, a
renegade Congolese general accused of violence in the eastern Congo.
Views expressed mirror general public sentiment. End comment.

BROCK

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