Cablegate: Amani Program Working Group On the Extension of State

VZCZCXRO0172
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0664/01 2270628
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140628Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8298
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000664

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: AMANI PROGRAM WORKING GROUP ON THE EXTENSION OF STATE
AUTHORITY MEETS IN GOMA AUGUST 9

REF: KINSHASA 655

1. (SBU) Summary: European Union (EU) political advisor Veronique
Aulagnon provided Emboff notes from the August 9 meeting of the
Amani Program working group on the extension of state authority in
North and South Kivu. Provincial government members suggested
increasing the number and pay of magistrates to improve the rule of
law and provision of justice, while representatives from the FRF
("Forces republicaines federalistes" in French) criticized a murder
investigation in South Kivu. The working group agreed to create a
sub group to produce a single document describing strategies and
operations to restore state authority and address budget and
timetable questions. Aulagnon later met individually with CNDP
("Congres pour la defense du peuple" in French; the
military-political organization headed by renegade Tutsi General
Laurent Nkunda) spokesman Renee Abandi who expressed skepticism
towards the Amani process due to the perceived indifference of the
GDRC to the success of the program. End summary.

2. (SBU) The Amani program working group for the extension of state
authority discussed the status of progress in North and South Kivu,
the establishment of a justice task force to address gender based
violence and property disputes, and the dissatisfaction of the armed
group FRF with a murder investigation in Minembwe, South Kivu.
(Note: FRF is the self-appointed protector of the Banyamulenge
people of the Minembwe area. The Banyamulenges are of Tutsi origin.
End note.) The meeting was held in Goma and members in attendance
were the Ministers of Justice for North and South Kivu, the current
FARDC commander for the 8th military district General Mayala, MONUC
representatives, EU officers, representatives of several Mai Mai
groups, including PARECO ("Patriotes resistants congolais" in
French) and the FRF.

3. (SBU) The working group reviewed a North Kivu justice ministry
report on measures to re-establish state authority. (Note: the
South Kivu report will be ready August 10, according to the South
Kivu Justice minister. End note.) The provincial minister proposed
a "justice task force" to combat gender based violence and land
ownership disputes. He also proposed the recruitment of additional
magistrates and the establishment of additional judicial forums. He
announced that the minimum salary for a magistrate will be increased
to $500 per month. However,the minister did not support the
concept propose by national Interior Minster Denis Kalume at the
August 6-7 Amani steering committee meeting (reftel) of recruiting
police officials from outside the province. He did, however,
advocate for stronger penalties for officials convicted of abuse of
office.

4. (SBU) The armed group FRF criticized the results of a South Kivu
provincial investigation into the death of a child in Minembwe,
noting the continued freedom of the FARDC soldiers the FRF considers
responsible for this act. FRF representatives also expressed the
group's desire for representation on the provincial committee
conducting the investigation and the mention of the absence of state
authority as a causative factor in the murder. (Note: Aulagnon
assesses that the continued participation of FRF in the working
group meetings is uncertain. End note.)

5. (SBU) The working group agreed to create a sub-group of
provincial authorities and armed group representatives, with the
international facilitation as an observer, to consolidate existing
reports into one comprehensive document describing strategies and
operations to restore state authority, address budget issues, and
establish timetables. The sub-group will meet August 10-11 and
present the document to the full working group on August 12.

6. (SBU) Following the working group meeting August 9, Aulagnon
discussed Amani program progress, CNDP absence from Amani meetings,
and suggestions for the advancement of the program with CNDP
spokesman Renee Abandi. Abandi listed several reasons for CNDP
pessimism with regards to the Amani process. He cited a lack of
engagement by the GDRC in Amani processes and active FARDC
preparations for war. He asked that the international facilitation
affirm to Kabila that MONUC will not defend the FARDC should they
attack the CNDP. He also listed the DRC refusal to assign Nkunda to
an Amani brassage committee, the lack of progress against the FDLR,
the uncertain future of CNDP leaders in the DRC, and the absence of
progress in the negotiation between UNHCR, GDRC and Rwanda on the
return of refugees to the DRC as reasons for CNDP skepticism.

7. (SBU) Abandi explained his absence from the JTCPS (Joint
Technical Commission for Peace and Security) as due to reluctance to
be away from CNDP forces while the FARDC prepares for war. He said
administrative assistant Bernard Bisima would represent CNDP in the
interim. Abandi was open to a plenary session of the JTCPS,

KINSHASA 00000664 002 OF 002

although he said an agenda could be adopted by the commission
without CNDP involvement. Abandi said the establishment of
disengagement zones occupied by MONUC would reduce clashes between
armed groups and government forces, and would thereby decrease the
chances of war and advance the Amani program forward.

8. (SBU) Comment: Recent comments by the CNDP evince continuing
distrust of the GDRC and a hesitancy to engage in the Amani process.
The CNDP's assertion that the FARDC is preparing for war is
unproven and would appear to be mostly posturing at this point. End
comment.

GARVELINK

© Scoop Media