Cablegate: Usaid Mission Director Meets with Deputy Srsg for Human

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DE RUEHKI #0815/01 2461406
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031406Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0052
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1277
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
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000815

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/GWI, S/AF/C, AS/AF, AF/C, AF/RSA
USAID FOR COO/ODP, AA/AFR, AFR/EA, AFR/DP, AFR/SD, DCHA/CMM,
DCHA/OFDA, EGAT/WID, SPANS
PARIS FOR USAID
BRUSSELS FOR USAID
NAIROBI FOR USAID/EA/RCMG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM SOCI KWMN KJUS PREF CG
SUBJECT: USAID MISSION DIRECTOR MEETS WITH DEPUTY SRSG FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS, LEILA ZERROUGUI

1. Summary: USAID Mission Director Stephen Haykin met with Deputy
Special Representative of the Secretary General, Leila Zerrougui on
August 28. Zerrougui provided a comprehensive perspective on the
related issues of weak security apparatus of the Congolese state,
impunity and human rights issues, notably sexual and gender-based
violence (SGBV). Zerrougui and Haykin exchanged information on
current SGBV programs and coordination efforts. The establishment
of an SGBV window in the international community's new Stabilization
and Recovery Funding Facility for DRC will help to focus resources
and coordination. Post will participate in review of all projects
considered for support through the Fund. End summary.

--------------------------------------------- --
Human Rights Violations and Impunity in Context
--------------------------------------------- --

2. USAID Mission Director, Stephen Haykin met with Deputy Special
Representative of the Secretary General, Leila Zerrougui and her
staff on August 28. Zerrougui took the opportunity to outline the
comprehensive challenges underlying SGBV and other human rights
abuses. She identified the need for reforms of the army and police
to improve discipline and fight abuses. She noted, however, that
this will require addressing the problems of impunity, which, in
turn, require addressing the dysfunction of the judicial and prison
systems. Note: Zerrougui, a former justice of the Algerian Supreme
Court, has proven to be a very effective voice in articulating the
root causes of human rights abuses and the need for a broad approach
to address them. End note.

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Protection
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3. Zerrougui referred to a newly arrived message from UN New York,
regarding Secretary Clinton's concern for protection of women in IDP
camps. She stated that MONUC was planning to call together all
concerned UN agencies in country to discuss how to improve this
protection. MONUC is embarking in an effort to update information
on numbers of IDPs concerned and the priority locations for
intervention. There has already been some pilot work with
protection teams accompanying groups of women to collect fire wood.
Comment: MONUC is taking the Secretary's demarche seriously and a
prompt response is likely. End comment.

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SGBV Program Coordination
-------------------------

4. Much of the discussion touched on USG and UN programming to
address SGBV, with the mutual recognition that assisting the
survivors and prosecuting perpetrators are necessary but not
sufficient without complementary actions to address root causes. In
consultation with key stabilization donors (U.S., UK Netherlands,
France, Belgium, Sweden, Canada, Germany and Japan), MONUC is in the
process of launching a Stabilization and Recovery Funding Facility
for the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the UNDP's Multi-Donor
Trust Fund Unit as the Administrative Agent. A special window of
the fund for SGBV programs is anticipated, to channel contributions
from interested donors. Implementation of all Funding Facility
Qfrom interested donors. Implementation of all Funding Facility
activities will be carried out through UN entities and their
partners.

5. Comment: This is a significant shift in the financial
architecture for SGBV programs in the DRC as it replaces the UNFPA's
"Programme Conjointe," which had been receiving contributions from
the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada for SGBV activities. Since Post
will participate in the Funding Facility's board, even if the USG
continues to use parallel funding mechanisms for stabilization
activities, programming of SGBV resources will become more
transparent and coordination will be easier to achieve. MONUC staff
is now developing the first set of SGBV program proposals for
potential funding through the Funding Facility. Post will continue
dialogue with MONUC and the other actors as additional USG
initiatives are developed. Post's Point of Contact on SGBV issues
is Sara Rasmussen-Tall at USAID. End comment.

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