VZCZCXRO0017
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0124/01 0171131
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 171131Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7334
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0026
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0223
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0026
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0921
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0774
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0398
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0138
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0433
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000124

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/AAE, INR/AA, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND S/P
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA
LAGOS FOR DEA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017
TAGS: SNAR PINS PINR PGOV PU
SUBJECT: C-AL6-01934: GUINEA-BISSAU RESEMBLES A NARCO-STATE

REF: 06 STATE 197044 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Charge Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
-------
¶1. (C) The narcotics situation in Guinea-Bissau probably now
exceeds the government's ability to control without
significant outside encouragement and support.
Guinea-Bissau's most powerful public security units,
including the military and sections of the police, have been
co-opted by drug traffickers. There is no evidence linking
the President or Prime Minister to narcotics trafficking, but
according to a close advisor, they are afraid to take action
against those involved, including the Chief of the Armed
Forces and the Navy Chief. Those in the police or military
who have not been corrupted do not take action because of
threats to their life and lack of support. Former Prime
Minister Carlos Domingos Gomes Junior remains at the UN
compound in Bissau after expressing his concern about the
situation spiraling out of control. The murder of the former
Navy Chief may have been political or drug-related, but his
death has created political and religious tensions that could
make it even more difficult for the Government to address its
narcotics problem. END SUMMARY.

NARCO-STATE
-----------
¶2. (C) The Prime Minister,s advisor, Col. Aphonso Te
(protect), was named to head up the anti-narcotics task force
almost one year ago, but he is resigning out of frustration.
On Janaury 12, Te told PolOff he will be leaving government
to work in the private sector in the coming weeks because he
was never able to get funding to begin operations. Te also
expressed frustration with the GOGB as a result of his
efforts to intervene on behalf of a DEA Agent who visited
Bissau in October to assist with prosecution of the largest
drug bust in the country,s history, 674 kg. of cocaine. The
DEA was never granted access to the confiscated cocaine,
which has since disappeared, or the prisoners, who were
released without charge. The GOGB has still not officially
responded to post,s diplomatic note requesting access in
that case.

¶3. (S) Te explained that Nigerians are at the center of drug
trafficking in Guinea-Bissau and are extremely well
organized. There are lines that branch off of the Nigerians
to approximately four or five gangs. Each of those gangs has
a close affiliation with a government security unit. Te
named Defense Minister Helder Proenca as the most corrupt and
most dangerous of these. It was he who issued the death
threat to Judicial Police Chief Da Silva after the latter
made the bust and seizure of the 674 kg. of cocaine. Te also
named Navy Chief Bubo Na Tchuto, former Interior Minister
Ernesto Carvalho, former Navy Chief Admiral Lamine Sanha who
was shot in his home and died on Jnuary 6; and perhaps most
significantly, GeneralBatista Tagme Na Waie, Chief of the
Armed Forces He did not specify which police officers he
beleves to be involved.

¶4. (C) Te said Tagme was nvolved with the case of the 674
kg. of cocaine ccording to his contacts in Conakry, Guinea.
He as evidence that Tagme was involved in other operaions
as well, including one in late September in which a military
air base was used and another in early November which
involved military transport vehicles. When pressed on
possible involvement of President Joao Bernardo &Nino8
Vieira and Prime Minister Aristides Gomes, Te said he
believed neither man was involved. However, he noted that
both are too afraid to take action.

¶5. (C) Te also noted the increasing problem of money
laundering, check fraud, and 419 schemes taking place in
Guinea-Bissau. Some, but not all, of these activities are
directly related to drug trafficking.

SANHA,S MURDER
--------------

DAKAR 00000124 002 OF 002


¶6. (C) Te did not have information as to who was responsible
for Admiral Sanha,s murder or if it was motivated by
politics or drugs. He noted that there have been struggles
between drug gangs in Bissau that have resulted in violence
and did not discount that possibility in this case.

¶7. (U) After Sanha died from gunshot wounds, Muslim
protesters became violent and burned down two houses, one
belonging to Vieira and the other belonging to Ibrahima Sow,
an advisor to Vieira. The military intervened and one
protester was shot and killed and several others were
wounded. Carlos Domingos Gomes Junior, a Former Prime
Minister and leader of the Party for the Independence of
Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), was quoted in European
press as blaming Vieira for Sanha,s death. The Government
responded by issuing an arrest warrant for Gomes Junior, even
though he has immunity as a sitting parliamentarian. Gomes
Junior fled to United Nations headquarters where he remains
today while he and the GOGB negotiate over the wording of a
statement of apology or explanation of his remarks.

COMMENT
-------
¶8. (C) The narcotics situation in Guinea-Bissau has achieved
very troubling proportions, probably exceeding the
government's ability to control without significant outside
encouragement and support. Vieira fired Interior Minister
Carvalho on November 26 and replaced him with Dionisio Cabi,
who is reputed to be interested in fighting drug trafficking.
No reason was given for Carvalho,s dismissal, though there
was speculation at the time that it was because of his close
links with former President Kumba Yala, who returned to
Bissau in early November to assume the presidency of the
Party for Social Renewal (PRS). Also, it was rumored that
Vieira had Defense Minister Proenca under surveillance for
his suspected involvement in drug trafficking, but
surveillance has now stopped. These events lend credence to
Te,s assertion that Vieira is not involved and in fact may
have been taking steps to limit drug activity. But if
Proenca, Tagme, and Na Tchuto are indeed involved, any
anti-narcotics effort will be merely for show. As long as
Tagme firmly controls the military, Vieira will not directly
challenge him. The fact that the PAIGC and Muslims blame
Vieira for Sanja's murder may also complicate Vieira's
efforts to fight organized crime in Guinea-Bissau. END
COMMENT.
JACKSON