VZCZCXRO2903
PP RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0081/01 0281626
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281626Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4573
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0144
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NCS PASS TO PITTMAN/LEO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC KSAC AO
SUBJECT: NEW DETAILS IN CABINDA SHOOTING POINT TO POLITICAL 
MOTIVATION 
 
REF: 07 LUANDA 01281 
 
Classified By: AMB DAN MOZENA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: (C) On January 18, Roberto Ferreira, Chevron's 
Superintendent of Security in Cabinda (protect), relayed to 
RSO and PolOff additional information on the December 26 
shooting death of a Brazilian national in Cabinda Province 
(reftel).  His report (unconfirmed) paints a picture of the 
deliberate killing of an expatriate oil industry worker 
(employed by the U.S. company Geokinetics) by a small group 
of well armed anti-GRA insurgents.  The GRA has made no 
public statement on the attack, but has privately assured 
Chevron security that those responsible have been detained. 
The mix of increasing on-shore oil exploration in Cabinda and 
some well-armed locals discontent with their political and 
economic fortunes could spark more such tragic incidents in 
the future.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (C) According to information received by the 
well-connected Chevron Superintendent of Security in Cabinda 
from both official and unofficial sources, the incident 
occurred near an onshore exploration area approximately 70 
kilometers north of Cabinda City.  In the early morning of 
December 26, up to six young men dressed in mixed civilian 
and military attire and armed with AK 47s and an RPG attacked 
a small group of Angolans who had stayed overnight at the 
onshore oil exploration site.  The Angolans, employees of a 
Brazilian seismic testing company, were stripped naked and 
robbed.  The attackers then set up an ambush in the area's 
lone access road and attacked the Brazilian and his driver as 
they arrived at the site.  They too were stripped and robbed; 
the Brazilian was also verbally harangued for stealing 
Angolan jobs and resources, while the attackers took pictures 
and video footage.  The attackers set fire to the Brazilian's 
Land Cruiser; the resulting smoke alerted another approaching 
vehicle, which reversed down the access road as the attackers 
fired an RPG round towards it.  The round missed, and the 
vehicle fled to the nearest military camp to report the 
incident.  At this point the attackers killed the Brazilian 
with a gunshot wound to the chest and fled on foot into the 
densely forested surrounding area, leaving pro-FLEC pamphlets 
in their wake.  The other victims were not harmed. 
 
No Public Response From the GRA 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) As with most incidents in Cabinda, the GRA has not 
publicly responded.  FAA insiders informed Chevron that FAA 
commanders received a letter calling the attack "only the 
beginning" and threatening additional attacks.  FAA sources 
also told Chevron the attackers were also responsible for 
several attacks on police outposts in the area in the days 
surrounding the Brazilian's death, and that the attackers had 
been captured and detained by the authorities.  There has 
been no public confirmation of an investigation or arrests. 
 
¶4. (C) Chevron has already taken steps to review and 
strengthen its security procedures and restrict travel 
outside the Malongo operating base.  Ferreira pointed out, 
however, that while the large oil companies are concerned by 
these security incidents, smaller oil companies are more 
likely targets for attacks due to their involvement in 
onshore (vs. offshore) exploration activities; these same 
small companies are also less likely to have or enforce 
strict security guidelines.  Ferreira said that, according to 
FAA and police sources, the company had not notified nearby 
FAA or police units that its officials would be traveling in 
the area, and they did not ask for security escorts, an act 
Ferreira called "unwise." 
 
Potential Fallout for Brazil 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Brazilian Embassy officials told Poloff the GRA's 
handling of the incident is affecting their bi-lateral 
relationship.  The death certificate issued by the GRA states 
only that the victim died of a gunshot wound; his Brazilian 
insurance policy requires proof that the wound was not 
self-inflicted.  Provincial government authorities have 
flatly refused to respond to the Brazilian Embassy's request 
for an official statement clarifying the cause of death, and 
MIREX also has yet to respond.  The Brazilian ambassador 
separately told Ambassador Mozena of his mounting frustration 
over the GRA's failure to provide information on the 
incident.  The death was widely covered in Brazilian 
newspapers; their Embassy fears the issue could become more 
threatening to the bilateral relationship should the 
 
LUANDA 00000081  002 OF 002 
 
 
Brazilian media run the story of a widow unable to receive a 
death settlement because of the GRA's refusal provide 
information about the killing and the political context in 
which it occurred. 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT: Given the GRA's lid on security information 
from Cabinda, we are unable to quantify or qualify the nature 
of the threat there and the efficacy of the GRA's response. 
Reports of sporadic insurgent activity targeting the FAA and 
police have been coming out of Cabinda since July 2007.  Now, 
however, the increasing movement of oil workers engaged in 
on-shore exploration gives anti-GRA elements easy targets to 
generate international attention to their cause.  The mix of 
increasing on-shore oil exploration in Cabinda and some 
well-armed locals discontent with their political and 
economic fortunes could spark more such tragic incidents in 
the future.  End Comment. 
MOZENA