VZCZCXRO4194
PP RUEHBZ RUEHGI
DE RUEHGI #0083 1101429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 201429Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGUI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0888
INFO RHMFISS/AFRICOM
RUEHBZ/AMEMBASSY BRAZZAVILLE 0154
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0256
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0267
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0168
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0115
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0443
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0427
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0423
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 1110

UNCLAS BANGUI 000083 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C 
PARIS FOR RKANEDA 
LONDON FOR PLORD 
AFRICOM FOR KOCH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR CT
SUBJECT: EXTORTION,WITH A RECEIPT: ROADWAY INSECURITY CRIPPLING FOR 
THE C.A.R. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 27, 2009 a motorcycle belonging to an 
NGO working out of Birao in northeast Central African Republic 
(CAR) was stolen from its riders. What followed was an almost 
farcical tale of armed theft and extortion that is sadly typical 
of the state of lawlessness in most of the CAR once one leaves 
Bangui. Sadly, Post sees no end in sight to this menace despite 
a 2008 comprehensive peace accord that incorporated most of the 
rebels, including the ones who perpetrated this theft. The CAR 
government (CARG) lacks the means, and perhaps even the will, to 
address the problem of insecurity, whether due to armed rebels 
or simple thieves. This impacts everything from commerce to 
development to humanitarian relief, and effects over more than 
fifty percent of the national territory. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (SBU) An incident report from the French NGO ACTED describes, 
in detail, the rapaciousness of the local bandits and the rebel 
group UFDR (Union of Democratic Forces for Unity) and vividly 
illustrates the helplessness of those caught in the middle. On 
March 27, two local employees of ACTED were forcibly deprived of 
their motorcycle and related items by two assailants wearing ski 
masks and wielding AK-47s. The next day, an International Red 
Cross vehicle was hailed down by Sub-lieutenant Abduolaye Hamat 
of the UFDR, who claimed to have `found' the motorcycle and 
wanted a reward of USD 200 for his troubles. ACTED officials, on 
the other hand, strongly suspect that the original bandits were 
working in concert with Hamat. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Over the next six days ACTED negotiated with the UFDR 
military chief Zakaria Damane (NOTE: Damane is also an Inclusive 
Political Dialogue signatory and advisor to President Bozize.) 
Finally, Damane decided that ACTED did not have to pay the 
indemnity, but instead that the acting head of ACTED must 
personally pay the ransom. It is likely that this was decided to 
avoid paperwork for ACTED, but it unclear that ACTED actually 
agreed to the deal. Regardless, on April 6, 2009, Hamat 
appeared, armed, at the home of the acting head of ACTED and 
demanded the money. A meeting was quickly organized between 
ACTED, the Sous-Prefet (and Mayor of Birao), the UFDR and 
MINURCAT. As no one was willing to protect the interests of 
ACTED, the NGO was obliged to pay. Hamat generously signed a 
receipt of the payment from ACTED, stating he was being paid, 
`as a counter party of the motorbike that was stolen'.  As a 
result of this event and a previous attack upon an ACTED convoy 
five days before, the NGO has suspended its activities pending 
updated security procedures. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: While this event seems almost comical, it does 
underscore a fundamental crisis in the CAR: 
 
- Road banditry strangles traffic along the CAR's decrepit 
roads. Within two days of this incident, there were three other 
reports of road holdups and sadly, this does not signal an 
upsurge.  These are daily events and a direct result of a feeble 
government. While the Ministry of Defense may claim some 8,000 
soldier and gendarmes, the Deputy Minister freely admits that 
only a bare 3,000 are actually capable of operations for a 
country the size of Texas. This means approximately one soldier 
or gendarme per 207 square kilometers. Additionally, their level 
of training and equipment is minimal. 
 
- The international forces of MICOPAX and MINURCAT are even less 
effective as neither is large enough to cover the entire CAR. 
Moreover, and the former lacks the will to intervene and the 
latter lacks the mandate, as MINURCAT is limited to operating in 
only a small area in the extreme northeast of the country. It is 
thus important that one understands that the international 
forces in the CAR cannot or will not solve the problems of 
banditry and rebellion. 
 
Until the government is able to exert effective control over its 
territory and thus protect trade and commerce - a prospect not 
soon to come - Post sees no end to further incidents of road 
banditry and rebel impunity. END COMMENT. 
 
COOK