This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008357 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AF/RA FOR NICOLE PEACOCK, USAID/AFR/SD/DG FOR MELISSA 
ROSSER, DRL, USAID/AFR/DP, NAIROBI FOR AID 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID XA CG
SUBJECT: DHRF ANNUAL SUMMARY REPORT -- FY 2000 
 
REF: A. STATE 216032 
     ¶B. KINSHASA 6473 
 
 
¶1. THIS IS EMBASSY KINSHASA'S ANNUAL SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE 
DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND (DHRF).  EMBASSY'S FUNDING 
REQUEST FOR 2001 PROJECTS FOLLOWS SEPTEL. 
 
 
¶2. POST REQUESTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE 
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CONGO WHEN EVALUATING RECENT 
DHRF PROJECTS.  ADMINISTERING THESE FUNDS HAS BEEN A 
CHALLENGE GIVEN THAT IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE EMBASSY HAS 
UNDERGONE TWO WARS, TWO EVACUATIONS, FOUR SELF-HELP/DHRF 
COORDINATORS, AND THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE EMBASSY.  AS A 
RESULT, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THE BOOKS ON SEVERAL 
PROJECTS FROM 1996 AND 1997, PROJECTS THAT BEGAN PRIOR TO THE 
EVACUATIONS.  FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT 
RECEIVED FUNDING LOST THEIR RECORDS, WHICH MADE ACCOUNTING 
VERY DIFFICULT.  HOWEVER, EMBASSY HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO 
CLOSE OUT THESE PROJECTS AND IS PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE 
HAVE SUBMITTED TO USAID ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO CLOSE OUT 
PROJECTS PRIOR TO 1999. 
 
 
¶3. WE NOTE THAT IN 1998 THERE WERE NO DHRF PROJECTS IN THE 
DRC BECAUSE THE EMBASSY WAS CLOSED TEMPORARILY.  DUE TO LOCAL 
BANKING RESTRICTIONS AND INITIAL DIFFICULTIES GETTING FUNDS 
RELEASED TO PROJECT RECIPIENTS, EMBASSY HAS ALSO EXTENDED THE 
CONTRACTS OF 1999 PROJECTS.  TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS GO 
FORWARD SUCCESSFULLY, WE PLAN TO PAY VENDORS DIRECTLY FOR 
MATERIALS AND SERVICES THAT DHRF RECIPIENTS NEED IN ORDER TO 
CARRY OUT THEIR ACTIVITIES, THUS AVOIDING LOCAL BANKS 
ENTIRELY.  EMBASSY IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH USAID TO ENSURE 
THAT FUNDS ARE RE-ISSUED DIRECTLY TO VENDORS SELECTED BY DHRF 
RECIPIENTS.  WE INTEND TO FUND ALL 2000 AND 2001 PROJECTS IN 
THE SAME WAY. 
 
 
¶4. DHRF FY 2000 ACTIVITIES 
 
 
FUNDING FOR 2000 PROJECTS HAS NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED.  EMBASSY 
AND RECIPIENTS SIGNED CONTRACTS FOR 2000 PROJECTS ON 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2000, AS REPORTED REF B. 
 
 
NAME OF GRANTEE: CAMPAGNE POUR LA PAIX DURABLE 
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-660-00-01 
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: SEMINARS, OPEN FORUMS, PLAYS, 
SKITS ON DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE. PUBLISHING AND 
DISTRIBUTING THE LUSAKA AGREEMENT IN OCCUPIED AREA OF THE DRC. 
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000 
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000 
 
 
NAME OF GRANTEE: GROUPE JEREMIE 
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-660-00-02 
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: PROMOTING COMMUNICATION ON 
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN ALL OF THE DRC INCLUDING 
REBEL-CONTROLLED TERRITORIES. MONITOR REPORTING ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS CONDITIONS IN EASTERN CONGO, PUBLISH FINDINGS. 
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000 
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000 
 
 
NAME OF GRANTEE: LES KAMIKAZES 
DHRF GRANT NUMBER: DHR-600-00-03 
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: THEATER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE 
DEMOCRACY, PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.  FOLLOWING THE 
PERFORMANCE, WILL LEAD DISCUSSIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE 
SENSITIVITY TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY VALUES. 
AMOUNT OBLIGATED: USD 20,000 
UNLIQUIDATED BALANCE: USD 20,000 
 
 
¶6. OUR DHRF SUCCESS STORY COMES FROM 1997, AS 1999 AND 2000 
PROJECTS ARE PENDING.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGREEMENT 
DHRF-96-660-07, SIGNED WITH THE EMBASSY ON SEPTEMBER 25, 
1996, "LIGUE DES ELECTEURS" CONDUCTED TRAINING SEMINARS FOR 
ELECTION OBSERVERS AND DEMOCRACY "ANIMATORS" DURING 1997 IN 
SIX CITIES: MATADI AND LUOZI IN BAS CONGO, KIKWIT IN 
BANDUNDU, MBUJI-MAYI IN EASTERN KASAI, KANANGA IN WESTERN 
KASAI, AND KINSHASA.  THE NGO TRAINED 75 OBSERVERS AND 
ANIMATORS PER WORKSHOP USING DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE UNIVERSAL 
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.  ELECTION TRAINING FOCUSED ON 
GATHERING CENSUS FIGURES, MANAGING POLLING STATIONS, AND 
TABULATION METHODS.  EMBOFFS AND THE DHRF COORDINATOR 
ATTENDED THE KINSHASA WORKSHOP AND WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH 
THE QUALITY OF THE TRAINING.  ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO 
ELECTIONS SINCE KABILA TOOK POWER IN 1997, THE TRAINEES WILL 
PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC 
INITIATIVES IN THE CONGO.  FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE 
WORKSHOPS, LIGUE DES ELECTEURS PROVIDED EXCELLENT REPORTING 
TO THE EMBASSY. 
 
 
¶7. DHRF PROJECTS IN THE CONGO ARE MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN 
EVER BEFORE.  CONGO HAS EXPERIENCED SERIOUS AND EXTENSIVE 
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS, VIOLATIONS 
THAT CONTINUE TODAY.  EMBASSY RELIES ON THE MANY HUMAN RIGHTS 
ACTIVISTS WHO DOCUMENT THESE VIOLATIONS AND WORK TOWARD 
IMPROVING RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CONGO.  MOREOVER, 
THERE IS A SERIOUS NEED FOR PROJECTS THAT EDUCATE THE 
POPULATION WITH REGARD TO DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES, IN LIGHT OF 
THE EXPECTED INTER-CONGOLESE DIALOGUE.  DESPITE THE MANY 
RECENT CHALLENGES TO ADMINISTERING DHRF PROJECTS IN CONGO, WE 
REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT GIVE EVERY CONSIDERATION TO 
FUNDING 2001 PROJECTS (SUBMITTED SEPTEL), AS THE RECIPIENTS 
PERFORM FUNCTIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WORK OF THE 
EMBASSY AND OUR MISSION OBJECTIVES IN THE COUNTRY. 
SWING