VZCZCXRO8847
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #1647/01 3071309
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031309Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0165
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 001647 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF AFRICAN NATIONS 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINS ECON PREF EAID ELTN ASEC GV
SUBJECT:  GUINEA:  SEVERAL PEACEFUL PROTESTS UP COUNTRY 
 
REFS: (A) Conakry 1616, (B) Conakry 1622 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Between October 26 and October 30, Guinea 
experienced several peaceful demonstrations up country.  N'Zerekore 
remains calm in the wake of an October 26 march by over 5000 
citizens in the city (ref A).  Two demonstrations in the port city 
of Kamsar were led by women protesting reductions in the health and 
family benefits offered to employees of the Bauxite Company of 
Guinea (CBG).  On October 30, youth blocked traffic in protest of 
road conditions and lack of electricity and water in the mining town 
of Fria.  The protests do not appear to be linked in any coordinated 
fashion and have arisen spontaneously in response to local issues. 
All of the cities remain peaceful.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Calm in N'Zerekore as Citizens Await Government 
Assistance 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On October 26, N'Zerekore was shut down with a peaceful 
protest by over 5000 citizens who marched through the streets of the 
regional capital (reftel).  In the wake of the protest, the 
government responded with a promise to mobilize immediate resources 
for road repair.  On October 28, Moussa Solano, Minister of State 
for Internal Affairs and Government Spokesperson, and Bana Sidibe, 
Minister of State for Equipment, Territorial Development and 
Environment, met with industrial, commercial, transportation, and 
agro-forestry companies to ask for assistance and support for urgent 
public works projects for N'Zerekore. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Although the citizens called for the removal of 
N'Zerekore's governor, Colonel Lamine Bangoura, and the prefet, 
Commander Algassimou Barry, they remain in office.  A presidential 
decree would be necessary to remove them.  Barry has been called to 
Conakry for urgent business, and although Bangoura left N'Zerekore 
at the height of the protest, he has since returned.  Our contacts 
told us that Solano and Sidibe, along with Madikaba Camara, Minister 
of State for Economic Development, and representatives from UNDP are 
planning to go to N'Zerekore on November 8 to address the population 
directly.  Since the protest, no senior government official has 
visited the region in person although they have all made public 
comments on government development efforts in the region. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Women Take Lead in Kamsar Demonstrations 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On October 25, women blocked road traffic in the mining 
and port town of Kamsar.  They were demonstrating the October 24 
notice from CBG cutting company benefits to workers' families.  Last 
month, the company management decided to limit the number of covered 
dependent children to ten and the number of covered dependent wives 
to two.  Minister of State Solano took the presidential helicopter 
to Kamsar to mediate the crisis.  After his intervention, CGB agreed 
to rescind its decision.  However, on October 30, the women once 
again blocked the streets to demand the removal of several CBG 
employees they claimed were hostile to the cultural and familial 
norms of the community.  Although press reports indicate that the 
women also blocked railway lines, our contacts at CBG said its 
operations were not effected.  The protest remained peaceful, and no 
arrests were reported.  Kamsar is a major location for the 
operations of CBG, Alcoa, and Global Alumina (ref B). 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Fria Protests Government Failure to Provide Services 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On October 30, citizens in the bauxite mining town of Fria 
blocked the roads to demonstrate the government failure to mobile 
resources for road repairs.  During that day, all shops and offices 
remained closed.  On July 25, the Russian aluminum company RUSAL 
signed an agreement with the government to provide USD 5 million for 
road repairs in the city, where it operates bauxite mines and an 
alumina refinery.  The local population claims that, in the interim, 
there has been no movement by the Ministry of Public Works and 
accused the government of re-directing funds intended for the 
community.  During the protest, citizens called for immediate action 
to provide better roads, electricity, and water.  By October 31, all 
the barricades were removed and normal activities resumed.  There 
were no reports of arrests. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) We received reports of protest in the city of Boke, but 
our contacts on the ground stated that nothing out of the ordinary 
 
CONAKRY 00001647  002 OF 002 
 
 
occurred.  While the demonstrations in N'Zerekore, Kamsar, and Fria 
took place over the same general period of time, they were 
coordinated.  In each case, the community was responding to local 
issues.  This spate of protests reflects a general sense of 
discontent on the part of a population grappling with a dire 
economic situation and no basic services.  The government is 
responding with reactive measures when the demonstrations occur 
rather than proactively tackling the root problems.  To its credit, 
the government has not responded to any of the civil movements with 
force.  All of the protests have remained peaceful.  We continue to 
closely monitor the situation in these locations. 
 
MCDONALD