VZCZCXRO8154
PP RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0006 0031625
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 031625Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5375
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2017 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: NORTH KIVU IMPASSE CONTINUES; CIVILIANS TAKE OUT 
ANGER ON MONUC 
 
REF: 06 KINSHASA 01938 
 
Classified By: PolOff TJNaber, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
¶1.  (C) Following December 28 clashes between the FARDC and 
troops allied with renegade General Laurent Nkunda (reftel), 
FARDC 8th Military Region (MR) Commander General Ngizo met 
with Nkunda loyalist representatives of the 81st and 83rd 
Brigades.  During the December 29 meeting, Ngizo reiterated 
that the 83rd Brigade was a part of the 8th Military Region 
and under his command.  He said there needed to be a 
separation of forces, which MONUC could monitor.  One of the 
Nkunda representatives, Lt. Col. Makenga of the 83rd Brigade, 
called the December 28 fighting "premeditated" and refused to 
withdraw from Bugusa or Jomba.  According to MONUC North Kivu 
Brigade Commander General Pramod Behl, the capture of Bugusa 
and Jomba opened up an axis toward Rutshuru and could signal 
a plan to target Rutshuru by Nkunda.  Behl privately 
criticized the 8th MR for continuing to ignore MONUC's advice 
to address the crisis and contain the rebels. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Hours before the December 29 meeting, a crowd 
attacked three MONUC North Kivu Brigade patrols near 
Rutshuru.  The crowd, reportedly mainly Rutshuru town 
residents, burned tires and pelted a North Kivu Brigade 
patrol with stones.  A second patrol that came to the aid of 
the first was also attacked.  A third patrol arrived and 
fired into the air to disperse the crowd.  According to 
MONUC's Radio Okapi, the protesters accused MONUC of failing 
to intervene in the clashes between the FARDC and Nkunda 
elements.  Representatives of the protesters attended a 
meeting with FARDC, MONUC, and police officers the same day. 
They said MONUC was hampering FARDC operations against the 
rebels, giving bad advice, and creating buffer zones between 
the rebels and the FARDC, thus preventing FARDC operations' 
success. 
 
¶3.  (C) Behl met with FARDC Chief of Staff General Kisempia 
the evening of December 29.  Behl told Kisempia that MONUC 
believed members of the 9th Integrated Brigade, led by 
Colonel Smith, had instigated the violence.  Behl said the 
apparent motive was to shift blame for FARDC failure against 
the rebels to MONUC.  Behl also met with North Kivu Governor 
Eugene Serufuli the same evening.  Serufuli promised to 
educate the public on MONUC's role and to urge patience with 
negotiations.  Behl gave an interview to Radio Okapi on 
December 30 in which he said that MONUC was not taking part 
in the negotiations between Nkunda and FARDC, nor were MONUC 
troops involved in any fighting. 
 
¶4.  (C) On December 30, another skirmish broke out between 
the FARDC and Nkunda elements at Chengerero (5 km from 
Bunagana) with the result that FARDC defenses were again 
pushed back.   Ngizo told Behl January 2 that political level 
talks involving Nkunda and arranged by FARDC Air Force Chief 
of Staff John Numbi were held in Kigali January 1.  Ngizo 
also said the seventh meeting between the FARDC and 
commanders of the 81st and 83rd Brigades was scheduled for 
January 3. 
 
¶5.  (C) Comment:  The scattered violence is taking place 
while numerous behind-the-scenes negotiations are underway. 
It appears that government official still hope for a 
political solution.  End comment. 
DOUGHERTY