VZCZCXRO7387
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0493/01 1271117
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071117Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1041
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2// PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000493 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2017 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PINS MARR GV
SUBJECT: GUINEAN MILITARY AWAIT CONCRETE GOVERNMENT ACTION 
 
REF: CONAKRY 489 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Jessica Davis Ba. Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (C) On May 4, Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate met with 
President Lansana Conte to address the military's protest 
over wages and corruption of senior military officers 
(reftel).  The protests have resulted in at least two deaths 
and an estimated 72 injuries.  After the May 4 meeting of the 
National Council of Defense and Security, Conte charged the 
Prime Minister with meeting the Guinean military on his 
behalf.  Kouyate, accompanied by several members of the 
cabinet, went to Camp Alpha Yaya and was well received by 
military personnel who aired their grievances.  Military 
representatives spoke of salary inequities, non merit-based 
promotions, and the injustices and corruption that are 
demoralizing the troops.  After the Prime Minister's appeal, 
the military agreed to stop firing their weapons in protest 
and await a concrete response.  Since May 4 evening, there 
has been calm on bases and barracks nationwide.  We 
understand the soldiers expect at least a plan of action by 
May 7 and, if they do not receive some concrete response, 
have vowed to restart their protest.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Prime Minister Designated Conte's Military Envoy 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2.  (C) Prime Minister Kouyate spent the entire morning of 
May 4 meeting with President Conte about unrest within the 
military ranks.  While senior military officers and civilian 
leaders claim the protests are a military-military affair, 
the Prime Minister has taken a lead role in brokering a 
solution to the crisis.  On May 4, there was both a meeting 
of the National Council of Defense and Security and a special 
meeting of the Council of Ministers.  The minutes from the 
Council of Ministers meeting state, "After the meeting of the 
National Council of Defense and Security, the President of 
the Republic charged the Prime Minister with meeting the 
National Armed Forces to calmly discuss all the demands and 
issues being contested."  (Note: The government took the 
unprecedented step to release these minutes to the diplomatic 
corps, and the government spokesperson gave a summary on the 
national news.). 
 
¶3.  (C) The afternoon of May 4, the Prime Minister, 
accompanied by Minister of Finance Ousmane Dore, Minister of 
the Interior and Security Mohamed Bo Keita, and Minister of 
Youth, Culture, and Sports Baidy Aribot, went to Camp Alpha 
Yaya -- the large military camp in Conakry that was the site 
of most of the unrest.  According to our sources, the 
soldiers initially rejected the delegation's visit, instead 
demanding that Conte himself address them.  It was only after 
the intervention of other military officers that the more 
junior military personnel accepted the visit.  We understand 
the civilian delegation was met with calm and respect as the 
Prime Minister insisted that he was there to study the 
situation and to find a solution. 
 
¶4.  (C) Military representatives described their unfit living 
conditions and decried the shortage of uniforms, outdated 
equipment, and lack of resources.  They demanded promotions 
that were based on merit instead of secret promotions 
"conducted in air conditioned rooms" that are based solely on 
money and relationships.  They castigated senior officials 
for corruption and the embezzlement of funds that were meant 
for veterans and for soldiers who are "working hard to defend 
the nation."  The Prime Minister and his team listened 
attentively and promised to convey the soldiers' message to 
the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.  General Arafan 
Camara, Minister of Defense, and the most senior military 
leaders were not present at the meeting. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Meeting Encourages Temporary Calm 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) The Prime Minister said that while he was not able to 
meet with soldiers in the bases and barracks throughout the 
country, he implored those at Camp Alpha Yaya to relay the 
information about the meeting and to implore their comrades 
to be calm while they reach a solution.  On the nights of May 
4, 5, and 6, we received no reports of shots being fired. 
The two reported deaths occurred on May 3.  One soldier was 
reportedly killed in Labe, after being hit by a stray bullet 
that had been fired in the air.  The second killing was of a 
civilian security officer guarding a store in N'Zerekore. 
 
CONAKRY 00000493  002 OF 002 
 
 
The night of May 3, military personnel reportedly looted and 
vandalized private shops in N'Zerekore, several of which 
stocked mobile phones, cards, and supplies.  Nationwide, 
there are reports that some 72 persons were injured during 
the military protests on May 2-3. 
 
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Comment 
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¶6.  (C) Guinea's soldiers remained calm over the weekend but 
are looking for concrete action beginning May 7.  While they 
do not expect the question of salary arrears to be solved in 
the very short term, they hope to see movement in the 
direction of making substantive changes in the military 
leadership.  Both mid- and junior-level military officers 
have told us they will demand the departure of the majority 
of the heads of units in all branches of the armed forces. 
If they do not receive at least some initial gesture of 
goodwill, they have vowed to resume their protest.  The 
implication of the Prime Minister as Conte's envoy indicates 
that this crisis is not being addressed solely within 
military channels.  Our sources tell us the soldiers will not 
negotiate with any of the current senior officers, because 
they believe that all are either complicit or directly 
responsible for the endemic corruption that is demoralizing 
the armed forces.  It remains to be seen whether Conte and 
his coterie will accept the changing of the military guard. 
It is a common belief that it is through these corrupt 
officials that Conte is able to secure the funds he uses to 
maintain his lifestyle and political patronage. 
MCDONALD