VZCZCXRO9443
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #1354/01 3601059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261059Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1989
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM GV
SUBJECT:  KANKAN YOUTH CRITICAL OF POLITICAL PROGRESS 
 
REF:  CONAKRY 1287 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY. A recent poloff roundtable discussion with Kankan 
youth leaders demonstrated that the younger generation feels 
increasingly marginalized from its political leaders.  Kankan's 
youth are generally frustrated and disappointed, and feel that the 
consensus government has not really changed the political 
environment.  Skeptical of government outreach efforts, they said 
Guinea's political actors seek to manipulate the youth in order to 
achieve their own political agendas.  Youth leaders also expressed 
concern about the potential for increased violence as the country 
approaches the anniversary of the events in January and February 
¶2007.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) During a recent road trip to Kankan, poloff met with a group 
of six youth leaders and representatives in order to exchange ideas 
and discuss perceptions of the current political and economic 
situation. 
 
-------------------- 
CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A general air of frustration and disappointment seem to 
hang over the table as Kankan youth leaders vented about the 
government's lack of understanding of the problems and concerns of 
the younger generation.  One said that there is a general "crisis of 
confidence" among younger people who feel that the government 
largely ignores them.  Another asked why there are no youths 
represented in government, pointing to the fact that most government 
officials are at least 40 years old and many of them over 50. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The group agreed that it was Guinea's youth that generated 
the political momentum leading to the consensus government in 
January and February.  However, one said, "concretely, what have we 
really achieved? - practically speaking, we are faced with the same 
problems."  Another mentioned that many of their compatriots died on 
January 22 when security forces fired into crowds of demonstrators 
and asked if these individual sacrifices had really brought any 
fundamental change. 
 
---------------------- 
WHAT YOUTH CONFERENCE? 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) When asked about the recent government-sponsored youth 
conference in Kindia (reftel), the group was visibly skeptical.  One 
said that only two representatives from each prefecture were invited 
to the event, and that these representatives were chosen by the 
government without any consultation of the actual youth 
associations.  Another said he didn't even find out about the event 
until it was already over.  The group said the government has its 
favorites and it picks who it wants to represent the young people. 
Picking up on that theme, one participant said that the government 
actively seeks to divide the younger generation and manipulate them 
in order to achieve their respective political agendas. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Around the table, each agreed that one of the biggest 
challenges facing youth is the fact that they are disorganized. 
They said that they have leaders, but there is no central 
organization through which they can unify themselves and advance a 
comprehensive political agenda.  One noted that even within Kankan, 
they don't necessarily know all the youth associations. 
 
------------------ 
SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE 
------------------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Commenting on local politics, the group said that Kankan 
is particularly volatile and has a "high spirit of violence."  They 
also said that increased political frustration has brought increased 
criminality.  As an example, they highlighted an October incident 
that involved a mototaxi driver that was beheaded.  A group of 
mototaxi drivers immediately banded together and reasoned that it 
must have been a group of bandits that beheaded their colleague and 
that bandits naturally congregate in bars and restaurants where they 
can get alcohol.  In retaliation, they vandalized or destroyed a 
number of the city's bars and restaurants.  They also went to the 
local gendarmerie, believing that the culprit had been apprehended, 
and threatened to destroy the gendarmerie if he was not released 
into their custody.  The situation resolved itself, but the youth 
representatives told poloff that this type of violence and 
criminality is increasingly common in Kankan. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Drawing on the same idea, one participant expressed 
concern about how the city will react as the country approaches the 
January 22 anniversary of the killings in Conakry.  He said that 
nothing has been done and people may react violently to the lack of 
progress when faced with the anniversary as a catalyst. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
 
CONAKRY 00001354  002 OF 002 
 
 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Youth sentiments in Kankan echo those Embassy has heard 
elsewhere, both in Conakry and on road trips to other regions. 
There is a real sense of marginalization within the younger 
generation and an increasing self-realized need to organize 
themselves politically.  At the same time, there is a marked 
disregard for this segment of the population throughout government 
and civil society.  Many government, civil society, and political 
leaders do not seem to realize that the younger generation does not 
identify with them at all.  Others do not seem to recognize that the 
youth have a political role to play, which is due in part to an 
ingrained cultural tradition of deference to elders.  The youth's 
biggest challenge seems to be their lack of organization and 
cohesion.  Increasing frustration within this potentially powerful 
societal sector could be a critical catalyst for political change 
and Embassy is seeking opportunities to reach out to youth leaders 
in order to provide guidance and encourage peaceful, constructive 
political engagement.  At the same time, when meeting with other 
contacts, Embassy continues to emphasize the need for political 
actors to reach out to the younger generation.  END COMMENT. 
 
CARTER