VZCZCXYZ4061
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0213/01 0630837
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030837Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7615
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: CNDP pique at leaked MONUC report continues to block Goma 
process 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  CNDP continues to complain about the leaked 
MONUC report into a January massacre at Kilonge.  It called again 
February 27 for outside investigation into the incident.  CNDP opted 
out of a February 28 meeting called by MONUC to discuss CNDP-PARECO 
ceasefire violations, leaving PARECO to insist that it was not 
responsible for the violations.  PARECO complained that the 
government was doing nothing, and questioned MONUC's impartiality. 
The government's chief representative, Vice Admiral Etumba, proposed 
two MONUC deployments between FARDC and CNDP forces, an idea that 
MONUC is reluctant to endorse.  CNDP finally agreed to meet 
non-MONUC international facilitators March 1.  High-level meetings 
with Nkunda may help resolve the CNDP impasse, but Etumba appears 
increasingly out of his depth.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
MONUC report remains sore point for CNDP 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) CNDP released a letter February 27 complaining about lack 
of action by international facilitators in the week following leak 
of a draft report of a MONUC investigation alleging CNDP 
responsibility for a January massacre at Kilonge (reftel).  The 
letter called for the International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch 
and the Amani Forum to investigate the incident.  It reiterated that 
the "damaging allegations" made by MONUC "demonstrated a lack of 
impartiality that was incompatible" with its role.  MONUC-Goma Head 
of Office Alpha Sow and human rights section chief Jairo Sanchez 
have made plans to travel to Kilolirwe to share a final copy of the 
report with Nkunda. 
 
¶3. (SBU) CNDP continues to boycott Goma process meetings involving 
MONUC.  Its representatives, pleading "logistical problems," stayed 
away from a February 28 meeting called by MONUC to lay out 
procedures MONUC intends to use to investigate ceasefire violations. 
 CNDP had made a string of demands in the run-up to the meeting 
seemingly aimed at adding the report to the agenda, but finally 
opted out on grounds of "logistics." 
 
---------------------------------- 
Investigating ceasefire violations 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) PARECO was the only belligerent represented at the meeting 
on CNDP-PARECO ceasefire violations.  MONUC Eastern Division 
Commander General Bikram Singh set out seven categories of 
violations MONUC would investigate:  hostilities, violent acts, 
military movements, new recruitment, attacks/sabotage/provocation, 
new military positions and movement of military personnel or 
equipment.  He noted that half of the 40 ceasefire allegations since 
January 23 involved CNDP and PARECO.  He provided specifics on each 
alleged violation:  many were lodged by PARECO, some came from local 
chiefs or authorities, and some from MONUC personnel.  The majority 
involved cattle thefts or attempts by CNDP and PARECO to occupy the 
same villages. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The PARECO president initially attempted to list new 
allegations, then agreed to address those which MONUC had 
documented.  PARECO basically denied wrongdoing, insisting in each 
instance they had "never attacked ... but were only defending" 
themselves.  They expressed growing frustration with the slow pace 
of implementation and called on international facilitators to press 
the government to take action.  They proposed that MONUC deploy 
additional troops, although also questioned MONUC's neutrality. 
They stated, "if the accord is no longer valid, tell us and we will 
bring you Nkunda." 
 
------------------------------------- 
Etumba proposes new MONUC deployments 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Singh met FARDC Vice Admiral Didier Etumba and a large 
military delegation later the same day.  Etumba pitched "an 
intermediary ceasefire mechanism," proposing that MONUC create -- 
and occupy -- buffer zones between FARDC and CNDP forces in two 
locations:  east and south of the Rutshuru-Bunagana and 
Rutshuru-Rumangabo roads, and west and south of Kitchanga in the 
direction of Minova.  Etumba cited recent fighting and said the two 
areas were at "catastrophic" risk of being used as corridors by CNDP 
for supply and reinforcement.  Etumba's bottom line:  "everyone 
should stay where they are" in order to preserve the peace. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Singh's operations chief briefed Etumba at great length on 
the MONUC's current deployment in North Kivu, including some being 
made that same day.  He pointed out that 21 of MONUC's 22 Mobile 
 
Operating Bases (MOB) were deployed in the Petit Nord (southern 
North Kivu) to help preserve the peace.  He noted MONUC could better 
monitor the ceasefire as armed groups and FARDC further concentrate 
their respective forces in areas closer to the MOBs.  Privately, 
MONUC officials expressed concern about deploying MOBs in positions 
between potential belligerents. 
 
------------------------------------ 
CNDP agrees to meeting without MONUC 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Efforts by the other (non-MONUC) facilitators to set up a 
separate meeting with the CNDP political wing February 28 ran into 
the same complaint of "logistical problems."  CNDP also cited a need 
to check with headquarters.  They finally agreed late in the evening 
of February 28 to a meeting on March 1. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Sow's planned visit to Nkunda and the anticipated arrivals 
of EU and U.S. envoys may help loosen the current CNDP grip on 
progress.  However, concern is growing among international 
facilitators that the government has not taken the implementation 
process seriously enough.  In particular, its chief representative, 
Etumba, does not appear to have the experience or authority to carry 
out the delicate negotiations needed to implement the still-fragile 
peace process.  End comment. 
 
CLOUD