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DE RUEHRY #0521/01 2561105
ZNR UUUUU ZZH(CCY ADXD6D79C MSI2809 540A)
R 121105Z SEP 08 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2919
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000521 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
--CORRECTED COPY - PARA MARKINGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV ASEC GV
SUBJECT: MIXED VIEWS FROM GUINEA'S INTERIOR ON ELECTIONS 
 
CONAKRY 00000521  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Over the past few months, the Embassy has visited 
nine different towns throughout Guinea's interior in an effort to asses 
electoral readiness and extend our public outreach.  The cautious 
optimism of a year ago appears to be moving towards skepticism for 
many citizens.  Recent changes in the government have some voters 
worried about the prospects for government neutrality and 
transparency.  However, many local actors are still moving forward 
with enthusiasm and commitment, recognizing that Guinea's delayed 
legislative elections represent the key to advancing democratic 
reforms.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) As part of an effort to extend public outreach while advancing 
key democracy objectives, Embassy Conakry established an "Adopt a 
Town" program in May 2008.  Under the program, twelve teams of one 
to two locally engaged staff (LES), with an American as team leader, 
"adopted" towns throughout Guinea.  The teams will travel to their 
adopted towns several times before, during, and after Guinea's long 
delayed legislative elections.  Nine teams have already made their 
first visits in recent months, calling on Kindia, Mamou, and Labe in 
Middle Guinea; Kankan and Siguiri in Upper Guinea; N'Zerekore and 
Macenta in the Forest Region; and Fria in Maritime Guinea.  Teams 
met with a wide range of contacts including local government 
officials, political parties, civil society, youth leaders, and the 
media. 
 
------------------------------ 
FROM ENTHUSIASM TO AMBIVALENCE 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Towns were in various stages of preparation for Guinea's 
legislative elections, which are planned for December 2008, but now 
expected no earlier than February 2009.  In Macenta, citizens were 
visibly energized, and members of the local electoral commission 
seemed well-informed and ready to get to work.  The enthusiasm in 
Macenta, which was high relative to that of other towns, may have 
been due to the fact that the National Independent Electoral 
Commission (CENI) was in town conducting a training program over the 
same weekend. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  However, a visit to Siguiri also happened to coincide with a 
CENI training program, but the local reaction was quite different. 
The Prefect of Siguiri refused to comment on elections preparations 
saying only that the visiting team lacked an "official Guinean 
Government travel approval" so he was not at liberty to discuss any 
details.  (COMMENT.  Such documents are not required.  END COMMENT). 
 In response to a question about how the GoG will work to ensure 
neutrality in the upcoming elections, the Prefect replied that it 
was "premature to discuss such a subject."  However, the head of the 
local electoral commission was positive about elections preparations 
and said that since everyone knows their rights and 
responsibilities, "it will be easy to force local authorities, 
including the military, to maintain their neutrality." 
 
5.(SBU)  On the other end of the spectrum, citizens in Fria, which is 
located only a few hours from Conakry, were more focused on 
immediate concerns such as a lack of basic infrastructure, than they 
were on elections.  In Labe, contacts said that elections 
preparations were moving smoothly, but that the actual preparation 
process had not been the problem in previous elections.  Instead, 
they said that the GoG would repeatedly make major changes in 
high-level positions at the last minute, thereby increasing the 
president's power, and facilitating elections fraud.  Contacts saw 
the recent spate of presidential appointments as evidence that this 
practice will continue in the upcoming elections. 
 
----------------------------- 
HOPE TEMPERED WITH SKEPTICISM 
----------------------------- 
 
6.(SBU)  Across the country, most contacts seemed to agree that these 
legislative elections will be a critical mechanism for advancing 
democracy within the current political climate.  However, there was 
also a high level of skepticism as to whether or not the GoG could 
hold transparent, credible elections.  A women's association in 
Siguiri told the Embassy team that "there will never be a 
transparent election in this country as long as President Conte is 
in power." 
 
---------- 
FAIR GAME? 
---------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Tensions were evident during a meeting with political parties 
in Macenta.  The opposition parties accused the ruling Party for Unity 
and Progress (PUP) of withholding information.  They pointed out 
that the voter registration process was supposed to start in Macenta 
in just a few days, but that none of the opposition parties had been 
informed, while the PUP representative had clearly been notified. 
In response, the PUP representative said that all of their 
information came from their party headquarters in Conakry, and 
 
CONAKRY 00000521  002.3 OF 002 
 
 
pointed out that each of the opposition parties are also 
headquartered there and should be disseminating information. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  The PUP representative in Siguiri told the Embassy team that 
they have been actively working with the opposition Rally for the 
Guinean People (RPG) party to reconcile differences and prevent 
violence.  (COMMENT.  Siguiri has been a hotspot for election 
violence in the past.  END COMMENT).  However, four RPG 
representatives said that they would prefer to boycott the elections 
because they are certain that they will be fraudulent, but that they 
will defer to the decision of their party leadership in Conakry. 
They added that during past elections, RPG members had been arrested 
and detained for months, while other members were killed. 
 
--------------------- 
MEDIA LACKS RESOURCES 
--------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Media contacts were generally enthusiastic about elections 
and their role in preventing election fraud.  However, contacts 
repeatedly said that their overall effectiveness will likely be 
hampered by their lack of resources.  Correspondents at the national 
radio station in Macenta told the Embassy team that they do not have 
the logistical means for transportation and other expenses necessary 
for effectively covering the surrounding villages.  In addition, 
Macenta's community radio needs another transmitter in order to be 
able to broadcast to the entire sous-prefecture. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Director of Radio Rurale in Siguiri said that he plans to 
assign correspondents throughout the sous-prefecture on election 
day, but added that lack of fuel and financial resources may limit 
the station's ability to cover the election properly.  The Director 
noted that the station had not yet started covering specific 
election campaigns although the radio station has been running 
special democracy programs focusing on informing citizens about 
voting rights and responsibilities. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) During earlier visits to the interior under former Prime 
Minister Kouyate's administration, most citizens were cautiously 
optimistic about elections.  While people remain hopeful, more and 
more appear to be moving towards skepticism, mirroring the views 
also being expressed by political parties and civil society in the 
capital.  The main political parties are committed to participating, 
but are unconvinced that the elections will be transparent.  Civil 
society views range from seeing the elections as absolutely futile 
to a likely catalyst for a civil uprising when they turn out 
fraudulent.  These trips into the interior suggest that training and 
civic education programs, such as those funded by USAID, will be 
critical if the elections are going to have even a chance at 
success. 
 
BROKENSHIRE