VZCZCXRO7406
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0736/01 2520827
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080827Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8392
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0618
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000736 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
            UN, EUN 
SUBJECT:    Goma Report September 6 -- 
            CNDP occupies Nyanzale 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  CNDP continued northward September 6 and 
occupied Nyanzale with no resistance.  MONUC's North Kivu brigade 
reacted with uncharacteristic firmness.  CNDP has evacuated the 
FARDC's 7th brigade headquarters at Nyanzale and promised to 
evacuate the town within hours.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The North Kivu brigade briefed the international 
facilitation team September 6 on the principal event of the day, 
CNDP's occupation of Nyanzale and of the headquarters of the 7th 
brigade just north of the town.  CNDP had moved up from Katsiru, 
which it had taken the previous day, with a small force of 60-70, 
who found the town and headquarters abandoned by the 7th brigade, 
which had fled further north to Kikuku.  The North Kivu brigade 
(having a base at Nyanzale) entered immediate discussions with the 
commander of the CNDP force, Major Castro, emphasizing that any 
further movement northward by CNDP would be met by force by MONUC, 
that CNDP must remove itself immediately from the 7th brigade 
headquarters, and that it would have to leave the town within a few 
hours. The North Kivu brigade reinforced the point by sending in 
three BMP's and flying over the zone with two attack helicopters 
(soon to be reinforced by another two coming down from Bunia). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Major Castro at first took the position that CNDP would 
hold its new positions until the FARDC withdrew from Ntamugenga and 
Mutabo in the Rutshuru sector.  Then with the arrival of heavy 
equipment, Major Castro appeared to begin to take MONUC's threat 
more seriously and removed his forces from the 7th brigade 
headquarters.  He said he would evacuate Nyanzale altogether, on the 
understanding that FARDC would not reoccupy the area for some days. 
General Rawat said that his plan would be to encircle CNDP in 
Nyanzale if it did not cooperate.  He departed for on-site 
inspection.  The facilitation team's assessment was that CNDP's 
objective in occupying Nyanzale (which had simply fallen into its 
hands) was more political than military, i.e., to put itself in a 
better bargaining position in forthcoming talks (if they occur). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) North Kivu brigade did not know the extent of population 
displacement at Nyanzale and Katsiru, but it had observed 
significant displacement out of the Kashuga area northwest of Mweso. 
 The CNDP had apparently moved its forces out of Kashuga in order to 
pursue its attack on Katsiru, and the population had fled southeast 
into areas of continued CNDP control, fearing occupation of the zone 
by PARECO and FDLR, which did in fact happen immediately.  (Note: 
The Hutu populace in that area appears to fear PARECO/FDLR more than 
CNDP.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) At a subsequent meeting with General Etumba, General 
Mayala, Col. . Delphin, and other FARDC officers, Eastern 
Coordinator Alpha Sow said that MONUC had acted so firmly and 
quickly at Nyanzale because CNDP occupation of a FARDC brigade 
headquaters located far beyond the lines of conflict was an act of a 
different order from the intrusions into buffer zones by both 
parties of the previous days.  He characterized it as the most 
serious ceasefire violation since the Acte d'Engagement was signed 
in January.  The present urgency, he said, was for both sides to 
return to positions held two weeks ago, including FARDC's 
oft-promised withdrawal from Ntamugenga and Mutabo.  It was 
essential that the population stop harassing the North Kivu brigade. 
 If, for example, the populace of Nyanzale had blocked MONUC there, 
it would not have been able to come to FARDC's aid.  Sow noted that 
Nkunda had relayed an interest in speaking to SRSG Doss, a request 
that MONUC was examining, and that an important delegation was 
expected in Goma (note:  specifically, National Assembly President 
Vitale Kammerhe, who was the most energetic leader of the Goma 
conference but had shunned Goma since). 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Etumba showed no particular gratitude for MONUC's action 
in Nyanzale.  He called it a "new attitude" that regrettably MONUC 
had not displayed previously.  Sow responded that it was not a new 
attitude, but an appropriate response to an egregious violation of 
the Acte d'Engagement by CNDP.  Etumba rehashed his regret that the 
population of Rutshuru disliked MONUC so intensely, suggesting that 
MONUC had not done enough to clarify its mandate to the populace. 
However, he said he had instructed Mayala "to follow closely our 
elements on the ground never to be associated with provocation of 
the population."  Col.  Delphin hotly denied any such provocation. 
He asserted that the CNDP attack on Kanombe on August 28, with the 
"clear objective" of taking Rumangabo and cutting the Ruthsuru road, 
had been the "cause" of the clashes ever since, and he expressed his 
dismay that CNDP was still in possession of Kanombe without a 
reaction from MONUC.  As for FARDC's occupation of Mutabo and 
Ntamugenga, he said that it was essential that FARDC look to the 
defenses of Rutshuru and Kalengera, respectively, as was its 
 
KINSHASA 00000736  002 OF 002 
 
 
sovereign right.  Sow responded that MONUC fully respected DRC's 
sovereignty, but DRC had signed the Acte d'Engagement and FARDC had 
agreed on certain buffer zones which it had now disrespected and was 
making it increasingly difficult for MONUC to carry out its role. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Sow said that the facilitation team was in contact with 
CNDP in an effort to bring it around to the idea of direct talks at 
the MONUC-controlled air terminal, with the objective of returning 
forces to positions held two weeks ago.  Etumba repeated his 
willingness "in principle" to participate in such talks, so long as 
CNDP fully retreated from Nyanzale, but his tone was skeptical and 
reluctant. 
 
GARVELINK