VZCZCXRO0471
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0746/01 2550938
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110938Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8406
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0625
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 03 KINSHASA 000746 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
            UN, EUN 
SUBJECT:    Goma Report September 10 - 
            Action spreads to Minova 
 
Following report was co-written by Amy Sink (USAID/OFDA) and Haywood 
Rankin and Geoff Parker (STATE): 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  CDNP forces on September 10 remain within 
striking distance of the strategic town of Kanyabayonga (well north 
of the normal area of CNDP control), but MONUC has strengthened its 
presence there and CNDP has not moved further north.  Meanwhile, 
heavy fire erupted in the hills west of Kirotshe and Bweramana 
(south of Sake) between CNDP and FARDC/Mai Mai, and there are 
reports that CNDP has cut the road to South Kivu or taken or 
occupied parts of Minova (on Lake Kivu just in South Kivu), but 
these remain unconfirmed.  OCHA says there has been significant 
human displacement in the Petit Nord over the past two weeks, and 
humanitarian access has been seriously affected by the insecurity. 
If current insecurity persists, the upcoming planting season and 
harvest will be negatively impacted, thus further exacerbating food 
insecurity.  End Summary. 
 
CNDP advances toward Kanyabayonga halted 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The CNDP force that arrived at Kayala, 20 km south of 
Kanyabayonga, on September 9 apparently remains there but has not 
attempted to move on Kanyabayonga or otherwise cut the main road 
north.  CNDP may have had a firefight further west with FDLR at 
Bikende.  North Kivu brigade affirms that FARDC moved its 31st 
battalion, which recently finished training with MONUC for action 
against FDLR, down from the Grand Nord to a position at Mirangi, on 
the road from Kayala to Kanyabayonga.  The 31st battalion appears to 
be holding its ground or even advancing toward the CNDP force at 
Kayala. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Meanwhile, the North Kivu brigade has significantly 
reinforced its presence in Kanyabayonga and moved into commanding 
positions in the hills around the city and its presence there may 
deter CNDP from a direct attack on Kanyabayonga.  North Kivu brigade 
now affirms that CNDP is occupying the village of Kibirizi (which is 
about the same distance south of the main highway, at Rwindi, as 
Kayala is south of the highway at Kanyabayonga), meaning that CNDP 
has some presence in a 15-km-wide band between Nyanzale and the 
highway. 
 
New fighting near Kirotshe and Bweramana 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) At opening of day September 10, fighting erupted in yet a 
new area, in the hills west of Kirotshe and Bweramana (on Lake Kivu 
south of Sake), with heavy firing between CNDP and FARDC with Mai 
Mai Cobra (closely allied to FARDC).  Some shots landed on North 
Kivu brigade's base at Kirotshe.  Reports from NGOs through the day 
suggested that CNDP had cut the road to South Kivu and even occupied 
or at least "been present in" Minova (port just south of the 
provincial border), but these reports are not confirmed by MONUC.  A 
source living inside Minova said at 17:00 that there was "still 
shooting going on" in the small town.  South Kivu brigade, according 
to Deputy Chief of Staff Col. Cunliffe, affirmed at dusk that there 
was a "CNDP threat" to Minova but that the South Kivu brigade base 
(Pakistani) there was not under attack.  It estimated that 400 IDP's 
had moved to Minova from areas to the north and west in the course 
of the day.  Some forty NGO personnel had also moved there, and were 
evacuated by sea. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Meanwhile, there was sporadic exchange of fire all day 
around Ntamugenga (south of Rutshuru), an area in the informal 
buffer zone that has been contentious ever since August 29, when 
FARDC occupied it. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In the Ndosho quarter of Goma, on the road west to Sake, a 
MONUC truck was attacked by a crowd, the first recent instance in 
Goma of anti-MONUC fervor that has been most notable in the Rutshuru 
area.  On September 9, an MSF vehicle was attacked by a crowd in 
Sake, apparently because it was mistaken for being MONUC. 
 
IDP flows increase 
------------------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The U.S. team in Goma met OCHA's Goma chief Patrick 
Lavand'homme September 10 for an overview of the humanitarian 
dimension of the crisis of the past two weeks.  He estimated that 
there has been significant human displacement in the Petit Nord, 
including 55,000 IDP's who have been re-displaced.  He said that 
numerous towns and villages have been largely emptied of population. 
 These include the Rutshuru corridor (he cited in particular 
 
KINSHASA 00000746  002.5 OF 003 
 
 
Ntamugenga and Karambi, east of Mutabo), the Nyanzale area (he cited 
Kibirizi and Katwe), Numbi (in South Kivu), the Mweso area (he cited 
Kashuga and Katsiru), and lower Tongo.  The Rutshuru corridor, 
Nyanzale area, and Numbi have all seen fighting during this period. 
Tongo is located at the edge of CNDP-controlled terrain west of 
Rutshuru, where there has not so far been fighting, and the 
departure of the population on the lower flank of the escarpment at 
Tongo remains a mystery. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Kashuga was, until a week ago, the extreme northwest point 
of CNDP control, where CNDP directly confronted PARECO, Mai Mai 
Mongol, and FDLR.  CNDP abandoned it just prior to the beginning of 
its move against JTN, Katsiru, and Nyanzale, apparently needing to 
remove forces there in order to effect the thrust north.  NGO's 
present in Mweso and Kitchanga have witnessed throngs of civilians 
on the road from Mweso to Kitchanga fleeing Kashuga (where PARECO or 
Mai Mai Mongol have now perpetrated "uncontrollable looting"), 
villages between Kashuga and Mweso, and Mweso itself.  MSF has 
evacuated its personnel from its hospital at Mweso.  CNDP appears to 
have thinned forces near its center, in order to disperse them 
toward attacks in the far north and south of its range. 
Lavand'homme said that there has also been movement of civilian 
population along the Masisi road from Bihambwe to Matanda (i.e., 
people within the area of CNDP control are moving east away from the 
western edge of CNDP control along the road), apparently fearing a 
FARDC build-up at Katale. 
 
Humanitarian Access 
------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Displacement from Numbi in South Kivu has reportedly been 
southwards towards Kalungu.  Humanitarian presence has been reduced 
to minimal or no staff in many areas, particularly in Rutshuru.  In 
Rutshuru town, Mercy Corps is one of the few NGO's remaining, 
providing water services to the collection of nearby IDP camps.  In 
western Rutshuru, most NGO's have evacuated with the exception of 
Kitchanga (MSF and ICRC) and Mweso (only MSF).  IRC and Save the 
Children have attempted to reach Kitchanga, but as of this afternoon 
were experiencing difficulties in Sake.  This would be a disturbing 
trend if continued as it would essentially cut off western Rutshuru 
and much of Masisi. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Humanitarian access has also been impeded on occasions by 
the armed groups on either side.  OCHA reported that last week one 
WFP food convoy was stopped.  Drivers were told to unload their 
cargo and transport troops.  Two of the four trucks have yet to be 
recovered.  Similarly, a FARDC commander in Kanyabayonga took the 
keys from a humanitarian truck driver with the same intent of moving 
his troops; fortunately, he was eventually dissuaded.  Such 
incidences may seriously compromise the neutrality of humanitarian 
agencies in the eyes of both armed groups and civilians. 
 
Food Security Situation 
----------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) The current food security situation in North Kivu is 
tenuous.  Humanitarian access to IDP camps, host communities, and 
newly displaced populations is severely limited by ongoing fighting 
and increasing hostile reactions toward international organizations 
by communities.  On September 8, IDP's in Kibumba camp protested 
against MONUC and UN World Food Program (WFP) trucks which were 
returning to Goma.  In addition, OCHA reports that two 
WFP-contracted trucks which were commandeered by CNDP for troop 
movements last week remain missing.  (Note:  WFP has not confirmed 
this information.  End note.) 
 
¶12.  (SBU) This latest fighting and resulting displacement are 
occurring right as the planting season commences prior to the rainy 
season.  Should this latest episode of insecurity prevent people 
from accessing their fields for more than a few weeks, the following 
harvest will likely be compromised, thus further exacerbating food 
insecurity.  According to WFP, this would be the fourth consecutive 
harvest to be negatively impacted by the conflict.  People have 
reportedly prematurely harvested some of their crops to avoid 
pillage by armed groups.  They have also planted soy, a less 
desirable crop to steal due to the long time required to cook it. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) WFP's logistical operations have also been impacted by 
the violence.  Food convoys which were to cross into DRC from Uganda 
via the Bunagana border post have been diverted to Ishasha and 
Gisenyi border posts due to the closure of Bunagana.  To date, 
however, the diversions have only resulted in minor delays to the 
trucks' arrival in Goma. 
 
KINSHASA 00000746  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
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