VZCZCXRO3590
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1024/01 3231223
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181223Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8796
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 001024 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT:   Eastern Congo Developments: Nkunda- 
            Obasanjo Meeting; CNDP Consolidating Military 
            Gains in Rutshuru; Dungu Population Flees LRA 
 
¶1.  (U) The items contained in this report consist principally of 
spot information from various sources.  This report is not 
exhaustive, nor can all the information contained therein be 
confirmed at this time. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Summary: During his November 16 meeting with UN Special 
Envoy Obasanjo, CNDP leader Laurent Nkunda presented a list of 
demands for the GDRC.  Nkunda voiced his support for the principles 
of the Goma Accord, but he declared Amani dead and the International 
Facilitation as biased.  Nkunda agreed to integrate the CNDP into 
the national army, but only after the FDLR problem is dealt with. 
Nkunda also said he wanted to integrate his administrative entities 
in CNDP areas into Congolese government structures.  President 
Kabila has reportedly agreed to a GDRC-Nkunda meeting in Nairobi, 
however, because of scheduling conflicts, the meeting may not take 
place until December.  The CNDP has overrun the FARDC base at Rwindi 
and is on the outskirts of Kanyabayonga, but multiple MONUC contacts 
told us that the CNDP has not attacked Kanyabayonga.  MONUC believes 
the CNDP will try to consolidate its gains in the Rutshuru area, and 
perhaps turn its attention to Masisi.  A military court in Goma has 
sentenced four soldiers to life in prison for rape, looting, and 
desertion following the near-collapse of Goma on October 29.  The 
LRA continues to evoke fear in Province Orientale: up to 34,000 
people have fled Dungu, which has a population of 55,000.  End 
summary. 
 
Obasanjo-Nkunda Meeting 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Press reports that Nkunda outlined eight demands to 
Obasanjo during their November 16 meeting at Jomba, two kilometers 
from the Bunagana border with Uganda: 
 
-- direct negotiations with the GDRC in a third country under 
neutral mediation; 
 
-- renegotiation of DRC-Chinese business contracts; 
 
-- cessation of all FARDC-FDLR cooperation; 
 
-- protection of all minority groups in the DRC; 
 
-- integration of the CNDP into the national army; 
 
-- integration of police and civil servants in CNDP-controlled areas 
into the national administration; 
 
-- promotion of good governance and anti-corruption measures; and 
 
-- after all other conditions are met, a position in the national 
army for Nkunda. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) According to a report from someone at the meeting in 
Jomba, Obasanjo and Nkunda met alone for a long period before 
holding an open session.  Nkunda's main point was that the CNDP now 
rejected Amani because it was a government-controlled process, with 
a biased International Facilitation.  Nkunda reportedly reaffirmed 
his commitment to the principles of the Goma process, without 
mentioning the Actes d'Engagement.  He did not mention anything 
about a "national liberation movement."  Our sources speculated that 
Obasanjo, in his one-on-one with Nkunda, had convinced Nkunda to 
back away from his "national uprising" pronouncements. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Nkunda agreed to honor the CNDP's unilateral cease-fire 
and to respect humanitarian corridors.  A MONUC contact told 
PolCouns that while Nkunda met with Obasanjo, CNDP forces were 
moving in the vicinity of Kanyabayonga; after the CNDP had 
consolidated its positions, it announced to Obasanjo that it would 
respect a ceasefire.  Obasanjo subsequently called Nkunda to 
complain about the ceasefire violation.  Nkunda reportedly 
re-affirmed his commitment to the ceasefire and to withdraw 40 
kilometers from his front lines; there are no signs, however, that 
he has done this yet. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Regarding the integration of CNDP administrators into 
national structures, Nkunda was unclear whether he meant into 
national or provincial entities.  Nkunda reportedly said he "was 
ready to enter the government." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Our MONUC contact told us that the Obasanjo-Nkunda meeting 
had gone reasonably well, with Nkunda pledging his full support to 
the Special Envoy.  Obasanjo had proposed a verification mechanism 
to guarantee a cease-fire.  Nkunda agreed, but only without MONUC 
participation.  Our MONUC source added that in fact MONUC was so 
 
KINSHASA 00001024  002 OF 003 
 
 
stretched that it would not want to take on such a task.  According 
to MONUC, Nkunda was demanding that the "FDLR problem" be completely 
solved before CNDP would integrate into the FARDC. 
 
Potential GDRC-CNDP Meeting 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Obasanjo reportedly obtained President Kabila's commitment 
to direct GDRC-Nkunda talks in Nairobi.  Nkunda has also agreed to 
this format, but it is unlikely they will happen until December, at 
the earliest because of logistical issues and travel schedules. 
 
Other Political Developments 
---------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa, Asia, and the 
United Nations Lord Malloch Brown arrived in Kinshasa November 17 
for a two-day visit to discuss the conflict in the East.  He will 
travel on to Goma. 
 
Security Situation 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Information from a November 17 MONUC briefing in Goma 
indicated that the CNDP had overrun the FARDC base at Rwindi, 10 
kilometers southeast of Kanyabayonga.  FARDC troops have retreated 
northward toward Lubero, exhibiting very poor command and control. 
MONUC reported that the CNDP has declared that it will not advance 
on Kanyabayonga. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Although Radio France International reported that the 
CNDP had attacked Kanyabayonga, both MONUC Goma and MONUC Kinshasa 
insisted that the CNDP had not attacked the city.  A member of 
MONUC's Joint Mission Analysis Cell told PolCouns that, 
strategically, CNDP did not need to attack Kanyabayonga.  Our MONUC 
contact predicted that the CNDP, which now controls most of the 
Rutshuru area, will consolidate its gains in the region.  The CNDP 
now controls commercial flows from the Grand Nord to the Petit Nord, 
as well as trade from Uganda.  Our MONUC interlocutor added that, 
perhaps, the CNDP might now instead turn its attention to the Masisi 
area.  The CNDP was carrying out a big recruitment drive in the 
areas it has recently conquered. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) In the view of our MONUC contact, it was a moot point 
trying to determine whether or not the CNDP had broken its 
unilateral cease-fire.  The pattern was clear: CNDP would claim a 
FARDC provocation, then it would capture territory.  CNDP 
rank-and-file had been frank with MONUC about their offensive 
intentions. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Speculating as to why the CNDP would initiate an attack 
on Rwindi during the visit of Special Envoy Obasanjo, Alpha Sow, 
Head of MONUC Goma, said the Nkunda had claimed that FDLR forces 
were at Rwindi.  MONUC Colonel Cunliffe said that the North Kivu 
Brigade had confirmed the presence of FDLR in the area.  However, 
MONUC JMAC told PolCouns that it doubted whether there were FDLR 
forces in sufficient number at Rwindi to attract the CNDP's 
attention. 
 
¶14.  (U) Radio Okapi reported that, as of early morning November 18, 
a firefight continues between FARDC and Mai-Mai Pareco forces near 
Kirumba, 250 kilometers north of Goma in southern Lubero.  The 
Pareco commander, "General" Lafontaine Mukambutho, told Radio Okapi 
that his forces had engaged FARDC forces, which had deserted 
Kanyabayonga northwards to Lake Edward.  Lafontaine said the action 
was intended to force FARDC forces back to Kanyabayonga. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) A military court in Goma sentenced four FARDC soldiers to 
life in prison November 17 for desertion, rape, looting, and 
unlawfully distributing ammunition.  The same court sentenced 
another FARDC soldier to six months in prison for shooting a 
civilian.  Three other FARDC soldiers, accused of desertion and 
misdemeanors, were acquitted.  All of the infractions took place 
October 29-30, when the FARDC in Goma collapsed.  Military officials 
are reportedly investigating other dossiers involving soldiers 
accused of murder, rape, looting, and desertion. 
 
LRA Update 
---------- 
 
¶16.  (U) According to Radio Okapi, 34,000 people have fled the city 
of Dungu, which has a population of 55,000.  The population fears 
continued attacks by the LRA, and has fled into the bush and to 
areas near Niangara and Isiro.  Schools and business operations have 
 
KINSHASA 00001024  003 OF 003 
 
 
ground to a halt, as students and teachers have fled to outlying 
areas.  The territorial administrator remains concerned about the 
fate of 350 pupils who have been kidnapped by the LRA. 
 
¶17.  (U) Radio Okapi reported that on November 16, a joint operation 
by the FARDC, Congolese National Police, and the national 
intelligence service netted 38 suspected LRA rebels in the village 
of Isiro, 600 kilometers northeast of Kisangani.  The security 
forces acted based on rumors circulating that LRA rebels were among 
the large number of IDP's who had recently moved from Dungu to 
Isiro. 
 
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