VZCZCXRO6046
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0798/01 3641407
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291407Z DEC 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3263
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0567
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CONAKRY 000798 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC KDEM PHUM GV
SUBJECT: CALM RESTORED, NEW GOVERNMENT MOVES FORWARD 
 
REF: A. CONAKRY 0787 
     ¶B. CONAKRY 0788 
     ¶C. CONAKRY 0789 
     ¶D. CONAKRY 0793 
     ¶E. CONAKRY 0796 
     ¶F. CONAKRY 0797 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has assumed 
control of the government, proclaiming himself president of 
the Republic of Guinea.  The Council for Democracy and 
Development (CNDD) appears to be successfully consolidating 
and reinforcing its authority, although internal 
disagreements over the power structure continue.  Civilian 
leaders seem to have accepted the CNDD and have started 
dialoguing with the new government regarding the need for a 
swift transition to a democratically elected civilian 
government.  The country is calm with a normal level of 
public and commercial activity in the capital.  The CNDD 
appears to be in the process of defining itself and the 
government, presenting a critical window of opportunity for 
the international community to influence events.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
CAMARA DECLARES HIMSELF PRESIDENT 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) President Conte's death on December 22 sparked an 
immediate military coup d'etat shortly after an official 
announcement at approximately 02:00 on December 23 (reftels). 
 By the evening of December 24, the coup plotters had 
successfully seized control of the government and advised the 
population that Captain Moussa Dadis Camara would serve as 
the new president of the Republic of Guinea with two vice 
presidents, Brigadier General Mamadou "Toto" Camara and Lt. 
Colonel Sekouba Konate.  The new Council for Democracy and 
Development (CNDD), comprised of 32 members including 
President Camara and the two vice presidents, has been 
serving as the defacto government since the morning of 
December 23. 
 
¶3.  (U) The situation in Conakry throughout the coup was 
relatively calm, although tense.  The city gradually started 
to return to normal activity on December 25 as fuel stations 
reopened and citizens began venturing out of their homes. 
After initially electing to cancel or divert regularly 
scheduled flights, commercial airlines began flying in and 
out of Conakry again on December 25, including Air France. 
By December 27, vehicle and pedestrian traffic had returned 
to normal levels, and most businesses were open as usual. 
 
¶4.  (U) There were reports of heavy gunfire the evenings of 
December 24, 25, and 26, most of which seemed to be the 
result of military personnel firing into the air, either to 
celebrate, or to enforce a curfew.  On December 26, the CNDD 
ordered the military to stop firing their guns, and 
threatened to summarily execute, without benefit of a 
judicial process, any soldier responsible for killing another 
individual.  The gunfire quickly abated and Embassy has not 
received any reports of such shooting since the December 26 
announcement. 
 
---------------------------- 
PRESIDENT CONTE LAID TO REST 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Charge went to First Lady Henriette Conte's 
residence at Camp Samory Toure on December 25 in order to 
offer official condolences for the president's death.  Charge 
then attended the president's public funeral on December 26, 
which was also attended by the presidents of Liberia, 
Guinea-Bissau, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and the African 
Union.  The funeral continued throughout the day, ending with 
the burial ceremony at the president's village of Wawa, 
located approximately 45 kilometers outside the capital. 
 
----------------------------- 
FORMER GOVERNMENT CEDES POWER 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Late in the evening of December 24, the CNDD 
invited former Prime Minister Souare and his ministers to 
report to Camp Alpha Yaya within 24 hours, which generated a 
number of inquiries to the international community, including 
Embassy, regarding political asylum.  Available information 
suggests that some African embassies may have offered 
temporary refuge to former government officials.  Souare and 
his government reported to Camp Alpha Yaya on December 25 at 
12:00 where they were formally relieved of their duties.  The 
 
CONAKRY 00000798  002 OF 003 
 
 
former Minister of Decentralization, Naby Diakite, told 
Poloff that the meeting "went very well," and that he 
personally no longer felt threatened.  During the meeting, 
Souare reportedly called Camara "Mr. President," and offered 
his services, and those of his ministers, to the CNDD in 
whatever capacity needed, saying that they all wanted to work 
for a better Guinea. 
 
------------------------------- 
CIVILIANS ACCEPT NEW LEADERSHIP 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The civilian reaction to the installation of the 
CNDD has been generally positive.  Sidya Toure, a former 
prime minister and head of the opposition Union Force 
Republican (UFR) political party, told Poloff that "the 
transition is perhaps not as elegant as we would have wished, 
but we are moving forward."  A high-level contact within the 
Rally for the Guinean People (RPG) opposition party told Pol 
LES that the RPG is ready to work with the CNDD and will push 
to have elections as quickly as possible, certainly before 
the end of 2009.  Guinea's labor unions declared their 
support for the CNDD and requested that it allow a return to 
regular labor activities, which the CNDD had banned upon 
seizing power.  Various other civil society organizations, 
including several human rights organizations, have also 
expressed their willingness to work with the CNDD, 
emphasizing the need for a quick return to civilian 
government through democratic elections. 
 
¶8.  (U) The CNDD invited civil society representatives to a 
meeting at Camp Samory Toure on December 27, which was widely 
attended.  Embassy will continue to follow up with civil 
society leaders for reactions to the meeting. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
REACHING OUT TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The CNDD also invited international community 
representatives to a meeting on December 27, which was 
subsequently rescheduled several times, and then ultimately 
postponed until December 30.  Embassy plans to attend, as do 
representatives from other diplomatic missions.  Charge is 
hosting a meeting for the diplomatic corps to meet several 
members of teh CNDD and to discuss various concerns on both 
sides. 
 
-------------- 
MOVING FORWARD 
-------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) Over the course of the weekend, the CNDD issued a 
number of declarations as the government continued to take 
shape.  Beginning December 24, the CNDD instituted a 
city-wide curfew between the hours of 20:00 and 06:00, which 
they later suspended for the funeral, reinstated, and then 
ultimately suspended again in acquiescence to local leaders' 
requests.  On December 25, the CNDD declared that all 
provincial governors and prefects were dismissed and were to 
be replaced with local military officers; also that secretary 
generals of existing ministries were to temporarily take 
control of their respective ministries until new ministers 
could be named. 
 
¶11.  (U) On December 25, the CNDD appointed Lieutenant 
Colonel Konate as the "provisional" Minister of Defense, and 
on December 27, appointed Brigadier General Toto Camara as 
the Minister of Security and Civil Protection.  (COMMENT. 
Both of these officers were previously appointed as the two 
vice-presidents.  They are now going to serve in both 
positions until new appointments are made.  END COMMENT). 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The CNDD appears to be consolidating and 
reinforcing its authority, although internal disagreement 
over the power structure continues.  The civilian population 
seems to have generally accepted the CNDD with many contacts 
saying that they fully expected the military to step in and 
take control when the president died.  They are looking for a 
swift civilian transition, but it as yet unclear what they 
expect a civilian transition to look like, or how hard they 
are willing to push to get one.  The CNDD has reached out to 
the international community and requested assistance.  The 
situation is fluid with the CNDD seeming to be in the process 
 
CONAKRY 00000798  003 OF 003 
 
 
of defining itself and the government, presenting a critical 
window of opportunity for the international community to 
influence events.  Embassy is submitting a proposal for a USG 
policy strategy via septel. 
RASPOLIC