VZCZCXRO7993
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0164/01 0511313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201313Z FEB 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5900
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE 0599
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 1383
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE 0314
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA IMMEDIATE 1713
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 3544
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME IMMEDIATE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000164 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
GENEVA FOR KYLOH, ROME FOR SPANOS, BRUSSELS FOR BROWN, 
USAID/DCHA/OFDA FOR BEERS, STATE/PRM FOR NYMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL PHUM KPKO UNSC CG RW
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: USG HOLMES BRIEFS ON 
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000164  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: UN Under-Secretary General for 
Humanitarian Affairs, John Holmes, briefed the Security 
Council on the current humanitarian situation in the 
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on February 17 following 
his visit to the country. He described a new dynamic created 
by recent cooperation between the DRC and Rwanda in combating 
the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) in the 
Kivus and between the DRC, Uganda and Southern Sudan against 
the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) in Orientale Province. He 
said that the joint military operations against these two 
armed groups may lead to improvements in the humanitarian 
situation, but also carry great risk to civilians caught in 
the crossfire.  Holmes pointed out that an end to active 
fighting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic 
of Congo (FARDC) and the National Congress for the Defense of 
the People (CNDP) has allowed tens of thousands of internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) to return home, but many more remain 
displaced due to memories of CNDP violence and continued 
presence of CNDP administrative structures. Holmes stated 
that sexual violence remains a huge problem in the DRC, but 
that the UN has a system-wide strategy to address this issue. 
Ambassador Rice welcomed regional cooperation to return 
stability to eastern DRC and underscored the importance of 
taking necessary measures to protect civilians. Other Council 
members echoed these points. The Council President spoke to 
the press following the meeting on behalf of the Council 
condemning the violence against civilians and calling for 
respect for international humanitarian law and human rights 
law. End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) USG Holmes briefed the Council on his February 6-10 
trip to the DRC to survey the humanitarian situation. Holmes 
had previously visited the DRC in September 2007. He remarked 
that political and military initiatives have created a new 
dynamic which could have a positive impact on the 
humanitarian situation. The mediation led by the 
Secretary-General's Special Envoy, President Obasanjo and 
President Mpaka from the African Union has improved dialogue 
and cooperation between the DRC and Rwanda.  Holmes believes 
the joint military operations between the DRC and Rwanda 
against the FDLR and between the DRC, Uganda and Southern 
Sudan against the LRA have the potential to improve stability 
in eastern DRC.  He confirmed, however, the new military 
operations also carry great risk of triggering increased 
violence against civilians as already witnessed in Orientale 
Province when the LRA carried out massacres against civilians 
in December. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Holmes said that the fighting between the CNDP and 
FARDC in North Kivu created a further 250,000 IDPs since 
August 2008 on top of the existing caseload of 800,000.  The 
decision of the CNDP to integrate into the FARDC has reduced 
the level of conflict in the area and allowed tens of 
thousands of IDPs to return home. However, memories of CNDP 
violence and the fact that CNDP administrative structures 
remain in place in many villages prevent many IDPs from 
returning to their areas of origin. Holmes noted that these 
IDPs lost virtually everything during their displacement and 
will require a great deal of support from the international 
community if they are to return home in safety and dignity. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Holmes said that sexual violence continues to 
plague eastern DRC.  It remains a feature of everyday life. 
The lack of criminal prosecution of perpetrators and the fact 
that many alleged rapists remain in the senior ranks of the 
FARDC paints a bleak picture. The UN's senior advisor on 
sexual violence helped to develop a system-wide strategy to 
strengthen prevention, protection and response to sexual 
violence.  Holmes urged the government of the DRC to make 
combating sexual violence a priority. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Holmes informed the Council of the increasing 
number of Rwandan refugees choosing to repatriate during the 
past six weeks and the greater number of FDLR cadres joining 
MONUC's demobilization program. Together these developments 
may, he thought, signal an end to the chaos created by the 
FDLR in eastern Congo. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Holmes said the LRA's violent attacks against 
civilians in Orientale Province are a consequence of the 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000164  002 OF 002 
 
 
joint military operations against the LRA launched by DRC, 
Uganda and Southern Sudan. Aid agencies responded to the 
humanitarian needs triggered by LRA violence by expanding 
assistance into areas where populations had been targeted by 
the LRA.  However, the delivery of aid to these populations 
has been hampered by the enormity of the area, the dispersal 
of civilians, the difficult terrain and the lack of adequate 
infrastructure. Holmes reminded the Council that it was 
urgent to remove the threat of the LRA from the region, and 
that MONUC should strengthen its presence in Orientale 
Province to protect civilians. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Holmes emphasized that in attempting to carry out 
its mandate to protect civilians, MONUC faces the reality of 
limited resources spread out over a wide area. He lauded the 
creation of Joint Protection Teams to better understand the 
needs of civilians.  He called upon the Council and Troop 
Contributing Countries to allow maximum flexibility in 
operating procedures and rules of engagement in terms of the 
protection mandate.  He stated that MONUC has not received 
the urgently-needed additional troops recently authorized by 
the Council due to a slow response from member states. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In closing, Holmes cited a need for the 
re-establishment of government authority at the local level 
as a prerequisite for any lasting improvements in the lives 
of the people of eastern DRC.  The government of the DRC and 
the international community must work together to build 
governance capacity at the local level. Given the great 
humanitarian needs of the DRC in conflict-affected areas and 
beyond, the UN has appealed for $831 million to fund relief 
and recovery programs. 
 
COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPOND 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Ambassador Rice signaled support for improvements 
in the relationship between the DRC and Rwanda as well as the 
joint military operations between governments in the region 
to combat the FDLR and the LRA. She called for greater 
cooperation between the DRC and MONUC on these joint 
operations due to their potential impact on civilians.  She 
emphasized the USG's concern for humanitarian response in DRC 
and the importance of prioritizing the protection of 
civilians. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Council members called for respect for 
international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee 
law in the DRC. All agreed that the protection of civilians 
was a top priority.  They welcomed the joint military 
operations against the FDLR and LRA as a way to improve 
stability in eastern DRC.  France called for MONUC to be 
given all tools necessary to fulfill its mandate to protect 
civilians and also spoke of the need to reform the judiciary 
system in the DRC in order to end the culture of impunity. 
Mexico called for full deployment of MONUC in order to 
protect civilians and carry out demobilization activities. 
Russia pressed for close cooperation between MONUC and the 
FARDC in order to lessen the impact on civilians caught in 
the crossfire. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Council members authorized Japan, as presidency 
holder, to speak to the press for the Council and suggested 
several elements of press guidance:  a) condemning the brutal 
attacks of the LRA and calling on the LRA to lay down its 
arms, b) condemning the FDLR attacks on civilians in North 
Kivu and calling on the FDLR to lay down its arms and join 
the demobilization process, c) welcoming the increase in the 
number of FDLR members and dependents seeking to return to 
Rwanda, d) calling on all parties to protect civilians, 
particularly women and children, and respect international 
humanitarian law and human rights law, and e) encouraging the 
governments of the region to coordinate with MONUC when 
planning joint military operations. 
Rice