VZCZCXRO9685
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0410/01 1171103
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271103Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9529
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 02 KINSHASA 000410 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG
SUBJECT:   EASTERN DRC NOTES - APRIL 27 
 
¶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. 
 
Security Situation 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) MONUC sources say the villages of Kayna and Kamba (north 
of Kanyabayongo) have received threatening messages from the FDLR, 
warning that the group will target them next for destruction and 
retribution.  MONUC and the FARDC are deployed to the area, but the 
FDLR typically avoids villages where it may encounter armed 
resistance.  The police chief in the village of Luofo, who was badly 
beaten by FDLR marauders on April 17, has died of his wounds. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Ten FDLR combatants and 21 dependents have surrendered to 
MONUC at Kashebere.  Another five FDLR combatants surrendered in 
South Kivu last week. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) A new Mai Mai group under "Colonel" Eszera has emerged 
near Bitobolo in South Kivu.  The group robbed unarmed MONUC 
military observers at a roadblock along the Lake Tanganyika road 
last week. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The FARDC has looted the village of Konge (near Bukavu), 
as well as Muku and Rawakabiri (near Walugu) in South Kivu.  MONUC 
notes that the responsible soldiers are not part of Operation Kimia 
II, and may not have received pay or rations.  At present, MONUC is 
providing food to 16,000 FARDC troops who are participating in 
Operation Kimia II.  A EUSEC source reports that 6,000 of the 30,000 
FARDC troops in the Kivus have not been paid for January, and a 
similar number were not paid for February.  All of the troops have 
reportedly been paid for March, even if they were not registered 
and/or issued biometric identification.  Newly integrated troops 
received a fixed amount regardless of rank. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) MONUC and the FARDC continue to put pressure on armed 
groups in Ituri.  The FRPI may be out of food and ammunition and 
ready to surrender, according to a MONUC source.  The FARDC has 
occupied Poto Poto and plans to begin the third phase of its 
campaign on April 27. 
 
Integration 
----------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) MONUC has exhausted the $10 million set aside to build 
regroupment centers for integration.  It is now waiting for 
committed funds from Germany to continue construction in South Kivu. 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The leader of Mai Mai Kifuafua told Goma PolOff on April 
24 that he has over 2,000 fighters deep in the bush around Walikale 
who have not been integrated.  He claimed that the fighters could 
not leave their protection duties to come into regroupment centers. 
He also claimed that Kinshasa politicians and businessmen have 
approached him and asked if his fighters could be available as part 
of an armed opposition movement against the GDRC.  PolOff noted that 
Mai Mai Kifuafua had signed the agreement marking the end of armed 
struggle in the Kivus, and any move to take up arms against the 
legitimate government of the DRC could be considered treason 
(Comment:  This self-promoting Mai Mai leader is seeking attention 
or position and is vastly overstating his strength.  Several dozen 
Mai Mai Kifuafua fighters have entered regroupment centers in North 
Kivu, apparently without his knowledge.  Nor did they turn in any 
weapons.  End comment). 
 
The Volatile Border Region 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) An NGO contact, who just returned from the Hombo-Bukavu 
axis, reports that the area is thick with FARDC troops.  The contact 
stated that many "Rwandans" are conspicuous by their language and 
slight variance in uniform (Comment:  These are more likely CNDP, 
many of whom speak Kinyarwanda and maintain some vestige of their 
previous CNDP camouflage uniforms to distinguish themselves from the 
regular FARDC.  End comment).  The FARDC are an unwelcome presence 
in villages, taxing anyone who passes their roadblocks.  Even 
children on their way to school were searched by soldiers, noted the 
source.  The FDLR had been a major presence in the area, and often 
provided produce to village markets.  Those markets are now largely 
empty.  The FDLR has faded into the thick forests, but has engaged 
in hit and run attacks against the FARDC and burned some houses in 
retaliation against locals (Comment: The area remains one of the 
most volatile in the Kivus, and planned operations against the FDLR 
 
KINSHASA 00000410  002 OF 002 
 
 
will likely spark new incidents of retaliation.  End comment). 
 
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