VZCZCXRO7099
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0597 1741800
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231800Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9771
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 KINSHASA 000597 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: GOMA: ONE DEAD, EIGHT INJURED, 20 RAPED IN ATTEMPTED PRISON 
BREAK 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: A group of inmates at Goma's Munzenze prison 
killed one police officer and injured eight others in an attempted 
prison break on June 21.  Rioting prisoners also raped approximately 
20 female inmates.  National police (PNC) surrounded the prison 
after inmates dug escape tunnels through the prison walls.  The PNC 
reports that no prisoners escaped.  MONUC Human Rights officers 
investigated the site June 22 and are offering medical assistance to 
the victims.  MONUC will accelerate a planned increase in Goma 
security measures ahead of the June 30 Independence Day ceremony. 
The escape attempt underlines the weak control over the 
incarceration system in the DRC and the difficulty in integrating 
former armed groups into the national army and police.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) According to MONUC and PNC sources, at approximately 1030 
pm on Sunday June 21 a group of prisoners punched a hole in the wall 
of Goma's Munzenze prison and tried to escape.  Prison guards and 
the PNC unit deployed on the perimeter of the prison saw the 
activity and opened fire on the inmates.  A special 'mobile police 
unit' which had recently arrived from Kinshasa, joined the local PNC 
units. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Approximately ten of the escapees were armed with a single 
pistol and ten grenades.  During the exchange of fire, the prisoners 
threw 2 grenades, killing a police major and injuring 8 other 
policemen (Comment: the PNC Major who was killed was the commanding 
officer of the 'mobile unit' and had just completed intensive 
training with European Union Police units (EUPOL).  End comment) 
The police and guards regained control and no prisoners escaped. 
 
¶4.  (U) MONUC reports that during the attempted break out, some 
number of male prisoners broke into the female quarters and raped 
over 20 women; UNICEF-Goma reports that 21 women and 2 girls were 
raped.  MONUC Human Rights investigated at the prison June 22 and 
MONUC is also coordinating medical assistance. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) MOUNC Force Command and two other independent sources tell 
us the escape attempt was led by two former CNDP (National Congress 
for the Defense of the People) and the rest were common prisoners. 
A CNDP contact claims no CNDP were involved and in fact that the 
leader was a Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) 
lieutenant colonel.  MONUC reports the weapons were smuggled in by 
the prisoners' wives.  A PNC contact told us he suspects prison 
guards - and possibly PNC - were involved, either in helping the 
wives or by directly bringing in the weapons. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) MONUC had been preparing to increase security in Goma 
ahead of the June 30 Independence Day celebrations and the arrival 
of VIP's as well as possibly 5,000 FARDC and PNC to protect them 
(including Presidential Guards from Kinshasa and newly 'integrated' 
brigades from the Kivus).  The Munzenze prison incident has prompted 
MONUC to accelerate their plans; from June 22 through 10 July they 
will conduct heavy patrols in Goma at all hours in armored personnel 
carriers.  MONUC personnel have also been given a temporary 
2100-0500 curfew. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Comment: The June 21 incident is the latest in a string of 
attempted prison breaks in Goma, Bunia and elsewhere in eastern DRC 
in the past few months.  All observers contacted about the incident 
agree that the DRC prison system is weak and porous.  This escape 
attempt was the largest in Goma for some time, and elicited a more 
serious response from the authorities than previous attempts. 
Regardless of who led the escape, it is important to note that - as 
with most of the other recent attempts - it was likely led by 
someone affiliated to one of the armed groups.  This means it may 
have involved collaboration with members of the authorities - 
particularly the national army (FARDC) or national police (PNC) - 
affiliated (or previously affiliated) with the same armed group.  In 
addition to underlining the need for justice system reform, 
incidents like the present reinforce the need to complete armed 
group integration as well as security sector reform to improve the 
effectiveness and integrity of the security services.  End Comment.