VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLC #0275 1601421
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091421Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1218

UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000275 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C FOR LISA KORTE AND DS/IP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT PREL ASEC GB
SUBJECT: GABON: EAC MEETING CONVENED FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT 
OF DEATH OF PRESIDENT BONGO 
 
REF: LIBREVILLE 270 
 
¶1. (SBU) Following the announcement of the death of Gabon's 
President Omar Bongo Ondimba, a meeting of Post's EAC was 
convened at 1930 at the CMR. The meeting was chaired by the 
Ambassador. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The first order of business was an accounting of all 
official embassy personnel, family members, and TDY visitors 
in Gabon. All have been accounted for. There are currently 
four groups of visitors in the country, all are outside of 
the capital. Two LES are accompanying one group of visitors 
to the northern city of Bitam and another LES is accompanying 
group of visitors to Gabon's second largest city, Port 
Gentil. Visitors are also located in Mayumba, in the southern 
part of Gabon, and Franceville, President Bongo's hometown in 
eastern Gabon. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Post has made contact with all groups of visitors. 
All groups report that the situation is calm and that their 
work is proceeding normally, though attendance at some 
training events is lower than expected. Post has advised them 
to remain in regular contact with their respective Control 
Officers. Other visitors that are expected to arrive next 
week have been advised to "standby" until further notice. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The EAC reviewed a Warden Message that was sent out 
by CA/OCS yesterday evening advising American Citizens to 
avoid public gatherings and to stockpile emergency 
provisions. The Consular Officer was given the action to 
review, and update as necessary, Post's F-77 report. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The EAC also reviewed a list of tripwires that were 
developed specifically for the death of President Bongo, 
following his medical evacuation to Spain in early May. These 
tripwires, a copy of which has been sent via email to the 
Desk, are divided into three levels. The first item in Level 
One is the announced death of President Bongo. In response to 
this tripwire, all USDH personnel are required to carry E&E 
radios at all times when outside the Embassy, avoid travel 
outside the main artery that runs between the Chancery and 
the Sabliere neighborhood, where most embassy personnel live, 
and curtail all non-essential travel. The EAC decided to 
implement these actions immediately. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The official 30-day period of morning will end, by 
our calculations, on July 8. The EAC decided that in addition 
to canceling all planned representational events during this 
period, internal embassy celebrations should be postponed or 
scaled back. An Embassy-wide award ceremony, including a 
celebratory barbecue, planned for Friday, June 12, has been 
postponed. It was also decided that the Embassy's official 
July 4th celebration, planned for July 9, should be scaled 
back or postponed. A new date has not yet been determined. 
 
REDDICK