VZCZCXRO6887
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0407 1951336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141336Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3852
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000407 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ENRG KPAO XA GV
SUBJECT: ERRATIC DADIS PROMISES WATER AND ELECTRICITY FOR 
ALL 
 
¶1.  Summary:  On July 10 Captain Moussa Dadis Camara convoked 
the diplomatic corps, members of the Forces Vives, youth 
associations, political parties and the media for a meeting 
at the Koloma headquarters of RTG national radio and 
television.  He announced a plan to provide water and 
electricity for all Guineans at a cost of 182 million USD. 
Dadis behaved erratically throughout the meeting and Red 
Beret soldiers repeatedly bullied audience members.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  Three hours before the start of the meeting, the protocol 
office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) called to 
invite a representative of the Embassy to the meeting, which 
the acting DCM accepted.  The meeting was delayed for nearly 
90 minutes, partly because RTG could not keep the power on in 
their own building.  Dadis began the meeting by publicly 
berating a representative from RTG for not keeping the lights 
on. 
 
¶3.  Following this scolding, the Minister of State for the 
Presidency in Charge of Regional and Urban Planning and 
Housing, Boubacar Barry, laid out the proposal for water and 
electricity.  The plan will cost approximately 180 million 
USD and includes rehabilitating several power generators in 
Conakry, building three hydroelectric dams, and drilling new 
wells for water.  (Note: A World Bank representative told 
Charge that these are not new projects but are old projects 
that have been put on hold or are awaiting government 
funding.) 
 
¶4.  Dadis then opened the floor for "questions."  Former 
Prime Ministers Cellou Dallein Diallo and Sidya Toure and 
several "youth leaders," gave speeches with no questions 
involved.  Some people asked whether Dadis was diverting 
attention away from elections with his electricity plan. 
Dadis promised to have elections whether or not the plan 
worked. 
 
¶5.  After three hours Dadis ended the meeting.  At this point 
a representative of the Guinean Water and Electricity 
Company, which will be responsible for implementing the plan, 
rose to speak.  Dadis jumped up to the edge of the stage and 
began screaming at the man, as did several other CNDD 
members.  They said the man was being disrespectful by asking 
a question at the end of the meeting.  Red Berets charged 
into the seats and the man put his hands up and sat down.  A 
representative from the protocol office, who invited the 
diplomatic corps to the meeting, then stood up to ask a 
question as "a matter of protocol."  Dadis again jumped to 
the edge of the stage and screamed at the man that he was 
being disrespectful.  This time the man did not have the 
chance to sit down.  A half dozen Red Berets charged into the 
bleachers and dragged the man down the stairs, causing him to 
fall at the bottom of the stairs.  They picked him up and 
pushed him out of the studio. 
 
¶6.  Comment:  The substance of the meeting was lost in the 
circus-like atmosphere.  Dadis was as erratic as ever, at 
times appearing drowsy at other times jumping up and 
screaming. The heavily armed Red Berets bullied audience 
members and ejected several people who crossed them.  Dadis 
used the diplomatic corps to lend credibility to the meeting, 
saying how important it was to have them present. The 
audience of about 300 did not seem particularly enthused to 
see Dadis.  There was only a smattering of applause when he 
entered and left the studio.  Towards the end of the marathon 
session audience members were calling on the "President of 
the Republic" to end it.  It should be noted that there is a 
severe lack of electricity in Conakry and virtually no 
electricity up country, which may be contributing to Dadis's 
waning popularity.  End comment. 
BROKENSHIRE