VZCZCXRO8006
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHRY #0603 2731356
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301356Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4098
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000603 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: CONAKRY RELATIVELY CALM AS CITIZENS FOCUS ON 
MOURNING MONDAY'S VICTIMS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Conakry remains relatively calm as of 1300 on 
September 30, although there have been sporadic reports of 
violence.  There was a small demonstration in Taouyah with 
youths throwing rocks, but police intervened and peacefully 
dispersed the crowd.  There are currently reports of gunfire 
in the Bambeto and Cosa neighborhoods with gendarmes seen 
responding.  Contacts reported extensive looting in Cosa 
during the night, which has prompted shopkeepers to respond 
by removing all of their goods to their homes. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) ECON and PAS LES staff members called in after 
hearing reports on BBC and RFI regarding a group of men 
identified as Forestiers apparently roaming through Cosa, 
firing guns into the air.  Shouting "Dadis, Dadis, Dadis," 
the men are reportedly wearing red bandanas and civilian 
attire.  Another contact claimed that this same group was 
saying things like "we will kill all the Fulanis" (Peuhl). 
These civilian "militias" may have been accompanied by 
uniformed soldiers.  (COMMENT.  Embassy picked up a report 
yesterday suggesting that certain Forestiers have taken to 
wearing red bandanas, possibly as a sign of solidarity.  Some 
say that the red is meant to symbolize blood.  END COMMENT). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Conversations with key youth contacts indicate that 
no major mass movements are planned for today as 
socio-political actors are focused on organizing a national 
funeral for the victims of Monday's violence.  Sources report 
that youth remain enraged and are planning to react, but that 
their first priority is to honor the dead.  However, to do 
so, they need to reclaim the bodies that the military took 
into Camp Alpha Yaya.  Their focus today is on "negotiating" 
with Guinean authorities in order to arrange the funeral. 
Contacts insist that the funeral be public and widely 
attended in order to demonstrate the extent of the violence. 
 
¶4.  (U) CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara announced over 
national television and radio yesterday evening that 
September 30 and October 1 would be observed as national days 
of mourning with October 2 and October 3 being days of 
prayer.  (COMMENT.  October 2 is Guinea's national 
independence holiday.  END COMMENT). 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Although the current focus seems to be on the 
funeral, youth contacts emphasized that the battle is far 
from over.  Various groups are still holding meetings to 
decide on a course of action.  The current consensus seems to 
be that they will push for a national "movement" of the 
Forces Vives to demonstrate sustained opposition to the junta 
regime.  They gave no timeframe for this national movement 
except to say that it would be put in motion once the bodies 
are in the ground.  Contacts stressed that the CNDD's time is 
over and they must force an end to the military transition. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) With respect to reactions in the interior, contacts 
aid that local populations are planning to implement "ville 
morts" in many of the regional urban centers.  Such ville 
morts involve a total shutdown of businesses and public 
services with everyone staying home.  Contact mentioned that 
such plans may be put in place as early as today in places 
like Faranah, Mamou, and Labe.  Embassy has not yet received 
confirmation of such activity. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶7.  (SBU) The situation remains relatively calm, but uneasy. 
The city is approaching the point where people need to be 
able to get out to markets in order to buy food (septel to 
address economic situation).  Dadis conveniently shifted the 
country's focus to mourning, but people remain enraged over 
the situation.  Many contacts are resolute in their 
conviction that Dadis' time is over.  Before Monday, they 
were focused on ensuring that he refrained from presenting 
himself as a candidate.  They have moved beyond that stage 
and are now indicating that they will accept no less than a 
complete removal of the junta. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Although there are no organized movements planned 
for today, spontaneous incidents of violence are likely to 
continue, particularly in the Hamdallaye-Bambeto-Cosa 
corridor.  If youths organize to demand the bodies of the 
slain and the military refuses to turn them over, this could 
also be a flashpoint for violence.  END COMMENT. 
BROKENSHIRE