VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0936/01 2951624
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221624Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7398
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY 0349
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 1978

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000936 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC CG ZXA ZF RW
SUBJECT: MOMENTUM BUILDING TO BOLSTER MONUC'S MANDATE AND 
STREAMLINE ITS TASKS 
 
REF: STATE 107296 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  MONUC SRSG Doss told the Security 
Council on October 16 that progress continued on 
integrating the DRC army (FARDC), but noted that the FDLR 
had not been neutralized and LRA remnants were still 
active.  In closed consultations with Council members, Doss 
said that LRA elements had moved to the Central African 
Republic, highlighting the need for a regional approach and 
for MONUC to work with other UN operations in the region. 
Ambassador Rice expressed concern about the effect the 
FARDC's operations are having on the civilian population. 
All Council members urged the continuation of "Kimia II." 
France, the UK, and Uganda, as well as Doss, called for 
security sector reform elements to be included in a revised 
MONUC mandate later this year.  DRC PermRep Ileta told the 
Council that MONUC "must succeed" and suggested that the 
UNSC, MONUC, and DRC work together to develop a roadmap to 
transition the mission from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
PROGRESS AGAINST THE FDLR 
 
¶2. (SBU) On October 16, UN Organization Mission in the 
Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) Special Representative 
of the Secretary General (SRSG) Alan Doss told the Security 
Council in an open session that since his last report three 
months ago, MONUC has helped return security to the DRC, 
but cautioned against "resting on our laurels."  Doss 
reported that the Congolese Armed Forces' (FARDC) actions 
to combat the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of 
Rwanda (FDLR) had made progress.  He said that more FDLR 
combatants and their dependents were being repatriated to 
Rwanda and refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
were returning home.  However, the FDLR had not been 
neutralized and attacks continued in North and South Kivu 
provinces, as well as in Orientale province where remnants 
of the Lord's Resistance Army of Uganda (LRA) were still 
active.  Doss said more pressure needed to be put on FDLR 
leaders who were outside of DRC through criminalizing the 
militia under the Convention against Transnational 
Organized Crime. 
 
MONUC'S PROTECTION MANDATE 
 
¶3. (SBU) Doss told the Council that since it had mandated 
(in UNSCR 1856) MONUC to focus on civilian protection, the 
mission had identified protection hotspots and established 
mobile operating bases.  More than 50 operations by joint 
protection teams had been launched, guided by a Rapid 
Response and Intelligence Cell.  MONUC's troops have also 
provided, according to Doss, protection against attacks by 
armed elements to facilitate the safe delivery of 
humanitarian assistance.  In closed consultations following 
the open session, Doss told Council members that additional 
troops authorized by UNSCR 1843 were being placed in 
eastern DRC as a reserve.  He underlined that "presence 
equals protection."  He also noted that the "FDLR 
insurgency" cannot be dealt with if the FARDC is not sound, 
calling for continued joint planning, which he noted "does 
not always work."  He added that President Kabila is fully 
committed to FARDC's improvement and reintegration. 
 
PROGRESS ON MILITARY AND POLITICAL FRONTS 
 
¶4. (SBU) To strengthen MONUC's operations, Doss told the 
Council that the first elements of the additional 3,000 
forces authorized last year had begun to arrive in the 
east.  Given the improved situation in western DRC, Doss 
will leave only 500 military personnel in that portion of 
the country.  Overall, air assets were still lacking.  Doss 
said that implementation of the 23 March agreements on the 
CNDP were also progressing but timetables for local 
elections might be pushed back to late 2010, as the enabli 
ng legislation was lagging.  The justice sector, and 
particularly the prison system, needed to be strengthened. 
In closed consultations, Doss noted that "Kimia II" has 
exposed joint planning (with the FARDC) problems.  He added 
that IDPs are returning to the areas they were leaving just 
a year ago.  Doss noted with concern that elements of the 
LRA had moved to the Central African Republic, highlighting 
the need for a regional approach and for MONUC to work with 
other UN operations in the region, so that the LRA problem 
is not just displaced, but solved. 
 
PREPARING TO REVISE MONUC'S MANDATE... 
 
¶5. (SBU) Doss pointed out that next month marks the 10-year 
anniversary of MONUC, and asked Council members to remember 
E 
 
 
the many successes the mission has enjoyed over that time. 
He said that MONUC's mandate, outlined in UNSCR 1856, 
includes 41 tasks that allowed the mission a necessary 
flexibility in carrying out its work.  Nonetheless, Doss 
urged the Council to help rationalize the demands and 
expectations for the mission.  As part of the process 
related to forming MONUC's Integrated Strategic Framework, 
the SYG's Policy Committee had recommended three areas to 
consider when reworking the mission's mandate, including 
evaluating the peace process; the status of DRC's 
democratic process and elections; and security sector 
reform (SSR).  He warned against leaving prematurely as 
doing so would provide the opportunity for rebel groups to 
rearm themselves, undermining resolve and weakening efforts 
for sustainable peace in the region. 
 
...WHILE LOOKING TO TRANSITION TO PEACEBUILDING FUNCTIONS 
 
¶6. (SBU) Doss led the charge for a potential drawdown of 
MONUC's forces beginning in 2011 if all ongoing operations, 
particularly in the east, prove successful and the 
Congolese Government enjoys the necessary capacity to 
assume its functions.  In closed consultations with Council 
members following the open meeting, Doss identified the 
important areas for MONUC's mandate going forward as SSR 
and rule of law. 
 
DRC PERMREP OFFERS THOUGHTS ON MONUC AND A SOBERING TAKE ON 
THE SITUATION 
 
¶7. (SBU) DRC PermRep Atoki Ileta told Council members that 
MONUC "must succeed" and must exit successfully; he added 
that the Congolese people do not want a hasty withdrawal, 
nor do they want the mission to stay forever.  To 
accomplish a drawdown, Ileta suggested the UNSC, MONUC, and 
DRC work together to develop a roadmap to transition from 
peacekeeping to peacebuilding.  He suggested that a new UN 
Office for Central Africa should be headquartered in DRC 
to, inter alia, facilitate such a transition. (Note: Ileta 
said he had an exchange of letters with SYG Ban on this 
matter.)  He also noted that there is an ongoing need to 
significantly weaken or "annihilate" armed groups in his 
country. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Ileta reminded Council members of Foreign Minister 
Thambwe's comments during the UNGA General Debate about 
crimes of sexual violence, which he characterized as the 
worst so far in the 21st century.  He added that he was 
personally shocked by the alleged gang rape by MONUC troops 
of an 18 year old woman in Kinshasa airport in late July. 
He requested information on who decided not to prosecute 
the alleged perpetrators and questioned the validity of the 
UN's "zero tolerance" for sexual abuse policy.  (Note: Doss 
in closed consultations said MONUC had fully investigated 
the claim and found no evidence of rape.)  He said the new 
SRSG for Sexual Violence could play a role in such cases, 
but that the new SRSG "must be a woman."  He also raised 
the issue of HIV/AIDS on the peace and security situation 
in Africa, including in DRC.  To demonstrate his point, he 
said that Orientale province has an AIDS prevalence rate 
four-times higher than the national average.  He reflected 
that if the UNSC had taken action in 1999 (when MONUC was 
created) to address HIV/AIDS in DRC, he would not be 
addressing the same issue today. 
 
PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS A KEY, ONGOING CONCERN OF COUNCIL 
MEMBERS 
 
¶9. (SBU) As the meeting continued in closed consultations, 
all Council members expressed their strong support for 
MONUC's work, but noted concerns about the protection of 
civilians.  All members supported continuing the "Kimia II" 
operation, but condemned human rights violations committed 
in relation to that operation, and in all other aspects. 
Most Council members reflected on the upcoming mandate 
renewal, and expressed at least some level of support for a 
drawdown plan as called for by SRSG Doss.  A number of 
Council members called for MONUC to play a role in 
protecting natural resources, but did not offer specifics 
on how the mission could do that. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Ambassador Rice acknowledged progress against the 
FDLR and LRA, but expressed concern about the effect the 
FARDC's operations were having on the civilian population. 
She urged the continuation of "Kimia II."  She said MONUC's 
highest priority should be the protection of civilians in 
vulnerable areas.  She also noted positive steps in the 
protection of human rights throughout DRC, but said the 
U.S. remains deeply concerned about the increase in 
 
 
reported violations perpetrated by foreign armed groups and 
Congolese security forces.  She commended MONUC's work to 
implement the Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual 
Violence in the DRC and the hiring of a Senior Advisor on 
Sexual Violence.  Ambassador Rice said that, with MONUC's 
mandate coming up for renewal in December, Council members 
need to ensure the mandate is both achievable and credible 
in the short- and long-term. 
 
¶11. (SBU) French PermRep Araud called for a global strategy 
for the transition of MONUC to a mission with less of a 
military focus.  He said the European Union, in particular, 
has a responsibility to "do more" in DRC.  He also urged 
Council members to look at how the situation on the ground 
has changed over the last year when considering revising 
MONUC's mandate.  UK PermRep Sawers--in his last Council 
meeting before heading back to London for his next 
assignment--offered effusive praise for Doss.  Echoing 
Araud's comments, he recalled where things stood just one 
year ago and attributed the improvement to the UN's 
presence in DRC.  Sawers called for a clearer role for 
MONUC in SSR, noting how ill-equipped the mission was in 
that area.  On sexual violence, he said that "we have 
changed the attitude and put the spotlight on the problem," 
but that we had not solved it. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Russia said MONUC's mandate needed to be 
realistic, effective, and focused on civilian protection, 
and that neutralizing FDLR forces by only military means 
would not be enough.  Russia expressed serious concern over 
the increased humanitarian problems caused by "Kimia II." 
China said the Congolese Government should expedite 
reintegration efforts and strongly condemned the FDLR and 
LRA's incessant reprisals against civilians. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Ugandan PermRep Rugunda praised MONUC's work 
supporting the FARDC and said it should continue because 
"we can see the results."  He recalled the Council's trip 
to Africa in May when PermReps visited a camp in Rwanda 
where 500 former FDLR combatants had been repatriated.  On 
protection of civilians, Rugunda said that MONUC should 
talk to rebels, but if they refuse to "talk peace," there 
was no alternative but to neutralize them militarily (he 
reflected on Uganda's own experience in this regard).  He 
called for including SSR in MONUC's mandate and a greater 
role for institution building among the Congolese 
Government. 
 
DOSS TELLS RICE KABILA IS COMMITTED TO VETTING 
 
¶14. (SBU) In a private meeting with Ambassador Rice before 
the briefing, Doss said that it was necessary to cut off 
the FDLR from its base of financial support, including its 
illegal mining revenues. Rice reaffirmed the U.S. 
commitment to pursue allegations against FDLR supporters in 
the U.S., and stressed the need for credible information so 
that the U.S. could take action.  In response to Rice's 
question, Doss said President Kabila was committed to 
vetting the members of the FARDC and Doss suggested imple 
menting the U.S. vetting standards for all FARDC members. 
He noted the greatest problem in the FARDC was removing 
command-level officers who had been integrated from 
militias, but who stood accused of human rights 
violations.  On the "FARDC 5," Doss said all were removed 
from command positions, two were in custody, two were under 
a form of "house arrest," and one had absconded.  Doss said 
Rwanda needed to apply pressure on the ex-CNDP members to 
ensure proper vetting.  Doss said MONUC would agree to help 
the Ugandans combat the LRA, but MONUC would need DRC 
support and Security Council approval. 
 
¶15. (U) Ambassador Rice has cleared this cable. 
Wolff