VZCZCXRO6314
RR RUEHGI
DE RUEHKI #1085/01 3491006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151006Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0419
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1501
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 0025
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0033
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0209
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0001
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0312
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1307
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2302
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0802
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KINSHASA 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
KHARTOUM PLS PASS JUBA 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
ADDIS FOR REFCOORD 
KAMPALA FOR REFCOORD 
NDJAMENA FOR REFCOORD 
NAIROBI FOR USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS CG
SUBJECT: LRA UPDATE REPORT - DRC 
 
REF: STATE 118217 
 
¶1. Below is information keyed to reftel request.  This report 
represents a compilation of statistics and information from 
various governmental, non-governmental, MONUC, and press 
sources.  Post cannot fully verify the various information, 
nor ensure that the information is exhaustive.  It represents 
our best estimate of the current situation. 
 
LRA Attacks 
----------- 
 
¶2.  How many LRA attacks have occurred during the reporting 
period? 
 
Between January and August 2009, a total of 271 attacks 
targeted the civilian population in the Haut Uele and Bas 
Uele Districts of Orientale Province. 
 
¶3.  How many deaths, casualties, rapes, and abductions due to 
LRA attacks have been reported? 
 
Since January 2009, 1,288 people were killed and an 
additional 2,079 were abducted with 515 of the abductees 
being children.  According to OCHA, since December 2007, 
1,376 civilians have been killed and 2,337 (including 676 
children) were abducted.  There are rumors that the LRA will 
launch an attack around Christmas 2009 in the province. 
 
¶4.  Where have the attacks occurred? 
 
The majority of attacks and civilian population casualties 
occurred in Haut Uele District. 
 
¶5.  What are estimated numbers of LRA combatants and 
non-combatants and in what location? 
 
The LRA in the DRC is made up of three groups:  Ugandan 
soldiers from Joseph Kony's Acholi tribe, Sudanese soldiers, 
and conscripted Congolese.  According to MONUC, there are 
less than 70 LRA combatants currently in Bas Uele and Haut 
Uele.  They are concentrated in the areas around Bangadi, 
Gilima, and Dungu.  Due to large numbers of surrenders in 
recent months, MONUC believes the LRA is losing its 
cohesiveness in the DRC. 
 
¶6.  Have LRA movements been reported?  To/from where? 
 
Following the Ugandan army bombardment on December 14, 2008 
of the main LRA base in Garamba National Park in Haut Uele, 
the LRA rebels dispersed into smaller groups with increasing 
capacity to harm civilians.  After several large scale 
attacks in December 2008-January 2009, LRA attacks have 
diminished in size, though not in quantity.  The groups moved 
to the territories of Dungu, Faradje, Niangara and Watsa in 
Haut Uele and Ango and Poko in Bas Uele.  In September 2009, 
a priest in Isiro-Nyangara and other witnesses stated that 
the LRA was located along the banks of the Nzoro River near 
Kafuli, Mariadro, Biriki, Kialo, Nyari, and Kariyo.  There is 
also a possible LRA base at Kirakedhe.  Witnesses have 
reported seeing LRA stealing food near Mowa Mountain and 
Tomati. 
 
¶7. Are other forces in the area that might be responsible for 
attacks which are attributed (perhaps wrongly) to the LRA? 
 
Attacks by small LRA groups are sometimes indistinguishable 
from those of ordinary bandits or undisciplined FARDC 
elements.  LRA attacks can often be distinguished by 
kidnapping and mutilation.  Two additional militia groups 
 
KINSHASA 00001085  002 OF 004 
 
 
primarily located in Ituri District are responsible for 
creating refugees and contributing to the unstable security 
presence in the province.  They are the Popular Front for 
Justice in Congo (FPCJ) and the Front for the Patriotic 
Resistance of Ituri (FRPI). 
 
LRA-Affected Populations 
------------------------ 
 
¶8.  How many internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees 
have been displaced by LRA and related operations against the 
LRA since September 2008? 
 
The total number of LRA related displaced persons is between 
400,000 and 540,000.  In the two primary districts alone, at 
least 261,000 people were displaced between January and 
August 2009 and around 125,000 left their homes around the 
end of August to early September 2009.  Number of IDPs in 
Haut Uele: 231,738 and in Bas Uele: 47,940.  In addition, 
42,500 LRA related IDPs are in Ituri District.  Other 
refugees are in Sudan and CAR with the breakdown as follows: 
27,327 from Haut Uele and 161 from Bas Uele. 
 
¶9.  What is the location of refugee/displaced populations? 
 
There are 10,000 IDPs located in Dingila and 15,000 families 
in Ango.  Other IDPs in Haut Uele are found in Dungu, 
Faradje, Niangara, Rungu, and Watsa.  In Bas Uele, IDPs are 
located in Bondo, Bambesa, Buta, Poko, and Ango.  Most of the 
refugees from Haut Uele are in Central and Western Equatoria, 
South Sudan while refugees from Bas Uele are in Obo, Central 
African Republic. 
 
¶10.  What is the expected time-line for displaced populations 
to return home? 
 
OCHA and UNHCR believe that the situation is unstable and a 
majority of the populations will remain displaced through 
¶2010.  In some cases, IDPs are likely to settle permanently. 
On a positive note, 35,000 returnees registered in Dungu and 
Faradje. 
 
Security Response 
----------------- 
 
¶11.  What host government actions have been taken against LRA 
forces? UN actions?  UPDF? Other? 
 
In September, relatively well-trained, disciplined Republican 
Guard forces were replaced by FARDC troops, many of which 
were integrated CNDP and Mai Mai troops.  Currently 6,000 
FARDC troops are deployed in Haut Uele.  MONUC believes that 
due to lack of regular salary payment, the FARDC may be 
losing control of these troops.  In consultation with the 
humanitarian community, MONUC deployed to Dingila but 
peacekeeping forces are still needed in Ango, Banda, and 
Dakwa.  Fifty-six LRA rebels have been demobilized through 
MONUC's DDRRR program through August 2009.  The UPDF's 
actions between Faradje and Kurukwata have weakened the LRA 
in that region. 
 
¶12.  Have any cross-border coordination efforts taken place 
between these forces/agencies? N/A 
 
¶13.  What are the effects on civilians of operations against 
the LRA?  Have there been reports of human rights abuses by 
security forces responding in LRA-affected areas? 
 
There are unconfirmed, but persistent reports of the LRA 
mutilating civilians who the group accused of talking to 
 
KINSHASA 00001085  003 OF 004 
 
 
authorities.  NGOs have reported that the FARDC stationed in 
the area have been generally well-disciplined, but there is 
concern that newly arrived, newly-integrated battalions may 
be less disciplined. 
 
¶14.  Has information sharing and coordination by national 
militaries with the UN been sufficient to allow proactive 
civilian protection efforts by peacekeepers? 
 
The UPDF primarily acts unilaterally against the LRA, and it 
does not share tactically relevant information with the FARDC 
or MONUC. 
 
¶15.  What are future plans for anti-LRA operations and/or 
civilian protection efforts by these forces/agencies? N/A 
 
¶16.  Have UN peacekeeping operations effectively conditioned 
support to national militaries on their respect for human 
rights, or does such support continue despite reports of 
human rights abuses by those militaries against civilians? 
 
Three hundred soldiers of the 508th battalion attended a 
workshop on the protection of civilians.  The protection 
cluster of Kisangani organized the event.  UNHCR, MONUC/Human 
Rights, and the International Committee of the Red Cross 
(ICRC) presented modules on international humanitarian law, 
international protection of civilians and human rights. 
 
Humanitarian Response 
--------------------- 
 
¶17.  Which host government agencies, UN agencies, 
non-governmental organizations, community-based 
organizations, etc. are responding to humanitarian needs in 
LRA affected areas? 
 
There is no knowledge of host nation agencies responding to 
the humanitarian needs in these areas.  Active UN agencies 
are WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNOCHA, and MONUC.  USG funds support 
all of these agencies.  Active NGO agencies supported by USG 
funding are Mercy Corps, Premiere Urgence, Samaritan's Purse, 
and German Agro Action.  Solidarites and COOPI are indirectly 
funded by the USG, as they are the implementing partners for 
UNICEF/OFDA projects.  Other active NGOs are Oxfam-Quebec, 
Medecins Sans Frontieres, Medair, LWF, ShelterBox, and 
Oxfam-Great Britain.  There are twenty international and 
national NGOs operating in areas outside of Dungu. 
 
¶18.  Please describe humanitarian operations/activities 
currently underway in support of LRA-affected populations. 
 
OCHA has a sub-office in Dungu, Haut Uele District, Orientale 
Province.  UNHCR has partnered with Oxfam-Quebec on 
comprehensive protection monitoring in addition to 
distribution of NFI kits to 2,655 households as of July.  It 
is also active in SGBV, HIV and health and nutrition 
activities.  As part of the UNHCR protection strategy, 
Premier Urgence and LWF with funding from CERF are 
implementing a shelter program in both districts. 
ShelterBox, another transitional shelter company is in talks 
with UNHCR to provide services in Bas Uele. Access to 
affected areas has been hampered by volatile security 
conditions and minimal road infrastructure.  This is 
particularly true in the Dungu region.  MONUC established a 
base in Dingila in July 2009 enabling food and non-food 
humanitarian assistance for approximately 10,000 IDPs.  In 
Qhumanitarian assistance for approximately 10,000 IDPs.  In 
addition, humanitarian groups have created joint protection 
team (JPT) missions for protection needs assessments.  The 
establishment of MONUC bases in Duru and Faradje has somewhat 
improved the security situation for humanitarian 
 
KINSHASA 00001085  004 OF 004 
 
 
organizations operating in the area. 
 
¶19.  Please describe coordination of these efforts.  Is OCHA 
coordinating?  Host government? Are there regular protection 
cluster meetings focusing on LRA affected areas?  Is there 
adequate information sharing among NGOs on the ground, UN 
peacekeepers and national militaries involved in operations 
against the LRA? 
 
OCHA coordinates the efforts in Dungu and Bunia.  The host 
government does not participate in these coordination 
efforts, but some local civil society groups like CARITAS are 
involved in the coordination.  Regular protection cluster 
meetings on LRA affected areas take place in Bunia.  There is 
informal consensus among NGOs and UN humanitarian agencies 
that there is a lack of adequate information sharing between 
the FARDC and MONUC. 
 
¶20.  What are the current humanitarian gaps in LRA affected 
areas? 
 
NGOs and UN agencies have provided food and non-food 
humanitarian assistance to 45% of the IDP population in Haut 
and Bas Uele.  There are still 13,000 IDPs around Faradje 
that have not received any assistance for the past four 
months.  The security situation and lack of road 
infrastructure make delivery of assistance difficult. 
 
¶21.  Have there been attacks on NGOs/humanitarin groups, and 
if so how has this impacted efforts to respond to 
humanitarian needs in LRA affected areas? 
 
Between April and June 2009, seven attacks occurred after 
humanitarian distribution.  The humanitarian community is 
implementing a "Do No Harm" principle in coordination with 
conditions formulated by CPIA (the provincial humanitarian 
coordination mechanism).  In September, LRA elements in Obo, 
CAR killed three members of the Italian NGO COOPI.  In March, 
members of MSF were captured near Banda and Boeli but managed 
to escape via motorbike. 
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