VZCZCXRO7327
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0023/01 0251838
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 251838Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0078
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE
SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/25 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPKO MONUC MOPS CG
SUBJECT: MONUC TROOPS ABANDON AID WORKERS, FARDC PILLAGES IDP CAMP 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: William J. Garvelink, Ambassador, STATE, Embassy 
Kinshasa; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  MONUC forces escorting aid workers in a North 
Kivu IDP camp abandoned their post on January 15 under threat from 
a rogue FARDC unit that then pillaged the camp.  MONUC's Force 
Commander lodged a protest with the commander of the South African 
soldiers (RSABATT) involved.  The Force Commander also reportedly 
demanded that the FARDC punish the FARDC punish the relevant 
officer and troops.  DCM met with deputy presidential chief of 
staff on January 19 to protest FARDC actions.  End summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On Friday, January 15, representatives of UNHCR, the 
German assistance agency (GTZ), and the Congolese National Refugee 
Committee were distributing food in an IDP camp located in Muhanga, 
approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Kitchanga, in North Kivu 
province.  Muhanga is a recent-caseload camp made up of persons who 
fled fighting in surrounding hills during Kimia II operations. 
These IDPs are primarily Rwandophone, presumably Hutu.  The 
agencies conducting the distribution were accompanied by a MONUC 
military escort consisting of South African soldiers (RSABATT). 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During the routine food distribution at approximately 
2pm, a convoy of two light pickups rented by International Medical 
Corps (IMC) was en route to Kitchanga, transporting building 
supplies for the rehabilitation of health centers in Mweso 
district, a USG-funded project.  Per IMC practice, the convoy was 
unescorted.  Along the road, the convoy was intercepted by a 
military unit wearing FARDC uniforms (Note:  The leader of the unit 
has since been identified as Major Muzungu.  End note).  The unit 
commandeered the IMC vehicles and, at gunpoint, ordered them to 
drive to Muhanga, where they arrived at approximately 3pm.  With 
IMC markings, the vehicles were admitted into the camp without 
inspection. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The FARDC unit appeared surprised to find the food 
distribution was already in progress and under RSABATT escort. 
While some witnesses say the RSABATT ordered the FARDC soldiers to 
depart the IDP camp, all accounts consistently report the FARDC 
soldiers leveled their weapons at the MONUC escort and ordered them 
to leave the camp.  Surprisingly, the South African blue helmets 
complied, abandoning the aid workers and IDPs. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Without armed opposition, the rogue FARDC unit assaulted 
several persons and looted the camp.  Civilian workers were 
"manhandled" and a GTZ driver beaten with a rifle butt is now in 
hospital.  The uniformed perpetrators robbed the camp of 
approximately $500 in cash and high value personal items such as 
mobile phones, and departed in the IMC vehicles.  The IMC vehicles 
and personnel were abandoned, unharmed, in Kitchanga. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (C) According to MONUC sources, RSABATT forces did not report 
the incident upon returning to their base.  The Force Commander 
strongly protested the break in discipline and procedure in a 
letter to the RSABATT commander.  The commander of MONUC's North 
Kivu brigade wrote to the commander of the Amani Leo operations in 
North Kivu, Colonel Bobo, demanding action against Major Muzungu, 
claiming the incident called into question MONUC-FARDC cooperation 
on Amani Leo.  On January 19, DCM raised the issue with President 
Kabila's deputy chief of staff Louise Mayumba, who was not aware of 
the incident.  She promised to look into the matter and get back to 
us. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (C) Comment:  Unfortunately, incidents of FARDC harassment of 
civilians are not infrequent.  What made this incident different 
was the presence of MONUC troops, who should have better protected 
the civilians.  Although MONUC's rules of engagement permit the use 
of deadly force against armed elements threatening or impeding the 
UN from carrying out its protection mission, doctrine adopted 
during Kimia II and Amani Leo place the FARDC into a special 
category.  "We tell our troops not to see the FARDC as the enemy," 
said MONUC operations planning officer for North Kivu, Col. Yogesh 
Sharma.  A decision to fire on FARDC troops, especially in a 
crowded civilian environment, would have nonetheless been a 
 
KINSHASA 00000023  002 OF 002 
 
 
difficult decision for a junior commander, or even any commander. 
The South Africans were clearly thinking that a forceful response 
might have escalated tensions resulting in greater violence.  They 
may have been right but the FARDC is emboldened as a result of 
their diffidence.  End comment. 
GARVELINK