US embassy cable - 01KINSHASA300

S E C R E T KINSHASA 000300 
 
KUALA LUMPUR PLEASE PASS TO AMBASSADOR WILLIAM LACY SWING 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: GDRC CLAIMS KABILA ALIVE 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CDA BARRIE WALKLEY FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (U) THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS WAS SUMMONED TO THE OAU VILLAGE 
EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 17. PRESIDENTIAL CHEF DE 
CABINET GEORGES BUSE PRESIDED OVER THE MEETING AND READ A 
SHORT COMMUNIQUE; HE WAS FLANKED BY GENERAL EDDY KAPEND AND 
KABILA ADVISOR AND COUNSEL JEAN MBUYU. 
 
2. (U) BUSE SAID KABILA WAS WOUNDED IN THE JANUARY 16 
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, GIVEN INITIAL MEDICAL TREATMENT IN 
KINSHASA AND THEN FLOWN "OUT OF THE COUNTRY" FOR ADDITIONAL 
MEDICAL TREATMENT, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS DOCTOR AND THE MINISTER 
OF HEALTH. (NOTE: BUSE DID NOT IDENTIFY THE DESTINATION, BUT 
EVERYONE ASSUMES IT TO HAVE BEEN HARARE.) 
 
3. (U) THE GDRC HAD THIS MORNING DECIDED IN AN EXTRAORDINARY 
SESSION OF MINISTERS, BUSE SAID, THAT UNTIL KABILA IS ABLE TO 
RETURN, HIS SON -- GENERAL JOSEPH KABILA -- WOULD ACT AS 
COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT. 
 
4. (U) BUSE SAID THE GDRC URGED CALM AND A RETURN TO 
NORMALCY.  THE GDRC CONSEQUENTLY HAD TAKEN TWO DECISIONS: THE 
AIRPORTS WILL BE REOPENED AND THE CURFEW RELAXED (NEW CURFEW 
HOURS ARE TO BE 2200-0500). 
 
5. (U) BUSE CONCLUDED HIS REMARKS BY SAYING THE GDRC WISHES 
KABILA A PROMPT RECOVERY. 
 
6. (U) AT THE END OF THE MEETING, THE DIPS WERE LINED UP AND 
IN WALKED JOSEPH KABILA TO SHAKE EVERYONE'S HAND.  CHARGE 
TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT HIS HAND ON KABILA'S 
SHOULDER; HE DID NOT APPEAR INJURED IN ANY WAY (CONTRARY TO 
SOME RUMORS THAT HE HAD BEEN SHOT). 
 
7. (S) WHEN CHARGE WAS WALKING OUT, HE WAS APPROACHED 
SEPARATELY BY JEAN MBUYU AND VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
ILUNGA AWAN.  BOTH DISCREETLY SAID THAT JOSEPH KABILA SEEKS A 
PRIVATE MEETING WITH CHARGE THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING (TIME 
NOT YET IDENTIFIED) AND ASKED THAT THIS BE KEPT IN 
CONFIDENCE. 
 
8. (C) COMMENT: IT IS DIFFICULT AT THE MOMENT TO DETERMINE 
THE TRUTH.  IS KABILA ALIVE, OR IS THIS SIMPLY A CYNICAL GDRC 
LINE DESIGNED TO EARN ADDITIONAL TIME FOR MANEUVER? 
 
9. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: WHATEVER THE TRUTH ABOUT KABILA'S 
CONDITION, THE CHOICE OF JOSEPH KABILA AS INTERIM HEAD OF 
GOVERNMENT APPEARS TO BE AN ASTUTE MOVE.  NO DOUBT THOSE 
BEHIND THE SCENE SEE HIM AS A MALLEABLE FIGUREHEAD WHO IS 
PRESENTABLE TO THE PEOPLE (AND WHO, FOR THE TIME BEING AT 
LEAST, MAKES POSSIBLE A PUBLIC PAPERING-OVER OF THE SERIOUS 
MILITARY AND POLITICAL SPLITS IN THE GDRC). 
 
 
WALKLEY