US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1654

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001654 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
STATE FOR AF/C ALLAN EASTHAM, C.PASCHALL 
STATE FOR INR/AA 
STATE FOR PRM TSTOLTZFUS 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA - JBORNS, MMARX, TMCRAE 
AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP - DWELLER, NCARLSON, NCOX 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OTI - GGOTTLIEB, AMARTIN 
AID/W FOR AFR - KO'DONNELL 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/OFDA/ARO - KSMITH 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/FFP - PFESSENDEN, ADEPREZ 
ROME FOR USUN FODAG - TLAVELLE 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
 
E.O. 12958; NA 
 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, PGOV, PHUM, CG 
SUBJECT:  GDRC WANTS TO CONTROL ACCESS TO IDPS 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  In a recent letter addressed to all 
humanitarian actors in DRC, the Minister of 
Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs accused the 
international community of not respecting human 
rights, of distributing expired consumables, and of 
coercing IDPS to return home and then abandoning them 
midway.  The Minister is henceforth insisting that 
all organizations collaborate fully with her ministry 
before implementing any interventions, and 
specifically requiring that they seek and obtain an 
authorization from her office before even approaching 
any IDPs in any way. IDP return programs would 
furthermore be obliged from now on to cover all 
phases of this process, including transportation home 
and socio-economic assistance after arrival.  The 
Humanitarian Advocacy Group, which is the senior 
forum for humanitarian planning in DRC, will respond 
to the letter at this point only with a request for 
clarification on the accusations and for a chance to 
meet directly with the minister. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
2. (U) On August 25, the Minister of Solidarity and 
Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs. Nzuzi wa Mbombo, released 
a letter addressed to "all humanitarian actors" in 
DRC in which she states that she has received reports 
that principles of international human rights have 
not been respected by the humanitarians, and that 
there have been, in fact, serious abuses committed in 
the name of humanitarian intervention. (Comment: 
Nzuzi represents the remnants of the MPR, Mobutu's 
former party.  End Comment.)  She also accused the 
international humanitarian community of distributing 
products whose expiration date had passed, and of 
"intimidating" IDPs to return when they were not yet 
ready, only to abandon them before they reached their 
destinations. 
 
3. (U) As a result, humanitarian agencies are now 
asked to respect the following three new rules: 
 
a. No agency may henceforth have access to IDPs in 
DRC without first obtaining an authorization from the 
Ministry of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs. 
 
b. All actions on behalf of IDPs in DRC must be fully 
planned prior to implementation in full collaboration 
with the Ministry of Solidarity and Humanitarian 
Affairs. 
 
c. Programs targeting the return of IDPs must 
guarantee coverage of all phases of this process, 
ranging from the provision of transportation to the 
delivery of post-return socio-economic recovery 
assistance. 
 
4. (U) The letter was discussed at the weekly meeting 
of the Humanitarian Advocacy Group on August 27, 
attended by OFDA and other donors as well as the 
heads of UN Agencies.  Group members decided to 
respond to the letter for now only by writing to ask 
for further clarification of the accusations and to 
request a meeting for UNOCHA leaders with the 
Minister herself. 
 
COMMENT 
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5. (SBU) In general, the humanitarian community does 
not hold this new ministry or this particular 
minister in very high regard, and suspects the letter 
is just the latest in a series of attempts by Nzuzi 
to secure control over some humanitarian resources. 
END COMMENT.