US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA243

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000243 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE 
 
FOR DRL/PHD - MICHAEL ORONA 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, ELAB, KDEM, KSEP, CF, HURI 
SUBJECT: CONGO/B:  SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND 
DEMOCRACY: THE U.S. RECORD (2004-5 REPORT) 
 
REF: 04 STATE 267453 
 
1. As requested in Reftel, here is the 2004-5 report on 
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 
for the Republic of Congo (Congo/Brazzaville). 
 
2. BEGIN TEXT: 
 
The Republic of Congo is ruled by a government in which 
most of the decision-making authority is vested 
directly in the Executive Branch.  Denis Sassou-Nguesso 
was elected President in March 2002, and in May and 
June of that year legislative elections were held for 
the Senate and the National Assembly in all 
jurisdictions, except for the Pool region where most of 
the 1997-2002 civil war and instability occurred.  Both 
the presidential and legislative elections were 
determined "not to contradict the will of the people" 
by independent monitors. 
 
In March 2003 the government signed a peace accord with 
the rebel forces known as Ninjas of Pasteur Ntumi, and 
the country has been relatively stable with a fragile 
calm since then.  Uncontrolled and unidentified armed 
elements have remained active in the Pool region, 
despite an ongoing demobilization and reintegration 
(DR) program. 
 
For most of 2004 the Government's human rights record 
had improved but major challenges and problems still 
remained.  There were reports that security forces were 
responsible for extrajudicial killings, as well as 
summary executions, rapes, beatings, physical abuse of 
detainees and citizens, arbitrary arrest and detention, 
looting, solicitation of bribes and theft.  Prison 
conditions were poor.  The judiciary continued to be 
overburdened, underfunded, and subject to political 
influence, bribery and corruption. 
 
Promoting respect for human rights served as the basis 
for U.S. embassy programs with the government, press 
and NGOs, and international organizations. 
 
Through civil-military dialogue and military training 
exchanges sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD), 
the U.S. Government encouraged greater military 
discipline, professionalism, and respect for human 
rights.  A high commission was established in 2002 for 
the reinsertion of former rebel militia members (some 
into civil society, some into the military) using World 
Bank (WB) funds.  Some reinsertion programs continued 
into 2004 under WB funding, and a new DR program began 
in 2004 under UNDP administration with European Union 
funding to address the Ninja combatants from the March 
2003 accords.  The March 2003 peace accords included a 
commitment from President Sassou that former Ninja 
militia would receive amnesty if they laid down their 
arms.  In addition, the Embassy continued to support a 
DOD-funded English-language training program for 
military officers intended to facilitate other types of 
training.  Medical equipment was provided to 
Brazzaville civilian hospitals from Excess Defense 
Articles.  DOD Humanitarian Assistance funds were used 
to provide vocational training for ex-combatants from 
the Pool region. 
 
To promote worker rights, the U.S. Department of Labor 
helped fund a two-year regional initiative by the 
International Labor Organization's International 
Program for the Elimination of Child Labor with the 
goal of demobilizing and rehabilitating child soldiers 
and reintegrating them into their former communities. 
U.S. Secretary Chao traveled to the region in December 
2003 to officially launch the program. 
 
In order to build general awareness of human rights 
among the population, the Embassy focused its efforts 
on youth, women and minorities.  The Embassy used the 
Democracy and Human Rights Funds for programs on the 
rights of key minority groups such as the pygmies and 
prevention of trafficking in children.  Through the 
Education for Development and Democracy Initiative 
(EDDI) and African Education Initiative, the Embassy 
supported funding of a local NGO to assist with 
scholarships for girls and girls' HIV/AIDS education. 
The success of this program resulted in an Appreciation 
Award of $143,750 in special additional funding in 
November 2003.  Other grants provided funds for 
educating the minority pygmy population about their 
rights and protecting their environment and traditional 
ways for the next generations; for anti-corruption 
seminars; for refugee assistance; for job training for 
women (particularly abused women) and orphans, for food 
production, sheltering and schools supplies for IDPs in 
the Pool, and trafficking in persons projects.  Grants 
have amounted to about $400,000 over three years. 
To promote good governance, the Mission provided a DHRF 
grant to a local NGO to conduct seminars on anti- 
corruption education for regional government officials 
and administrators.  It also organized a Public 
Diplomacy Speaker Program on anti-corruption for 30 
government and NGO officials.  Although the Government 
organized an Anti-Corruption Day in late 2003 and 
instituted an Anti-Corruption Office reporting directly 
to the Presidency during 2004, it abolished the Anti- 
Corruption Office during a reorganization of cabinet 
ministries in January 2005. 
 
Through demarches, discussions with the government and 
cooperation with the international community, the 
Embassy continued to stress the need for the Government 
to increase transparency in accounting for oil revenues 
and other public funds.  After initial difficulty, the 
government met minimal requirements for a Poverty 
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF).   However, the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that the 
Government still needs to improve accounting and 
transparency practices, particularly in the oil sector. 
We agree with the IMF assessment on this issue. 
 
The Embassy sponsored a national conference on 
preventing the blight on cassava that sought to promote 
food security by formulating a national policy to 
combat the diseases and improve production of this 
staple crop. 
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture donated excess U.S. 
agricultural commodities for a program administered by 
a U.S. NGO that sells them on the local market and uses 
the revenues to fund micro-finance lending for small 
business enterprise, expanding the private sector. 
 
END OF TEXT. 
 
3.  Brazzaville Embassy Office - Indyke. 
MEECE