US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA436

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000436 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
From Brazzaville Embassy Office 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ASEC, CF 
SUBJECT:  CONGO/B: POLITICAL ATMOSPHERICS - POOL REGION 
ELECTIONS ANNOUNCED, NINJAS STAND OFF IN BaCongo DISTRICT 
 
REFS:  (A) Kinshasa 00089  (B) Kinshasa 00080 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Over the last two weeks, both the Ninja 
and Pool Region issues have returned to the forefront of the 
political landscape in Congo-Brazzaville. Beginning with a 
stand off between "Ninjas" and security forces in the 
BaCongo neighborhood of Brazzaville followed by the 
Government's announcements of both the EU-UNDP Development 
and Reintegration (DR) Program and Pool Region elections in 
2005, there has been a return of political focus to the 
country's most lingering post-conflict issues. The war torn 
Pool region remains the biggest challenge to long term 
political stability and economic growth for the Congo. 
After almost a 10-month hiatus of any public discussion on 
Pool issues, it appears that the Government has decided to 
put the Region back on the political front burner. In 
addition, local and some international NGOs have stepped up 
their concerns about the overall lack of development of the 
Pool, releasing a negative report on the state of 
humanitarian affairs in the Region. It is important to note 
that the term "Ninja" in ROC is linked - sometimes rightly 
or wrongly - to any armed element that is not a member of 
formal Government forces. There is no large formalized 
"Ninja" group under the direct control of Pasteur Ntumi that 
existed prior to the March 2003 peace accords. Many of the 
"Ninjas" have splintered into small armed bands that harass 
and intimidate the local population. Some of these armed 
bands still have links to Ntumi, but do not necessarily take 
direction from him. That being said, Pasteur still has a 
selected following in Brazzaville, his forest base camp in 
Vindza, and other village centers in the heart of the Pool 
Region. The actual size of his current following and 
supporters is unknown. End Summary. 
 
 
Ninja-Gendarmes/Police March 3-4 Standoff: 
------------------------------------------ 
 
2. (U) The dust up between "Ninjas" and security forces over 
the March 3-4 period caused by a "Ninja" reportedly  in 
possession of cannabis was enough to again upset the 
delicate balance of stability in the BaCongo neighborhood of 
Brazzaville where many southern ethnic groups live. The 
social, professional, and economic divisions of the country 
still fall along the north-south ethnic lines, with the 
power and influence in all these areas lying with ethnic 
groups from the North. The recent stand off erupted when 
"Ninjas" sought to forcibly release from jail the "Ninja" 
arrested for having cannabis. No one was killed in the stand 
off and the Government and Ntumi associates later worked out 
an agreement that according to diplomatic, press and other 
Mission contacts, included receiving about CFA 21 million 
(approximately $USD 45,000) from the Government to stand 
down. 
 
Announcement of Pool Elections in 2005 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3. (U) On March 7, the Government announced that elections 
would be held in the Pool Region sometime in 2005 for the 
eight national assembly seats not contested in the 2002 
election because of the continued instability in the area at 
that time. During the course of the announcement, Government 
commentary on nationally-controlled TeleCongo -- almost in a 
pre-campaign position -- highlighted that recent March 3-4 
incidents in BaCongo demonstrated that Ntumi and his 
"Ninjas" did not truly desire peace or democracy and that 
the Congolese people should not consider him or his 
supporters viable participants in an election process. There 
are indications in the press that the government may 
consider holding the Pool elections prior to this year's 
August 15 national day celebrations. Meanwhile, UNDP's 
consultant for the EU-funded Development and Reintegration 
(DR) project arrived to begin implementing the DR program 
which will focus on encouraging former combatants and 
"Ninjas" in the Pool to turn in their weapons and 
participate in micro-enterprise activities such as 
agriculture and school rehabilitation. 
 
 
Negative NGO Reports on Pool Region 
----------------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) On top of the BaCongo incidents and the 
government's announcement of Pool Region elections this 
year, local NGOs working under the umbrella of Caritas 
issued a negative report on the humanitarian conditions in 
the area. The report cited that the Government is neglecting 
rehabilitating schools, villages, hospitals, infrastructure 
and the agricultural sector. (NB: During a recent trip to 
the Region, Ambassador saw first hand the devastation left 
by the 1997-2001 civil war. There are no roads or 
electricity in most areas, and homes, hospitals and schools 
remained war-torn, with bombed out school facilities housing 
1000 or more children. End NB). The government has not 
reacted well to the report and many officials see it as a 
coordinated attempt by some local NGOs to damage Congo's 
image. 
 
Comment: 
------- 
 
5. (SBU) Incidents in the BaCongo area of Brazzaville will 
likely continue to happen as current and former "Ninjas" try 
to coexist in the same area that has a large presence of 
security forces. Many of the "Ninjas" live in and around the 
house that the government had refurbished in late 2003 for 
Pasteur Ntumi.  However, Ntumi has thus far refused to leave 
his forest based camp in Vindza, remaining concerned about 
his personal safety.  Given the lack of infrastructure and 
confidence in the government process by many Pool Region 
villagers and residents and the lawlessness and harassment 
of the civilian population by uncontrolled elements of both 
the security forces and "Ninjas" in the Region, we will need 
to wait and see if the elections in this troubled area 
really will take place in the next 6-9 months. 
 
6. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Sanders 
MEECE