US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1567

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/15 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, PGOV, KPKO, CG, UG 
SUBJECT: LRA UPDATE: MONUC MISSION ARRIVES IN ABA, FARDC 
DEPLOYMENT DELAYED 
 
REF: A. KINSHASA 1559 
 
     B. KAMPALA 2067 
     C. KINSHASA 1532 
     D. KINSHASA 1519 
 
Classified By: PolCouns MSanderson, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1. (C)  Three MONUC aircraft arrived in Aba late afternoon 
September 25 with Sixth Military Regional Commander General 
Padiri, several MONUC DDRRR experts and UNHCR officials. 
They were met by LRA Colonel Otti and taken to the LRA camp. 
Initial discussions were not promising, however.  The LRA has 
rejected unconditional disarmament.  Otti told Padiri that he 
could not make any commitments, that only Kony could.  When 
Padiri called Kony in Sudan, Kony said that he would have to 
"talk to his Washington mediator" and get back to Padiri with 
a proposal for conditional disarmament. 
 
2. (C)  MONUC Force Commander Gaye said that talks with 
Ugandan military leaders in Kampala September 23 were 
positive in nature, and that the Ugandan military assured him 
that at this time there is no intent to undertake a military 
action into DRC territory.  Although Gaye was accompanied by 
FARDC officers, whose presence was welcomed by the Ugandans, 
the Ugandans reiterated their desire to meet with Congolese 
Army Chief of Staff Kisempia as soon as possible.  (Comment: 
It is not clear whether Kisempia will go to Kampala today, in 
advance of the proposed Museveni visit to Kinshasa.  End 
Comment.) 
 
3. (C)  The planned FARDC deployment September 25 from 
Kinshasa of a so-called commando element did not take place 
due to lack of fuel for the aircraft.  Air Force Commander 
John Numbi told PolCouns September 25 that he had notified 
Kisempia of the problem and asked Kisempia to contact MONUC. 
(Comment:  MONUC was unaware of the fuel problem when 
PolCouns spoke to them in the evening of September 25, but 
they are prepared to assist the Congolese if asked September 
26.  This is the kind of logistical problem that typifies 
FARDC operations and limits their effectiveness. End 
Comment.)  Numbi claimed that as the movement was to take 
place on Sunday he could not force a private company to 
provide the fuel, although he assured PolCouns that the 
deployment would take place early on September 26 with 
assistance from private companies.  These commando troops are 
destined to reinforce the First Integrated Brigade elements 
already dispatched by General Padiri to Aba.  (Comment: 
Numbi identified the "commando" troops as those who had been 
stationed at Beni and subsequently transferred to the Kamina 
training base.  If so, this would mean they are 
non-integrated MLC troops from Vice President Bemba, a 
troublesome lot that were shipped to Kamina to stop their 
excessive predation on civilians in Beni.  End Comment.) 
 
4. (C)  Presidential Private Secretary Kikaya bin Karubi told 
PolCouns that President Kabila appreciated the points made by 
A/S Frazer in their telecon September 24, and said that the 
presidency is very aware of the sensitivity of the issue and 
its potential destabilizing effect on the region and the 
Congolese electoral process.  The Congolese are not 
comfortable with the proposed visit to Kinshasa by President 
Museveni at this time, but have not yet rejected the idea out 
of hand. 
 
5. (C)  Comment:  The area in Orientale province in which the 
LRA is present is very remote, north of Ituri District in 
Haut-Vele district.  It is therefore outside the normal 
operating area of the FARDC First Integrated Brigade, or 
indeed any area of traditional FARDC operations.  MONUC did 
deploy some fuel bladders to Aru (Ituri district -- almost 
150 kms from Aba) the nearest point with some MONUC and FDRC 
support structures.  The fuel bladders addressed problems 
posed by fuel shortages in the general area, and permitted 
the MONUC/GDRC/UNHCR September 25 visit to take place.  We 
assume the air transport for the commandos would also need to 
go to Aru as it is the only reasonably serviceable airstrip 
in the area, with further deployment to Aba required from 
there.  The FARDC troops may make it out of Kinshasa today 
but given the above difficulties probably will not reach Aba 
until at least tomorrow. 
MEECE