US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1783

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001783 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPKO, MOPS, CG 
SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: OPERATIONS AGAINST MILITIAS "BEARING 
FRUIT" 
 
Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1. (C) Summary. Recent joint operations by MONUC and Armed 
Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) against 
militia groups in the Ituri district have seen promising 
results, according to MONUC officials. Nearly 1,000 militia 
members have turned themselves in during the past month and 
more are expected to do the same. The situation in Ituri 
remains precarious, however, due to the continuing 
proliferation of small arms and a lack of training on the 
part of FARDC troops. End Summary. 
 
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RENEWED EFFORTS AGAINST ITURI MILITIAS 
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2. (C) PolOff spoke with two MONUC officials October 26 
regarding recent military operations in Ituri district in the 
northeastern section of the DRC. Joint search-and-cordon 
operations between MONUC and the FARDC began in early October 
to control and disarm the militias still spread throughout 
the area. During the month of October, nearly 1,000 militia 
members, most of them from the Congolese Revolutionary 
Movement, have turned themselves in to either MONUC or FARDC 
troops for disarmament and demobilization. 
 
3. (C) Lt. Col. Mamadou Sane, MONUC Chief of Operations, said 
the FARDC missions, with the assistance of MONUC, were 
"bearing fruit" against the militias. Sane said now that 
FARDC and MONUC troops were engaging in coordinated 
operations throughout Ituri, militias have realized the 
strength of the forces aligned against them. Consequently, 
Sane described the militias as being in a "panic." Sane also 
said MONUC has noticed a lot of movement recently by 
militias, indicating that their operations have been greatly 
disrupted by MONUC-FARDC activities. 
 
4. (C) Sane said MONUC and the FARDC intend to keep their 
momentum against the militias going. A new series of joint 
operations between the two groups began October 25 in Ituri 
to force militias to disarm and surrender. These operations 
are initially focusing on areas around the towns of Boga, 
Mangbwalu, Mabanga and Aru. 
 
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MORE ATTACKS, BUT WITH POSITIVE RESULTS 
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5. (C) MONUC and FARDC forces are, however, being challenged 
and attacked by militia groups. On October 22, a Nepalese 
soldier with MONUC was wounded in the head during a firefight 
in Fataki. Four militia members attacked the Nepalese 
contingent when they arrived at the Fataki market to 
investigate reports of looting. The UN troops were 
immediately fired upon when they arrived. Three of the 
militia members fled the scene, while one surrendered and 
turned in his weapon. All were members of the Union of 
Congolese Patriots/Lubanga (UPC/L) militia group. 
 
6. (C) Two weeks before the attack in Fataki, a platoon of 
MONUC South Africa soldiers in Gina was ambushed while on 
patrol. The South African troops returned fire, but all 10 
militia members escaped. No soldiers were wounded, and one 
AK-47 rifle, plus ammunition, was recovered afterwards. 
 
7. (C) Since those two incidents, Sane said a large wave of 
militia surrenders have occurred. Sane reported 57 militia 
members have turned themselves in to FARDC troops in Fataki, 
in addition to nine members the morning of October 26. After 
the attack on Gina, 20 militia members turned themselves in 
to authorities. In addition, during a three-day period the 
week of October 17, 60 militia members surrendered to a 
Nepalese battalion in Djugu. Sane explained the large number 
of militia disarmament comes as a direct result of the more 
aggressive approach of MONUC and FARDC troops. He said the 
militias know these troops will fight back and have thus 
chosen to lay down their arms. 
 
8. (C) There are approximately 8,000 MONUC and FARDC troops 
currently conducting operations in Ituri. The FARDC's 1st and 
recently deployed 4th Integrated Brigades make up nearly 
6,000 soldiers. MONUC's contingent consists of nearly three 
battalions of more than 2,000 troops from Nepal, Pakistan, 
Morocco, Senegal and South Africa. 
 
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NOTES OF CAUTION 
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9. (C) MONUC Political Officer Oleg Sepelev said, however, 
that there is a need to be cautious regarding events in 
Ituri. Sepelev said no one is certain of the size and 
strength of militia forces, but he estimated that there are 
no more than 3,000 in Ituri. Sepelev also said there are 
continuing problems with ex-militia members not receiving 
their promised pay after going through DDR. (Note: 
Ex-militias are entitled to 100 USD in exchange for their 
weapons. End note.) Sepelev also said there is a problem of 
former militia members deserting DDR centers and rejoining 
local militias. He explained there is not enough control over 
the militias to ensure they remain demobilized, especially 
since there continue to be a large amount of small arms still 
being trafficked in the area. 
10. (C) Sepelev said the militias do appear to be 
encountering logistic difficulties as a result of the 
MONUC-FARDC operations. He explained that when many militia 
members turn in their weapons now, they only have four to six 
bullets remaining, indicating that supply routes have been 
severed. Normally, Sepelev said, militias have surrendered 
their weapons with a full stock of ammunition. 
 
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USAID REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS 
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11. (U) USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) has 
been running in Ituri programs for the reintegration of 
ex-combatants, involving approximately 5,000 people from 80 
different communities in the district. OTI's Synergie 
d'Education Communautaire et d'Appui a la Transition (SE-CA) 
program inaugurated five projects in September, including the 
rehabilitation of a general hospital in Bafwasende and the 
construction of the Kolomani peace market in Bunia. SE-CA 
participants have also assisted the Independent Election 
Commission with voter registration activities. 
 
12. (U) On October 14, USAID signed a contract with CONADER 
(the Congolese institution charged with DDR) to begin the 
reintegration of 11,200 ex-combattants in Ituri. The program, 
which will also include 5,040 non-combattants in its 
activities, consists of 4.7 million USD in CONADER (World 
Bank) funds, plus 1.7 million USD from USAID. This is the 
first of CONADER's national reintegration projects, and is 
expected to run until April 2006. 
 
13. (C) Comment. Reports of increasing militia disarmament in 
Ituri, on top of the gains achieved earlier this year, 
indicate the GDRC may well be able to bring increased 
stability to the violence-ravaged region. Further military 
successes will also boost confidence in the ranks of the 
FARDC, as they continue to face threats from other forces in 
the east. However, these successes come with large amounts of 
logistical support from MONUC; the FARDC alone could not deal 
with the militias. It is also important for military 
authorities to implement administrative reforms to improve 
pay, food and general conditions of support to field troops, 
a continuing major problem even for the integrated brigades. 
A voluminous report from the European Security Mission 
(EUSEC) is pending to effect such reforms. We will continue 
with other CIAT partners for rapid approval and 
implementation of the EUSEC recommendations. End Comment. 
MEECE