US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA1876

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001876 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KPKO, CG, UG, SU 
SUBJECT: LRA UPDATE: MONUC-FARDC PLAN SEARCH-AND-CORDON OPS 
 
REF: A. KAMPALA 2342 
 
     B. KINSHASA 1770 
     C. KINSHASA 1784 
 
Classified By: PolOff CBrown, reasons 1.4 b/d. 
 
1. (C) Summary. According to MONUC sources, Operation Eastern 
Endeavour is to begin in the vicinity of Aba on November 10, 
encompassing forces from MONUC and the Armed Forces of the 
Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in an effort to identify 
and capture any elements of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) 
within DRC territory. The operation is expected to last two 
weeks. However, MONUC military sources have no solid 
confirmation of any LRA presence in the DRC, despite civilian 
sightings of military personnel near the DRC-Sudan border. 
End Summary. 
 
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OPERATION EASTERN ENDEAVOUR 
--------------------------- 
 
2. (C) All following information comes directly from a 
November 7 internal MONUC restricted memorandum from the 
Eastern Division Commanding Officer to MONUC Force Commander 
Lt. Gen. Babacar Gaye, in addition to conversations with 
military sources at MONUC's Eastern Military Division 
headquarters. Operation Eastern Endeavour, a joint operation 
between MONUC and the FARDC, is scheduled to begin November 
10. The operation has been in development for several weeks 
following the reported infiltration of LRA leader Vincent 
Otti and other LRA troops into DRC in September. During the 
past month, MONUC and FARDC forces have conducted several 
patrols in the Aba region along the DRC-Sudan border near 
Garamba Park. Eastern Endeavour will be the next step in a 
continuing series of operations aimed at locating and 
capturing any LRA elements in the DRC. 
 
3. (C) The FARDC and MONUC have been moving their respective 
forces into position in northeastern DRC for the past two 
weeks. On November 2, a MONUC military observer team from 
Bunia was deployed to Aba, as was one platoon from the MONUC 
Nepalese battalion. From November 7-9, two companies from the 
Nepalese battalion will establish a base of operations in the 
area. These two companies will work jointly with 
approximately 1,200 FARDC troops during a two-week period. 
 
4. (C) Eastern Endeavour's operations will consist of three 
stages. Stage One is to include information gathering, area 
domination through military show of force, reconnaissance of 
objective areas, and further planning of potential military 
operations. Stage Two will be the conduct of 
search-and-cordon operations in the previously identified 
areas. Stage Three intends the domination up to the 
international border with Sudan through aerial and ground 
reconnaissance. Operations are expected to conclude November 
24, contingent on the outcome of the mission. 
 
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LRA SIGHTINGS IN DRC? 
--------------------- 
 
5. (C) MONUC military sources have received reports from the 
Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) that the main group 
of the LRA were still present in Sudan, at Razol and Ture, 
and that two platoons of LRA crossed over from Sudan to 
Uganda at Senema on November 4. MONUC itself reports they 
received information that an "infiltration group" of military 
(approximately 50 persons armed with light and heavy weapons) 
had been moving in the Kakwa collectivity. MONUC reports the 
FARDC sent units November 5 to make contact with the supposed 
infiltrators, but no sightings occurred. MONUC reports 
civilian sightings of the soldiers as exhausted and dirty, 
suggesting they may be on the run. MONUC says all evidence 
collected points to these being LRA elements, but no solid 
confirmation is available. MONUC adds that no incursions from 
the UPDF have been reported either. 
 
6. (C) Comment: Operation Eastern Endeavour, which has been 
in the planning stages for weeks, is a demonstration of both 
the FARDC's and MONUC's commitment to take seriously the 
threat of LRA incursions into the DRC. Since the LRA 
incursions into the DRC in September, MONUC and the FARDC 
have conducted several patrols to locate any suspected LRA 
elements. Given continuing reports of possible LRA presence 
in the DRC in the vicinity of Aba and Garamba National Park, 
the FARDC and MONUC will endeavor to determine whether a 
small group of LRA militia are hiding out in a large, remote, 
and heavily forested, corner of the country. End Comment. 
MEECE