COMMENTS ON SENIOR ZAIRIAN MILITARY AND POLITICAL OFFICIALS' EFFORTS TO SECURE THE DEPARTURE OF MOBUTU FROM ZAIRE AND ENSURE A PEACEFUL ENTRY OF REBEL FORCES INTO KINSHASA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06692044
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 18, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-00031
• Publication Date: May 16, 1997

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASSSECR E T--NOFORN
DIST: 16 MAY 1997
COUNTRY: ZAIRE/FRANCE/SOUTH AFRICA
SUBJ: COMMENTS ON SENIOR ZAIRIAN MILITARY AND POLITICAL
OFFICIALS' EFFORTS TO SECURE THE DEPARTURE OF MOBUTU
FROM ZAIRE AND ENSURE A PEACEFUL ENTRY OF REBEL FORCES
INTO KINSHASA
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THIS REPORT IS CLASSIFIED SECRET US ONLY IN ITS ENTIRETY.
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TEXT: .1. ON. 15 MAY-,1997, ZAIRIAN PRESIDENT ((MOBUTU)) SESE
SEKO MET AT HIS CAMP.TSHATSHI. RESIDENCE IN KINSHASA WITH SENIOR
ADVISORS WHO_SOUGHT._FOR THREE.HOURS,--BEGINNING.AT 2300 HOURS, TO
CONVINCE HIM TO RECONSIDERS HIS DECISION TO STAY IN ZAIRE AND--
,INSTEAD LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR HIS PERSONAL SECURITi.., THE SENIOR '
OFFICIALS INCLUDED THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE
FOR NATIONAL SECURITY (DGSN), ((TSHIMBOMBO)) MUXUNA, MINISTER OF
DEFENSE AND CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ZAIRIAN ARMED FORCES (FAZ),
GENERAL DONATIEN ((MAHELE)) LIEKO BOKUNGU, AND THE COMMANDER OF
THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL DIVISION (DSP), GENERAL ((NZIMBI)) NGBALE
KONGO WA SABA. AT 0200 HOURS ON 16 MAY, THE PRES ENT_ GREED TO
LEAVE ZAIRE ON THAT DAY. THE SENIOR OFFI IALS COMMENTED LA
THAT THEY BELIE-CIE THE PRESIDENT HAD, IN FACT, ALREADY MADE THE
DECISION TO DEPART DURING A FAMILY MEETING EARLIER IN THE EVENING.
COMMENT: THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER-IN-LAW, FORMER CIVIL
GUARD COMMANDER GENERAL ((BARAMOTO)) KPAMA KATA, RETURNED ON 15
MAY FROM SOUTH AFRICA. IT APPEARS THAT HE RETURNED TO ATTEND THIS
FAMILY GATHERING.) THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORS ALSO BELIEVE THE
PRESIDENT'S ARPARENT CHANGE OF HEART MAY HAVE BEEN COORDINATED
WITH FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES ((CHIRAC)), IN COMMUNICATION EARLIER
ON 15 MAY. THEY SUSPECT THAT CERTAIN ASSURANCES WERE RECEIVED
FROM CHIRAC CONCERNING GUARANTEES FOR MOBUTU FAMILY MEMBERS.
2. THE UNIVERSAL REACTION OF HIS ADVISORS TO THE PRESIDENT'S
AGREEMENT TO DEPART ZAIRE WAS ONE OF RELIEF. AIMIOUGH MOBUTU'S
EXACT ITINERARY IS NOT KNOWN, IF HIS PARTY FLIES FIRST TO THE
PRESIDENTIAL VILLAGE OF GBADOLITE AS ANTICIPATED, HE IS NOT
EXPECTED TO REMAIN THERE MORE THAN A FEW HOURS BECAUSE OF THE
INSECURITY RESULTING FROM THE REBEL FORCES' ADVANCE ON THAT
LOCATION. THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ON TO MOROCCO
FROM GBADOLITE. THE DEPARTURE OF THE PRESIDENT ALSO IS VIEWED AS
CLEARING THE WAY FOR THE NEXT ECHELON OF POLITICAL AND MILITARY
LEADERS TO LEAVE ZAIRE BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF REBEL LEADER LAURENT
((KABILA))'S FORCES IN THE CAPITAL. COMMENT: MOBUTU'S
SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS, ((NGBANDA))
NZAMBOKO ATUMBA, DEPARTED ZAIRE FOR TOGO ON 15 MAY ON OFFICIAL
BUSINESS BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO RETURN TO ZAIRE IN THE NEAR TERM.)
3. WITH THE PRESIDENT'S DEPARTURE, THE RECENTLY RE-ELECTED
PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC - PARLIAMENT OF
TRANSITION (HCR-PT), MONSIGNOR ((MONSENGWO)), HAS INITIATED A PLAN
TO CONTACT KABILA IN SOUTH AFRICA. AS OF EARLY 16 MAY, MONSENGWO
WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT THE SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSSADOR TO ZAIRE
IN ORDER TO ARRANGE AN IMMEDIATE MEETING IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH
KABILA AND SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON ((MANDELA)); THIS
APPROACH, WHICH HAS THE APPROVAL OF MAHELE AND TSHIMBOMBO, AND THE
TACIT SUPPORT OF PRIME MINISTER GENERAL ((LIKULIA))� BOLONGO AND
NZIMBI, INVOLVES NEGOTIATING A "GENTLE ENTRY" OF REBEL FORCES INTO
KINSHASA AND A HANDOVER OF MOST OF THE POLITICAL POWER TO KABILA.
THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF THE HCR-PT PRESIDENT'S APPROACH TO
KABILA IS TO AVOID HAVING REBEL FORCES SHOOT THEIR WAY INTO THE
CAPITAL AT THE COST OF MANY CIVILIAN LIVES. THE ADHERENTS OF THIS
APPROACH TO KABILA HAVE AGREED THAT IF KABILA REFUSES A DIALOGUE
WITH MONSENGWO OR WILL NOT HALT THE ADVANCE OF HIS FORCES ON
KINSHASA, 21 FAZ AND DSP TANKS POSITIONED AT N'SELE, EAST OF
N'DJILI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MAY ATTEMPT TO DEFEND AGAINST THE
REBEL ADVANCE FROM THE EAST.
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COMMENTS WELCOME.
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