Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08ABIDJAN396, THE NEW BLE GOUDE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08ABIDJAN396.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08ABIDJAN396 2008-06-18 16:29 2010-12-09 21:30 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Abidjan
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAB #0396/01 1701629
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181629Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4317
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0210
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000396 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SOCI UN IV
SUBJECT: THE NEW BLE GOUDE 

Classified By: POL/ECON SECTION CHIEF SILVIA EIRIZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B/D 
). 

1. (C) Summary. Charles Ble Goude, leader of COJEP 
(PanAfrican Congress of Young Patriots), is one of three 
Ivorians under United Nations (UN) Security Council 
sanctions. However, an offensive seems to be underway, 
bolstered by the presidential camp, to re-shape Ble Goude's 
public image and portray him as a future statesman. Ble 
Goude's transformation began with his national tour in 2007 
to promote reconciliation. He has gained prominence recently 
by launching a foundation that provides skills training and 
employment for youth. All indications are that President 
Gbagbo and some of his closest advisors continue to embrace 
this divisive and controversial figure. End Summary. 

2. (U) Ble Goude was placed under UN sanctions on February 7, 
2006 for repeated public statements advocating violence 
against UN installations, UN personnel, and foreigners, as 
well as directing and participating in acts of violence by 
street militias, including beatings, rapes, and extrajudicial 
killings. The UN determined that he intimidated the UN, the 
International Working Group (IWG), the political opposition, 
and the independent press and sabotaged international radio 
stations. The UN also found that he was an obstacle to the 
action of the IWG, the United Nations Operation in Cote 
d'Ivoire (UNOCI), the French forces, and the peace process as 
defined by resolution 1643 of 2005. 

3. (C) Ble Goude kept a low profile for some time after 
sanctions were imposed but has, since last year, undertaken 
actions to transform his public image from leader of an armed 
militia to statesman. He has been very visible in the media 
in the last three months in what appears to be a charm 
offensive to demonstrate to the Ivoiran public that he is a 
serious political actor. He has conducted press interviews 
and his second book is scheduled to be released during the 
month of June. According to the French Embassy, Ble Goude 
has become a wealthy businessman, with substantial holdings 
in hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, gas stations, and real 
estate in Cote d'Ivoire. French Emboff told us that Ble 
Goude requires payment for all activities he undertakes on 
behalf of the Presidency and the FPI governing party. 

4. (U) Ble Goude began his political career in the Student 
Federation of Cote d'Ivoire (FESCI), rising through the ranks 
to succeed current Prime Minister Soro as FESCI's Secretary 
General from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, he founded COJEP (the 
Pan African Congress of Young Patriots) which he continues to 
lead. Ble Goude started his public transformation by casting 
himself as a peacemaker and conciliator when he launched a 
"peace caravan" in 2007. Over the course of 3 months, he 
visited 45 towns throughout the country, spreading the theme 
of reconciliation between rebel and government supporters. 
Although many observers doubted and continue to doubt his 
sincerity, Ble Goude evidently delivered a consistent message 
of peace and reconciliation in his speeches to the youth. 

5. (U) His newest venture is the launching of a "Forum of 
Information and Orientation" that will provide skills 
training and find jobs for 200 youth. Minister of National 
Reconciliation Sebastien Dano Djedje, a member of the 
President's FPI party, delivered a speech at the project's 
March 14 launching ceremony. According to Ble Goude, 12,000 
young people contacted his Forum seeking to be selected. 
Minister for Planning and Development Paul-Antoine Bohoun 
Bouabre, also an FPI member, publicly presented Ble Goude 
with a check for 5 million CFA (USD 12,000) to support this 
project. Ble Goude's forum was covered on national TV and 
interviews with him were run several times. 

6. (U) The June 6 edition of the government's newspaper, 
"Fraternite Matin," featured an interview with Ble Goude 
photographed in a suit and tie. Ble Goude said he launched 
his Forum because as head of a youth movement, he has an 
obligation to guide the country's youth. He lamented that 
Cote d'Ivoire's moral fiber has weakened, leading people to 
seek shortcuts around the law and to take into account only 
those with financial means. Asked by his interviewer to 
comment on the arrest of DRC rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, 
Ble Goude responded that one is never a rebel for life, 
adding that either one becomes a member of society or ends up 
like Charles Taylor or Jean-Pierre Bemba or Jonas Savimbi. 

7. (C) While Ble Goude does not seem to have the following he 
commanded several years ago, he still has his COJEP faithful 
that he could mobilize. He also maintains a strong influence 
over FESCI. Konan Bertin Kouadio, President of the Youth 
Section of opposition political party PDCI, told Poloffs June 
10 that Ble Goude cannot organize the demonstrations and 
disturbances that he carried out several years ago, but that 
a large number of youth would still take to the streets if he 
gave the order. RDR Youth Section head Yayoro Karamokotel 
told Poloff that Ble Goude is Gbagbo's youth campaign 
manager. Skepticism about whether Ble Goude is genuinely 
committed to peaceful political dialogue remains quite high. 

8. (C) Comment. President Gbagbo has repeatedly asked the UN 
to lift sanctions against Ble Goude and reportedly remains 
one of his strongest supporters, along with Simone Gbagbo. 
The choice of Ble Goude as youth campaign manager is clever 
because the charismatic Ble Goude can easily motivate and 
mobilize. It is disturbing, however, that Gbagbo's camp 
seems to be grooming Ble Goude for future positions in the 
party and/or the government rather than distancing itself 
from someone who remains under UN sanctions and who is still 
a divisive and controversial figure at home. Embassy contacts 
seem convinced that the government is financing the bulk of 
Ble Goude's activities, which raises concerns about Gbagbo's 
genuine commitment to implementation of the Ouagadougou 
Political Agreement (OPA). The government can finance Ble 
Goude's jobs for youth initiative, but states it lacks the 
funds for the civic service program for ex-combatants, which 
is an integral part of the OPA. It appears that Ble Goude is 
succeeding in his effort to re-define himself to the Ivorian 
public, but whether his actions will eventually bear out his 
new image remains to be seen. End Comment. 
NESBITT