Citation
W15
UNCLASSIFIED
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ORIGIN AF-01
STATE 103565 192324Z
INFO LOG-00 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01
OASY-00 DODE-00
EUR-01 HA-09
H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00
10-16
ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 01C-02 OMB-01 PA-01
PRS-01 P-01
SNP-00 SP-00
SS-00
TRSE-00
USIE-00 PMB-00
/037R
DRAFTED BY: AF/C:TPMCCULLEY:TPM
APPROVED BY: AF:GEMOOSE
AF/FO:EPBRYNN
AF/C:KAISTON
AF/C:ARENDER
3DC42D 192326Z /38
P R 192324Z APR 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY LONDON
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C 0 N F I D E N T I A L STATE 103565
BRUSSELS/DUBROW; PARIS/PERIOW; LONDON/MCKINLEY
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STATE 103565 192324Z
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, RW, BE, BU
SUBJECT: A HUTU VIEW OF THE RWANDA CRISIS: A/S MEETS
RWANDAN AMBASSADOR
1.
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2. SUMMARY: ASSISTANT SECRETARY GEORGE MOOSE MET APRIL
15 WITH ALOYS UWIMANA, RWANDAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED
STATES, FOR A TOUR D'HORIZON OF THE SITUATION IN RWANDA.
UWIMANA NOTED THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN WELL-INFORMED ON THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L DARIS
DATE/CASE ID: 25 OCT 2006 200103014
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DOEE-00
L-01
PM-00
T-00
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U.S. VIEWS OF THE CRISIS, BLAMED THE BELGIANS FOR THE
DEATH OF THE TWO PRESIDENTS, EXPRESSED REGRET THAT THE
WEST HAD NOT DONE MORE TO HALT THE BLOODLETTING IN KIGALI,
AND CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE AND A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE ARUSHA ACCORDS. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER
AND ZAIRE DESK OFFICER (NOTETAKER) ALSO ATTENDED THE
MEETING. END SUMMARY
"WHAT HAPPENED, HAPPENED..."
3. A/S MOOSE EXPRESSED CONDOLENCES OVER THE TRAGIC DEATH
OF THE RWANDAN PRESIDENT, AND OUTLINED FOR UWIMANA THE
U.S. RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS. MOOSE EXPLAINED THAT OUR
FIRST PRIORITY HAD BEEN TO ASSURE THE SECURITY OF AMERICAN
CITIZENS IN RWANDA; THAT TASK ACCOMPLISHED, THE UNITED
STATES HAD TURNED ITS ATTENTION TO EFFORTS TO RESTORE
PEACE AND STABILITY TO THE COUNTRY.
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4. UWIMANA RESPONDED PHLEGMATICALLY THAT "WHAT HAPPENED,
HAPPENED," AND THAT IT WAS NOW CRUCIAL THAT THE RPF AND
THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT MEET TO DISCUSS A PEACEFUL
SETTLEMENT. HE EXPRESSED PLEASURE THAT NO AMERICANS HAD
BEEN INJURED IN THE VIOLENCE, AND ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS
A CONSIDERABLE ANTI-BELGIAN SENTIMENT AMONG THE RWANDAN
PEOPLE THAT WAS "NOT BORN WITH THIS INCIDENT." UWIMANA
CLAIMED THAT THE BELGIANS HAD REFUSED TO SUPPLY ARMS TO
THE GOR IN 1990 WHEN THE RPF HAD BEGUN ITS INSURGENCY, AND
THAT THIS HAD ENGENDERED MUCH ILL WILL AMONG THE
POPULACE. THE RWANDAN AMBASSADOR NEXT PERPETUATED THE
FICTION THAT THE BELGIANS HAD SHOT DOWN THE PLANE CARRYING
THE TWO PRESIDENTS; HE SAID THAT THE BELGIANS HAD BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR AIRPORT SECURITY, AND THEIR CULPABILITY IN
THE DEATH OF HABIYARIMANA HAD INCREASED ANTI-BELGIAN
SENTIMENT IN RWANDA.
5. UWIMANA SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN ASTONISHED BY THE
"PROFOUND SILENCE" OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ON
RWANDA. THE U.S., FRANCE AND BELGIUM HAD MOVED QUICKLY TO
EVACUATE ITS NATIONALS FROM RWANDA, BUT HAD DONE NOTHING
TO HALT THE FIGHTING. HE ALSO BLAMED THE INTERNATIONAL
MEDIA FOR BIASED (I.E., PRO-RPF) COVERAGE OF THE EVENTS IN
KIGALI, AND CLAIMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MUCH
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
EXAGGERATION. AT ANOTHER POINT IN THE MEETING HE PROVIDED
THE RATHER UNIQUE EXPLANATION THAT THE DRUNKEN,
MACHETE-WIELDING GANGS DESCRIBED BY MOST MAJOR NEWS
ORGANIZATIONS WERE IN FACT THE EMBODIMENT OF A
REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE WHO HAD TAKEN UP ARMS TO SAVE THE
REPUBLIC FROM AN RPF WHICH HAD BROKEN OUT OF ITS BARRACKS
AND BEGUN A MASSACRE OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
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6. UWIMANA STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF REINFORCING UNAMIR,
SAID THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT WAS READY TO NEGOTIATE, AND
THAT THE RPF MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. HE URGED THE
U.S. AND THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO WEIGH
IN WITH THE UGANDANS TO ENSURE THEY STAYED OUT OF THE
CONFLICT AND REINED IN THE RPF. HE HOPED THAT THE UNSC
WOULD BE SEIZED WITH THE RWANDAN CRISIS, AND THAT THE UN
COULD BRING THE TWO PARTIES BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE
UNDER THE ARUSHA FRAMEWORK (POWER-SHARING AND A COALITION
GOVERNMENT).
STOP THE VIOLENCE
7. IN HIS REPLY, A/S MOOSE REITERATED THE U.S. COMMITMENT
TO FINDING A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT IN RWANDA.
HE NOTED THAT WE HAD ALREADY SENT MESSAGES TO ATTEMPT TO
REVIVE THE ARUSHA PROCESS, AND THAT WE SUPPORTED THE
EFFORTS OF GENERAL DALLAIRE, THE UNAMIR COMMANDER, TO
ARRANGE A CEASEFIRE AND ESTABLISH A DIALOGUE. MOOSE
MENTIONED OUR RECENT PRESS STATEMENT ON RWANDA WHICH HAD
CALLED ON ALL PARTIES TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, RESPECT THE
CEASEFIRE, AND REAFFIRM THEIR COMMITMENT TO A PEACEFL
RESOLUTION TO THE CRISIS. ON UNAMIR, MOOSE STATED TAT WE
SUPPORTED WITHDRAWAL OF THE FORCE FOR THE TIME BEING.
CLEARLY, THE BELGIANS WISHED TO WITHDRAW ITS CONTINGENT,
AND THE REMAINING UNAMIR TROOPS WOULD NOT HAVE THE
CAPABILITY TO CONTINUE THE MANDATE. THE DECISION ON
UNAMIR'S FUTURE LAY, FOR THE MOMENT, WITH GENERAL DALLAIRE
AND THE UNSYG.
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8. MOOSE THEN DESCRIBED THREE KEY CONCERNS FOR U.S.
POLICY IN RWANDA: RESOLUTION OF THE SITUATION OF THE SOME
6',000 RWANDANS UNDER UNAMIR PROTECTION AT THE KIGALI
STADIUM AND THE UNAMIR HEADQUARTERS; CONTINUED UN
ENGAGEMENT IN FINDING A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS;
EXPANSION OF HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS NOW UNDERWAY BY
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. ALL DEPENDED ON THE SECURITY
SITUATION IN KIGALI, BUT THE UNITED STATES WAS PREPARED TO
SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE. IN
THIS REGARD, WE COULD NOT ASK OUR GHANAIAN COLLEAGUES IN
UNAMIR TO PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY. THAT SAID, THE
.S. HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO ENGAGE THE UN, THE OAU AND OTHER
AFRICAN LEADERS IN ORDER TO COMBINE EFFORTS TO
RE-ESTABLISH STABILITY IN RWANDA.
9. COMMENT: UWIMANA, WHO HAS BEEN AMBASSADOR IN
WASHINGTON FOR 7 YEARS, HAD DIFFICULTY BALANCING HIS HUTU
HARDLINE WITH THE NEED TO APPEAR CONCILIATORY.
INTRODUCING THE CANARD ABOUT BELGIAN INVOLVEMENT IN
HABYARIMANA'S DEATH WAS PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS. ON
ARUSHA, UWIMANA TALKED THE TALK, BUT HIS PARTISAN
DESCRIPTION OF THE KIGALI BLOODBATH BODES ILL FOR PEACEFUL
RECONCILIATION BETWEEN HUTUS AND TUTSIS.
10.
BUJUMBURA, MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. CHRISTOPHER
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