Résumé
In meetings with Rwandan President and Patriotic Front leadership, DAS Bushnell urged speedy installation of transition regime, noted U.S. consternation over increased violence in Rwanda and cost to Rwandan people of each delay in forming a government. She received assurances of good faith and intention to move ahead from both sides. The President was concerned about the eventual success of the Transition, given the levels of distrust now in the body politic, but said he would keep his word to implement the Arusha Accord. The Patriotic Front leaders blamed the President for the impasse and deplored efforts to gain concessions in an atmosphere of violence. They characterized the Coalition For The Defense Of The Republic (CDR) as gangsters who would have to prove their worth before being admitted into the National Assembly. Bushnell reminded the Front that the International Community could not put the Government in place. they would have to work out the political arrangements that made that happen.
Citation
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3467B5 251518Z /38
O 251508Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6044
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
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AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-SAAA// PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 01 OF 03 KIGALI 01316
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TAGS: PGOV, RW
SUBJECT; DAS BUSHNELL MEETS HABYARIMANA AND RPF
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1.
KIGALI 01316 01 OF 03 251516Z
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. SUMMARY: IN MEETINGS WITH RWANDAN PRESIDENT AND
PATRIOTIC FRONT LEADERSHIP, DAS BUSHNELL URGED SPEEDY
INSTALLATION OF TRANSITION REGIME, NOTED U.S.
CONSTERNATION OVER INCREASED VIOLENCE IN RWANDA AND
COST TO RWANDAN PEOPLE OF EACH DELAY IN FORMING A
GOVERNMENT. SHE RECEIVED ASSURANCES OF GOOD FAITH
AND INTENTION TO MOVE AHEAD FROM BOTH SIDES. THE
PRESIDENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE EVENTUAL SUCCESS OF
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 04 NOV 2011 201005065
F37
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
UNCLASSIFIED
THE TRANSITION, GIVEN THE LEVELS OF DISTRUST NOW IN
THE BODY POLITIC, BUT SAID HE WOULD KEEP HIS WORD TO
IMPLEMENT THE ARUSHA ACCORD.
THE PATRIOTIC FRONT LEADERS BLAMED THE PRESIDENT FOR
THE IMPASSE AND DEPLORED EFFORTS TO GAIN CONCESSIONS
IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF VIOLENCE. THEY CHARACTERIZED THE
COALITION FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC (CDR) AS
GANGSTERS WHO WOULD HAVE TO PROVE THEIR WORTH BEFORE
BEING ADMITTED INTO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. BUSHNELL
REMINDED THE FRONT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
COULD NOT PUT THE GOVERNMENT IN PLACE. THEY WOULD
HAVE TO WORK OUT THE POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT MADE
THAT HAPPEN. END SUMMARY.
3. PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA RECEIVED DAS BUSHNELL AND
AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER 3/21 FOR AN HOUR-LONG DISCUSSION
OF RWANDA'S POLITICAL IMPASSE. MS . BUSHNELL TOLD THE
PRESIDENT THAT SHE HAD TRAVELLED A LONG WAY TO BRING
HIM WASHINGTON'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE SITUATION.
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RWANDA WAS IN AN HISTORIC TRANSITION, ONE WHICH
HISTORIANS WOULD RECORD AS BEING GLORIOUS, OR
IGNOMINIOUS AND TRAGIC. THE PRESIDENT'S NAME WOULD
HEAD THAT CHAPTER OF HISTORY. THE UNITED STATES AND
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAD DONE EVERYTHING IT
COULD TO HELP RWANDA PASS THROUGH THIS TRANSITION
GLORIOUSLY, BUT WE HAD NOT SEEN THE SAME COMMITMENT
FROM RWANDAN LEADERS.
4. THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING WHICH WOULD DECIDE
WHETHER TO CONTINUE PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS IN RWANDA
WAS COMING UP FAST, BUSHNELL REMINDED THE PRESIDENT.
NEXT WEEK SHE WOULD MEET WITH THE INTERAGENCY GROUP
THAT WOULD DECIDE THE U.S. POSITION AT THE SECURITY
COUNCIL. LAST SUMMER SHE HAD TO WORK VERY HARD TO
CONVINCE SKEPTICS THAT PEACEKEEPING COULD WORK IN
RWANDA. NOW SHE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO BRING TO
THE TABLE TO OVERRIDE SUCH SKEPTICISM. SHE HAD TO
BRING BACK FROM THIS TRIP GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE
INSTALLATION OF TRANSITION INSTITUTIONS OR RWANDA'S
CASE COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED.
5. DAS BUSHNELL TOLD THE PRESIDENT THAT RWANDA WAS
LOSING FUNDING WITH EACH DAY OF DELAY IN ESTABLISHING
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
ITS GOVERNMENT. SHE HAD RECENTLY HAD TO DIVERT USD 2
MILLION FROM RWANDAN DEMOBILIZATION FUNDING TO
ANOTHER COUNTRY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO GOVERNMENT AND
NO PROGRAM TO WHICH IT COULD BE ALLOCATED. SHE
NEEDED AN ENCOURAGING WORD TO TAKE BACK TO WASHINGTON
FROM RWANDA IN ORDER TO SAVE U.S. ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMMING FOR RWANDA'S RECONSTRUCTION. SHE HOPED
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THAT ENCOURAGING WORD WOULD COME FAST.
6. THE PRESIDENT IN RESPONSE SAID THAT HE HOPED TO
PUT THE INSTITUTIONS IN PLACE SOON. WHAT WORRIED HIM
MORE WAS NOT WHETHER INSTITUTIONS WOULD BE
ESTABLISHED BUT WHETHER THE TRANSITION WOULD
SUCCEED. HE WAS GREATLY DISQUIETED BY THE LACK OF
CONFIDENCE, LACK OF RESPECT, AND LACK OF GOOD FAITH
IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE. HE HOPED THE
UNITED STATES COULD HELP SUPPORT RECONCILIATION
WITHIN THE TRANSITION PERIOD JUST AS WE HAD HELPED
WITH THE WAR DISPLACED AND WITH STRENGTHENING
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. HE HAS SUPPORTED THE ARUSHA
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ACCORD AND WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO. HIS SIGNATURE
WAS ON IT, AND HE KEPT HIS WORD.
7. THE WASHINGTON VISITORS ALSO RECORDED DEEP
CONCERN OVER THE MOUNTING VIOLENCE IN RWANDA. THAT
VIOLENCE WAS DESTROYING RWANDA'S GOOD NAME ABROAD,
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT PUT EVERY RWANDAN CITIZEN AT
RISK. Ar/c DIRECTOR RENDER NOTED THE DISTRIBUTION OF
ARMS AND ARMS CACHES AS A DANGEROUS CHALLENGE TO
PEACE. DAS BUSHNELL ASKED THE PRESIDENT TO BRING
SECURITY TO HIS PEOPLE. WHEN HABYARIMANA PROTESTED
HIS LIMITED ABILITY TO INFLUENCE THE SECURITY
SITUATION, AMBASSADOR RAWSON EXPRESSED APPRECIATION
FOR HOW EFFECTIVE THE PRESIDENT HAD BEEN AFTER
PREVIOUS DEMARCHES ON SECURITY IN RESTORING CALM AND
ORDZR OHHD COUNTRY.
8.
THE PRESIDENT THEN RAISED THE SITUATION IN
UNCLASSIFIED
BURUNDI. DAS BUSHNELL EXPRESSED THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT'S CONSTERNATION OVER THE EVENTS THERE.
AF/c DIRECTOR RENDER NOTED THE QUICK U.S. ACTION TO
PROTEST THE KILLINGS, SUSPEND ASSISTANCE AND
GALVANIZE INENATIONAL OPINION AGAINST THE COUP
ATTEMPR. THOSE ACTIONS HAD TURNED THINGS AROUND. A
GOVERNMENT WAS IN PLACE AND IT WAS IN DIALOGNW
DT
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LHE MILITARY, BUT THE SITUATION WAS UNSTABLE.
HABYARIMANA REPORTED HOW DEEPLY THE EVENTS IN BURUNDI
INFLUENCED ATTITUDES AND CHOICES IN RWANDA.
FUNDAME
TALLY, HABYARIMANA SAID,WHAT BURUNDI NEEDED
WAS SECURITY FOR ITS PEOPLE, AND AN ACHY IN WHICH
EACH CITIZEN COULD HAVE CONFIDENCE.
9. MRS. HABYARIMANA TELEPHONED AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER
3/22 PLEADING THAT THE COUNTRY WAS GOING OVER TO THE
PATRIOTIC FRONT. THE PREBCANT NEEDED PEOPLE ON HIS
SIDGO COANERCS
TREND. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER
RESPONDED THAT THE BEST SSLURVTW FOR THE PRESIDENT
WAS WITHIN THE ARUSHA ACCORD. IF THE ACCORD WAS NOT
IMPLEMENTED AND VIOLENCE BROKE OUT AGAIN IN RWANDA,
EVEN THE AMERICANS, AFTER YEARS NSRGNCO RWANDA,
OIEGHT HAVE TO GO HOME. THE PRESIDENT MUST AGREE TO
PUT THE INSTITUTIONS IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY AND
R
FO
ESTALL CHAOS AND DISASTER FOR RWANDA.1$
41 -,$ :$4
10. DURING AFCNOON 3/22, DAS BUSHNELL AND AF/C
DIRECTOR RENDER TRAVELLED TO MU
AD
ME
ZWSAQ -,$
GENERAL KAGAME. DAS BUSHNELL RAISED THE SAME POINTS
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SHE HAD WITH PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA, REPORTING THAT
THE UNITED STATES HAD DONE EVERYTHING IT COULD TO
HELP BUT SAW NO PROGRESS ON THE RWANDAN SIDE. SHE
THANKED THE FRONT FOR KEEPING ITS PROMISE TO THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT BY ACCEPTING A COMPROMISE WORKED OUT
WITHIN THE LIBERAL PARTY ON THE DEPUTIES LIST. DAS
BUSHNELL ALSO RECORDED THE U.S. POSITION THAT THE CDR
WAS A POLITICAL FORCE WHICH HAD SUBSCRIBED TO ARUSHA
PRINCIPLES AND SHOULD HAVE A PLACE IN THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY.
11. KANYARENGWE SAID THAT THE CURRENT POLITICAL
IMPASSE WAS IN NO ONE'S INTEREST. THE FRONT HAD
AGREED TO CHANGES IN THE LIBERAL PARTY, BUT IT HAD A
HARD TIME ACCEPTING DECISIONS IMPOSED BY VIOLENCE.
WHEN THE LIBERAL PARTY OBSTACLE HAD BEEN REMOVED,
OTHER BIZARRE ISSUES HAD SUDDENLY EMERGED SUCH AS
CHANGES IN THE MDR LIST AND THE ISLAMIC PARTY
DELEGATE. KANYARENGWE THEN BLAMED CDR FOR ALL OF
RWANDA'S RECENT POLITICAL VIOLENCE. SINCE CDR WORKED
IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF VIOLENCE, IT WOULD HAVE TO PROVE
ITS SUPPOSED INTENTIONS TO ABIDE BY THE ARUSHA
ACCORD. THE GOVERNMENT AND RPF WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW
CDR'S RECORD UNDER TERMS OF THE ACCORD'S ARTICLE 61
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AND, PERHAPS, LET THE COURTS JUDGE WHETHER CDR COULD
JOIN THE ASSEMBLY.
12. GENERAL KAGAME SECONDED KANYARENGWE BY INSISTING
THAT CDR'S ENTRY INTO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COULD NOT
BE A PRE-CONDITION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
INSTITUTIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS CDR'S CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR; THAT WAS NOT A POLITICAL MATTER BUT A
SECURITY MATTER. THE FRONT HAD A MORAL RIGHT TO DEAL
WITH SUCH BEHAVIOR IN SECURITY TERMS. THE POLITICAL
PROBLEM WAS THAT SOMEONE WAS PURPOSEFULLY CREATING
THE CURRENT IMPASSE. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
SHOULD ASSUME ITS RESPONSIBILITIES BY IDENTIFYING
THAT PERSON AND HELPING THE RWANDAN PEOPLE REMOVE THE
IMPASSE.
13. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER STRONGLY DEFENDED THE
PRINCIPLE OF INCLUSION. PARTIES COULD NOT BE DENIED
A SEAT IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY JUST BECAUSE THE
UNCLASSIFIED
FRONT DID NOT HAPPEN TO LIKE THEM. THE FRONT'S
SENDASHONGA (NEXT MINISTER OF YOUTH) RESPONDED BY
INSISTING THAT CDR WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE PARTY. HE
CALLED CDR GANGSTERS, WORSE THAN KLU KLUX CLAN. DAS
BUSHNELL REMINDED THE FRONT THAT THE INTZRNATIONAL
COMMUNITY COULD NOT PUT THE INSTITUTIONS IN PLACE FOR
THEM. THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME ARRANGEMENT
THAT WOULD LET THE GOVERNMENT BE SET UP AND THEY HAD
BETTER DO IT FAST. TIME HAS BECOME FINITE. THE
FAILURE TO REACH ACCOMMODATION COULD RESULT IN
TRAGEDY FOR ALL RWANDANS.
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14. COMMENT: THE CDR ISSUE REMAINS THE MAJOR
STUMBLING BLOCK TO SETTING UP INSTITUTIONS. THE
OBSERVER GROUP IS AGREED THAT CDR HAS DULY INDICATED
ITS INTENTION TO ABIDE BY THE ARUSHA ACCORD AND
SHOULD BE SEATED IN THE ASSEMBLY. IN A MEETING WITH
WESTERN OBSERVERS 3/23, RPF MAZIMHAKA AND KAREMERA
ADAMANTLY HELD TO THE FRONT'S POSITION. MAZIMHAKA
ADMITTED THAT THE CDR ISSUE WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL ONE
WITH THE FRONT. NONETHELESS, THEY HAD AGREEE
GAFMAREMERA
SAID THE CDR SHOULD BE SHOWN WHERE THEY HAD DONE
WRONG AND WHY THEY COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED INTO THE
ASSEMBLY. HE REITERATED THOSE SENTIMENTS OVER DINNER
AT THE RESIDENCE THAT EVENING. AMBASSADOR RAWSON
TOLD HIM THAT IF RPF INSISTED ON A LONG REVIEW IN
WHICH IT SAT AS JUDGE AND JURY ON CDR, THEN
INSTITUTIONS WOULD NEVER BE ESTABLISHED. THE FRONT
WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT HAD PRIMACY FOR THEM. A
FIVE-HOUR MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS 3/24 FAILED
TO CONVINCE THE RPF AND FINALLY BROKE DOWN IN MUTUAL
RECRIMINATION. INSTITUTIONS ARE TO BE INSTALLED ON
3/25. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER SOME FORMULA CAN
BE DEVISED FOR REMOVING THIS LOGJAM BEFORE THEN. END
COMNENT.
15. DAS BUSHNELL AND AF/C RENDER CLEARED PARAS 2-9 OF
THIS CABLE BEFORE DEPARTING KIGALI.
RAWSON
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