Tres
L'ambassadeur du Rwanda aux États-Unis, Aloys Uwimana, déclare à Prudence Bushnell, sous-secrétaire d'Etat aux Affaires africaines, que le problème ethnique est à l'origine de l'impasse actuelle sur la formation du gouvernement de transition.
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2554
DRAFTED BY: AF/C: KCAISTON
APPROVED BY: AF/FO: PXBUSHNELL
AF/C: AXRENDER
25C79A 160051Z /38
P R 160048Z FEB 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY KIGALI PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY PARIS
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 039426
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
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TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS RW
SUBJECT: DAS BUSHNELL AND UWIMANA DISCUSS IMPASSE
REF: STATE 34617
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. SUMMARY. IN A FEBRUARY 9 MEETING, RWANDAN AMBASSADOR
TO THE U.S. ALOYS UWIMANA TOLD AF DAS BUSHNELL THE ETHNIC
PROBLEM IS AT THE ROOT OF THE CURRENT IMPASSE OVER
FORMATION OF THE TRANSITION GOVERNMENT. DAS BUSHNELL
STRESSED THAT RWANDA'S LEADERS MUST ACT IN THE NATIONAL
INTEREST AND FORM THE TRANSITION GOVERNMENT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. SHE NOTED THE STRONG SUPPORT THAT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAD SHOWN RWANDA THROUGH
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 04 NOV 2011 201005065
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DOEE-00
L-01
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DEPLOYMENT OF PEACEKEEPERS AND SAID THE RWANDANS MUST
ASSUME THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPLEMENT THE ARUSHA UNCLASSIFIED
PEACE ACCORDS. SHE CAUTIONED THE PARTIES AGAINST
INTERFERING IN OTHER PARTIES' PROCESS OF SELECTING
ASSEMBLY DEPUTIES AND STRESSED THAT HABYARIMANA SHOULD
ACCEPT THE POLITICAL RISKS OF LETTING THE PROCESS GO
FORWARD. DAS BUSHNELL EXPRESSED OUR SERIOUS CONCERN OVER
THE REPORTS OF ARMS CACHES AND URGED A FULL INVESTIGATION
AND REPORT. UWIMANA SAID HE WOULD PASS THIS MESSAGE TO
HIS GOVERNMENT. END SUMMARY
3. ON FEBRUARY 9, AF DAS BUSHNELL MET WITH RWANDAN
AMBASSADOR ALOYS UWIMANA, AT THE AMBASSADOR'S REQUEST, TO
DISCUSS THE CURRENT SITUATION IN RWANDA. UWIMANA WAS
ACCOMPANIED BY EMBASSY COUNSELOR BONIFACE KARANI, AND DAS
BUSHNELL WAS JOINED BY AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER AND RWANDA
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DESKOFF AISTON (NOTETARER).
UWIMANA FEARS SOME PREFER POWER-TRANSFER, NOT SHARING
4. UWIMANA SAID HE HAD COME TO SEEK OUR ADVICE ON
RESOLVING THE CURRENT IMPASSE OVER FORMATION OF THE
TRANSITION GOVERNMENT. HE NOTED THAT WE HAD HELPED
RWANDANS THROUGHOUT THE PEACE PROCESS AND EXPRESSED HIS
DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE RWANDANS' INABILITY TO BREAK THE
DEADLOCK AND PUT THE GOVERNMENT IN PLACE.
5. UWIMANA CHARACTERIZED THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM AS AN
ETHNIC ONE AND SAID VARIOUS PARTIES WERE TRYING TO
MAXIMIZE THEIR VOTING STRENGTH IN THE ASSEMBLY, PERHAPS
WITH A VIEW TO USING THE CLAUSE IN THE ARUSHA ACCORDS
THAT ALLOWS FOR IMPEACHMENT OF THE PRESIDENT ON A
TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE ASSEMBLY. HE SAID HE HAD THE
IMPRESSION THAT SOME (UNNAMED) PERSONS WERE TRYING TO USE
THE ARUSHA ACCORDS TO TRANSFER, RATHER THAN SHARE, POWER
-- IN EFFECT, ATTEMPTING A CIVIL COUP D'ETAT.
DAS BUSHNELL URGES RWANDANS TO BREAK IMPASSE
6. DAS BUSHNELL RESPONDED THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN TO IO A/S
BENNET UPON HIS RETURN AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS VERY
DISCOURAGED AND WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPASSE. SHE SECONDED
A/S BENNET'S MESSAGE TO HABYARIMANA, WHICH WAS THAT HE
SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS "WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY" TO
UNCLASSIFIED
SHOW TRUE LEADERSHIP AND PROVE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET
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OVER THE ETHNIC PROBLEM. BUSHNELL REMINDED UWIMANA THAT
A LEADER MUST ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HIS COUNTRY AND
ITS PEOPLE, NOT FOR HIMSELF, HIS ASSOCIATES, OR HIS OWN
ETHNIC GROUP. SHE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS MAY REQUIRE
TAKING POLITICAL RISKS, BUT THAT A LEADER SHOULD ACCEPT
SUCH RISKS IN THE INTEREST OF ACHIEVING WHAT IS BEST FOR
THE COUNTRY.
7. DAS BUSHNELL EXPRESSED OUR SERIOUS CONCERN OVER THE
LACK OF PROGRESS, GIVEN THE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS MADE IN THE RWANDAN PEACE
PROCESS. SHE NOTED THAT THE ISSUE OF PEACEKEEPING IS
BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONTROVERSIAL AND THAT PEACEKEEPING
IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THESE OPERATIONS ARE NOW BEING
CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED, AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ASKS
ITSELF WHETHER CONTINUED SUPPORT IS APPROPRIATE WHEN WE
DON'T SEE ANY PROGRESS ON THE GROUND.
8. AS FOR ADVICE, DAS BUSHNELL EMPHASIZED THAT OUR
MESSAGE HAS BEEN THE SAME TO ALL SIDES. WE APE TELLING
ALL PARTIES:
-- THE ARUSHA ACCORDS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AND THE
GOVERNMENT PUT IN PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE;
-- PARTY LEADERS SHOULD ACT IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST,
ASSUME THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ENSURE THAT THE
TRANSITION IS A SUCCESS;
-- PARTY LEADERS SHOULD LET EACH PARTY DECIDE ITS OWN
LEGISLATIVE AND MINISTERIAL SLATES, WITHOUT INTERFERENCE
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FROM OTHER PARTIES;
-- THE RWANDAN ECONOMY IS IN DIRE CONDITION AND RWANDANS
NEED TO PUT THE GOVERNMENT IN PLACE SO THEY CAN ADDRESS
THIS PROBLEM AND FINALIZE THE STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
PROGRAM;
-- THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS
SUPPORT AND WE ARE LOOKING TO RWANDA TO UPHOLD ITS
RESPONSIBILITY.
UNCLASSIFIED
UWIMANA AGREES THAT LEADERSHIP IS LACKING
UNCLASSIFIED
9. UWIMANA RESPONDED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE POLITICAL
LEADERSHIP DOES NOT ACT IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST, OR EVEN
IN THEIR OWN PARTIES' INTEREST. THE POPULATION THINKS
THEY ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN GETTING GOOD POSITIONS FOR
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES. HE SAID THAT
EVERYONE AGREES THAT EACH PARTY SHOULD ELECT ITS OWN
DEPUTIES; THE PROBLEM, AS HE CHARACTERIZED IT, WAS THAT
A GROUP OF TUTSIS IN THE PL HAD CREATED THEIR OWN LIST
AND EXCLUDED THE REST OF THE PARTY.
10. THE AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT WHEN THE
POWERSHARING AGREEMENTS WERE MADE, THE BALANCE OF POWER
WAS BASED ON PARTIES AS THEY EXISTED THEN. ALLIANCES
HAVE SINCE CHANGED AND THE BALANCE HAS FLUCTUATED;
UWIMANA RECOGNIZED THIS IS NORMAL IN A DEMOCRACY BUT IT
HAS MADE FORMATION OF THE GOVERNMENT MORE DIFFICULT. HE
ADDED THAT THE EVENTS IN BURUNDI RADICALIZED SOME
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FACTIONS, WHICH ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE.
BUSHNELL: ACT LIKE LEADERS, NOT CHILDREN
11. DAS BUSHNELL SAID SHE IS GREATLY BOTHERED BY THE
FACT THAT EVERY RWANDAN SHE TALKS TO BLAMES SOMEONE ELSE
FOR THE IMPASSE; NO ONE SEEMS WILLING TO ASSUME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. SHE LAMENTED THAT
DESPITE THEIR GREAT TALENTS, RWANDA'S LEADERS WERE ACTING
ALMOST LIKE CHILDREN; SHE STRESSED THAT THEY SHOULD ASK
THEMSELVES WHAT THEY CAN DO TO UNBLOCK THE SITUATION AND
HELP THE COUNTRY, RATHER THAN SIMPLY FINDING FAULT WITH
SOMEONE ELSE. EMBASSY COUNSELOR KARANI AGREED THAT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD PUSH RWANDA'S POLITICAL
CLASS TO ACT LIKE LEADERS AND TO ACT IN THE NATIONAL
INTEREST. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE MADE
PUBLICLY, PERHAPS IN THE UN.
12. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER RE-INFORCED DAS BUSHNELL'S
MESSAGE AND EMPHASIZED THAT, AS LEADER OF HIS COUNTRY,
HABYARIMANA HAS A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY; HE MUST TAKE THE
RISK AND LET EACH PARTY CHOSE ITS OWN LIST EVEN IF HE
SUFFERS POLITICALLY, AND HE MUST BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE
FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY. SHE STRESSED THAT THE U.S.
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CAN'T TELL THE RWANDANS WHICH COMPETING DEPUTIES LIST
SHOULD BE CHOSEN.
UNCLASSIFIED
DAS BUSHNELL EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER ARMS CACHES
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13. DAS BUSHNELL SAID WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
REPORTS OF ARMS CACHES IN KIGALI. SHE POINTED OUT THAT
SUCH CACHES ARE CONTRARY TO THE ARUSHA ACCORDS AND
PRESENT A SERIOUS RISK OF RENEWED VIOLENCE. SHE URGED
THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPLETE ITS INVESTIGATION AND SHARE
THE RESULTS WITH THE UN AND THE U.S. SHE WARNED THAT THE
GOR WOULD BE VIEWED IN A VERY POOR LIGHT BY THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IF THE IMPASSE CONTINUES AND
NOTHING IS DONE TO INVESTIGATE THE REPORTS OF ARMS CACHES.
14. AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER ADDED THAT WE HAD INFORMATION
THAT WEAPONS FROM THESE CACHES WERE REPORTEDLY BEING
DISTRIBUTED TO MRND SUPPORTERS; SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE
UN HAD ALREADY MADE A DEMARCHE TO HABYARIMANA ON THIS
ISSUE. UWIMANA SAID HE DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON
THE ARMS CACHES BUT WOULD PASS THE MESSAGE TO HIS
GOVERNMENT.
15. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH UWIMANA DID NOT MENTION ANY NAMES
WHEN HE SAID THAT SOME POLITICAL LEADERS WERE MANEUVERING
TO ACHIEVE A CIVIL COUP D'ETAT, HE WAS UNDOUBTEDLY
REFERRING TO THE RPF AND THEIR TUTS' ALLIES, WHOM UWIMANA
STILL DEEPLY MISTRUSTS. WE ARE SOMEWHAT SURPRISED THAT
UWIMANA DID NOT DEFEND HABYARIMANA MORE STRONGLY OR
EXPRESSLY EXEMPT THE PRESIDENT FROM HIS CRITICISM OF THE
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, BUT WE ASSUME THAT HE DID NOT
INTEND TO INCLUDE HIS BOSS/PATRON IN THE CRITICISM. END
COMMEN
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