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ORIGIN AF-01
INFO
DRAFTED BY: AF/C: KCAISTON
APPROVED BY: AF/C: RJFENDRICK
418597
292328Z /38
P 292327Z APR 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 113672
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STATE 113672 292327Z
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: MOPS PREL PHUM RW US
SUBJECT: DAS BUSHNELL TELLS COL. BAGASORA TO STOP THE KILLINGS
1. SUMMARY. AF DAS BUSHNELL TELEPHONED RWANDAN MINISTRY
OF DEFENSE CABINET DIRECTOR COL. BAGASORA ON APRIL 28 TO
URGE AN END TO THE KILLINGS. BAGASORA RESPONDED THAT THE
RPF OFFENSIVE IS TRIGGERING THE MASSACRES AND THAT A
CEASE-FIRE IS NEEDED FIRST. DAS BUSHNELL CONFRONTED HIM
WITH EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF RWANDAN ARMY COMPLICITY IN
THE KILLINGS, AND SAID THE WORLD DID NOT BELIEVE THE
INTERIM GOVERNMENT/RWANDAN MILITARY'S PARTY LINE. THIS
SOBERED HIM UP, AND HE PROMISED TO PASS THE MESSAGE TO
THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP TO SEE IF A COMPROMISE WAS
POSSIBLE, AND TO CALL BACK THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH AN
ANSWER. END SUMMARY
2. BAGASORA TOLD DAS BUSHNELL THAT THE FIGHTING BETWEEN
GOR AND RPF FORCES WAS CONTINUING, BUT WAS LESS INTENSE.
HE CLAIMED THAT NO MORE MASSACRES WERE OCCURRING IN
KIGALI AND THAT MOST AREAS WERE CALM, WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF BUTARE AND GITARAMA. HE SAID THE PRESIDENT HAD
TRAVELED TO BUTARE THE PREVIOUS DAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CALM
THE POPULATION. BAGASORA SAID BUYUMBA AND OTHER TOWNS
TAKEN BY THE RPF WERE "EMPTY".
3. CONSISTENT WITH THE LINE TAKEN BY OTHERS IN THE GOR
AND RWANDAN ARMY, BAGASORA SAID THE RPF'S OFFENSIVE IS
TRIGGERING THE MASSACRES AND THAT A CEASE-FIRE WAS NEEDED
BEFORE THE KILLINGS WOULD STOP. HE CHARACTERIZED THE
KILLINGS AS A SPONTANEOUS REACTION BY THE POPULATION TO
THE RPF OFFENSIVE. BAGASORA OBVIOUSLY OBJECTED TO THE
RPF'S CHALLENGE TO THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT'S LEGITIMACY
AND SAID HE OPPOSED THE RPF'S DEMAND THAT THE GOR
DELEGATION TO PEACE TALKS INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
RWANDAN MILITARY.
4. DAS BUSHNELL TOLD BAGASORA THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT
BUY THE GOR'S STORY ON THE KILLINGS AND THAT CREDIBLE
EYEWITNESSES AND RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS REPORTED RWANDAN
MILITARY COMPLICITY IN THE KILLINGS. SHE SAID THAT, IN
THE EYES OF THE WORLD, THE RWANDAN MILITARY ENGAGED IN
CRIMINALS ACTS, AIDING AND ABETTING CIVILIAN MASSACRES.
SHE REMINDED BAGASORA OF THE GOVERNMENT'S REPEATED
EARLIER STATEMENTS THAT THEY WOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO
IMPLEMENT THE PEACE ACCORDS, BUT THAT THIS APPARENTLY WAS
NOT TRUE SINCE THEY WEREN'T EVEN WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON
THE ISSUE OF MILITARY REPRESENTATION IN THE GOVERNMENT
DELEGATION TO THE PEACE TALKS. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES,
DAS BUSHNELL TOLD BAGASORA THAT IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE GOR
MILITARY TO SHOW SOME RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP AND A
WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE. SHE EMPHASIZED THAT WE WERE
LOOKING TO HIM PERSONNALLY TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
5. DAS BUSHNELL'S REMARKS SEEMED TO TAKE BAGASORA BY
SURPRISE AND SOBERED HIM. HE PROMISED TO TALK TO GOR
ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF BIZIMUNGU TO SEE IF THEY COULD COME
UP WITH A COMPROMISE. HE SAID HE WOULD CALL DAS BUSHNELL
BACK TOMORROW. HE ALSO ASKED THAT WE TALK TO THE RPF.
DAS BUSHNELL SIMPLY REPLIED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE
WORKING WITH GENERAL DALLAIRE ON GETTING A CEASE-FIRE IN
6. BUJUMBURA - MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
TALBOTT
