Citation
UNCLASSIFIED
United (Sting StIlat
P94006I-0338
50P-
WASHINGTON. DC 20510-2101
June 1,1994
The Honorable Warren M. Christopher
Secretary of State
US. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
7th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20520
RELEASED IN FULL
•
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I am writing to request that you take appropriate steps with our allies in the
United Nations to jam the Rwandan radio broadcasts that are continuing to incite
genocide of the Tutsi people. It is my understanding that the Pentagon possesses
technology
that can jam radio transmissions from either the air or the ground. I urge
you
to put this
technology
at the disposal of the United Nations forces working to end
the tragic violence
in Rwanda.
According to reports by Human Rights Watch, as recently as May 25, Radio Mille
Collines (a private station affiliated with an extremist Hutu political party).
broadcasting messages to Rwandans to return to ethnically cleansed areas to kill all
remaining
Tutsi children. The official Radio Rwanda station has also urged incitements
to slaughter.
even Radio Mille Collines played an influential role in encouraging ethnic violence
before
the Aoril 6 plane crash. .1c. the weeks before the event that triggered the
genocide,
Radio
Mille Collines and Radio Rwanda incited the assassination of
oppolition political figures and prominent Tutsis. During the past seven weeks, Radio
Mille Collines has broadcast exhortations to 'Take up your machetes; the graves are
only half full! Who will help us fill them?" Announcers have also reportedly ordered
the militias to impede the evacuation of Rwandan hostages by the United Nations.
Radio broadcasts in Rwanda are highly influential. Illiterate, roaming gangs of
militia members are taking their cues from the calls for thefinass slaughter. On a single
day in mid-May, Radio Mille Collines broadcast an appeal for an
end to the killing,
apparently because of the impending visit of U.N. High Commissioner
for Human
Rights, Mr. Jose Ayallo Lasso. On that day, human rights organizations noted a marked
drop
in thethenumber of civilian deaths. Yet almost immediately upon Ayallo Lasso's
departure
exhortations to mass killings resumed — as did the killings.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L. DARIS
DATE/CASE ID: 31 JAN 2002 199903054
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
° ita - S033
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
It is my understanding that the "Volant Solo" aircraft that was used in Desert
Storm to provide communications mechanisms to the United Nations has the capability
to jam such radio broadcasts from an adjoining country and could be made readily
available.
In light of the continuing bloodshed in Rwanda, I hope that an effective way can
be found as soon as possible to halt the unconscionable incitement to genocide.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
•
Sincerely,
'1-earintfi
Edward M. Ke
cc: The Honorable William J. Perry
The Honorable Anthony Lake
UNCLASSIFIED
