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DRAFTED BY: AF:PBUSHNELL:JMG
APPROVED BY: AF:PBUSHNELL
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4669F4 130444Z /38
P 130441Z MAY 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BONN PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY
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STATE 127183 130442Z
CONFIDENTIALSTATE 127183
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, RW
SUBJECT: GOR WARNED IT IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FATE OF
CIVILIANS BEHIND ITS LINES
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L DARIS
DATE/CASE ID: 11 JUN 2007 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
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INR-00
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1.
CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEXT.
2.
THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE. ACTION REQUEST PAR. 7.
3. CONCERNED ABOUT PRESS AND UNAMIR REPORTS THAT GOR
FORCES PLANNED AN ATTACK ON THE MILLES COLLINES HOTEL, AND
THAT CIVILIANS WERE BEING KILLED IN THE CYANGUGU STADIUM
IN WESTERN RWANDA, AF DAS PRUDENCE BUSHNELL TRIED
UNSUCCESSFULLY MAY 11 AND EARLY MAY 12 TO REACH RWANDAN
DEFMIN CHIEF OF CABINET, COL. BAGASORA, BY PHONE.
BAGASORA'S CLERK REPORTED THAT BAGASORA WAS ON LEAVE
BECAUSE HIS FATHER HAD DIED, AND PROMISED TO DELIVER
BUSHNELL'S REQUEST TO RETURN THE CALL PROMPTLY. BUSHNELL
WAS ABLE TO REACH GOR CHIEF OF STAFF BIZIMUNGU AND ADVISED
HIM THAT THE USG WAS HOLDING HIM, BAGASORA AND THE
PRESIDENT OF RWANDA PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHATEVER
HAPPENED TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE HOTEL MILLE COLLINES, AND
ALL OTHER PEOFLE WHO HAVE SOUGHT REFUGE AGAINST MASSACRES
-- INCLUDING THOSE IN THE STADIUM IN CYANGUGU.
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4. BIZIMUNGU'S FIRST RESPONSE WAS "WITH THAT THREAT WHY
DON'T YOU JUST TAKE ME OUT AND SHOOT ME." HE THEN
LAUNCHED INTO A NOW FAMILIAR LITANY OF REASONS WHY HE WAS
POWERLESS TO CONTROL EVENTS IN RWANDA: IT WAS THE
PRESIDENT OF RWANDA, NOT HE, WHO WAS IN CHARGE AND, NO, HE
DID NOT KNOW THE PRESIDENT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER OR HOW TO
CONTACT HIM; WITH RPF BOMBS FALLING HE COULD NOT DO
ANYTHING TO HELP; HE DID NOT KNOW COL. BAGASORA (ALTHOUGH
AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION HE WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM
BAGASORA'S PHONE NUMBER) AND SHOULD NOT BE LUMPED IN THE
SAME CATEGORY AS HE; ALL ALLEGATIONS ABOUT MASSACRES WERE
LIES CREATED BY THE RPF AND "THAT MONIQUE." (REFERRING TO
ELL-KNOW HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST MONIQUE MUJAWAMARIYA).
WHEN BIZIMUNGU SAID THAT WHAT WAS NEEDED WAS AN
INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY INTO WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN RWANDA,
BUSHNELL COMMUNICATED HER WHOLEHEARTED AGREEMENT.
5. TO BIZIMUNGU'S CLAIM THAT A CEASEFIRE WAS NEEDED FOR
HIM TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER, BUSHNELL SUGGESTED THAT HE
RELEASE EVERYONE IN THE CYANGUGU STADIUM AS A GESTURE OF
GOR SINCERE INTENTIONS. BIZIMUNGU RETORTED THAT HE HAD NO
COMMUNICATIONS WITH CYANGUGU; HE COULD ONLY COMMUNICATE BY
TELEPHONE WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. BUSHNELL CONCLUDED THE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
CONVERSATION EMPHASIZING YET AGAIN THAT THE WORLD, AND THE
USG IN PARTICULAR, WAS WATCHING RWANDA VERY CLOSELY AND
THAT HE, AS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE RWANDAN MILITARY WOULD
BE HELP PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LIVES OF INNOCENTS
BEHIND GOR LINES. SHE SUGGESTED THAT HE FIND SOME WAY OF
COMMUNICATING THAT SAME MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT AND TO
COL. BAGASORA SO THEY WOULD BE EQUALLY ADVISED OF OUR
VIEWS.
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STATE 127183 130442Z
6. COMMENT. BIZIMUNGU SEEMED GENUINELY RATTLED BY THE
CONVERSATION. UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOES NOT MEAN HE CAN OR
WILL DO ANYTHING TO SAFEGUARD THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN THE
HOTEL MILLE COLLINES AND OTHER POINTS OF REFUGE. WE WILL
CONTINUE EFFORTS TO REACH BAGASORA TO GIVE HIM THE SAME
MESSAGE BIZIMUNGU RECEIVED. END COMMENT.
7. ACTION REQUEST. ADDRESSEE POSTS ARE REQUESTED TO CALL
IN THE RWANDAN AMBASSADOR AND INFORM HIM, IN THE STRONGEST
POSSIBLE TERMS, OF THE FOLLOWING THREE POINTS:
-- THAT THE U.S.G. AND THE WORLD HOLD THE GOVERNMENT OF
RWANDA, AND ITS CIVILIAN AND MILITARY OFFICIALS,
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FATE OF CIVILIANS IN RWANDA BEHIND GOR
LINES.
-- THAT RWANDAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MUST IMMEDIATELY
MAKE FUBLIC STATEMENTS CALLING FOR AN END TO THE
MASSACRES, AND MILITARY OFFICERS MUST TAKE STEPS TO BRING
RENEGADE UNITS AND MILITIAS UNDER THEIR CONTROL.
-- THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE ADEQUATE STEPS TO
PROTECT THE LIVES PARTICULARLY OF THOSE GATHERED IN THE
MILLES COLLINES HOTEL, IN THE CYANGUGU STADIUM, AND IN ALL
OTHER PLACES OF REFUGE THROUGHOUT RWANDA.
8. POSTS SHOULD REPORT TO DEPARTMENT AND ADDRESSEES THE
RWANDAN REACTION TO THE DEMARCHE.
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PROVIDES
TALKING POINTS ON RWANDA
9. FOR CAIRO: SEPTEL
POST
MAY
ALSO BRIEF GOE ON THIS
FOR USE WITH THE GOE.
DEMARCHE.
10. BUJUMBURA MINIMIZED CONSIDERED. TALBOTT
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