Résumé
Alison Des Forges sends a follow-up letter to José Ayala Lasso which states: "We have just learned that the national committee of the Interahamwe militias issued a press release last night calling on their members to stop killing Tutsis and members of the political opposition. He also asked the militiamen to help put an end to killings committed by people who were not members of their groups". The reaction to José Ayala Lasso's visit shows that surveillance by external actors could have had a direct impact on the orders given to the killers, due to the desire of the self-proclaimed Rwandan government to obtain international recognition.
Citation
URGENT
May 10 , 1994
By fax: 011257225205
Mr - Jose Ayala Lasso
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Hotel Source du Nil
Bujumbura
Dear Commissioner Lasso,
I hope that you have received my letter of May 8 which I faxed to your Geneva number on May 8 and to this number on May 9.
We have just learned that the national committee of the Interahamwe militia last night broadcast a communique calling on their members to stop killing Tutsi and members of the political opposition. They also asked them to help stop killings by those who were not members of their groups.
I suppose this effort to halt the slaughter, at least temporarily, is connected to your projected arrival in Kigali tomorrow. As I suggested in my letter of May 8, I wOuld expect your presence to cause a significant reduction in or end to the killings. The self—proclaimed government is most concerned to gain some kind of international recognition and understand that continuing massacres in too close proximity--in time or in space--to your passage might hinder that effort.
We have also received information that a number of young people evacuated from Kamenge (Bujumbura) before April 29 are being detained at the Ecole Nationale de Police (ENAPO) in Bujumbura. Their families and friends have been unable to contact them. Would it be possible for you to verify this information and to try to see them?
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely
Alison L. Des Forges
