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Document Number: 1994KIGALI01423
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36AEEA 311537Z /38
P 311530Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6103
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4-SAA// PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
C ONFIDENTIALSECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 01423.
STATE FOR AF/C AND DSS/OP/AF
BUJUMBURA FOR RSO
YAOUNDE FOR DAO
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KIGALI 01423 01 OF 02 311536Z
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E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINS, ASEC, PHUM, PGOV, RW
SUBJECT: KILLINGS JEOPARDIZE SOLUTION TO
POLITICAL IMPASSE
REFS: (A) KIGALI 1335, (B) KIGALI 1081
1. (LOU) SUMMARY. A 3/30 EXCHANGE OF KILLINGS WITH
POLITICAL AND ETHNIC OVERTONES JEOPARDIZES EFFORTS TO
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: JOHN L. MILLS
DATE/CASE ID: 20 NOV 2002 200003723
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RESOLVE POLITICAL IMPASSE TO INSTALLING TRANSITION
INSTITUTIONS BY WEEK'S END AND INCREASES RISK OF
RENEWED VIOLENCE. THE KILLINGS INVOLVED A YOUTH
LEADER OF THE CDR, THE PARTY WHOSE CLAIM FOR A SEAT
IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IS AT THE HEART OF THE
LATEST POLITICAL IMPASSE. THE CDR BLAMES THE RPF FOR
THE KILLING. END SUMMARY.
CDR YOUTH LEADER KILLED
2. (U) CDR COUNSELOR, JEAN BOSCO BARAYAGWIZA,
TELEPHONED AMBASSADOR ABOUT 10:30 PM EVENING OF 3/30
TO SAY THAT CDR YOUTH LEADER INGABIRE KATUMBA HAD
BEEN SHOT TO DEATH OUTSIDE HIS HOME. GRENADES WERE
ALSO REPORTEDLY INVOLVED IN THE ATTACK. HE SAID HE
HAD ALREADY ALERTED THE GENDARMERIE AND THE UN FORCES
(UNAMIR).
3. (C) BARAYAGWIZA INSTINCTIVELY BLAMED PATRIOTIC
FRONT FOR THE ASSASSINATION. AMBASSADOR SPENT AN
HOUR TRYING TO CONVINCE HIM THAT THE FRONT WAS NOT
NECESSARILY THE ENEMY, THAT HE SHOULD LEAVE THE
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MATTER IN THE HANDS OF THE LAW AND KEEP HIS PEOPLE
FROM DEMONSTRATIONS AND REPRISALS. ASKED HOW HE KNEW
THE KILLERS WERE RPF, BARAYAGWIZA SAID THAT IT WAS A
MATTER OF LOGIC. HE FEARED HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO
KEEP HIS PEOPLE FROM RETALIATING.
4. (U) LATER IN THE NIGHT, KATUMBA'S BUDDIES
LAUNCHED A REPRISAL ATTACK ON NEIGHBORS WITH WHOM
KATUMBA HAD PREVIOUSLY QUARRELED. THE VICTIMS WERE
REPORTEDLY TUTSIS; THERE IS AT LEASE ONE CONFIRMED
DEAD.
THE UN RESPONDS TO THE KATUMBA MURDER
5. (C) KIGALI SECTOR COMMANDER COL. MARCAL TOLD
ECONOFF THAT UNAMIR WAS CALLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
MURDER OF KATUMBA. A UNAMIR PATROL INVESTIGATED AND
REPORTED THAT GENDARMES WERE AT THE SCENE CORDONING
OFF THE AREA WHEN THE PATROL ARRIVED. THE PATROL
REPORTED THAT LOCAL AREA RESIDENTS SHOWED SOME
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HOSTILITY TOWARD THE GENDARMES AS THEY BEGAN
COLLECTING INFORMATION. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE
MORNING, UNAMIR RECEIVED REPORTS OF ATTACKS ON TUTSIS
IN THE NYAMIRAMBO AREA (NEAR KATUMBA'S RESIDENCE) AND
PATROLS WENT TO INVESTIGATE. COL. MARCAL HAD NOT YET
RECEIVED REPORTS FROM THESE PATROLS.
6. (LOU) BOTH THE GENDARMES AND UNAMIR INCREASED
THE NUMBER OF MEN AND PATROLS IN THE NYAMIRAMBO AND
GIKONDO SECTIONS OF KIGALI MORNING 3/31 WITH REPORTS
THAT LOCAL AREA RESIDENTS MIGHT TRY TO SET UP ROAD
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BLOCKS. COL. MARCAL SAID THAT HE HOPED THE
HEIGHTENED PRESENCE OF UNAMIR PATROLS IN THESE TWO
TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD PREVENT A REPEAT OF THE
VIOLENCE THEY HAD EXPERIENCED IN FEBRUARY.
A ROTTEN EGG
7. (C) KATUMBA, A DRIVER FOR THE HOSPITAL NOW
BEING USED BY UNAMIR, HAD A FAR-FLUNG REPUTATION FOR
BEING A CDR THUG. HE WAS REPORTEDLY AT THE FRONT OF
MANY CDR DEMONSTRATIONS AND WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE
KILLED MANY PERSONS. ONE SOURCE SAID HE WAS HEARD
BRAGGING IN A KIGALI BAR ABOUT HAVING KILLED TUTSIS
IN GISENYI DURING THE MASSACRES IN JANUARY 1993.
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P 311530Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
• TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6104
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
. AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GENECJ4-SAA// PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 02 KIGALI 01423
STATE FOR AF/C AND DSS/OP/AF
BUJUMBURA FOR RSO
YAOUNDE FOR DAO
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.E.0: 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINS, ASEC, PHUM, PGOV, RW •
SUBJECT: KILLINGS JEOPARDIZE SOLUTION TO
•
LAST YEAR HE WAS ACQUITTED OF A MURDER FOR LACK OF
EVIDENCE. COMMON BELIEF AT THE TIME WAS THAT HE
COMMITTED THE CRIME BUT WAS BEING PROTECTED BY THE
JUDGE. ACCORDING TO THE EMBASSY GUARD CONTRACTOR,
KATUMBA IS THE PERSON WHO SPIT IN THE FACE OF A
BLACK PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER LAST YEAR, ACCUSING HER
OF BEING A TUTSI. IN A BAR INCIDENT TWO WEEKS AGO,
KATUMBA REPORTEDLY SLASHED A HUTU WITH A BEER
BOTTLE, ACCUSING HIM OF BEING A TUTSI. TWO SOURCES
INDICATED TO DCM THAT THE HUTU AND HIS FRIENDS
DECLINED TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT, SAYING THEY
WOULD GET EVEN IN THEIR OWN WAY. IN THE WORDS OF
ONE CONTACT, KATUMBA HAD THOUSANDS OF ENEMIES;
ANYONE COULD HAVE KILLED HIM.
TENSIONS MOUNT
8. (LOU) SOME LOCAL EMPLOYEES SPENT LUNCH HOUR AT
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THE OFFICE, FEARING POSSIBLE ROAD BLOCKS EN ROUTE TO
NYAMIRAMBO. SEVERAL LEFT THE OFFICE EARLY AS TAXIS
HAVE CEASED TO FUNCTION. NEVERTHELESS, UNAMIR
REPORTS NO PROBLEMS AROUND TOWN. AN AMERICAN
EMPLOYEE REPORTS THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE
FREELY IN NYAMIRAMBO AS OF LATE AFTERNOON. ANOTHER
EMPLOYEE HEARD A RADIO APPEAL FROM THE CDR TO ITS
PARTISANS URGING THEM TO REMAIN CALM.
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COMMENT
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9. (C) THIS CDR DEATH COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A
WORSE TIME. THE PRESIDENCY PREDICTED ON 3/30 THAT
THE INSTITUTIONS MIGHT BE INSTALLED BEFORE THE END
OF THE WEEK. THESE HOPES ARE PROBABLY IN JEOPARDY
AS A RESULT OF THIS EXCHANGE OF VENGEANCE KILLINGS.
SO FAR, THOUGH, DESPITE SOME REPRISAL KILLINGS AND
RISING TENSIONS, KIGALI APPEARS QUIET. EMBASSY USED
THE WARDEN SYSTEM AT NOON TO ALERT THE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY TO THE KILLING AND ADVISE THEM TO REMAIN
ALERT TO POTENTIAL STREET DEMONSTRATIONS OR
VIOLENCE.
RAWSON
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