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DRAFTED BY: AF/C: MEGRANDFIELD
APPROVED BY: AF/C: AXRENDER
AF/C: RJFENDRICK
AF/E: GWCOLVIN
HA: RPOWERS
4340D7 042246Z /38
O 042235Z MAY 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS STATE 117935
PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATELY TO U/S SHATTUCK'S PARTY
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM RW BY
SUBJECT: A/S MOOSE'S TESTIMONY ON THE CRISIS IN RWANDA
1. PLEASE PASS THIS CABLE U/S JOHN SHATTUCK, DAS JUDITH
KAUFMANN AND AMBASSADOR DAVID RAWSON EITHER UPON ARRIVAL
MAY 4 OR AT 00B MAY 5, AS APPROPRIATE.
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2. THE FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF TESTIMONY OF A/S GEORGE E.
MOOSE BEFORE THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA MAY 4 ON
THE CRISIS IN RWANDA, FOR USE AS TALKING POINTS DURING
THEIR TRIP.
BEGIN TEXT OF TESTIMONY:
MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA:
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: CHARLES L. DARIS
DATE/CASE ID: 21 APR 2003 200201521
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ON APRIL 6, THE PRIVATE PLANE OF RWANDAN PRESIDENT
JUVENAL HABYARIMANA CRASHED OUTSIDE KIGALI UNDER
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, KILLING PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA
AND PRESIDENT CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA OF BURUNDI. THIS TRAGIC
EVENT SPARKED MASSIVE VIOLENCE ON TWO LEVELS. FIRST,
ELEMENTS OF THE HUTU-DOMINATED RWANDAN MILITARY, HARDLINE
PARTY MILITIAS, AND HUTU EXTREMIST GANGS BEGAN KILLING
HUTU OPPOSITION POLITICIANS (INCLUDING PRIME MINISTER
AGATHE UWILINGIYIMANA) AND TUTSI OPPOSITION LEADERS AND
CIVILIANS. THE KILLINGS BEGAN IN KIGALI, BUT EVENTUALLY
SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SECOND, FIGHTING QUICKLY
BROKE OUT BETWEEN RWANDAN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THE
TUTSI-DOMINATED REBEL RWANDAN PATRIOTIC FRONT (RPF),
EFFECTIVELY RESUMING THE CIVIL WAR THAT BEGAN IN OCTOBER
1990 AND WAS TO HAVE ENDED ON AUGUST 4, 1993, WITH THE
SIGNING OF THE ARUSHA PEACE ACCORD.
BOTH THE FIGHTING AND THE VIOLENCE CONTINUE. THE RPF HAS
PUSHED GOVERNMENT FORCES TO THE SOUTH AND WEST AND
CONTROLS MUCH OF THE CAPITAL OF KIGALI. THE VIOLENCE HAS
LEFT AT LEAST 100,000 DEAD AND DISPLACED HUNDREDS OF
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STATE 117935 042244Z
THOUSANDS OF RWANDANS. OVER 300,000 RWANDANS HAVE FLED
TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, MOST TO TANZANIA. ON MAY 3,
THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT AND THE RPF SENT DELEGATIONS TO
ATTEND TALKS IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA, BUT DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS
BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAVE NOT YET BEGUN.
THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS
SINCE THE CRISIS BEGAN, THE U.S. HAS PURSUED AN ACTIVE
STRATEGY WITH FIVE MAIN GOALS:
-- STOP THE KILLINGS.
-- ACHIEVE A DURABLE CEASE-FIRE.
-- RETURN THE PARTIES TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.
-- CONTAIN THE CONFLICT.
-- ADDRESS HUMANITARIAN RELIEF NEEDS.
WE HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL ACTIONS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
FIRST, WE HAVE PUT DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE ON THE PARTIES
THEMSELVES. I AND OTHER U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE SPOKEN
DIRECTLY TO RWANDAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THE RWANDAN
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MILITARY, AND THE RPF, IN WASHINGTON, VIA DIPLOMATIC
CHANNELS IN OTHER LOCATIONS, AND BY TELEPHONE TO RWANDA.
OUR MESSAGE HAS BEEN SIMPLE AND DIRECT: WE WANT AN
IMMEDIATE END TO THE KILLINGS, A CEASE-FIRE IN PLACE, THE
RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS, AND COMPLETE COOPERATION WITH
RELIEF EFFORTS. WE HAVE REINFORCED THESE PRIVATE
CONTACTS WITH HIGH-LEVEL PUBLIC APPEALS AND STATEMENTS BY
THE PRESIDENT AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
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SECOND, WE HAVE WORKED TO MOBILIZE THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY. WE ENCOURAGED THE EFFORTS OF THE TANZANIAN
GOVERNMENT, AS FACILITATOR OF THE ARUSHA PROCESS, TO
RECONVENE PEACE TALKS AND ARE SUPPORTING THOSE EFFORTS.
AS IN THE PAST, THE UNITED STATES WILL BE REPRESENTED AT
ANY SUBSTANTIVE TALKS. WE HAVE ENCOURAGED THE
ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY, OTHER REGIONAL STATES, AND
OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES TO JOIN US IN URGING THE RWANDANS TO
AGREE TO A CEASE-FIRE AND RESUME TALKS. ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN
AFFAIRS JOHN SHATTUCK AND OUR AMBASSADOR TO RWANDA, DAVID
RAWSON, HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE REGION TO CONTINUE THESE
EFFORTS. THEY ARE BEING ACCOMPANIED BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR REFUGEE PROGRAMS BRUNSON MCKINLEY. OUR
DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS CONFIRM THAT ALL MAJOR PLAYERS AGREE
WITH AND SUPPORT OUR GOALS AND STRATEGY.
THIRD, WE HAVE BEEN PURSUING AN ACTIVE POLICY IN THE UN
SECURITY COUNCIL. WE PUSHED FOR APPROVAL OF A STRONG
SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, ISSUED APRIL 30,
WHICH DEMANDS THAT THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA AND
THE RPF TAKE EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO PREVENT ATTACKS ON
CIVILIANS. THE STATEMENT CONDEMNS THE BREACHES OF
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND
CALLS ON ALL STATES TO CEASE SHIPMENTS OF ARMS TO RWANDA.
FOURTH, WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN CONTINGENCY PLANNING TO PROVIDE
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF AND HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL MILLION
DOLLARS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES THAT WE INTEND TO TAP FOR
THE CRISIS. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY
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CONTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 28 MILLION IN FOOD, RELIEF
ITEMS, AND EARMARKED FUNDS TO ORGANIZATIONS ASSISTING
BURUNDI REFUGEES AND PERSONS DISPLACED FOLLOWING LAST
OCTOBER'S COUP ATTEMPT AND SUBSEQUENT WIDESPREAD
VIOLENCE. IN RESPONSE TO THE RWANDA CRISIS, THE
ADMINISTRATION JUST APPROVED 15 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR NEW RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE AREA.
FIFTH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE SITUATION IN
BURUNDI VERY CLOSELY. WE HAVE SENT HIGH-LEVEL VISITORS
TO THE COUNTRY TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR BURUNDI'S FRAGILE
NASCENT DEMOCRACY AND ARE CONTINUING HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
EFFORTS. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED SUPPORT TO THE 47-MEMBER
MONITORING FORCE THAT THE OAU IS IN THE PROCESS OF
DEPLOYING IN BURUNDI.
THE EFFORTS OUTLINED ABOVE ARE A CONTINUATION OF THE
• LONGSTANDING U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE RWANDAN PEACE PROCESS.
WE WERE ACTIVE OBSERVERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR-LONG ARUSHA
• PEACE TALKS AND PROVIDED 1 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO
SUPPORT THE TALKS AND HELP THE OAU FIELD CEASE-FIRE
MONITORS. THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTED DEPLOYMENT OF UN
PEACEKEEPERS ONCE A PEACE ACCORD WAS REACHED.
IN THE END, ONLY THE RWANDANS CAN BRING PEACE TO THEIR
COUNTRY, AND NO OUTSIDE EFFORT CAN SUCCEED WITHOUT A
COMMITMENT TO PEACE BY THE COMBATANTS THEMSELVES. THE
INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN AN INTERNAL
CONFLICT OF THIS TYPE IS LIMITED, BUT WE WILL USE WHAT
INFLUENCE WE HAVE IN AN EFFORT TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.
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FUTURE POLICY OPTIONS
AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE ARE PURSUING THE POLICIES
OUTLINED ABOVE, WE ARE EXAMINING FURTHER MEASURES TO
RATCHET UP THE PRESSURE. FIRST AMONG THESE IS A FORMAL
UN ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST RWANDA, WHICH WE INTEND TO PURSUE
THIS WEEK. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE INCREASED INVOLVEMENT BY
THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER, WHO COULD LAUNCH AN
INVESTIGATION INTO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND PERHAPS BECOME
INVOLVED IN MEDIATION EFFORTS. IN ADDITION, WE ARE
EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY, IF NECESSARY, OF HAVING THE UN
OR OAU ESTABLISH PROTECTED AREAS FOR REFUGEES AND
DISPLACED PERSONS AROUND BORDER AREAS.
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ASSESSMENT OF THE UN MISSION
FROM THE START, THE UN ASSISTANCE MISSION IN RWANDA
(UNAMIR) WAS A PEACEKEEPING, NOT A PEACE-MAKING,
OPERATION. IT WAS DEPLOYED ONLY AFTER A CEASE-FIRE WAS
IN PLACE AND BOTH SIDES HAD SIGNED A PEACE ACCORD. THE
FORCE HAD THE LIMITED MANDATE OF MONITORING AND
FACILITATING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACCORD, AS THE PARTIES
HAD REQUESTED.
CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED DRASTICALLY SINCE THE APRIL 6
PLANE CRASH HEAVY FIGHTING AND WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE HAVE
RESUMED, UNAMIR TROOPS WERE ATTACKED AND AT LEAST 10 UN
PEACEKEEPERS WERE KILLED, AND THERE WAS SERIOUS DOUBT IN
THE EARLY STAGES WHETHER THE LIGHTLY ARMED UNAMIR TROOPS
HAD THE CAPABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IN SUCH
CIRCUMSTANCES. AS A RESULT, THE U.S. SUPPORTED
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WITHDRAWAL OF THE BULK OF THE FORCE FOR ITS SAFETY,
PROVIDED SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE TO ENSURE
THE SAFETY OF RWANDANS UNDER DIRECT UNAMIR PROTECTION.
IT APPEARS NOW THAT A PORTION OF THE FORCE HAS BEEN ABLE
TO REMAIN SAFELY IN RWANDA. UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT THE SECURITY COUNCIL DECISION TO
MAINTAIN A SMALL FORCE TO HELP BROKER A NEW CEASE-FIRE,
FACILITATE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORTS, AND HELP ENSURE
THE SAFETY OF THOSE RWANDANS ALREADY UNDER UNAMIR'S
DIRECT PROTECTION.
END TEXT OF TESTIMONY.
TALBOTT
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