Citation
Current Class: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1994BUJUMB01181
Page: 1
Channel: n/a
Case Number: 198801688
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ACTION AF-01
BUJUMB
INFO
AID-01
DOEE-00
IML-00
NEA-01
PRS-01
STR-01
LOG-00
DODE-00
H-01
ADS-00
PM-00
SS-00
01181
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070106Z
CCO-00
DS-00
IMMC-01
NSAE-00
P-01
TRSE-00
CIAE-00 C-01
OASY-00
EB-01
EUR-01
OIGO-01
TEDE-00 INR-00
10-16
NSCE-00 01C-02
OMB-01
RP-10
SNP-00
SP-00
T-00
RPE-01
PMB-00
38D707 070125Z /38
DIM-01
HA-09
L-01
PA-01
SR-00
/054W
0 070105Z APR 94 ZFF4
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 3261
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE IMMEDIATE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
ATO AFRICA IMMEDIATE
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BUJUMB 01181 070106Z
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USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0895
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE BUJUMBURA 01181
DEPT FOR AF/C, DSS/OP, DS/OP/AF, USAID
YAOUNDE FOR DAO
EUCOM FOR J3
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW
AUTHORITY: EDWARD W. HOLMES
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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Document Number: 1994BUJUMB01181
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Case Number: 198801688
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PREF, KDEM, BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI REACTION TO DOWNING OF AIRCRAFT CARRYING
PRESIDENTS NTARYAMIRA AND HABYARIMANA
REF: AISTON/LANGE TELECON 4/6/94
1. AT ABOUT 2300, 6 APRIL, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BURUNDIAN
PARLIAMENT SYLVESTRE NTIBANTUNGANYA APPEARED ON TV,
FLANKED BY THE DEFENSE MINISTER, THE ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF,
AND U.N. SPECIAL REP OULD ABDALLAH. HE ANNOUNCED THAT THE
BURUNDIAN GOVERNMENT HAD JUST LEARNED OF "PROBLEMS" WITH
THE AIRCRAFT CARRYING RWANDAN PRESIDENT JUVENAL
HABYARIMANA AND BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA
FROM ARUSHA TO KIGALI. A CRISIS COMMITTEE HAD BEEN FORMED
TO LOOK INTO THE SITUATION. HE EXHORTED THE POPULATION TO
REMAIN CALM, AND SAID THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD KEEP THE
POPULATION INFORMED OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED AS IT LEARNED.
2. CHARGE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH EUROPEAN CONS AND THE
UNSGSR WHO HAD RECEIVED VARIOUS REPORTS OF THE DOWNING OF
THE RWANDAN AIRCRAFT AND PRESIDENT NTARYAMIRA'S PRESENCE
ON BOARD. PIECING TOGETHER INFORMATION HERE, APPARENTLY
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BUJUMB 01181 070106Z
THE NEWS OF THE INCIDENT WAS LEARNED IN BUJUMBURA WHEN
PRESIDENT NTARYAMIRA'S AIR BURUNDI BEECHCRAFT RETURNED
BETWEEN 2130 AND 2230 THIS EVENING. PAO RECEIVED A CALL
FROM THE GRB AG MINISTER, WHO HAD BEEN AT THE AIRPORT TO
WELCOME THE PRESIDENT BACK. ACCORDING TO UNSGSR ABDALLAH,
NTARYAMIRA'S CHIEF OF PROTOCOL, WHO REPORTEDLY RETURNED
TO BURUNDI ON THE BEECHCRAFT (HAVING MISSED THE CHIEF OF
STATE'S FLIGHT) INFORMED THAT THE BURUNDI PRESIDENT HAD
ASKED TO ACCOMPANY HABYARIMANA TO KIGALI. ACCORDING TO
THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN BURUNDI, NTARYAMIRA HAD ASKED TO
OVERNIGHT IN KIGALI, IN ORDER TO ATTEND THE APRIL 7 CEPGL
MEETING OF SECURITY OFFICIALS IN GOMA.
3. FOLLOWING THIS EVENING'S ABOVE NEWSCAST, THE CITY OF
BUJUMBURA APPEARS CALM, THOUGH THE NEWS OF SOME MISHAP
WITH THE RWANDAN AIRCRAFT IN KIGALI AND THE PRESIDENT'S
PRESENCE ON BOARD BEGAN TO CIRCULATE THROUGH THE CITY
AROUND 2200. MOST OF BUJUMBURA WOULD HAVE BEEN AT HOME
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UNCLASSIFIED
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Case Number: 198801688
AND PROBABLY HEARD THE TV OR RADIO NEWS. THERE HAVE BEEN
NO REPEAT NO REPORTS OF MILITARY MOVEMENT, EXCEPT THAT
VISITING MISSIONARIES FROM GITEGA AT THE METHODIST GUEST
HOUSE INFORMED THAT 4-6 MILITARY TROOP TRANSPORTS WERE
OBSERVED HEADING SOUTH OUT OF TOWN ON THE ROAD TO
RUMONGE. THE UNSGSR INFORMED ABOUT 0010 THAT HE WAS
PARTICIPATING AS AN OBSERVER AT A MEETING OF THE CRISIS
COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDES MILITARY LEADERS AND CIVILIAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
4. EMBOFFS (CHARGE, RSO, AND PAO) USED THE WARDEN SYSTEM
AT ABOUT 2330 APRIL 6 TO INFORM AMCITS OF THE TRAGIC
INCIDENT AND ADVISED ALL TO REMAIN IN THEIR RESIDENCES
THROUGH TOMORROW, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. BASED ON
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BUJUMB 01181 070106Z
DEVELOPMENTS AND INFORMATION, THIS ADVISORY WILL BE
UPDATED. CHARGE HAS BEEN IN FREQUENT CONTACT WITH
EUROPEAN COMS (BELGIAN, GERMAN, AND EU DELEGATE) AND OUR
MISSIONS HAVE ADOPTED THE SAME MODE OF RESPONSE. EMBASSY
IS FOLLOWING THE SITUATION VERY CLOSELY AND WILL KEEP THE
DEPARTMENT ADVISED OF DEVELOPMENTS. LANGE
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UNCLASSIFIED
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