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091264
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070659Z
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DRAFTED BY: AF/C: KCAISTON
APPROVED BY: AF/C: AXRENDER
AF/C: RJFENDRICK
AF/RA: LGSHURTLEFF
38EF3D 070701Z /38
O 070701Z APR 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE IMMEDIATE
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AMEMBASSY LONDON
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 091264
CAIRO PLS PASS A/S MOOSE; YAOUNDE FOR DATT
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS
SUBJECT: DEATH OF RWANDA AND BURUNDI PRESIDENTS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: HARMON E KIRBY
DATE/CASE ID: 06 FEB 2008 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
DOEE-00
L-01
PA-01
TRSE-00
UNCLASSIFIED
CAPTIONS CONTD.: USCINCEUR FOR POLAD, PLEASE PASS TO LTC
ANTHONY MARLEY (MARLEY SEE PARA 8)
INFORMATION IN PAPAS 1 THROUGH 6 BELOW IS BASED ON
TELEPHONE REPORTS FROM AMEMBASSIES KIGALI AND
BUJUMUBURA. INFORMATION IS AS OF 8:00 PM WASHINGTON
TIME, APRIL 6:
1. SUMMARY. A PLANE CRASH NEAR KIGALI HAS APPARENTLY
RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THE PRESIDENTS OF RWANDA AND
BURUNDI. THERE ARE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT THE PLANE
WAS SHOT DOWN BY UNKNOWN ATTACKERS. THE UN SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE IN RWANDA HAS ORGANIZED A MEETING BETWEEN
THE MILITARY AND WESTERN DIPLOMATS AT THE U.S.
AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE AT 9:00 AM TOMORROW TO DISCUSS THE
TRANSITION. END SUMMARY
2. ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM KIGALI, THE RWANDAN
MILITARY HAS REPORTED THAT THE PRIVATE PLANE OF RWANDAN
PRESIDENT JUVENAL HABYARIMANA WAS SHOT DOWN PRIOR TO
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LANDING AT THE KIGALI AIRPORT SOMETIME PRIOR TO 9:00 PM
LOCAL TIME (3:00 PM WASHINGTON TIME) TODAY. MILITARY
OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTED THAT BOTH PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA
AND BURUNDI PRESIDENT CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA WERE KILLED IN
THE SUBSEQUENT CRASH. THE TWO PRESIDENTS WERE RETURNING
FROM A ONE-DAY REGIONAL SUMMIT IN DAR ES SALAAM ON THE
BURUNDI CRISIS; THE BURUNDI PRESIDENT HAD REPORTEDLY
ASKED TO FLY BACK VIA KIGALI WITH PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA.
3. THE UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATION, UNAMIR, TRAVELLED TO
THE CRASH SITE, BUT THE RWANDAN MILITARY PREVENTED THE UN
FROM INSPECTING THE SITE. THE RWANDAN MILITARY ALSO
REPORTEDLY DISARMED THE UN (BELGIAN) PEACEKEEPERS
STATIONED AT THE AIRPORT.
4. THE RWANDAN AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON CONFIRMED
PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA'S DEATH IN A PHONE CONVERSATION
WITH AF/C DIRECTOR, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DEATHS OVER RWANDAN RADIO AS YET. IN
BURUNDI, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (NEXT IN
LINE OF PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION) APPEARED ON TELEVISION
AT 11:30 PM LOCAL TIME, ALONG WITH THE UN SPECIAL ENVOY
TO BURUNDI ABMEDOU ABDALLAH, THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND
THE ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF. THE ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIRMED THAT THE BURUNDI PRESIDENT WAS TRAVELLING WITH
THE RWANDAN PRESIDENT AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME
PROBLEM WITH THE PLANE. THERE WAS NO CONFIRMATION OF ANY
DEATHS.
5. THE SUCCESSION QUESTION WILL BE DIFFICULT IN RWANDA.
THE ARUSHA ACCORDS PROVIDE THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE
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TRANSITION NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ASSUMES THE PRESIDENCY ON AN
INTERIM BASIS. HOWEVER, THE ASSEMBLY HAS NOT YET BEEN
INSTALLED. AN ARMED FORCES DELEGATION TOLD UN SPECIAL
ENVOY BOOH BOOH THAT THE MILITARY INTENDED TO TAKE OVER
POWER TEMPORARILY. BOOR BOOH ENCOURAGED THE DELEGATION
TO WORK WITH EXISTING AUTHORITIES AND WITHIN THE
FRAMEWORK OF THE ARUSHA ACCORDS; HOWEVER, THE MILITARY
WAS VERY RESISTANT TO WORKING WITH THE CURRENT (INTERIM)
PRIME MINISTER, AGATHE UWILINGIYAMANA. THE DELEGATION IS
TO MEET WITH BOOH BOOH AND WESTERN DIPLOMATS AT THE U.S.
AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM. THE
MILITARY ASSURED BOOH BOOH THAT FORCES WILL REMAIN IN THE
BARRACKS.
6. BOTH OUR EMBASSIES IN KIGALI AND BUJUMBURA REPORT
THAT THE CITIES ARE RELATIVELY CALM, ALTHOUGH AN INCREASE
IN SPORADIC GUNFIRE AND GRENADE EXPLOSIONS WAS NOTED IN
KIGALI. BOTH POSTS HAVE INSTRUCTED THE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY TO STAY AT HOME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ALL
AMERICANS ARE BELIEVED SAFE. THERE ARE NO PEACE CORPS
VOLUNTEERS IN EITHER COUNTRY.
7. IF, AS IT APPEARS, BOTH PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN KILLED,
THERE IS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD THAT WIDESPREAD VIOLENCE
COULD BREAK OUT IN EITHER OR BOTH COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY
IF IT IS CONFIRMED THAT THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN. OUR
STRATEGY IS TO APPEAL FOR CALM IN BOTH COUNTRIES, BOTH
THROUGH PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND IN OTHER WAYS. WE ARE ALSO
IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FRENCH AND BELGIAN EMBASSIES.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS REQUESTED THAT WE PREPARE A
PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES AND URGING
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STATE 091264 070659Z
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CALM.
8. USCINCEUR FOR LTC MARLEY: UNTIL THE SITUATION IN
RWANDA AND BURUNDI CLARIFIES, LTC MARLEY IS INSTRUCTED
NOT TO PROCEED TO EITHER COUNTRY. HE SHOULD CONTACT AF/C
ASAP.
CHRISTOPHER
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