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39C89E 082113Z /38
P 082107Z APR 94
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8366
INFO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
SECDEF WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHDC
CONFIDENTIALOTTAWA 001891
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, MARK, RW, CA
SUBJECT: WGRWOL: CANADIAN RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION
IN RWANDA
1. CLASSIFICATION - AS MARKED.
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(C)
SUMMARY:
THE GOC HAS FORMED AN INTER-AGENCY TASK
2.
FORCE TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN KIGALI. IN A PRESS
RELEASE, CANADA TOLD ITS CITIZENS IN RWANDA THAT THEY
WOULD BE EVACUATED AS SOON AS CONDITIONS PERMIT.
ASSUMING THAT PEACE CAN BE RESTORED, CANADA PLANS TO SEND
NINE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS TO UNAMIR. END SUMMARY.
3. (C) THE GOC HAS FORMED A TASK FORCE WITH
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
(DFA) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (DND) TO
DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN RWANDA. ACCORDING TO THE.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 06 MAY 2011 201005065
E409
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
CCO-00
EUR-01
10-16
NSAE-00
PA-01
SCT-03
ASDS-01
RESPONSIBLE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT DFA (YVON SAINT-HILAIRE),
THE GROUP OBTAINS INFORMATION FROM THE CANADIAN MISSION
TO THE UNITED NATIONS, THE CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CIDA) OFFICE IN KIGALI, AND REPORTS
FROM UNAMIR COMMANDER GENERAL DALLAIRE. THE NEXT TASK
FORCE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 1000 (EASTERN STANDARD
TIME) ON APRIL 9.
4. (C) THE GOC'S MAIN CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF ITS
100-200 CITIZENS RESIDING IN RWANDA (80 PERCENT OF WHOM
ARE MISSIONARIES). SAINT-HILAIRE SAID THAT A FEW
CANADIANS HAD LEFT THE COUNTRY WITH A UNAMIR CONVOY FOR
BUJUMBURA, BUT MOST WERE STILL TRAPPED IN KIGALI. HE
BELIEVED THAT CANADA WOULD OFFER ITS CITIZENS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EVACUATE AS SOON AS A JOINT APPROACH COULD
BE WORKED-OUT WITH THE BELGIANS, FRENCH, AND AMERICANS.
DFA PEACEKEEPING OFFICER JOE MOFFATT NOTED THAT THE GOC
HAD ASKED DND TO IDENTIFY AN AIRCRAFT FOR THE EVACUATION.
5. (U) IN A PRESS STATEMENT RELEASED ON APRIL 8, FOREIGN
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AFFAIRS MINISTER ANDRE OUELLET SAID THAT CANADIANS ARE
"SHOCKED" BY THE VIOLENCE AND APPEALED "URGENTLY FOR
MODERATION ON THE PART OF ALL PARTIES." HE URGED
CANADIANS IN RWANDA TO STAY INDOORS AND LISTEN TO RADIO
CANADA INTERNATIONAL AND BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
NEWSCASTS FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THE PRESS RELEASE
NOTES, "IN CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, CANADA WILL
EVACUATE CANADIANS FROM THE COUNTRY AS SOON AS CONDITIONS
PERMIT THIS TO BE DONE WITHOUT INCREASED RISK."
6. (C) CANADA RECENTLY DECIDED TO SEND NINE ADDITIONAL
MILITARY PERSONNEL TO RWANDA IN RESPONSE TO GENERAL
DALLAIRE'S REQUEST FOR HEADQUARTERS STAFF. THE GOC STILL
PLANS TO SEND ONE LT. COLONEL AND EIGHT MAJORS TO AUGMENT
THE U.N. FORCE IF KIGALI QUIETS DOWN AND UNAMIR REMAINS
IN RWANDA.
7. (U) THE SITUATION IN RWANDA AND BURUNDI HAS RECEIVED
CONSIDERABLE FRONT-PAGE ATTENTION IN THE LOCAL PRESS.
REPORTS HAVE FOCUSSED ON THE BACKGROUND OF ETHNIC
VIOLENCE AND ON THE (UNCONFIRMED) DEATHS OF THE CANADIAN
WIFE AND CHILDREN OF THE RWANDAN LABOR MINISTER.
BLANCHARD
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
