Citation
CONFIDENTIAL
E9
UNCLASSIFIED
RELEASED IN FULL
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ACTION AF-01
KIGALI 02336 01 OF 02 110635Z
INFO LOG-00 ACDA-15 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01
INRE-00 INR-01
H-01
EUR-01 HA-09
EB-01
RP-10
P-01
ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 PM-01
DTC-01
TRSE-00 T-01
SS-01
SSO-00
SP-01
3D5AA6 110636Z /38
O 110634Z JUN 92
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0878
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE //ECJ4-SA//
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 02336
E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: MASS, MOPS, MARK, PINR, PGOV, RW
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RETIRES TOP MILITARY
OFFICERS
REF: KIGALI 1709
1. CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEXT.
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2. SUMMARY: THE GOR ANNOUNCED TODAY, 10 JUNE, THAT THE
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS TAKEN THE DECISION TO
REORGANIZE THE ARMED FORCES. THE CHIEFS OF STAFF OF THE
ARMY AND THE GENDARMERIE, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER
OFFICERS, HAVE BEEN SENT INTO RETIREMENT AND REPLACED.
END SUMMARY.
3. THE GOR ANNOUNCED THAT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TOOK
THE DECISION AT THEIR JUNE 9 MEETING TO SEND INTO
RETIREMENT A NUMBER OF KEY OFFICERS IN THE RWANDAN
MILITARY. AMONG THOSE PUT TO PASTURE ARE COLS. SERUBUGA
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: ARCHIE M BOLSTER
DATE/CASE ID: 28 JUN 2006 200600730
UNCLASSIFIED
DODE-00
L-03
SNP-01
/052W
UNCLASSIFIED
AND RWAGAFILITA, CHIEFS OF STAFF OF THE ARMY AND
GENDARMERIE. SERUBUGA WILL BE REPLACED BY COL.
DEOGRATIAS NSABIMANA; RWAGAFILITA BY COL. AUGUSTIN
NDINDILIYIMANA. ALSO RETIRED WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICERS' ACADEMY, TO BE REPLACED BY COL LEONIDAS
RUSATIRA, WHO MOVES OVER FROM HIS LONG-HELD POSITION AS
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.
4. OTHER CHANGES IN THE MILITARY HIERARCHY INCLUDE THE
POSTING OF COL. FRANCOIS MUNYENGANGO FROM CHIEF OF THE
MILITARY COOPERATION SECTION (AND POST'S PRINCIPLE
INTERLOCUTOR AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE) TO THE POSITION
OF DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR VETERANS' AFFAIRS. THIS WOULD
APPEAR TO PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENTING ANY FUTURE
DEMOBILIZATION PLANS.
5. COL. NDINDILIYIMANA TAKES ON A DAUNTING TASK AS
CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE GENDARMERIE. THE GENDARMES ARE
NOT KNOWN FOR EITHER THEIR TRAINING OR DISCIPLINE, AND
HAVE A NASTY REPUTATION AMONG THE POPULATION AS BANDITS
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AND THIEVES. THE COLONEL COMES FROM PREVIOUS POSTS AS
MINISTER AT THE PRESIDENCY FOR MILITARY AND SECURITY
AFFAIRS, AND AS MINISTER OF DEFENSE. HE IS WELL
RESPECTED IN AND OUT OF THE ARMED FORCES, AND GENERALLY
CONSIDERED TO NOT HAVE USED HIS POSITIONS OF POWER TO
ENRICH HIMSELF.
6. COL. NSABIMANA, WHO TAKES THE POSITION OF ARMY CHIEF
OF STAFF, IS A COMPLEX FIGURE. HE IS CELEBRATED AS ONE
OF THE TRUE HEROS OF THE ONGOING WAR WITH THE RPF,
HAVING BEEN IN COMMAND OF TROOPS IN THE MUTARA SECTOR
SINCE THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR IN OCTOBER 1990. HE IS
HIGHLY RESPECTED BY HIS SOLDIERS AND, IN THIS TIME OF
DECREASING ARMY DISCIPLINE, IS KNOWN AS AN OFFICER TO BE
OBEYED. HE ALSO FACES A DIFFICULT JOB IN ATTEMPTING TO
RE-ESTABLISH DISCIPLINE IN THE RANKS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
7. COMMENT: THIS WAS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP. AS LONG
AS I HAVE BEEN HERE I HAVE HEARD THE NAMES OF
RWAGAFILITA, SERUBUGA AND & AGATHA AS THE EMINENCES
GRISES BEHIND ALL OF THE EVILS OF THIS HABYARIMANA
REGIME. THE REMOVAL OF TWO OF THEM WILL PROVE TO MANY
RWANDANS THAT THIS GOVERNMENT OF TRANSITION IS NOW
FUNCTIONING. I BELIEVE THE SAME MESSAGE SHOULD BE
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
UNDERSTOOD BY THE RPF WHICH HAS CONTINUED THROUGH ITS
MEETINGS WITH COHEN, WITH THE PARTY LEADERS AND WITH THE
FOREIGN MINISTER TO QUESTION WHETHER THIS GOVERNMENT HAD
THE CAPABILITY TO MAKE REAL CHANGE. OF COURSE THE
CYNICS WILL POINT OUT THAT SAGATWA IS STILL THERE. I
MUST ADMIT THAT SEEING HIM TODAY AT THE PRESIDENCY WITH
A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT HE MAY
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HAVE EVEN BENEFITTED BY THE REMOVAL OF HIS TWO
COLLEAGUES. NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE CONFIRMED WITH THE
PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF CABINET, ENOCH RUHIGIRA, THAT THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS AGREED TO THE CHANGES. IF HE CAN
MAKE THAT KNOW PUBLICLY, IT SHOULD DEFLECT RIGHT WING
OBJECTIONS. HE DID HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS MORNING
IN KINYARWANDA, BUT SO FAR AS WE KNOW DID NOT SAY HE WAS
CHANGING HIS MILITARY LEADERSHIP.
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ACTION AF-01
KIGALI 02336 02 OF 02 110636Z
DODE-00
INFO LOG-00 ACDA-15 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01
INRE-00 INR-01 L-03
H-01
EUR-01 HA-09
EB-01
SNP-01
RP-10
P-01
ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 PM-01
/052W
DTC-01
TRSE-00
T-01
SSO-00
SS-01
SP-01
3D5ABO 110636Z /38
0 110634Z JUN 92
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0879
INFO AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
AMEMBASSY
AMEMBASSY
AMEMBASSY
AMEMBASSY
USCINCEUR
KAMPALA PRIORITY
KINSHASA PRIORITY
NAIROBI PRIORITY
PARIS PRIORITY
VAIHINGEN GE //ECJ4-SA//
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 02 KIGALI 02336
E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: MASS, MOPS, MARK, PINR, PGOV, RW
SUBJECT: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RETIRES TOP MILITARY
8. COMMENT CONTINUED. THERE IS A POSSIBLE DOWNSIDE IN
ALL OF THIS OF COURSE. NSABIMANA IS KNOWN TO BE A
HARDLINE MILITARY OFFICER, EFFECTIVE AND HAVING EARNED
THE RESPECT OF HIS SOLDIERS. AT THE SAME TIME HE IS
KNOWN AS A MAN WHO GIVES NO QUARTER, BELIEVED TO HAVE
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TORTURED PRISONERS TO DEATH AND INSTITUTED SUMMARY
EXECUTIONS ON THE BATTLEFIELD. THIS REPUTATION IS
SURELY KNOWN TO THE RPF, AND COULD OFFSET THEIR
SATISFACTION WITH THE REMOVAL OF SERUBUGA. END
COMMENT. FLATEN
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