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BE91DD 241429Z /49
O 241404Z APR 95
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1763
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VIHINGEN GE//ECJ2/ECJ3/POLAD// PRIORITY
USINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4/ECJ5// PRIORITY
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 03 GENEVA 003232
STATE FOR G, PM, IO, AF, DRL, PM/ISP
PASS AID FOR A/AID, BHR, BR/OFDA, BHR/FFP, AFR, PPC
ALSO ASS NSC
ROME FOR FODAG
E.O. 12356: DECL: 4/22/99
TAGS: PREF PHUM EAID PINS RW BY
SUBJECT: ICRC AND UNHCR UPDATES: KIBEHO CAMP CASUALTIES,
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GENEVA 03232 01 OF 03 241411Z
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: JOHN L MILLS
DATE/CASE ID: 27 JUN 2007 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
OASY-00
ADS-00
PMB-00
UNCLASSIFIED
LARGE GROUPS ON THE MOVE, BURUNDI FORCIBLY RETURNS
RWANDANS
REF: (A) KIGALI 1259, (B) KIGALI 1258
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT
2. SUMMARY. AS OF SUNDAY EVENING 4/23, ICRC AND UNHCR
OFFICIALS IN GENEVA REPORTED THAT SEVERAL THOUSAND
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN THE KIBEHO CAMP IN
RWANDA WERE KILLED. MANY DIED IN A HUMAN STAMPEDE; MANY
OTHERS WERE KILLED BY INDISCRIMINATE GUNFIRE AND
GRENADES DIRECTED AT THEM. THE UNHCR AND ICRC STILL DID
NOT HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THE CAMPS TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND
EVACUATE THE WOUNDED. THEY WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT
LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE (AS MANY AS 100,000) WHO WERE ON
THE MOVE SEEKING PROTECTION AND REPORTS THAT THE
GOVERNMENT OF BURUNDI HAS CLOSED ITS BORDER. ICRC ASKED
THAT GOVERNMENTS INTERCEDE WITH RWANDAN AUTHORITIES TO
GIVE HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ACCESS TO ASSIST THE WOUNDED
AND PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER TO THOSE STILL TRAPPED IN THE
CAMPS. END SUMMARY.
ICRC HAS ONLY LIMITED ACCESS TO IDP CAMP
3. ON SUNDAY APRIL 23, THE ICRC'S ACTING DESK OFFICER
FOR RWANDA AND BURUNDI, CHRISTOPHER WIESER, GAVE MISSOFF
AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN THE GIKONGORO AREA,
ESPECIALLY IN THE KIBEHO CAMP FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED
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GENEVA 03232 01 OF 03 241411Z
WHERE THOUSANDS REPORTEDLY WERE KILLED. WIESER SAID THE
FOLLOWING:
-- EARLY IN THE WEEK, THE RPA SURROUNDED KIBEHO CAMP
WHICH CONTAINED OVER 100,000 INTERNALLY DISPLACED
PERSONS. BY FRIDAY, THE CAMP WAS CORDONED OFF, THE CAMP
WAS CALM, BUT TENSIONS WERE RISING.
-- ON SATURDAY, SEVERAL PEOPLE TRIED TO BREAK OUT OF
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
THE CORDON BUT THEY WERE REPELLED BY THE RPA WITH
GUNFIRE; THE ENSUING CROWD MOVEMENTS CAUSED PANIC AND
THOUSANDS WERE TRAMPLED TO DEATH. THE RPA ALSO
PANICKED, FIRED INDISCRIMINATELY AND THREW GRENADES INTO
THE CROWDS, WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN HUNDREDS OF
CASUALTIES. MANY WERE SHOT IN THE BACK. THE ICRC COULD
NOT CONFIRM REPORTS OF 8,000 DEATHS REPORTED EARLIER BY
SOME SOURCES, BUT THEY BELIEVED DEATHS WERE IN THE
THOUSANDS ON THE BASIS OF LIMITED (TWO-HOUR) ACCESS
GIVEN TO ICRC AT 16:00 ON SATURDAY.
-- ON SUNDAY, ICRC GAINED ACCESS TO THE CAMP AND WAS
ABLE TO EVACUATE 37 WOUNDED; ADDITIONAL VEHICLES WERE
STANDING BY TO EVACUATE MORE IF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES
PERMITTED IT. ACCESS TO THE CAMP WAS HIGHLY RESTRICTED
FOR EVACUATING THE WOUNDED, LET ALONE DISTRIBUTING FOOD
AND WATER.
-- MOVEMENT IN THE AREA WAS HIGHLY RESTRICTED BY THE
LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND SECURITY CONDITIONS. WHILE ICRC
HAD OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES IN KIGALI
TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD AND WATER TO THE DISPLACED IN KIBEHO,
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GENEVA 03232 01 OF 03 241411Z
AS THE TRUCKS CARRYING SUPPLIES GOT CLOSER TO THE CAMP
SECURITY FORCES AT ROADBLOCKS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TRUCKS
TO PROCEED.
ICRC CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE KAMANA
AND MUNINI CAMPS. THERE WERE REPORTS THAT THE STADIUM
IN BUTARE WAS FILLING WITH INTERNALLY DISPLACED FLEEING
KIBEHO. BY ICRC ESTIMATES THERE WERE SOME 100,000
EOPLE ON THE MOVE AND THEIR WHEREABOUTS WAS UNKNOWN.
ICRC HAD RECEIVED REPORTS THAT THE BURUNDI BORDER
WAS CLOSED AND THAT RWANDANS ATTEMPTING TO FLEE THE IDP
CAMPS WERE FORCIBLY TURNED AWAY.
-- THE ICRC HAS WRITTEN TO VICE-PRESIDENT KAGAME ASKING
FOR ACCESS TO THE CAMPS AND URGING HIS GOVERNMENT TO
REFRAIN FROM INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTINGS. AS THE LETTER
WAS DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING, THE ICRC WAS INFORMED
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
THAT KAGAME WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE REGION.
uNHCR's AFRICA BUREAU DIRECTOR REPORT
4. ALSO ON APRIL 23, uNHCR's AFRICA BUREAU DIRECTOR,
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FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1764
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//EcJ2/EcJ3/PoLAD// PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4/ECJ5// PRIORITY
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIALSECTION 02 OF 03 GENEVA 003232
UNCLASSIFIED
0ASY-00
ADS-00
PMB-00
UNCLASSIFIED
STATE FOR G, PRM, IO, AF, DRL, PM/ISP
PASS AID FOR A/AID, BHR, BHR/OFDA, BHR/FFP, AFR, PPC
ALSO PASS NSC
ROME FOR FODAG
E.O. 12356: DECL: 4/22/99
TAGS: PREF PHUM EAID PINS RW BY
SUBJECT: ICRC AND UNHCR UPDATES: KIBEHO CAMP CASUALTIES,
LARGE GROUPS ON THE MOVE, BURUNDI FORCIBLY RETURNS
RWANDANS
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GENEVA 03232 02 OF 03 241407Z
KAMEL MORJANE, CALLED REFCOUNS TO EXPRESS UNHCR'S
CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE GIKONGORO AREA.
MORJANE BELIEVED THAT SATURDAY KILLINGS IN KIBEHO WERE
NOT PLANNED, BUT THE RESULT OF A PANIC REACTION BY THE
INTERNALLY DISPLACED, WHO TRAMPLED THOUSANDS TO DEATH,
AND PANIC BY THE RPA, WHO FIRED INDISCRIMINATELY INTO
THE CROWDS TO CONTROL THEIR MOVEMENTS. UNHCR OFFERED TO
PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION AND MEDICAL CARE FOR THE WOUNDED,
BUT THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND HAD PREVENTED THE
DELIVERY OF ASSISTANCE TO THE CAMP.
5. ACCORDING TO MORJANE, UNHCR WAS ALSO EXTREMELY
CONCERNED BY THE APPARENT CLOSURE OF THE BURUNDI
BORDER. HE REPORTED THAT BURUNDI AUTHORITIES FORCIBLY
RETURNED (REFOULED) 30 RWANDAN REFUGEES TO RWANDAN
AUTHORITIES AND WAS PLANNING TO RETURN ANOTHER 70 IN THE
NEAR FUTURE. IN HIS VIEW, THIS VIOLATION OF BURUNDI'S
ASYLUM OBLIGATIONS REFLECTED COOPERATION/COORDINATION
BETWEEN THE RPA AND THE BURUNDI ARMY.
INTERNAL UNHCR SITUATION REPORT
6. EARLY ON MONDAY, MISSION OBTAINED A COPY OF AN APRIL
23 INTERNAL UNHCR (STRICTLY PROTECT) SITUATION REPORT,
WHICH IS REPRODUCED BELOW:
BEGIN TEXT.
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
THE SITUATION IN THE LARGEST IDP CAMP, KIBEHO, MOVED
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GENEVA 03232 02 OF 03 241407Z
FROM ONE DISASTER TO ANOTHER OVER THE COURSE OF THE
DAY. THERE WERE SEEMINGLY REGULAR ROUNDS OF FIRE WHICH
RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF DEAD AND WOUNDED. (SUNDAY
0800H: LATEST UNAMIR/UNREO ESTIMATE IS MORE THAN 8,000
DEAD IN THE LAST 24 HOURS UNCIVPOL ESTIMATE WAS 5,000
PERSONS AS OF LAST NIGHT.)
THE CAUSES OF DEATH APPEAR TO BE THE RESULT OF A
DREADFUL COMBINATION OF INCOMPETENT CROWD CONTROL AND
ACTIVE MILITIA MEN SNIPING AT RPA SOLDIERS. IN THE
FIRST INSTANCE, NERVOUS SOLDIERS SHOT PEOPLE WHO WERE
TRYING TO ESCAPE A DOWNPOUR OF RAIN. IN THE SECOND,
SMALL-ARMS FIRE FROM A HOUSE IN THE AREA WAS ANSWERED
WITH HEAVY MORTAR FIRE FROM THE RPA. PEOPLE WERE KILLED
NOT ONLY BY DIRECT GUNFIRE BUT ALSO IN STAMPEDES WHICH
OCCURRED AS THE IDP'S TRIED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE
CONFLICT IN SUCH A CONFINED SPACE. SUB-OFFICE (SO)
BUTARE FIELD OFFICER REPORTED THAT SHE HAD TO WALK BY
"PILES AND PILES OF DEAD BODIES" BY THE END OF THE DAY.
SO BUTARE ESTIMATES THAT KIBEHO CAMP WILL BE EMPTY BY
THE END OF THE DAY SUNDAY 23 APRIL. CURRENTLY, 7,000
PERSONS ARE BEING HOUSED AT TH HCR WAY-STATION AT
BUTARE: 12,000 PERSONS ARE STAYING IN THE BUTARE
STADIUM. THE MAIN TASK FOR UNHCR IS TO PROVIDE WATER
AND BISCUITS TO THESE PERSONS, AND TO TRANSPORT ONWARDS
PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING TOWARDS BUTARE AND THENCE TO
THEIR HOME COMMUNES.
THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO CARE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2,000
UNACCOMPANIED AND ABANDONED CHILDREN CURRENTLY INSIDE
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GENEVA 03232 02 OF 03 241407Z
THE ZAMBATT HQS. THE RSU OFFICER IS TRAVELING TO BUTARE
SUNDAY MORNING TO IDENTIFY PLACES TO PUT THEM, SINCE
MOST OF THE EXISTING FACILITIES IN THE REGION ARE
ALREADY FULL.
IT BEARS MENTION THAT MOST OF THE PERSONS WALKING ALONG
THE ROAD, AS WELL AS MANY IN WAY-STATIONS AND THE
STADIUM, HAVE NOT EATEN ANY FOOD FOR FIVE DAYS. WFP HAS
RELEASED 200 MT OF BISCUITS WHICH ARE BEING TRANSPORTED
BY HCR/IOM TRUCKS TO BUTARE SUNDAY MORNING.
NDAGO CAMP WAS ALSO CLOSED ON SATURDAY. THE REMAINING
CAMP POPULATION OF 10,000 WERE ESCORTED SATURDAY BY RPA
ON FOOT TO THE COMMUNE OF NYAKIZU. THE NEARBY KAMANA
ND MUNINI CAMPS, APPROXIMATELY 20,000 AND 25,000 PEOPLE
RESPECTIVELY, APPEAR NOW TO HAVE BEEN ABANDONED. THERE
HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION OF VIOLENCE AT THESE SITES;
OBSERVATIONS IN THESE THREE LOCATIONS REVEAL THAT THE
MAJORITY OF THE CAMP POPULATION IS COMPOSED OF WOMEN,
CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE. IN SOME CASES, THERE IS A
SENSE OF RELIEF AMONG THEM THAT THINGS ARE COMING TO AN
END AND THEY ARE GOING HOME. ANOTHER URGENT TASK FOR
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TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1765
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ2/EcJ3/POLAD// PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4/ECJ5// PRIORITY
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 GENEVA 003232
STATE FOR G, PPM, IO, AF, DRL, PM/ISP
PASS AID FOR A/AID, BHR, BHR/OFDA, BHR/FFP, AFR, PPC
ALSO PASS NSC
ROME FOR FODAG
E.O. 12356: DECL: 4/22/99
TAGS: PREF PHUM EAID PINS RW BY
SUBJECT: ICRC AND UNHCR UPDATES: KIBEHO CAMP CASUALTIES,
LARGE GROUPS ON THE MOVE, BURUNDI FORCIBLY RETURNS
RWANDANS
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GENEVA 03232 03 OF 03 241407Z
UNHCR IS TO FIND WHERE MANY OF THE MISSING PERSON HAVE
GONE; HELICOPTER TRIP OVER BURUNDI BORDER SCHEDULED FOR
SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
STILL NO DEFINITIVE REPORT FROM NGOZI SIDE REGARDING
REFOULEMENT OF 30 PERSONS YESTERDAY EVENING TO NYAMATA,
RWANDA. TELECON WITH HcR/BuJumsuRA LAST NIGHT REVEALED
THAT THESE WERE PERSONS WHO FLED TO BURUNDI IN FEBRUARY
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
1995; PART OF A GROUP TOTALLING 100 PERSONS THAT
OFFICIALS ATTEMPTED TO REFOULE YESTERDAY. HCR/BUJUMBURA
WAS FAIRLY SURE THAT THE REMAINING 70 PERSONS WILL BE
BEFOULED TODAY.
THESE PERSONS ARE NOT PART OF THE OUTFLOW FROM KIBEHO
CAMP IN THE LAST DAYS. HCR/BUJUMBURA ALSO SAYS THAT
LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE ANNOUNCED ORALLY--BUT NOT IN
WRITING--THAT THE BURUNDI BORDER IS CLOSED TO RWANDA.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SENT AS AVAILABLE.
END TEXT. SPIEGEL
CONFIDENTIAL
UNCLASSIFIED
