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DRAFTED BY: DRL/MLA:JROSENBLATT :ESF
APPROVED BY: IO:GWARD
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77D1A5 291355Z /38
0 291351Z SEP 94
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
INFO USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KIGALI
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 264148
FOR AMB. ALBRIGHT FROM A/S SHATTUCK AND ACTING A/S WARD
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STATE 264148 291352Z
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PREF, UN, AORC, RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS: MOVING TO A MORE
EFFECTIVE PRESENCE
REF: STATE 256438
1.
CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2.
SUMMARY: THE HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OFFICERS, INCLUDING
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: WILLIAM E LANDFAIR
DATE/CASE ID: 07 JUN 2006 200103014
UNCLASSIFIED
OASY-00
10-16
PA-01
SS-00
PRME-01
UNCLASSIFIED
MONITORS, ARE A CRITICAL PIECE IN THE EFFORT TO END THE
KILLING IN RWANDA, INTRODUCE A MODICUM OF SECURITY AND
OFFER REASSURANCE FOR RETURNING REFUGEES, AND FIND A WAY
TOWARD POLITICAL RECONSTRUCTION AND NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION. UNFORTUNATELY, NUMEROUS PROBLEMS HAVE
PLAGUED THE EFFORT TO DEPLOY A SIGNIFICANT AND EFFECTIVE
FORCE OF MONITORS: FUNDING, RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND
ROLE DEFINITION; AND, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AND COORDINATION
WITH OTHER UN AGENCIES. THE ONGOING PROBLEMS MUST BE
DRESSED IMMEDIATELY, AND AT A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH LEVEL TO
SURE THAT: (A) OVERALL UN COORDINATING RESPONSIBILITY
IN RWANDA IS ASSIGNED TO ONE OFFICE, AND (B) THE CHIEF OF
THE UN MONITORS OFFICE IN KIGALI RECEIVES FORTHWITH THE
NECESSARY LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO DEPLOY AND MAINTAIN AN
EFFECTIVE MONITORING OPERATION. DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THAT
THESE ISSUES BE TAKEN UP IMMEDIATELY WITH APPROPRIATE
HIGH-LEVEL SECRETARIAT OFFICIALS. END SUMMARY.
PROBLEMS: RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND ROLE DEFINITION
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STATE 264148 291352Z
3. THE UN'S HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OFFICERS, INCLUDING
MONITORS, ARE BEGINNING TO TRICKLE INTO RWANDA AFTER A
HALTING START AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IN GENEVA.
RECRUITING HAS BEEN SLOW AND TRAINING NEXT TO
NON-EXISTENT. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF OF THE MONITORS
OFFICE IN KIGALI (IN A SEPT. 26 TELCON WITH USAID,) A SUM
TOTAL OF 26 MONITORS (INCLUDING STAFF OF THE COMMISSION OF
EXPERTS) ARE PRESENTLY ON HAND. WE REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT
THE ONGOING DELAYS IN IDENTIFYING. HIRING AND TRAINING TO
MEET THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHT'S TARGET OF 147
FIELD OFFICERS. ALSO, WE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE VAGUE
NATURE OF THE DEFINITION OF THE ROLE OF RWANDA MONITORS AS
SET OUT IN THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S ACTION PLAN.
4. IN BROAD TERMS, WE BELIEVE THAT THE MONITORS' PURPOSE
IS A PREVENTIVE ONE; ANY INVESTIGATIVE ROLE, WOULD
THREATEN, RATHER THAN REASSURE REFUGEES WHO ARE
CONSIDERING RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES. MONITORS, SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRYSIDE, COULD ALSO ASSIST IN A VARIETY
OF AREAS, INCLUDING IN THE RECONSTITUTION OF RWANDA'S
JUSTICE SYSTEM (THE HCHR'S PLAN FORESEES MOVING SOON TO
PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THIS FIELD. A
UNCLASSIFIED
PROPOSAL WE INTEND TO SUPPORT).
UNCLASSIFIED
5. IN OUR VIEW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH THE
CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MONITORS FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE
FUNCTIONS. THE LATTER SHOULD BE FILLED BY THE COMMISSION
OF EXPERTS, NATIONAL TEAMS WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION
(SUCH AS THE FIVE-PERSON USG TEAM CURRENTLY IN THE FIELD)
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AND, ONCE ESTABLISHED, THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR OF THE
INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA. THESE CONCERNS HAVE
BEEN CONVEYED TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER (REF.)
LOGISTICAL VOID AND LACK OF UN COORDINATION OR SUPPORT
6. IN ADDITION TO CONCERNS ABOUT SLOW RECRUITMENT AND
TRAINING, AND ABOUT ROLE DEFINITION, WE ARE INCREASINGLY
WORRIED THAT THE FIELD OFFICERS IN RWANDA HAVE NEITHER
MINIMAL LOGISTICAL SUPPORT NOR THE MEANS TO OPERATE
EFFECTIVELY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THE HEAD OF THE KIGALI
HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD OPERATION RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORS,
UNHRC VETERAN (AND UK CITIZEN) BILL CLARENCE, CONTINUES TO
"OPERATE" WITHOUT AN OFFICE, STAFF, CARS, RADIOS. OR EVEN
PENS AND PENCILS; CLARENCE HAS NO MEANS TO COMMUNICATE
WITH OFFICERS IN THE FIELD. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE HIGH
COMMISSIONER'S APPEAL WHICH NETTED DOLLARS 2.4 MILLION IN
PLEDGES BUT LITTLE CASH SO FAR, NOTHING APPROACHING AN
EFFECTIVE MONITORING OPERATION IS IN PLACE.
7. ROUNDING OUT THE SET OF PROBLEMS, THERE SEEMS TO BE
LITTLE COORDINATION AMONG UN AGENCIES PRESENT IN RWANDA,
INCLUDING THE MONITORS, UNAMIR, UNHRC, UNDHA, UNDP AND
UNICEF. THIS IS BEST EXEMPLIFIED BY THE RECENT DISPUTE
BETWEEN UNHCR AND DHA REGARDING SECURITY AND THE "GERSONY
REPORT," ABOUT WHICH THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS WAS UNAWARE UNTIL IT HIT THE MEDIA. AS FAR AS WE
KNOW, NO PRIORITIZED ACTION PLAN IS BEING IMPLEMENTED
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE SYG'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
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STATE 264148 291352Z
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
KHAN. CLARENCE APPEARS TO BE OPERATING IN ISOLATION FROM
AND UNSUPPORTED BY THE REST OF THE UN SYSTEM. HE IS
TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON UN/GENEVA FOR SUFPORT IN SETTING UP
THE MONITORING OPERATION, AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER -WHICH HAS NEVER FIELDED AN OPERATION OF THIS NATURE -- IS
ILL-EQUIPPED TO ORGANIZE SUCH A VENTURE.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8. IN AN EFFORT TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION, MISSION SHOULD
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND MAKE THE FOLLOWING
RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY WITH
APPROPRIAE HIGH LEVEL FUNCTIONAL OFFICIALS:
- A) A SINGLE UN OFFICIAL SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED TO
COORDINATE ALL UN OPERATIONS IN RWANDA. IS
SYGSR KHAN'S OFFICE EQUIPPED TO PLAY THIS ROLE?
-
-
-
B) THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF CLARENCE'S OFFICE
SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY UN OBJECTIVE WITH
ACTIVE HUMAN, FINANCIAL AND LOGISTIC RESOURCES FROM
UN/NEW YORK. THE UN'S RWANDA COORDINATOR'S OFFICE
SHOULD WORKING WITH MONITORS CHIEF CLARENCE,
IDENTIFY AND MAKE AVAILABLE THE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT
NEEDED TO MAINTAIN 147 FIELD OFFICERS -- AN AVERAGE
OF ONE FOR EVERY COMMUNE OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL.
C) THE COORDINATOR AND CLARENCE SHOULD WORK OUT
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTINUING SUPPORT BY THE VARIOUS
UN AGENCIES (INCLUDING UNDHA AND UNHCR), WHOSE
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RESOURCES COULD BE LOANED FOR USE BY THE MONITORS
OPERATION, AND WITH UNAMIR, TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF
MONITORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
-
D) THE USG COULD OFFER TO CONTRIBUTE PERSONNEL (OR SEND
ALREADY PROFFERED NGO STAFF) TO FACILITATE THE HUMAN
RIGHTS CENTER'S HIRING AND TRAINING OF MONITORS AND
TO ASSIST CLARENCE IN KIGALI WITH HIS DIFFICULT
UNCLASSIFIED
