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C04F33 281317Z /38
O 2813172 APR 95
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0592
INFO 17AF SEMBACH AB GE//CCA//
RWANDA COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 001347
SEMBACH AB FOR MG HEFLEBOWER
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PREF, RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA SETS UP INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY INTO
KIBEHO EVENTS
1. SUMMARY. RWANDAN PRESIDENT BIZIMUNGU WENT TO KIBEHO
APRIL 27 TAKING THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND INTERNATIONAL
PRESS WITH HIM. THERE HE ONCE GAIN REGRETTED THE LOSS
OF LIFE AT THE CAMP, ANNOUNCED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN
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KIGALI 01347 01 OF 02 281317Z
INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE EVENTS AT
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: JOHN L MILLS
DATE/CASE ID: 14 MAY 2007 200103014
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KIBEHO AND PROCEEDED WITH UNAMIR AND RPF HELP TO VISIT
MASS GRAVES AND IDENTIFY THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER BURIED.
HE ASKED MAJOR DONORS TO ASSIST IN THE INTERNATIONAL
INQUIRY. ACTION REQUESTED: PAR 10. END SUMMARY.
2. THE GOVERNMENT, DIP CORPS AND PRESS ARRIVING AT
KIBEHO ABOUT 1000 HRS ASSEMBLED TO HEAR THE PRESIDENT
EXPRESS HIS SADNESS FOR ALL WHO HAD LOST THEIR LIVES AT
KIBEHO AND HIS SYMPATHY FOR THE FAMILIES TOUCHED BY
THIS TRAGEDY; HE ASKED THE AUDIENCE TO STAND IN SILENCE
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD. BIZIMUNGU THEN ANNOUNCED
THE FORMATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
WHICH WOULD LOOK INTO ALL ASPECTS OF THE INCIDENT:
REVIEWING THE BACKGROUND, DESCRIBING HOW EVENTS PLAYED
OUT, DETERMINING HOW MANY DIED AND BY WHAT MEANS, AND
ASSESSING RESPONSIBILITY. HE ASKED RWANDA'S MAJOR
ASSISTANCE PARTNERS, BELGIUM, FRANCE, NETHERLANDS,
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES, TO ASSIST THIS INQUIRY
AND TO NOMINATE A MEMBER TO THE COMMISSION WHICH WOULD
START ITS WORK NOT LATER THAN MAY 3.
3. THE PRESIDENT THEN VISITED MASS GRAVE SITES
ACCOMPANIED BY UNAMIR AND RPF SOLDIERS WHO HAD BURIED
THE DEAD AT THE RESPECTIVE SITES. BY EARLY AFTERNOON,
HE ASSEMBLED THE PRESS AND DIP CORPS TO ANNOUNCE THAT,
BASED ON THE FIGURES GIVEN BY THOSE THAT BURIED THE
BODIES IN THE GRAVES, THE TOTAL OF DEAD CAME TO 334.
WHEN THE PRESS INQUIRED ABOUT POSSIBLE BURIAL IN
LATRINES OR ACROSS THE VALLEY, THE PRESIDENT OFFERED TO
GO IMMEDIATELY TO THOSE SITES AND DETERMINE THE NUMBER
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KIGALI 01347 01 OF 02 281317Z
OF DEAD THEREIN. MEDICINE SANS FRONTIERS STOOD
STALWARTLY BY THEIR EARLIER ESTIMATE OF THOUSANDS DEAD
BUT ADMITTED THAT ITS PERSONNEL HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE
SITE BEFORE THE BURIALS AND COULD NOT KNOW WHERE THOSE
PERSONS MIGHT BE BURIED.
4. MEANWHILE, THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, HAVING SURVEYED
THE LITTER STREWN SITE, ENDED UP INSIDE THE MSF
HOSPITAL SITE WITH THE MINISTERS OF INTERIOR, OF SOCIAL
AFFAIRS AND OF FAMILY TRYING TO CONVINCE RECALCITRANT
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CAMPERS THAT THEY WOULD BE SAFELY CONDUCTED TO THEIR
HOMES. THE INMATES GAVE HIGHLY EMOTIONAL VENT TO THEIR
FEARS, CLAIMING THAT ALL WHO LEFT THE CAMP WOULD BE
IMMEDIATELY SHOT BY THE RPF OR DONE IN ONCE THEIR
INTERNATIONAL ESCORT LEFT THEM. WHILE MANY, ESPECIALLY
WOMEN WITH CHILDREN SEEMED ANXIOUS TO LEAVE, ANGRY
YOUNG MEN WOULD CIRCLE IN THE CROWD AMD WITH A FEW
COMMENTS CAUSE THEM TO BACK AWAY. FINALLY, A COUPLE OF
MEN AGREED TO TOUR A LOCAL COMMUNE WITH THE MINISTER OF
INTERIOR AND BRING BACK WORD TO THE REST.
5. THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AMBASSADOR RAWSON BUTTONNOLED
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS, THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR, THE
PRIME MINISTER, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE MINISTER OF
YOUTH AND KEY ARMY OFFICERS, RAISING THE IMPORTANCE OF
HANDLING THIS RESIDUAL POPULATION IN A NON-VIOLENT AND
HUMANE WAY. THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR AGREED THAT LIFESUSTAINING PROVISION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE REMAINING
GROUP AND THE VICE-PRESIDENT AGREED THAT THEY WOULD
LOOK INTO THE PROVISION OF FOOD AND WATER AS REQUIRED.
IN A FINAL CONCLAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH US
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AMBASSADOR, UNDP RES REP, AND SRSG KHAN, RWANDAN
MINISTERS ASKED UNAMIR TO TAKE OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR
GETTING THE RESIDUAL POPULATION EVENTUALLY MOVED.
6. AMBASSADOR RAWSON REPORTED TO PRESIDENT BIZIMUNGU
THAT HE SENSED FROM TALKS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT THEY DID
WANT TO LEAVE THE ENCAMPMENT BUT WERE GRIPPED BY THE
DUAL FEAR OF INSECURITY ON THE OUTSIDE AND CONSEQUENCES
OF BREAKING RANK WITH THOSE ON THE INSIDE. THE GOOD
RWANDAN TRADITION OF PROLONGED DISCUSSION WOULD
EVENTUALLY BRING POSITIVE AND PEACEFUL RESULTS. THE
PRESIDENT ASSURED THE AMBASSADOR THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
HAD BEEN PATIENT ON THE CAMP ISSUE AND WOULD CONTINUE
TO BE SO.
7. COMMENT. THE UNEXPECTED AND TRAGIC RESULT OF
RWANDA'S CLEARING POLICY HAS CLEARLY SHAKEN THE
GOVERNMENT AND TURNED IT TOWARD A MORE COOPERATIVE
ATTITUDE TOWARD THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. DURING
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THE EXTENDED STAY OF ASSISTAMT SECRETARY GEORGE MOOSE,
HE AND GENERAL HEFLEBOWER REPEATEDLY AND CONSISTENTLY
LAID DOWN MARKERS REGARDING WHAT THE UNITED STATES
EXPECTED OUT OF ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RWANDAN
GOVERNMENT IN ADDRESSING THE RWAMDAN TRAGEDY. THOSE
DEMARCHES HAVE HAD RAPID EFFECT. THE GOVERNMENT HAS
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ACTION AF-01
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PTQ3812
281317Z
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C04F38 281317Z /38
O 281317Z APR 95
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0593
INFO 17AF SEMBACH AB GE//CCA//
RWANDA COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 KIGALI 001347
SEMBACH AB FOR MG HEFLEBOWER
UNCLASSIFIED
DS-00
INR-00
NSCE-00
P-01
T-00
G-00
UNCLASSIFIED
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PREF, RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA SETS UP INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY INTO
KIBEHO EVENTS
QUICKLY PICKED UP MANY OF THOSE MARKERS: AN
INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE KIBEHO
EVENTS, CLEAR REGRET FOR THE LOSS OF LIFE IN AN
OPERATION THAT WENT TRAGICALLY WRONG, DETERMINATION TO
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KIGALI 01347 02 OF 02 281317Z
DEAL WITH HARDLINERS HUNKERED DOWN AT KIBEHO WIN A NONVIOLENT AND HUMANE WAY, MUCH CLOSER AND MORE POSITIVE
COOPERATION WITH UNAMIR AND UN AND NGO IMPLEMENTERS IN
HANDLING THE RESIDUAL PROBLEM AT KIBEHO AND IN SETTLING
THE DISPLACED BACK HOME.
8. AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF RUSHING IDP'ERS HOME
HAS BEEN A HOSTILE AND SOMETIMES VIOLENT RESPONSE OF
LOCAL POPULACE TO THEIR RETURN. THE VICE PRESIDENT
TOLD AMBASSADOR RAWSON THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY
ISSUED AN APPEAL TO THE POPULATION TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS
TO THOSE RETURNING AND WOULD CONTINUE THAT EFFORT.
MINISTERS HAVE TRAVELLED TO TROUBLED COMMUNES TO SMOOTH
OVER THE REENTRY. THE MINISTER OF REHABILITATION AGREED
TO EXPAND SUCH VISITS. AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATION,
THE GOVERNMENT HAS FINALLY AGREED WITH UNDP AND ICRC ON
A STRATEGY QUICKLY TO EXPAND DETENTION FACILITIES IN
ORDER TO RELIEVE LIFE-THREATENING CONGESTION IN
COMMUNAL AND REGIONAL DETENTION CENTERS.
9. IN SHORT, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE KIBEHO TRAGEDY AND
ATTENDANT PROBLEMS IN BRINGING IDP'ERS HOME AND IN PART
BECAUSE OF VIGOROUS REPRESENTATIONS BY THE MOOSE
DELEGATION (AMONG OTHERS), WE MAY BE SEEING A TURN BY
THE GOVERNMENT TOWARD THE COOPERATIVE ATTITUDE AND
CLEAR VISION WITNESSED AT THE GENEVA ROUNDTABLE.
AMBASSADOR FRIEDMAN, NOW TOURING CAMPS IN GOMA, WILL
HAVE A CHANCE TO TEST THE WATER IN FAREWELL CALLS HERE
ON MAY 1, AS HE REITERATES THE CONCERNS WHICH MOOSE AND
MG HEFLEBOWER RAISED AND SEEKS TO REINFORCE THE
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UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE GENEVA PARTNERSHIP.
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KIGALI 01347 02 OF 02 281317Z
10. ACTION REQUESTED. EMBASSY REQUESTS AUTHORIZATION
TO INFORM THE GOR THAT THE USG ACCEPTS ITS INVITATION
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF
INQUIRY ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT BIZIMUNGU. WE SHOULD,
IN OUR ACCEPTANCE, INSIST ON INDEPENDENCE, FREE ACCESS,
AND OBJECTIVITY. SEPTEL WILL PROPOSE SEVERAL
CANDIDATES ALREADY ON THE GROUND WHO WOULD BE ADMIRABLE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. RAWSON
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