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Document Number: 1994BUJUMB01008
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ACTION AF-01
BUJUMB 01008 01 OF 02 241327Z
OASY-00
AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01
HA-09
EUR-01
EB-01
DOEE-00 DS-00
L-01
10-16
IMMC-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
PA-01
OMB-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 01C-02
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33D89E 241328Z /38
O 241324Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3168
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE IMMEDIATE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
ATO AFRICA IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
INFO LOG-00
DODE-00
IML-00
NEA-01
PRS-01
TRSE-00
DIM-01
H-01
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STR-01
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USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0859
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 02 BUJUMBURA 01008
DEPT FOR AF/C, DSS/OP, DS/OP/AF, USAID
LONDON FOR MCKINLEY
YAOUNDE FOR DAO
EUCOM FOR J3
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BY
SUBJECT: STATUS OF SITUATION IN BURUNDI--MARCH 24, 1994
Current Class: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY:
HARRY it MELONE
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REFS: A) REILLY/0PS CENTER TELECON 3/24/94;
B) STATE 076599 (NOTAL)
1. (LOU) CONTRARY TO UNCONFIRMED REUTERS PRESS REPORT
CITED REFTEL, THE BURUNDI GOVERNMENT HAS NOT/NOT BEEN
OVERTHROWN. AT LEAST SOME ERRONEOUS REPORTS ABOUT
BURUNDI HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO SOME GRB OFFICIALS, LIKE
THE INTERIOR MINISTER. VISITING AF DAS PRUDENCE BUSHNELL
AND AF/C DIRECTOR ARLENE RENDER, ACCOMPANIED BY CHARGE,
MET WITH BOTH PRIME MINISTER KANYENKIKO AND PRESIDENT
CYPRIEN NTARYAMIRA AT THEIR OFFICES IN THE EXECUTIVE
BUILDING TODAY FROM 0915 TO 1115. SEPTEL TO FOLLOW.
FOLLOWING THESE MEETINGS DAS BUSHNELL WAS INTERVIEWED BY
THE PRESS IN WHICH SHE STRONGLY URGED A HALT IN THE
KILLINGS AND VIOLENCE AND FOR AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO
PEACE.
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2. (U) THE OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL AMCIT COMMUNITY
REMAINS SAFE, INCLUDING VISITING AF OFFICIALS WHO ARE DUE
TO DEPART ON SATURDAY MORNING'S SABENA FLIGHT. (FYI:
PLANNED TRIP TO THE INTERIOR ON MARCH 25 BY DAS BUSHNELL
AND AF/C DIRECTOR RENDER HAS BEEN CANCELLED/CANCELLED.
END FYI.) DESPITE AN UNSTABLE SITUATION IN BUJUMBURA
OUTLYING AREAS, THE AIRPORT REMAINS OPEN, BUSINESS AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICES ARE OPEN.
3. (U) GRB OFFICIALS ARE CONFRONTED BY A SERIOUS
SITUATION IN SOME SUBURBAN QUARTIERS OF BUJUMBURA
(NOT/NOT AFFECTING BUJUMBURA CENTER WHERE MISSION
PERSONNEL LIVE AND WORK) WHERE ELEMENTS OF THE BURUNDI
SECURITY FORCES WERE ORDERED BACK TO PATROLS TO QUELL
VIOLENCE. SOME OF THE VIOLENCE HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP OF ARMED HUTU ASSAILANTS. AT THE SAME
TIME, SOME ELEMENTS OF THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE BEEN
ACCUSED OF SERIOUS EXCESSES. IN CLASHES WHICH HAVE TAKEN
PLACE SINCE THE WEEKENDS, MANY DEATHS ARE SAID TO HAVE
OCCURRED BUT THERE IS NO/NO ESTIMATE OF OVERALL NUMBERS.
LATE YESTERDAY, RSO OBSERVATIONS IN SOME CALM AREAS LIKE
KAMENGE AND KINAMA INDICATED MORE THAN EIGHTY (80) DEAD.
THIS MORNING PRESIDENT NTARYAMIRA TOLD AF VISITORS THAT
HE HAD NO CREDIBLE ESTIMATES BUT BELIEVED THE FIGURE
COULD BE IN THE HUNDREDS.
4.
(U) THE GRB YESTERDAY ISSUED ORDERS FOR THE MILITARY
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TO WITHDRAW FROM THE AFFECTED AREAS, BUT AS OF THIS
MORNING HEAVY MILITARY PRESENCE WAS STILL REPORTED IN
KAMENGE AND KINAMA IN QUARTIERS, PREDOMINATELY HUTU.
THERE WERE REPORTS LAST NIGHT THAT THE GENDARME CHIEF OF
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STAFF HAS BEEN FIRED SINCE HE WAS UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY
COMMAND AND CONTROL HIS FORCES. DAS BUSHNELL AND AF/C
DIRECTOR RENDER HAVE REQUESTED A MEETING TOMORROW WITH
THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR A
THOROUGH DISCUSSION OF THE BURUNDI CRISIS.
5. (LOU) COMMENT: GRB LEADERS ARE STUCK IN A SITUATION
WHERE THE MILITARY STATES IT IS CONFRONTING ARMED
CIVILIAN EXTREMISTS IN COUNTRY AND, IN GENERAL, AS AN
ARMED POPULATION, HUTU AND TUTSI. ON THE OTHER HAND,
SOME SECURITY FORCES ORDERED TO THE QUARTIER BY THE GRB
ARE REFUSING TO WITHDRAW AS NOW DIRECTED SINCE THEY HAVE
BEEN ATTACKED. THE PRESIDENT MADE A STRONG STATEMENT ON
TELEVISION LAST NIGHT CALLING ON ALL BURUNDIANS TO
RESTORE CALM, CIVILIAN AND MILITARY. HE TOLD AF VISITORS
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ACTION AF-01
BUJUMB 01008 02 OF 02 241328Z
OASY-00
AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01
HA-09
EUR-01
EB-01
DOEE-00 DS-00
L-01
10-16
IMMC-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
PA-01
OMB-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02
SS-00
SR-00
SP-00
SNP-00
P-01
/045W
PMB-00
RPE-01
T-00
33D8A7 241329Z /38
O 241324Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3169
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
INFO LOG-00
DODE-00
IML-00
NEA-01
PRS-01
TRSE-00
DIM-01
H-01
ADS-00
PM-01
STR-01
Current Class: LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA. IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE IMMEDIATE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
ATO AFRICA IMMEDIATE
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USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0860
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 02 BUJUMBURA 01008
DEPT FOR AF/C, DSS/OP, DS/OP/AF, USAID
LONDON FOR MCKINLEY
YAOUNDE FOR DAO
EUCOM FOR J3
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BY
SUBJECT: STATUS OF SITUATION IN BURUNDI--MARCH 24, 1994
THIS MORNING THAT HE WAS MEETING WITH ALL POLITICAL
PARTIES TODAY TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS WHICH MIGHT POINT
THE WAY OUT OF THE CURRENT SITUATION. END COMMENT.
6. (U) EMBASSY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE THE
SITUATION. LANGE
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