UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 RELEASED IN PART CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 KIGALI 03854 01 OF 04 2517092 ACTION AF-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 A-01 CA-02 COO-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DS-00 H-01 IMMC-01 INR-00 IO-16 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 M-01 NSAE-00 OCS-06 OIC-02 OMB-01 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SGT-03 SNP-00 SP-00 SR-00 SSC-01 88-00 TRSE-00 T-00 ASDS-01 FMP-00 CORE-00 FDSEFA 25171 DZ 38 0 2514232 OCT 93 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4909 INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AM EM BASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE USIA WASHDC 9179 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK I A SECTION 01 OF 04 KIGALI 03854 DEPT FOR AFIC DSSIOP DSIOPIAF CONFIDENTIAL REVIEW AUTHORITY charles CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 KIGALI 03854 01 OF 04 2517092 NAIROBI FOR CO CO YAOUNDE FOR DAO EUCOM FOR JC E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PREL ASEC AMGT PREF BY RW SUBJECT BURUNDI COUP RWANDAN REACTION REF KIGALI 03818 1 CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT 2 SUMMARY THE BURUNDI COUP IS THE PREOCCUPATION OF ALL RWANDANS PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA SUMMONED Classification Exteriiled on 0313112014 - Class CONEIEENTIAL - Authority DSCG 11-1 - Declassify on UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2014-01302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 WESTERN DIPLOMATS TO A MEETING ON THE FIRST DAY OCTOBER 21 HE ASKED FOR FOREIGN MILITARY INTERVENTION TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY IN BURUNDI AND RECEIVED A FORMAL TURNDOWN FROM THE FRENCH AND REJECTION BY THE OTHERS HE THEN ASKED IF THE ISSUE COULD BE TAKEN TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED A COMMUNIQUE CONDEMNING THE COUP BUT CALLING ON RWANDANS TO RESPOND WITH CALM AND VIGILANCE THE RWANDAN PRESS HAS PUBLISHED THE COMMUNIQUES CALLING FOR CALM BUT ALSO READ IN TOTA 5#3 19 7 81 73 I49 THE GOVERNMENT IN EXILE AND THE MINISTERS IN HIDING IN BURUNDI THE CDR RADIO STATION HAS BEEN OUTRAGEOUS IN TRYING TO INCITE VIOLENCE ALL THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 KIGALI 03854 01 OF 04 2517092 POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE PUBLISHED COMMUNIQUES CONDEMNING THE COUP INCLUDING ITS RADIO STATION MUHUBURA KIGALI IS NOWCALM BUT RENEWED FEARS OF COHABITATION WITH THE TUTSIS WILL MAKE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARUSHA ACCORD MORE DIFFICULT END SUMMARY 3 A COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE AT THE EMBASSY HAS PREVENTED US FROM PROVIDING REGULAR REPORTS ON THE RWANDAN REACTION TO THE EVENTS IN NEIGHBORING BURUNDI SINCE REFTEL OCTOBER 21 THE PRESIDENT 4 PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA SUMMONED WESTERN DIPLOMATS LATE THURSDAY OCTOBER 21 TO MAKE AN IMPASSIONED PLEA FOR WESTERN DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY IN BUJUMBURA HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY PRIME MINISTER AGATHE UWILINGIYIMANA HE HAD ALREADY SENT A MESSAGE REQUESTING MILITARY INTERVENTION BY THE FRENCHI AND HAD HIS STAFF POSE THE QUESTION TO THE GERMANS AND THE AMERICANS WE INFORMED THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA THAT A REQUEST FOR US MILITARY INTERVENTION WOULD NOT BE WELCOME THE FRENCH RECEIVED THE REQUEST FORMALLY AMBASSADOR MARLAUD MET WITH THE PRESDENT JUST REST OF US ON OCTOBER 21 AND FORMALLY DECLINED THE RWANDAN REQUEST FOR FRENCH INTERVENTION HE WENT ON TO TELL THE PRESIDENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE FELT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA NOT TO STIR UP ETHNIC HATREDS BUT RATHER TO URGE CALM IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case NO F-2014-01302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc NO C05517270 Date 05 05 2014 PAGE 04 KIGALI 03854 01 OF 04 2517092 5 IN PRESIDENT READ TO THESDIPLOMATS THE COMMUNIQUE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT SIGNED BY THE PRIME MINISTER HE THEN ASKED IF UNSC MEMBERS WOULD BE WILLING TO RAISE THE ISSUE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL 6 I URGED THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER TO MAKE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO HAVE THE RPF ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR COMMUNIOUE CONDEMNING THE COUP IN BURUNDI NOTING THAT THEREEHASEUBLICLI BEEN A GREAI OF DEMOCRACY B1 I I THE 1 4 3 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 KIGALI 03854 02 OF 04 2517112 ACTION INFO LOG-00 AID-01 A-01 CA-02 COO-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-01 OIGO-01 FBO-01 HA-09 H-01 IMMC-01 TEDE-00 IO-16 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-06 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPR-01 PA-01 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SOT-03 SNP-OO SP-00 SR-00 SSC-01 88-00 TRSE-00 T-00 ASDS-01 FMP-00 CORE-00 FD3F41 2517112138 0 2514232 OCT 93 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4910 INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AM EMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE USIA WASHDC 9180 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2014-01302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 0510512014 DEPT FOR AFIC CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 KIGALI 03854 02 OF 04 2517112 NAIROBI FOR CO CO YAOUNDE FOR DAO EUCOM FOR JC E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PREL ASEC AMGT PREF BY RW SUBJECT BURUNDI COUP RWANDAN REACTION PRIME MINISTER SAID THE CABINET HAD TRIED TO FIND A WAY TO ASSOCIATE THE RPF WITH THEIR STATEMENT BUT LACK TACTICAL MEANS TO COMMUNICATE IN THE END THE RPF ISSUED ITS OWN CONDEMNATION OF THE BURUNDI COUP ON RADIO MUHUBURA THURSDAY NIGHT OCTOBER 21 7 ON OCTOBER 24 HABYARIMANA FLEW TO GBADOLITE TO DISCUSS WITH MOBUTU THE OF REESTABLISHING DEMOCRACY IN 8 THE PRESIDENCY WAS APPARENTLY BEHIND THE DECISION OF THE BURUNDI MINISTER OF HEALTH TO DECLARE A GOVERNMENT IN EXILE THE DIRECTOR OF THE CABINET ENOCH RUHIGIRA MADE THE PHONE CALLS TO THIS EMBASSY AND TO OTHER EMBASSIES TO ENCOURAGE AMBASSADORS TO TALK WITH MINISTER MINANI ON THURSDAY THEN SAW TO IT THAT RADIO RWANDA GAVE HIM ADEQUATE TIME ON THE AIR ON FRIDAY SINCE SATURDAY WE HAVE HEARD FROM MR MINANI BECAUSE TELEPHONE LINES OPENED UP AGAIN TO BUJUMBURA AND RWANDANS BEGAN TO CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 KIGALI 03854 02 OF 04 251711Z TALK WITH AND RECEIVE COMMUNIOUES FROM MORE SENIOR MINISTERS IN HIDING IN BUJUMBURA GOVERNMENT COMMUNIOUE 9 THE GOVERNMENT COMMUNIOUE ISSUED ON OCTOBER 21 STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE ACTION OF THE BURUNDI MILITARY UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 BUT CALLS ON THE RWANDAN PEOPLE TO REACT TO THE CRISIS WITH AND THE COMMUNIOUE RESULTED FROM A CABINET MEETING ON THE WHICH WAS CHAIRED BY THE PRIME MINISTER WHO BROKE AWAY FRBM A MEETING WITH THE RPF IN KINIHIRA IN ORDER TO RETURN TO THE CABINET SESSION THE SECURITY COMMITTEE OF THE CABINET MET ON FRIDAY AND AGAIN ON SUNDAY TO DISCUSS BURUNDI THE WHOLE CABINET MET AGAIN ON SATURDAY COMMUNIOUES FROM THE CABINET SESSIONS CONTINUED TO CALL ON RWADANS FOR CALM AND APPEALED TO THEM NOT TO LET EVENTS IN BURUNDI STAND IN THE WAY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARUSHA PEACE ACCORD THEY URGED RWANDANS TO RESPOND WITH GENEROSITY AND TO WELCOME THE REFUGEES WHO WERE REPORTED TO BE ARRIVING IN GREAT NUMBERS FROM BURUNDI- 10 DURING THE FRIDAY SESSION MINISTERS SOUGHT MEANS TO CONTAIN THE VIOLENT REACTIONS OF RWANDANS AND PREVENT THE VIOLENCE IN BURUNDI FROM SPILLING INTO RWADA THE FRIDAY SESSION WAS PARTLY IN RESPONSE TO THE VIOLENCE PERPETUATED BY CDR YOUTH FRIDAY MORNING VIOLENCE WHICH WAS QUITE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY PUT DOWN BY THE GENDARMERIE NEVERTHELESSI IN SPITE OF CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 KIGALI 03854 02 OF 04 2517112 MAJOR GENDARME EFFORTS ISOLATED INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AGAIN FOLLOWED THE RALLY ON SATURDAY AND THE CDR ON SUNDAY MORNING PRESS TREATMENT OF THE COUP 11 THE BURUNDI COUP HAS BEEN ALMOST THE SOLE PREOCCUPATION OF GOVERNMENT RADIO RWANDA AND OF THE RIGHT-WING RTLM RADIO IN KIGALI RWANDA RADIO HAS PLAYED ALL GOVERNMENT COMMUNIOUES CALLING FOR CALM BUT HAS ALSO PLAYED VERBATIM THE TEXTS OF POLITICAL PARTY DECLARATIONS FROM BURUNDI THE STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH FOLLOWING HIS ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT IN EXILE HERE AND STATEMENTS FROM THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MINISTER OF CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 KIGALI 03854 03 OF 04 2514382 ACTION AF-01 INFO AID-01 A-01 CA-02 CCO-00 CIAE-00 CTME-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-OO DOEE-OO DS-00 OIGO-01 FBO-01 HA-09 H-01 IMMC-01 TEDE-00 IO-16 LAB-04 ADS-00 M-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-06 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPR-01 PA-01 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SGT-03 SNP-OO SP-00 SR-00 SSC-01 88-00 TRSE-OO T-00 ASDS-01 FMP-00 CORE-00 1074W FDZB03 2514402 I38 0 2514232 OCT 93 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4911 INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE USIA WASHDC 9181 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK TIA SECTION 03 OF 04 KIGALI 03854 DEPT FOR AFIC DSIOPIAF CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 KIGALI 03854 03 OF 04 2514382 NAIROBI FOR CO CO YAOUNDE FOR DAO EUCOM FOR JC E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PREL ASEC AMGT PREF BY RW SUBJECT BURUNDI COUP RWANDAN REACTION DEFENSE IN BURUNDI WHOSE SOURCE WAS NEVER REVEALED RADIO COVERAGE OF THE COUP WAS BOTH ALARMIST AND SUBJECT TO INTERPRETATION OF INCITEMENT OF THE HUTU MAJORITY IN SPITE OF THE EFFORTS UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2014-01302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2014-01302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 TO CALM THE POPULATION 12 BUT RADIO RWANDA WAS THE ESSENCE OF CALM COMPARED TO THE RTLM RADIO TELEVISION LIBRE DES MILLE COLLINES THE CDR VOICE FROM KIGALI THE RTLM CALLED ON ALL RWANDANS TO RESIST THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY BY EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS AND REPORTED THAT BOTH RPF COMMANDER PAUL KAGAME AND MDR PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE TWAGIRAMUNGU HAD BEEN IN BUJUMBURA TO HELP PLOT THE COUP AFTER A FLOOD OF PROTEST FROM OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES THE RTLM RETRACTED THE ACCUSATION AGAINST TWAGIRAMUNGU BUT AS OF SUNDAY MUCH OF RWANDA INCLUDING THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE BELIEVED THAT KAGAME WAS PARTY TO THE TUTSI COUP IN BUJUMBURA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 KIGALI 03854 03 OF 04 2514382 13 RWANDAN TELEVISION COVERED PICTURES OF THE BODIES FLOWING IN THE NYABARONGO RIVER COVERAGE CLEARLY TAKEN FROM MILITARY HELICOPTERS THE ONLY ONES IN THE COUNTRY HYPING THE BRUTALITY OF THE COUP IN BUJUMBURA POLITICAL PARTIES 14 BY FRIDAY ALL THE MAJOR AND MOST OF THE SMALL POLITICAL PARTIES HAD PUT OUT COMMUNIOUES CONDEMNING THE RAPE OF DEMOCRACY IN BURUNDI EVEN THE RPF ANNOUNCED ITS CONDEMNATION OF THE COUP ALTHOUGH RWANDAN OPINION SEEMS NOT TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY 15 THE MDR HARDLINE GROUP TRIED TO SCHEDULE A RALLY ON FRIDAY THEN POSTPONED IT UNTIL SATURDAY AND MARCHED FROM THE CENTER OF TOWN TO THE REGIONAL STADIUM WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND ADHERENTS ALSO PRESENT ON THE STAGE AT THE STADIUM WERE MRND AND CDR LEADERS A SIMILAR BUT SMALLER RALLY WAS SPONSORED BY THE CDR ON SUNDAY THE SAME THREE PARTY FACTIONS PARTICIPATED THIS IS A CURIOUS COALITION OF THE MDR MRND AND CDR IT SEEMS TO HAVE BROUGHT TOGETHER THE HUTU SUPREMIST FACTIONS OF THE THREE PARTIES WHEREAS THE FORMAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MDR AND THE MRND IS THE TWAGIRAMUNGU FACTION AND THE FACTION OF THE PARTY WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE NEXT TRANSITION GOVERNMENT MOST TROUBLING IS THE FACT THAT THE ETHNICALLY INSPIRED COUP IN BUJUMBURA GIVES RENEWED CREDIBILITY TO THE CDR PARTY AND HAS FORCED OR ENCOURAGED OTHER CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case NO Doc No 005517270 Date UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 KIGALI 03854 03 OF 04 2514382 MAINSTREAM PARTIES OR FACTIONS OF OTHER MAINSTREAM PARTIES TO ASSOCIATE THEMSELVES WITH THE PREVIOUSLY DISCREDITED CDR 16 FOLLOWING BOTH RALLIES THERE WERE INCIDENTS OF ETHNICALLY INSPIRED VIOLENCE INCLUDING HOSPITALIZATION OF ABOUT A DOZEN VICTIMS THERE WERE NO KNOWN DEATHS BUT CONSIDERABLE PROPERTY DAMAGE BY YOUNG THUGS SUPPORTING THE CDR AND THE RIGHT WINGS OF THE MRND AND MDR 17 COMMANT A SNEEZE IN BUJUMBURA BRINGS PNEUMONIA TO KIGALI INSECURITY IN THE TUTSI COMMUNITY WAS EXACERBATED BY A COUPLE OF WILD CDR TYPES CALLING ON CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 KIGALI 03854 04 OF 04 2514392 ACTION AF-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 A-01 CA-02 CCU-00 CIAE-OO CTME-OO C-01 OASY-OO DODE-OO DOEE-OO DS-OO EUR-01 OIGO-01 FBO-01 HA-09 H-01 IMMC-01 IO-16 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 M-01 NSAE-OO NSCE-DO OMB-01 CPR-01 PA-01 PM-OZ PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SOT-03 SP-OO SR-OO SSC-01 SS-OO TRSE-OO T-OO ASDS-01 FMP-OO CORE-00 FD2B26 2514422 38 0 2514232 OCT 93 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4912 INFO AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AM EM BASSY YAOUNDE UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-201401302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05l2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE USIA WASHDC 9182 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK I I A SECTION 04 OF 04 KIGALI 03854 DEPT FOR CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 KIGALI 03854 04 OF 04 2514392 NAIROBI FOR CO CO YAOUNDE FOR DAO EUCOM FOR JC E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PREL ASEC AMGT PREF BY RW SUBJECT BURUNDI COUP RWANDAN REACTION THEIR COLLEAGUES TO MURDER TUTSIS WHEREVER THEY FOUND THEM AND POSTING SUCH THREATS ON TREES AND TELEPHONE POLES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN GOVERNMENT LEADERS WERE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF ETHNIC VIOLENCE BUT SOMEHOW RELUCTANT TO CENSOR THE MOST TROUBLING REPORTS ON RADIO RWANDA ALTHOUGH THEY DID PUT THE GENDARMERIE OUT IN FORCE AND KEEP THEM IN AREAS WHICH WERE KNOWN TO BE TROUBLED THE WILLINGNESS OF RWANDANS TO ACCEPT WITH EOUANIMITY THE ARRIVAL OF THE RPF INTO KIGALI HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY THREATENED BY THE BURUNDI COUP AND THE TENSION AND VIOLENCE THAT HAS ACCOMPANIED IT HERE 18 IN HIS OPENING REMARKS TO DIPLOMATS PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA NOTED THAT THE MOVEMENT FORWARD TOWARD DEMOCRACY IN BURUNDI HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN AFRICA HE SAID THAT HE AND OTHERS BELIEVED THAT WITH ANOTHER FEW PERHAPS A TOTAL OF TEN REALLY FREE ELECTIONS IN AFRICA THE WHOLE AFRICAN CONTINENT COULD TURN AROUND HE ADDED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 KIGALI 03854 04 OF 04 2514392 THAT THE BURUNDI ELECTIONS HAD BEEN ONE OF THE STABILIZING EVENTS WHICH HAD MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR RWANDA TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE RPF IN ARUSHA IMPLYING THAT THE TUTSI COUP IN BURUNDI REOPENED IN HIS MIND HIS WILLINGNESS TO FULFILL THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-201401302 Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 ARUSHA B1 1 19 BY MONDAY MORNING KIGALI IS CALM BUT RWANDANS WHO BELIEVE IN RECONCILIATION FEEL THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A SERIOUS SHOCK END COMMENT FLATEN CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No 005517270 Date 05 05 2014 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu