US embassy cable - 04KIGALI1175

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 001175 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PREF, MOPS, RW, BY, CG 
SUBJECT: RWANDAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BURUNDI 
REFUGEE CAMP 
 
Classified By: ERIC WONG, POLITICAL OFFICER.  REASON 1.4 (D) 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY.  The Rwandan foreign ministry issued a 
communique dated August 14 condemning the recent attack on 
Burundi's Gatumba refugee camp that killed up to 170 
Banyamulenge refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. 
The GOR communique attributes the attack to "a combined 
force" of ex-FAR/Interahamwe, Mai-Mai and FNL.  The GOR calls 
for the forcible disarmament of ex-FAR/Interahamwe, noting 
that failure to do this "... may force Rwanda to take 
measures which may not necessarily be in the line of the 
thinking of (the) International Community.  Rwanda is not 
prepared to tolerate the status quo." 
 
2. (U) BEGIN TEXT. 
 
Republic of Rwanda 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation 
 
Communique 
 
The Government of Rwanda is shocked and horrified to learn of 
a massacre of more than 150 Banyamulenge in the refugee camp 
of Katumba, in Burundi, which occurred on the night of the 
13th to 14th August 2004.  Information available to 
Government indicates that this despicable act was perpetrated 
by a combined force of Ex-FAR Interahamwe (calling themselves 
FDLR/FOCA) and Mayi Mayi from the Democratic Republic of 
Congo, in cooperation with elements of the FNL/PALIPEHUTU. 
 
Government wishes to remind the International Community that 
during, and following the May/June 2004 events in Bukavu, 
Banyamulenge refugees in Rwanda and Burundi have consistently 
affirmed that they fled targeted and systematic massacres 
against them by Armed Forces of the DRC under the command of 
Mbuza MABE acting in concert with the Ex-FAR/INTERAHAMWE. 
Surprisingly, MONUC, which is the voice of the International 
Community in the region claims they have seen no evidence of 
targeted massacres of this community.  The latest massacre 
lays this lie to rest. 
 
Government strongly condemns this recent targeted massacre of 
Banyamulenge which is a result of the genocidal ideology that 
currently holds sway in our region, nurtured and propagated 
by the Ex-FAR/INTERAHAMWE forces and those in the region and 
the wider International Community who give them assistance 
and succour. 
 
Government is gravely disturbed that for the last ten years 
the International community has consistently refused to 
disarm the Ex-FAR/Interahamwe, a force that committed 
genocide in Rwanda.  Despite numerous UNSC resolutions 
calling on all UN Member States to refrain from giving 
military, political and diplomatic support to these genocidal 
forces, some members of the international community have 
consistently continued to extend support to them. 
 
Although MONUC regularly meets the leadership of the 
Ex-FAR/Interahamwe and is fully aware of the location, 
strength and movements of the EX-FAR/Interahamwe towards and 
across the border between the DRC and Rwanda and Burundi, it 
has never intervened to foil attacks on Rwanda or Burundi or 
even warned these two countries of impending attacks, with 
devastating consequences for innocent civilians in these two 
countries.  MONUC and the DRC 10th Military Region have 
recently watched and/or facilitated the return into their 
mother units, of genocidal troops fleeing military operations 
carried out by Burundi Armed Forces. 
 
We call upon the International Community to stop watching 
unmoved, this incipient ethnic cleansing now taking root in 
the region and especially in the Eastern DRC.  We also 
reiterate our demand for the forcible disarmament, 
demobilization and repatriation of the Ex-FAR/INTERAHAMWE now 
deployed along Rwanda's border and in many cases co-located 
with DRC armed forces, failure of which may force Rwanda to 
take measures which may not necessarily be in the line of the 
thinking of International Community.  Rwanda is not prepared 
to tolerate the status quo. 
 
Done in Kigali, 14th of August 2004. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: The attack on Banyamulenge refugees in 
Burundi comes days after DRC Vice President Ruberwa's visit 
to Banyamulenge refugees in Rwanda, and highlights the GOR's 
concerns that Banyamulenge have been the target of 
politically motivated ethnic killings.  Rwanda's Presidential 
Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Amb. Richard Sezibera, 
accompanied by Rwanda's Minister of Interior, were en route 
to Burundi to attend funeral ceremonies for those killed at 
Gatumba.  Rwandan Defense Forces deployed to Darfur, Sudan, 
on August 14-15.  Senior GOR officials have stated that if 
the RDF can intervene in Darfur to prevent ethnic killings, 
then perhaps they should do so in DRC as well.  The GOR's 
communique suggests military intervention in DRC is a 
possibility Kigali has not ruled out.  END COMMENT. 
 
4. (U) Bujumbura: minimize considered. 
PATRICK