US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1904

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINS, KPKO, CG 
SUBJECT: ETHNIC HATRED ON THE RISE IN BUKAVU: CROWD ATTACKS 
PEACEKEEPERS SEEN WITH "TUTSI" 
 
REF: A. A: KINSHASA 1884 
 
     B. B: KINSHASA 1874 C: KINSHASA 1870 
     C. D: KINSHASA 1807 
 
Classified By: Poloff Gons Nachman for Reasons 1.5 B and D 
 
1. (C) Summary. A large crowd threw rocks and threatened to 
kill UN peacekeepers whose vehicle had broken down in the 
center of Bukavu on October 6 after they saw them 
transporting a man of Tutsi appearance. Although this person 
was a long time MONUC Congolese interpreter of Mushi 
ethnicity, the crowd asserted that he was a Rwandan 
infiltrator. Despite the fact that this incident took place 
close to the office of the regional military commander, 
neither he nor his troops intervened to disperse the crowd 
for two hours until UN personnel threatened to shoot in 
self-defense. This incident as well as demonstrations against 
the return of Banyamulenge refugees in Uvira (reftels), is 
further evidence of a dangerous campaign of manipulation and 
intolerance against Congolese of Tutsi ethnicity by the media 
in Kinshasa and by civil society, military, and church 
figures in South Kivu.  End Summary. 
 
Crowd Targets Peacekeepers Seen with "Tutsi" 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) MONUC sources in Bukavu described to poloff October 6 
an incident which took place in Bukavu the preceding day. At 
approximately 10:30 AM a MONUC APC broke down in the center 
of Bukavu. The APC was transporting Uruguayan peacekeepers 
and a Congolese interpreter who works for MONUC. A woman who 
saw the interpreter's face assumed that he was a Tutsi and 
started screaming that MONUC was transporting a Rwandan 
infiltrator. A crowd gathered quickly around the peacekeepers 
and began insulting MONUC, throwing rocks, and demanding 
access to the Tutsi. The individual in question was in fact a 
Mushi and not a Tutsi, but he happened to have facial 
features associated with Tutsis. 
 
FARDC's General Mabe Ignores Situation for Two Hours 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
3. (C) The crowd around the peacekeepers grew to over a 
thousand people, including many students, and the threats 
continued for close to two hours. As this incident was taking 
place, MONUC staff tried to reach FARDC's 10th military 
region commander General Mbuja Mabe, whose office was located 
less than 150 meters from where the crowd had assembled. Mabe 
did not answer MONUC's phone calls and FARDC soldiers present 
in the area did not intervene to disperse the crowd. Once the 
crowd started to threaten to burn peacekeepers alive, MONUC 
said that it would fire in self-defense. At this point, Mabe 
emerged from his office and his soldiers started to disperse 
the crowd. According to MONUC, it would have been unlikely 
that Mabe, whose office window faces the street where the 
crowd had gathered, would not have seen or heard the large 
crowd for the two hours that they threatened the peacekeepers. 
 
4. (C) MONUC staff reported that the same crowd which 
threatened the peacekeepers also looted the offices of the 
Congolese Rally for Democracy-Goma (RCD-G) located in the 
same area. FARDC soldiers did not intervene to stop the crowd 
from entering the premises of this political party. On the 
contrary, according to MONUC sources, FARDC soldiers actually 
incited the crowd and even laughed as both peacekeepers and 
the RCD-G offices were attacked. Several Uruguayan peacekeers 
suffered injuries, albeit not serious ones, as a result of 
the attack on the APC. 
 
Media Propaganda Against Tutsis Continues 
----------------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) The pro-government Kinshasa daily newspaper "L'Avenir" 
published an article about the Bukavu incident, but it 
claimed falsely that a riot had been averted thanks to Mabe's 
intervention after MONUC had hidden two Rwandans in a tank. 
Another major daily newspaper, "La Reference Plus", published 
the same day a front page article from a Bukavu NGO on the 
Gatumba massacre. This NGO alleged that the victims at 
Gatumba had not been Banyamulenge refugees, but Rwandan Tutsi 
soldiers who had infiltrated the camp to attack the Congo. 
The usually moderate newspaper provided prominent coverage to 
this five-page article without questioning the credibility of 
the baseless allegations. 
 
6. (C) MONUC and UNHCR sources in Bukavu have also referred 
to a campaign by civil society, politicians, the military, 
and church leaders in South Kivu against the return of 
Banyamulenge refugees, portraying members of this ethnic 
group in public and private statements as non-Congolese and 
suggesting that they are Rwandan infiltrators bent on 
attacking the Congo. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7. (C) The attack on MONUC peacekeepers in Bukavu by a large 
crowd of civilians who thought MONUC was hiding a "Tutsi" 
illustrates the high level of paranoia and animosity which 
has been fomented in South Kivu against this ethnic group. 
The demonstrations in Uvira against the return of 
Banyamulenge (ethnic Tutsis) refugees from Burundi has also 
been part of a related manipulation effort by hard-line 
elements in South Kivu. Further ethnically-motivated attacks 
in this province could lead to a major incident threatening 
the peace process and the transition. The GDRC needs to take 
a stand to halt a growing campaign of ethnic hatred in South 
Kivu and elsewhere. 
 
8. (U) Bujumbura minimize considered. 
DOUGHERTY