APPREHENDING GENOCIDAIRES IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003119 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM KJUS KAWC CG CF RW IT ICTR SUBJECT: APPREHENDING GENOCIDAIRES IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 03119 261427Z REF: A. ROME 2990 ¶B. ROME 2982 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE PIERRE-RICHARD PROSPER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR WAR CRIMES ISSUES PIERRE-RICHARD PROSPER AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND NSC SR. DIRECTOR FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS DR. JENDAYI FRAZER MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (ROC), DENIS SASSOU-NGUESSO, ON JUNE 13 IN ROME, WHERE HE WAS ATTENDING A WORLD FOOD SUMMIT. POLOFF RAFIK MANSOUR AND S/WCI JONATHAN CROCK WERE ALSO PRESENT. AMB. PROSPER EXPLAINED THE LAUNCHING OF THE REWARDS FOR JUSTICE CAMPAIGN IN NAIROBI, KENYA TO APPREHEND PERSONS INDICTED FOR GENOCIDE BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA (ICTR) THROUGH A REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION, AND THE PLANNED EXPANSION OF THE CAMPAIGN TO THE CONGO REGION IN JULY (SEE REFTELS). ¶2. (C) AMB. PROSPER REQUESTED SASSOU-NGUESSO,S SUPPORT FOR APPREHENDING PERSONS INDICTED FOR GENOCIDE BY ICTR, SUGGESTING A CAMPAIGN TO ADVERTISE THE REWARDS FOR JUSTICE PROGRAM AND A VISIT TO THE ROC. AMB. PROSPER GAVE SASSOU-NGUESSO THE NAMES OF THREE FUGITIVES WHO ARE REPORTED TO BE IN THE ROC: AUGUSTIN BIZIMANA, JEAN-BAPTISTE GATETE, AND IDELPHONSE HATEGEKIMANA. PRES. SASSOU-NGUESSO STATED THAT &AS WITH ANY OTHER GENOCIDE,8 HE IS TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF APPREHENDING THE PERPETRATORS AND WOULD COOPERATE VERY OPENLY. HE WELCOMED A VISIT BY AMB. PROSPER TO BRAZZAVILLE AND COMMENTED THAT WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THESE FUGITIVES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 03119 261427Z THEY CAN BE FOUND IN HIS SMALL COUNTRY. HE REQUESTED THAT THE NAMES OF THESE FUGITIVES ALONG WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION THE USG HAS BE PRESENTED BY THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE ROC (S/WCI WILL PROVIDE TO AMBASSADOR SEPTEL). ¶3. (C) PRES. SASSOU-NGUESSO EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO SOLVE THE REFUGEE PROBLEM TO SECURE STABILITY IN THE REGION AND PREVENT A CIRCLE OF VIOLENCE. HE STATED THAT 12,000 HUTU REFUGEES FROM RWANDA HAVE DOUBLED THE POPULATION OF THE NORTHERN REGION. THEY ARE LIVING IN VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS AND ARE BEING IGNORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, HE SAID. ¶4. (C) AMB. PROSPER SAID THE KEY TO THE PROBLEM IS SOLVING THE ISSUE OF THE GENOCIDAIRES. DR. FRAZER STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF APPREHENDING ICTR INDICTEES WHO ARE FUELING THE ONGOING CONFLICT. THESE FUGITIVES FORM THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ARMY FOR THE LIBERATION OF RWANDA (ALIR) AND ARE EFFECTIVELY HOLDING LOWER-LEVEL COMBATANTS HOSTAGE. DR. FRAZER STATED THAT RWANDAN PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME HAS GIVEN ASSURANCES THAT THE RANK AND FILE CAN BE REPATRIATED IN RWANDA, BUT WE MUST FIRST DEAL WITH THE LEADERS. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME03119 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL