HOTEL RWANDA MANAGER NO HERO TO GOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000228

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR RW BG
SUBJECT: HOTEL RWANDA MANAGER NO HERO TO GOR

Classified By: Poloff GLearned. Reason 1.4(b)


1. (C) Summary. There has been an ongoing public campaign to
discredit Paul Rusesabagina, the former manager of Hotel des
Mille Collines during the 1994 genocide and current hero in
the US and Europe due to the film 'Hotel Rwanda', in Rwanda.
The efforts to damage the reputation of Mr. Rusesabagina have
been spearheaded by 'The New Times', a pro-government,
English language paper but also include the President,
senators and other genocide survivors claiming to have been
at the Mille Collines during the genocide. Ambassador
confirmed with National Security Service Director that this
is a GOR-driven effort which will continue. Belgian Embassy
had no information on a 2005 car accident that Mr.
Rusesabagina has claimed was an attempt on his life by the
GOR. End summary.


2. (U) The New Times has published a series of highly
critical articles and editorials that have called into
question Mr. Rusesabagina,s actions during the spring and
summer of 1994. Additionally, The New Times has a web page
called 'Facts about Paul Rusesabagina'. Accusations include:
-- Using his fame from 'Hotel Rwanda' to advance an agenda of
divisionism and to undermine efforts to improve tolerance and
reconciliation among Rwandans.
-- Deliberately distorting history in order to negate the
genocide of the Tutsis and protect those who carried it out.
-- Lying about his heroic actions during the genocide.


3. (U) Articles have included quotes from genocide survivors,
including Senators Odette Nyiramirimo and Wellers Gasamagera
(Note: Sen. Nyiramiririro, whose story is featured in the
book 'We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow You Will be Killed
With Your Children', is reportedly a former friend of Mr.
Rusesabagina but is now accusing him of charging her over
$400 for her time in the hotel. End note). Others have
accused him of: forcing those who could not pay out of hotel
rooms, associating closely with Interahamwe and Rwandan Armed
Forces (FAR) leadership, and cutting off all of the phone
lines in the hotel except the one in his office (which he
then charged people to use).

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Rwanda's Heroes are Not Made in America
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4. (U) In a public speech in Kigali on February 1, National
Heroes Day, President Kagame singled out Rusesabagina out as
a 'manufactured hero' who, 'sooner or later, ...will let his
manufacturers down'. Kagame said that 'Rwanda's Heroes are
not made in America, Europe or Asia' and 'Rwanda's history
must be determined by Rwandans not foreigners'. A New Times
article described the President as 'seemingly irritated' when
referring to Rusesabagina during the speech.


5. (C) The day after Kagame's speech, Ambassador Arietti met
with National Security Service Director Ndahiro. Ndahiro said
that the GOR had conducted an investigation into the events
that occurred at the Hotel des Mille Collines during the
genocide and determined that much of the story depicted in
the movie was inaccurate. According to the GOR,s
investigation, Rusesabagina exploited his position to enrich
himself at the expense of the Tutsis who were forced to pay
him for protection. He dismissed Rusesabagina,s role in
preventing attacks on the hotel claiming that the presence of
the UN forces was the real deterrent.


6. (C) Ndahiro told Ambassador Arietti that the GOR is under
pressure from genocide survivors who resent the focus on
Rusesabagina who they feel is enriching himself due to the
publicity surrounding Hotel Rwanda, while genocide
survivors continue to face multiple problems which
Rusesabagina ignores. Moreover, the GOR believes he has
become a proponent of the theory of a double genocide,
which equates the killing of up to one million Tutsis and
moderate Hutus with the killings of perhaps tens of thousands
of Hutus by the Rwandan Patriotic Army during and after its
military campaign to overthrow the previous genocidal
government. Ndahiro said President Kagame may well use the
April 2006 genocide commemoration ceremonies to further
criticize Rusesabagina. According to Ndahiro, the GOR
recognizes that Rusesabagina is thought of as a hero in the
US and has no intention of criticizing the producers of the
film or the USG for its actions. (Note. President Bush
awarded Rusesabagina the Presidential Medal of Freedom. End
note).


7. (C) In a 7 March meeting with counterpart at the Belgian
Embassy, poloff requested information on a car wreck in
Belgium on 9 May 2005 that Rusesabagina claims was an attempt
on his life by the GOR. Belgian poloff, Sibile Decartier, had
no knowledge of said incident but said she would follow up
with the Belgian security service. Additionally, Decartier
was unaware of any overtly anti-GOR comments made by
Rusesabagina or intentions to form an independent political
party.


8. (C) Comment. It is not clear what impact the GOR,s
anti-Rusesabagina campaign will have outside of Rwanda, but
inside the country, it is certainly an issue that President
Kagame considers important enough to risk some bad press.
GOR contacts, including Ndahiro, have alluded to the still
unconfirmed political intentions of Rusesabagina. While this
may be one of the reasons for this campaign, what is certain
is that there are members of the GOR that dismiss
Rusesabagina,s status as a hero and do not appreciate his
popularity in the U.S. and Europe. As expressed by Ndahiro,
the GOR has thought through the arguments and considers it
necessary to debunk the 'self-proclaimed hero'. Thus,
despite the possibility of negative attention, the GOR seems
set to continue these personal attacks. Post will continue
to follow and update, including any development on the 2005
car accident. End comment.
ARIETTI