Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KIGALI411
2006-05-02 14:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:  

Ambassador Urges GOR to Publicly Respond to

Tags:  PGOV KDEM PHUM KJUS RW 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0411/01 1221456
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021456Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2694
UNCLAS KIGALI 000411 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C and DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM KJUS RW
SUBJECT: Ambassador Urges GOR to Publicly Respond to
Security Incidents

REF: A. KIGALI 291


B. KIGALI 181

This is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

UNCLAS KIGALI 000411

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C and DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM KJUS RW
SUBJECT: Ambassador Urges GOR to Publicly Respond to
Security Incidents

REF: A. KIGALI 291


B. KIGALI 181

This is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.


1. (U) Summary: Ambassador met April 21 with the recently
appointed Minister of Internal Security to discuss bilateral
cooperation on security, human rights, and democracy. He
urged the Ministry to investigate and publish its findings
in response to each reported incident of alleged police
harassment of journalists or seizure of newspapers. He
stressed the importance of taking action, publicly
communicating the GOR response, and criticizing only the
content of objectionable newspaper articles and radio
broadcasts rather than personally criticizing the messenger.
End summary.

Human Rights Dialogue
--------------


2. (U) During an April 21 courtesy call on newly appointed
Ministry of Internal Security, Sheikh Mussa Fazil
Harerimana, former Governor of Western Province, Ambassador
expressed appreciation for the Ministry's cooperation on
security and raised the topic of human rights and democracy.
He explained that each year the Department is required by
Congress to prepare a human rights report on each country,
and that the Embassy and GOR recently commenced a dialogue
to discuss human rights issues in Rwanda following the
public release of the 2005 report (ref A). (Note:
Ambassador provided the francophone Minister with an
official French translation of the 2005 report. End note.)


3. (U) Noting that Rwanda has many critics, Ambassador
commented that this dialogue is key to our accurate
understanding of the situation in Rwanda, which is often
difficult to ascertain. He requested the Minister's
continued support in the dialogue, especially if Internal
Security Secretary General Mutaboba is selected for the UN
peacekeeping position to which he has been nominated, and
offered possible additional USG training assistance. (Note:
In February, the FBI trained the Rwandan National Police on
cybercrime investigation techniques. Embassy also provided
to the National Police Commissioner the website to the FBI
Virtual Academy which offers on-line police training, and
sent a request to the FBI to reserve slots for Rwandan

National Police in four courses offered by the academy. End
note.)


4. (SBU) Harerimana highlighted the Ministry's good
relations with, and support from, the U.S., and welcomed the
opportunity to further enhance cooperation on internal
security. On the question of human rights, he said that the
GOR has provided a response to the USG report, as it did
last year. He noted that as a result of the 1994 genocide
there are many "economic refugees" -- Rwandans who left the
country for economic reasons, not out of a credible,
legitimate fear of persecution. He indicated that the GOR
has plans to clarify the role of Local Defense Forces and to
use churches and mosques for more public outreach to the
community. He welcomed the opportunity to continue the
human rights dialogue to clarify the GOR perspective, and
welcomed further technical assistance on computer security
and document fraud prevention.

Press Freedom
--------------


5. (SBU) Ambassador pressed the need for the GOR to not only
verify each allegation but to publish the results of its
actions. He cited the example of the editor of Umuco who
had alleged that unidentified individuals had broken into
his house one night after he had published an article
critical of the GOR. Reporters Without Borders had
criticized the government over the incident. Secretary
General Mutaboba, however, subsequently had informed the
Ambassador that an Internal Security investigation found
insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
Ambassador explained to Harerimana that Embassy must report
what NGOs report and that, in the absence of information
from the GOR, the Embassy will report the NGO view. He
stressed the need for the GOR to respond with its own
account to ensure that the Embassy has all the material
facts at hand for a balanced, accurate report.


6. (SBU) Harerimana attributed the problem to
miscommunication and agreed on the need for the GOR to both
investigate reports of police abuses and to provide
information. He said that the Ministry publishes a summary

of police actions in a trimester bulletin, but noted that
the information is not widely disseminated. He observed
that critics complain that Rwanda does not have political or
press freedom without understanding the complete situation
and Rwanda's history. He said that the Ministry plans to
expand its public outreach through churches and mosques and
to continue the dialogue with the Embassy to clarify and
elaborate the GOR's response to our report.


7. (SBU) Ambassador acknowledged that the situation in
Rwanda is complex but pressed the GOR to investigate each
and every incident of harassment and intimidation of
journalists, publish its findings, and ensure that such
incidents do not recur. He also urged the GOR to have
"thick skin" in the face of criticism - to accept the
criticisms and, if warranted, to criticize only the content
of the message itself rather than personalizing criticisms
against the media by attacking the messenger. He pointed
out that criticizing the messenger tends to send the wrong
public message regarding the state of press freedom in
Rwanda.


8. (SBU) Ambassador noted that during his initial meeting
with the GOR on human rights (ref A),he had asked Amb.
Sezibera, Special Presidential Envoy for the Great Lakes
Region, who makes the decision to seize a newspaper edition
if there is an article considered a threat to national
security. Harerimana responded that there are legal
procedures one must follow. The High Press Council must
officially sanction seizure of any newspaper edition before
authorities can take action.

Secret Prisons

SIPDIS
--------------


9. (U) When asked about the status of a commission to be set
up by Parliament to investigate an NGO report on secret
prisons, Harerimana stated that he had seen the report and
that the Minister of Internal Affairs had stated during a
public hearing that he was not aware of any such prisons
(ref B). He said that Parliament was satisfied with the
results of the hearing and determined that further
investigation was not warranted.

Trafficking in Persons
--------------


10. (U) Ambassador explained that for purposes of the
Congressionally-mandated annual Trafficking in Persons
Report, "trafficking," as defined by the USG, includes
procuring or obtaining the services of prostitutes under the
age of 18 regardless of whether they have crossed the
country's borders. He indicated that the Embassy had
discussions with the National Police, Minister of Gender and
Family Promotion, Minister of Justice, and others to better
understand the extent of the situation and to obtain
information on law enforcement efforts, in particular
information on arrest and prosecution of traffickers and a
follow-up on last year's sting operation against landlords
allegedly housing sex workers. (Note: Ambassador provided
a copy of "The New Times" article regarding the sting
operation. End note.)


11. (U) Harerimana responded that he would follow up on that
incident. He noted that the GOR has drafted a national long-
term plan for the protection of children, which will soon be
finalized and implemented. He cited widespread poverty,
lack of education, and the genocide, which left many
children without parents, as contributing factors to current
problems affecting children.

Arietti