FRENCH REPORTER ORDERED TO LEAVE RWANDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000595

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL RW
SUBJECT: FRENCH REPORTER ORDERED TO LEAVE RWANDA

Classified By: POLOFF GLEARNED FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (U) Summary. Radio France International (RFI)
correspondent, French citizen Sonia Rolley, left Kigali on
June 10 after the GOR refused to renew her visa. Rolley had
worked on and off in Rwanda since October 2004 but the visa
renewal request was rejected by Rwandan Immigration and she
was directed to leave the country. Reasons for Rolley's
departure are unclear, but she will be replaced by another
RFI journalist within one month. End Summary.

The Ministry of Information had No Information
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2. (C) Ministry of Information official Gabrielle Uwimana
confirmed that Rolley's press accreditation had recently been
renewed (a requirement of the visa renewal process) and
stated that the Ministry-- which actively monitors
international media coverage of Rwanda-- had no objection to
Rolley's reporting. Uwimana said that the Ministry had no
information about the reasons for the Immigration
Department's decision not to renew the visa.

The French and National Press React
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3. (C) According to French Embassy officer, the French
Ambassador addressed the issue directly with Foreign Minister
Murigande and was told the reason was "national security".
He confirmed the earlier reported timeline of events and told
poloff that it was unlikely the GOR's decision was based on
Rolley's reporting, rather, he said there was another reason
that Rwandan officials would not divulge.


4. (U) The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters
Without Borders quickly condemned the decision. RFI issued a
less vocal criticism and, according to the French Embassy,
has identified a replacement for Rolley who will be arriving
within one month.


5. (C) Comment. There has been much talk in Kigali since
Rolley departed, including speculation about her time and
connections in eastern DRC, stories she was working on and
her personal life. The fact that she is French is also
mentioned often-- even by the French. The GOR makes no
secret of its distrust and dislike of the French, and while

SIPDIS
the exact impact of her nationality cannot be certain, it
most likely did play a role. Whatever the reason, the French
Embassy has downplayed the situation, even asking other
European Missions not to make a formal statement criticizing
the "expulsion". The French poloff, a regular acquaintance
of Rolley, was critical of the nature of the action and of
the GOR's lack of a forthcoming explanation, but he did not
think it was due to her reporting. The information to date
does not indicate that this is an issue of freedom of the
press, but the capriciousness of the decision is of concern.


6. (C) This incident also offers a little insight into the
power structure within the GOR. The Immigration Service is
under the National Security Service (NSS),the internal and
external intelligence service. It appears that the NSS made
the final decision not to renew Rolley's visa and it didn't
need to clear, or even notify, the Ministry of Information of
its decision. End comment.
ARIETTI