Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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06KIGALI731 | 2006-08-01 14:14:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Kigali |
VZCZCXYZ0065 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLGB #0731/01 2131414 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011414Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3055 |
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000731 |
1. (U) Summary. On 25 July Rwandan foreign affairs and defense officials briefed diplomatic corps on a variety of issues including the African Union (AU) Summit, the GOR's position on The Great Lakes Conference, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The presentation also included the GOR's current position on the recent return of Rwandan nationals from Tanzania and specific Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) criticisms of AMIS. According to Minster of State in charge of Cooperation Rosemary Museminari, the GOR is happy with the APRM peer review report delivered in Banjul. She reported that the governments of Rwanda and Tanzania would form a joint task force to investigate the cases of Rwandan nationals allegedly forcibly returned to Rwanda by GOT forces. And Rwandan Colonel Michael Nkurunziza detailed the GOR,s criticism of the AMIS. End summary. GOR View of the AU Summit -------------------------- 2. (U) After a brief introduction by Foreign Minister Charles Murigande, Museminari reported the following from the Banjul AU Summit: -- AU leaders rejected a Libyan proposal to develop a "United States of Africa" but recognized and reaffirmed the eight standing Regional Economic Communities (COMESA, ECOWAS, EAC, etc.) as the key institutions to further integrate African economies. -- The Rwandan APRM report "was received warmly" in Banjul, Museminari divided the GOR's response into three categories: - Best practices. Museminari noted the GOR's high marks for low corruption, good governance and its de-centralization plan. - Improvements. The GOR recognized the need for capacity building in certain sectors. (Note. Museminari did not specify which sectors. End note.) - Criticisms. The GOR "agrees to disagree" with APRM report's position on gacaca and the political party forum. She commented that the APRM did not account for the unique context of Rwanda's historical situation and she added that the "GOR seeks the understanding and help of partners to explain this to others." -- The Great Lakes Conference on the margins of the AU summit was chaired by Tanzania and discussed the following issues: - Dates for next Great Lakes Summit: 12-15 Dec 2006. - The permanent location of Secretariat. Candidates are Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia - Leadership of Secretariat. Candidates are Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan. - Modalities to establish Secretariat. -- Museminari had the following comments about the AU Peace and Security Commission meeting chaired by South Africa: - The GOR is happy the Darfur Peace Agreement is in place and agrees that the rebels who haven't signed it need to be monitored, however, there is no need for sanctions yet. - The AMIS financial problems, including the payment of Rwandan troops, are a serious problem. - The AMIS Political and Military leadership is unsatisfactory. - The government of Sudan will not accept an AMIS re-hat to UN. - There is no current AMIS mandate to deal with the Chad-Sudan issue, any mandate expansion will depend on the troop contributing countries. - There is no AU consensus on how to deal with the Somalia situation, but Rwanda does not support the "radical Islamic elements." Rwandans Expelled from Tanzania -------------------------- 3. (C) Museminari reported that she went to Rwandan-Tanzanian border with Tanzanian Ambassador Alexander Muganda to investigate the flow of Rwandan nationals recently forced to return to Rwanda. (Background. UNHCR, NGOs and press report that Tanzanian government forces have forcibly expelled up to 1,000 Rwandan nationals from western Tanzania. On 20 July, Chris Huggins (protect), Human Rights Watch country representative, told poloff that the recently expelled Rwandans claimed that in the process of forcing them from Tanzania, members of Tanzanian military, militia and police forces had stolen cattle and other property, burned huts, separated families and raped women. The majority of the recently expelled Rwandans are currently residing in temporary shelter in the Kiyanzi transit camp, Kirehe District, Eastern Province. End background.) Museminari announced that there would be a GOR-GOT joint committee formed to study each individual case and determine a course of action. (Note. In a private conversation that evening, Ambassador Muganda told poloff that the Rwandans were removed from Tanzania because they were illegal immigrants who did not have the appropriate Tanzanian documentation and had never applied for a legal status as refugees or as permanent residents. He indicated that the GOT considered them Rwandans that need to remain in Rwanda. End note.) RDF Expresses Dissatisfaction with AMIS -------------------------- 4. (U) RDF Colonel Michael Nkurunziza closed the presentation with a summary of the RDF's role in AMIS. After outlining the basics of the Rwandan participation in the mission (over 1,700 troops and 30 Military observers), Nkurunziza directed criticism at AMIS political and military leadership. He said the RDF was "not happy with the management of AU", that the Force Headquarters was "ineffective" and the leadership was "nervous" as to when and how to deploy the troops. Nkurunziza remarked that troops from other nations would not "go the extra mile" and he specifically criticized AU leadership for continually paying the Rwandan troops late, noting that payments have regularly been up to two months in arrears. Nkurunziza closed by stating the GOR would be happy to pledge troops to a UN Force if effective leadership was in place, but would be forced to question its continued commitment to AMIS if it continues to be ineffective. 5. (C) Comment. While he did not name names in his presentation, Col. Nkurunziza,s attacks were targeted at the Nigerian leadership and the conduct of the South African patrol who surrendered their weapons without a fight. At both the military and political levels, the Rwandans have made no secret of their lack of faith in the ability of AMIS. 6. (C) Despite the understandable frustration over the reported lack of medicine and late payments it is unlikely that the GOR, granted ACOTA status this year, would take the extreme step of withdrawing from AMIS this late in the game. End comment. ARIETTI |