Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KIGALI752
2008-10-24 06:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:
UN TEAM FINDS EVIDENCE OF CNDP FINANCIAL SUPPORT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHLGB #0752 2980635 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 240635Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5710 INFO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0323 RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0422 RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 1234 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2009 RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0561 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0336 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1341 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0595 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0169
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000752
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV RW
SUBJECT: UN TEAM FINDS EVIDENCE OF CNDP FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ROUTED THROUGH RWANDAN BANK
REF: KIGALI 615
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000752
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV RW
SUBJECT: UN TEAM FINDS EVIDENCE OF CNDP FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ROUTED THROUGH RWANDAN BANK
REF: KIGALI 615
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) DATT and Pol/Econ Chief spoke on October 22 with
Jason Stearns, member of the UN Group of Experts for the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, regarding the Group's
investigation of financial assistance to renegade General
Nkunda's CNDP. Stearns said his group had documentary
evidence of overseas transfers from Nkunda supporters to the
Gisenyi branch of BCR. (Note: BCR is a local bank whose
majority shareholder is the British investment group ACTIS,
with the Rwandan government retaining a twenty percent
interest). Stearns said the CNDP had established a
well-organized web of financial contributors from outside
Rwanda, and that the UN group suspected regular payments were
being made to a BCR account bearing the name of Nkunda's
wife. So far, he said, the UN Group had traced one monetary
transfer from an opposition Congolese politician (unnamed)
living in Belgium to this account. Cash withdrawals occurred
regularly from this account, but as yet the UN group had no
idea where the money went after these withdrawals, he
commented. Stearns said the UN Group would approach the
Rwandan central bank for assistance in tracking suspected
transactions.
2. (C) Stearns said so far the UN Group had not/not found
evidence of financial transfers from inside Rwanda to this
account, or found other evidence of financial support from
either the Rwandan government or from individuals in Rwanda
to Nkunda. He commented that other avenues of support to the
CNDP were also being investigated, including reports of
trucks bearing Rwandan license plates being used to transport
support to the CNDP through Ugandan border posts with the
DRC. DATT and Pol/Econ Chief told Stearns of the recent
discovery of a shipment of military uniforms passing through
the Kigali airport (the uniforms, destined for the Congo,
were discovered when a forklift accidentally tore open the
cargo pallet. See reftel). Stearns said the UN Group had
obtained extensive phone records in the DRC showing calls to
and from a variety of Rwandan numbers to phone numbers linked
to Nkunda. This information would also be shared with the
Rwandans, he said.
3. (C) Comment. Reports of financial contributions to the
CNDP by private individuals come as no great surprise.
Mission recently heard reports of informal collections of
funds for Nkunda among the Bagogwe, a Tutsi clan that
straddles the Rwanda - DRC border, and which claims him as a
member. Reports of CNDP recruiting in the refugee camps also
continue, as do reports of demobilized Rwandan soldiers
"re-mobilizing" themselves by voluntarily crossing to join
Nkunda. We will seek Rwandan government reaction to the UN
Group of Experts assertions. End comment.
SIM
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV RW
SUBJECT: UN TEAM FINDS EVIDENCE OF CNDP FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ROUTED THROUGH RWANDAN BANK
REF: KIGALI 615
Classified By: CDA Cheryl Sim for Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) DATT and Pol/Econ Chief spoke on October 22 with
Jason Stearns, member of the UN Group of Experts for the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, regarding the Group's
investigation of financial assistance to renegade General
Nkunda's CNDP. Stearns said his group had documentary
evidence of overseas transfers from Nkunda supporters to the
Gisenyi branch of BCR. (Note: BCR is a local bank whose
majority shareholder is the British investment group ACTIS,
with the Rwandan government retaining a twenty percent
interest). Stearns said the CNDP had established a
well-organized web of financial contributors from outside
Rwanda, and that the UN group suspected regular payments were
being made to a BCR account bearing the name of Nkunda's
wife. So far, he said, the UN Group had traced one monetary
transfer from an opposition Congolese politician (unnamed)
living in Belgium to this account. Cash withdrawals occurred
regularly from this account, but as yet the UN group had no
idea where the money went after these withdrawals, he
commented. Stearns said the UN Group would approach the
Rwandan central bank for assistance in tracking suspected
transactions.
2. (C) Stearns said so far the UN Group had not/not found
evidence of financial transfers from inside Rwanda to this
account, or found other evidence of financial support from
either the Rwandan government or from individuals in Rwanda
to Nkunda. He commented that other avenues of support to the
CNDP were also being investigated, including reports of
trucks bearing Rwandan license plates being used to transport
support to the CNDP through Ugandan border posts with the
DRC. DATT and Pol/Econ Chief told Stearns of the recent
discovery of a shipment of military uniforms passing through
the Kigali airport (the uniforms, destined for the Congo,
were discovered when a forklift accidentally tore open the
cargo pallet. See reftel). Stearns said the UN Group had
obtained extensive phone records in the DRC showing calls to
and from a variety of Rwandan numbers to phone numbers linked
to Nkunda. This information would also be shared with the
Rwandans, he said.
3. (C) Comment. Reports of financial contributions to the
CNDP by private individuals come as no great surprise.
Mission recently heard reports of informal collections of
funds for Nkunda among the Bagogwe, a Tutsi clan that
straddles the Rwanda - DRC border, and which claims him as a
member. Reports of CNDP recruiting in the refugee camps also
continue, as do reports of demobilized Rwandan soldiers
"re-mobilizing" themselves by voluntarily crossing to join
Nkunda. We will seek Rwandan government reaction to the UN
Group of Experts assertions. End comment.
SIM