Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BUJUMBURA508
2009-09-21 13:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bujumbura
Cable title:  

AFTERMATH OF SOMALIA DEATHS: BURUNDI WILL STAY IN

Tags:  KPKO MOPS AU BY SO 
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O 211353Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1741
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 
SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUJUMBURA 000508 


USUN FOR AF DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: KPKO MOPS AU BY SO
SUBJECT: AFTERMATH OF SOMALIA DEATHS: BURUNDI WILL STAY IN
SOMALIA

REF: A. BUJUMBURA 499

B. BUJUMBURA 500

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHARLES H. TWINING FOR
REASON 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUJUMBURA 000508


USUN FOR AF DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: KPKO MOPS AU BY SO
SUBJECT: AFTERMATH OF SOMALIA DEATHS: BURUNDI WILL STAY IN
SOMALIA

REF: A. BUJUMBURA 499

B. BUJUMBURA 500

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHARLES H. TWINING FOR
REASON 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary. With all attention in Bujumbura centered on
the funerals of the twelve soldiers killed in Somalia
September 17, the event has generated discussion about
whether Burundi should remain in AMISOM. At this time, the
answer here is yes. Most calls are for an expansion of
AMISOM's mandate to allow it to undertake offensive actions
rather than remain in a static defense position. End
Summary.


2. (U) The GOB announced a five day period of mourning
beginning September 18. The Presidential spokesman said the
Government condemned "the attack perpetrated by Somali
extremists" and said the GOB is "committed to supporting
without reservation the initiative of the international
community to bring peace to Somalia." He asked that the
community strengthen the materiel support provided to its
troops. The Defense Ministry spokesman reiterated the
Burundian commitment. He also called for a change in
AMISOM's mandate to permit offensive action to be taken and
for an increase in personnel and equipment. Media of all
persuasions have been broadcasting the various government
statements of support, usually along with the Embassy's own
statement (ref B). Other helpful statements being broadcast
have been those of the head of the International Conference
of the Great Lakes and of the UN Secretary General.


3. (U) The bodies of the twelve Burundian troops, including
that of outgoing Deputy AMISOM Force Commander Major General
Juvenal Niyoyunguruza, were returned to Bujumbura September
19, with funeral services and burials here the following day.
Visitors to Bujumbura who spoke at graveside included the AU
representative for Somalia, the Transitional Government's
Minister of Public Security, representatives of the UN, the
U.S., the EU, and of the Rwandan and Ugandan military. The
Somali representative told the Burundians, "Please don't give
up; we need your help." The Ugandan head, former AMISOM
Commander General Okello, said the attacks would not dampen
Uganda's resolve to help its Somali brothers. He asked that
a new look be taken at the mandate. GOB Minister of National

Defense Lt. Gen. Germain Niyoyankana, told the Somali that
Burundians are not there for business or tourism but for
Somalia. He asked Somalis to stop the killing. He also
asked the international community for sufficient equipment
and authorization to take the offensive.


4. (U) AFP dispatched from Bujumbura September 19 an article
entitled, "Burundi opposition seeks troop recall from
Somalia." There was little substance to the article, citing
only two of this country's 43 parties -- the UPD and the
CNDD, both offshoots and bitter rivals of the ruling CNDD-FDD
party -- as sources. (A third, insignificant party, the PT
or Workers' Party, has joined the call, stating that
Burundian and Ugandan troops are there to pillage Somalia's
resources for the West, particularly the U.S.) The AFP
article failed to mention that the great majority of other
political parties -- both wings of FRODEBU, UPRONA, MSD, MRC,
ABASA -- as well as the civil society organization OAG, have
all called for supporting the troops. Uprona did strike a
responsive chord, however, in asking that Parliament debate
the troop issue when it resumes its session in October. Both
the CNDD-FDD and Uprona chiefs were prominent at the funeral
services. Even the UPD hedged its call for withdrawal,
calling for a pull out unless Parliament takes a new look at
the situation. MSD chief Alexis Sindhuije travelled to
Nairobi to visit wounded soldiers and told the media that, as
the region had supported Burundi in its time of troubles, so,
too, should Burundi support the region and fight for liberty
in Somalia. The CNDD party asked to bring home the troops,
who cannot succeed where the "big powers" have failed, to
which Sindhuije replied that the West had pulled out of
Somalia previously because its troops were needed elsewhere,
not due to failure.


5. (U) As for the popular mood, a Minister told us during the
funeral service what we have heard from others outside the
government, that Burundians have known so much killing in
their history that the September 17 suicide attack merely
represented "one more incident." A Web-passed Burundian news
service suggested that the Burundians and Ugandans have taken
the fall for the Americans following our killing September 14
of the Kenyan terrorist. It went on to observe, however,
that the mood in the Army is to stick with the fight. As for
the population, it continued, public opinion is "soft" and
generally follows the government line.


6. (C) All that is not to say that we can just sit back and
allow the situation to go back to normal. First Vice
President Yves Sahinguvu, the ranking official at the
September 20 ceremonies, asked the Charge to request
Washington to lobby hard in the UNSC for additional countries
to contribute troops to AMISOM and provide troops with better
equipment. We said we intend to do both. In his subsequent
comments at the burial site, the Vice President added the
need to make AMISOM's mission more robust. Defense Minister
Niyoyankana confided that he will travel to Kampala September
23 for a meeting convened to discuss the lack of troops in
the Somali operation.


7. (C) In a lengthy meeting with the Minister September 21,
he insisted to us that Burundi will hold to its course.
Parliament may well have its say, he said, but he doubts that
the outcome will be be different. He volunteered that he met
with President Nkurunziza September 19, who criticized the
stance several parties have taken and said that Burundi will
maintain the mission, asking Minister Niyoyankana to continue
to seek support from the international community. The
Minister said that if his troops are to work effectively,
they must be able to go on the offensive against potential
threats, and for this both Burundi and Uganda need
appropriate equipment, e.g., tanks, mine detection equipment,
night vision goggles, money for its intelligence people to be
able to recruit Somali agents. He feels strongly that per
diem payments equal to those others receive in peacekeeping
operations elsewhere in the world would make a difference in
motivation. Food shipped from Burundi rather than procured
elsewhere would be a good morale factor. Additional training
is always welcome but, if it must be done by contractors,
Minister Niyoyankana would prefer to see professional
American military personnel at least overseeing all training
of Burundian troops. Asked about rumors that the Burundians
have brought equipment back here from Somalia, the Minister
bristled and said he would like to see any and all evidence
of that happening. A fourth battalion is ready and willing
to depart, though he acknowledged that other signs of support
coming first might help pave the way for better acceptance by
public opinion.


8. (C) Comment. This is an opportunity for the local
politicians to make hay, and the variety of reactions quoted
show just how mixed their views are, though most are
supportive. The government seems firm in its commitment to
AMISOM, from all indications that we can see, and there is
little reason to believe public support is far behind. While
there is undoubtedly equipment supply and upgrades needed,
the September 17 incident was a failure of security
procedures at AMISOM, not of equipment. Minister Niyoyankana
feels strongly that "We are engaged, and we must live with
the consequences." When we met with him, he had just ended a
meeting with the General Staff, with the decision taken to
send a group to Somalia to meet with the troops and prepare
the way for the Minister's own subsequent visit. If there is
a consensus here on something, it is that the peacekeeping
operation's mission needs to be expanded from that of static
defense to a Chapter 7 type operation and, while we cannot
figure out from here whether the ball is in the court of the
AU or the UNSC, it would appear that it is time to pick up
that ball.

Twining