SCENESETTER FOR AMBASSADOR RICE: RWANDA UN ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000279


USUN FOR AMBASSADOR RICE FROM AMBASSADOR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2019
TAGS: PREL UNSC MOPS PHUM PINR RW
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR AMBASSADOR RICE: RWANDA UN ISSUES

REF: A. KIGALI 237

B. 08 KIGALI 292


Classified By: Ambassador Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b, c, d)

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) Summary and Introduction: I am delighted you will
participate in the UN Security Council's May 17-18 visit to
Rwanda. The Mission staff and I look forward to assisting
you during your visit. Your participation underscores the
importance of our relationship with Rwanda and our support
for peace and security in the region. As you may have
already heard, your remarks on the eve of the 15th
anniversary of the genocide were warmly received here. We
are Rwanda's largest aid donor, and Rwanda looks to the U.S.
to continue to support its efforts on regional security,
peace-keeping, economic development and the health of its
people.


2. (C) Since the 1994 genocide, the Government of Rwanda
(GOR) has had a conflicted relationship with the United
Nations. The ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and
President Paul Kagame have long asserted that the United
Nations failed the Rwandan people, not once but twice.
First, during the genocide itself, through inaction. Second,
during the vicious late-1990s insurgency conducted by the
remnants of the genocidal forces, who fled and then camped on
Rwanda's western border. In Rwandan eyes, the UN paid
greater attention to refugee camps in eastern Congo, camps
filled with genocidaires bent on Rwanda's destruction, than
to Rwanda; a shattered nation desperately trying to rebuild
itself and establish essential security for its people. Such
perceptions of the U.N. inform public opinion here to this
day.


3. (C) Nevertheless, Rwanda works productively on many
fronts with the UN. Its participation in UN peacekeeping in
Sudan has been exemplary; Rwandan forces there have performed
outstandingly, setting a high standard for others to follow.
President Kagame wants clear USG and UN support for the
command slot at UNAMID in Darfur. Rwanda seeks continued
UNSC sanctioning of the genocidal forces still camped in
eastern Congo. The GOR does not have a high opinion of MONUC
and believes it has not done an adequate job. The GOR is
working to achieve the transfer of genocide suspects held in
Arusha by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
(ICTR). End summary and introduction.

DARFUR and the UMAMID Command Slot
--------------


4. (C) Rwanda fields four battalions to UNAMID in Darfur,
plus several hundred headquarters troops for UNMIS in
Khartoum. Rwandan General Karenzi Karake has just completed
his term as UNAMID deputy commander. Rwandan troops are
widely regarded as by far the best in the field, and Karake
won uniform praise for his leadership and military acumen.
Rwanda thinks -- given the number of Rwandan troops on the
ground and their exemplary service -- that it has earned the
UMAMID command slot. With the approaching mid-June end of
Nigerian General Agwai's term of service, Rwanda has
nominated Lt. General Patrick Nyamvumba for the command
position (ref A). Post strongly endorsed this nomination in
the referenced cable. Nyamvumba is a resourceful, courageous
and experienced field commander (he is currently the Rwanda
Defence Forces (RDF) logistics chief and president of the
military court). Rwandan expectations are high that
Nyamvumba will be appointed. Local contacts assert that
during Secretary General Ban ki-Moon's March visit here, he
assured Kagame that he would appoint a Rwandan to the command
Qassured Kagame that he would appoint a Rwandan to the command
slot. President Kagame may raise this issue in meetings with
the UNSC team.


5. (C) French and Spanish indictments of Rwandans for
alleged wartime abuses produced anger and dismay among senior
military and civilian officials here. Rwanda has mounted a
concerted campaign in various international fora,
particularly within the African Union, against
extra-territorial jurisdiction, calling it "double standard"
justice. The Spanish indictments are regarded by the
Rwandans, with considerable justification, as intemperate and
as containing offensive reinterpretations of the genocide and
its aftermath (ref B). When there was a move last year
within the UN to shorten Karake's term as UMAMID Deputy
Commander, the GOR considered pulling its troops out of Sudan
if Karake were removed. As noted (ref A),some
unsubstantiated allegations exist against General Nyamvumba.
Rwandans will react strongly if those allegations are given
credence by the UN.

Somalia
--------------


6. (C) Rwanda warily eyes a larger potential role in Somali
peace-keeping. Recently, several Rwandan officials have
indicated that they were approached by Somalia's new
government to provide training for its security forces.
Rwanda has done this in the past and is willing to do so
again. In addition, if the Somalia peace-keeping operation
became a UN effort, the GOR might consider favorably a
request for peace-keepers. However, the Rwandans are very
cautious of being overextended. They have asked for
information-sharing on the Somalia situation. Comment:
Rwanda will not send a token peace-keeping force. It is
unlikely Rwanda will send a large peace-keeping force unless
its other security concerns -- particularly the situation in
the DRC and in Darfur -- evolve favorably. End comment.

FDLR Sanctions List
--------------


7. (C) The UNSC recently sanctioned four members of the
Democratic Force for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR),the
remnants of the genocidal forces who fled Rwanda in 1994 and
who still hold out in the vast forests of the eastern Congo.
The USG sanctioned five, one of whom was previously
sanctioned by the UN. Rwanda submitted many more names for
consideration than were ultimately accepted by UNSC members,
due mainly to lack of sufficient biographic "identifiers."
Rwandans continue to urge the sanctioning of additional FDLR
field commanders, as well as those in leadership positions in
Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere. The GOR voices considerable
frustration at the lengthy sanctioning process. The Rwandan
Mission in New York declined to put forward the list of four
names for sanctioning, as it considered the list to be too
short. The Embassy continues to work with the GOR on
obtaining proper identifiers for additional individuals.

MONUC and Eastern Congo
--------------


8. (C) The joint Rwandan/Congolese January 20 - February 25
military operations in eastern Congo achieved both military
and political objectives. Militarily it reduced the FDLR's
operational capacity to threaten Rwanda's security and to
hold Congolese populations in its power. Politically it
demonstrated a remarkable and unexpected step toward forging
a new partnership between the two nations, and helped to
reduce long-standing suspicions between the two governments
and peoples. The UN peace-keeping operation in Congo, MONUC,
provides essential logistics support for the Congolese armed
forces (FARDC). MONUC, in Rwandan eyes, has been far less
effective than it could and should have been. The recent
joint GOR/DRC operations and MONUC's increasingly active
cooperation with the FARDC has, to some degree, improved the
GOR's opinion of MONUC. MONUC continues to provide extensive
logistics support to newly invigorated FARDC units (bolstered
by the integration of renegade Congolese General Nkunda's
now-disbanded National Congress for the Defense of the People
-- CNDP -- military forces).

ICTR
--------------


9. (C) Despite tensions in earlier years, Rwanda has
productive relations with the ICTR. It has accepted the
decisions of the Tribunal in the various prosecutions to
date, applauding long prison terms for the main architects of
the genocide, while expressing some disappointment at several
dismissals for lack of evidence. The ICTR and Rwandan
prosecution services have collaborated closely on many cases.
The ICTR prosecutor has expressed his support for and sought
Q The ICTR prosecutor has expressed his support for and sought
to achieve a key GOR goal -- the transfer of suspected
genocidaires held at the ICTR in Arusha for trial here in
Rwanda. To date, requests &QQat@5trengthen
witness protections, for example providing for video
testimony for witnesses located overseas. Another UN
Tribunal, the Special Court in Sierra Leone, has recently
signed an agreement with the GOR to house some of its
convicted prisoners in a special VIP wing set up at a local
prison to house high-profile prisoners. The ICTR has also
signed an agreement to send convicted prisoners to Rwanda to
serve out their sentences.

New Rwanda PermRep
--------------


10. (C) President Kagame just named Ambassador
Eugene-Richard Gasana as Rwanda's PermRep in New York.
Gasana most recently was Rwanda's ambassador to Germany (with
accreditation to several other European countries). Prior to
serving in Berlin, Gasana was Rwanda's PermRep in Geneva; he
is well-versed in multilateral issues and diplomacy. While
in Berlin and Geneva, he asserted a leadership role within
the African Group and will likely do the same in New York.
He is close to President Kagame and will take issues directly
to him rather than go through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. He is fluent in English, French and German.

Bilateral Issues
--------------


11. (C) We continue to urge Rwanda to be more tolerant of
dissent and criticism from the media. Rwanda's recent
decision to bar the BBC's Kinyarwanda news service undescores
GOR sensitivities about "divisionist" discourse it claims is
harmful to national unity and reconcilation. The use of
broadly worded criminal statutes sanctioning "divisionism"
and genocide ideology concern the human rights community.
Over one million suspected genocidaires have gone before the
"gacaca courts" (a traditional justice system modernized and
expanded by the GOR). The USG has been supportive of this
effort to bring to justice those responsible for the
genocide, but the the process has attracted criticism from
human rights groups on due process grounds. Most of those
convicted of genocide-related offenses have either served
their sentences or have been released under community service
or suspended sentence provisions. They are again living in
their communities, often near neighbors who were survivors or
victimes. Less than 30,000 remain in prison on genocide
charges or convictions. The gacaca courts were the GOR's
principal means to achieve justice and reconciliation -- a
difficult policy balance. It will likely take years to
assess the trials on national reconciliation. It is clear,
however, that not all those who were convicted of crimes are
repetant. Resolving lingering animosity and hatred is likely
to take several generations. The Departments of Justice and
Homeland Security are actively investigating Rwandans
resident in the U.S. suspected of involvement in the genocide
who may have falsified their involvement to obtain immigrant,
refugee, or American citizen status.


12. (C) Presidential elections will be held in 2010.
Kagame will likely seek a second (and final) seven-year term.
There are no effective opposition parties. Most parties
participate in a coalition led by the Rwanda Patriot Front
(RPF). Donors, including the U.S., have been working with
the electoral commission on a new electoral code. In 2009, a
U.S.-funded program to build political party capacity
succeeded in sparking unprecedented dialogue among political
parties and message formulation. Those efforts may have a
lasting effect improving partisan political activity.

Bilateral Assistance
--------------


13. (SBU) In 2008, the United States was Rwanda's largest
bilateral donor, working in the areas of democracy and
governance, economic development and health:

Democracy and Governance Programs: USG programs focus on
local government and reconciliation. We are supporting
decentralized governance through an innovative program to
achieve health and governance objectives by acting to improve
local government's capacity to manage funds and deliver high
Qlocal government's capacity to manage funds and deliver high
quality health services. This program is complemented by
capacity building programs for local civil society
organizations. On rule of law issues, we are helping the
Ministry of Justice and other government officials to improve
the quality of draft legislation. We also support provision
of legal aid services to the poor and other vulnerable
groups, helping to ensure equitable access to
justice. We fund youth radio for peace and reconciliation
through a Great Lakes regional initiative. That enables
youth to take an active role contributing to peace and
reconciliation in their communities. A new project
implemented by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) is
working with political parties to build their capacity for
the 2010 elections.

Millennium Challenge Corporation Country Threshold Program:
Rwanda was selected in 2006 for the Threshold program. The
GOR Country Plan was approved by the MCC Investment Committee
in July 2008; the final agreement was signed in October 2008.
USAID is in the process of procuring four projects
(supporting the police, strengthening the media, aiding civic
participation, and developing the justice sector) to
implement the three-year, $25 million Threshold Country
Program. The Program is intended to improve Rwanda's scores
on three MCC Ruling Justly indicators: civil liberties,
political rights and voice and accountability.

Economic Development and U.S. Investment: In February 2008,
President Bush and President Kagame signed a Bilateral
Investment Treaty aimed at encouraging investment and trade
between the United States and Rwanda. In March 2009, American
energy company Contour Global signed a $325 million project
with the government to extract methane gas from Lake Kivu to
provide 100MW of electricity to the national grid. This is
the largest foreign private sector investment in Rwanda's
history and promises to significantly improve the
availability and cost of electricity. Other American
investments include interest in tea, coffee, and mining.
Over the past eight years, the USG has invested an estimated
$12 million in promoting and developing the Rwandan coffee
industry, building and rehabilitating coffee washing
stations, training farmers and "cuppers" (coffee tasters),
organizing cooperatives, encouraging banks to lend to Rwandan
investors to build coffee washing stations, and improving
rural infrastructure. Today, Rwandan coffee has become known
as one of the "best of the best" coffees in the world.
Rwanda exported 4,200 tons of specialty coffee in 2008.

Global Health: Rwanda is one of 15 "focus countries" under
the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The
national HIV prevalence rate is approximately 3.0 percent
(3.6 percent for women, 2.3 percent for men). A 2005 survey
suggests that women are contracting HIV/AIDS at a younger age
than men, and that for both sexes prevalence in urban areas
is approximately three times higher than in rural areas.
Through PEPFAR and Global Fund support, Rwanda has increased
the number of facilities offering services for prevention of
mother-to-child transmission from 53 to 318, and voluntary
counseling and testing from 44 to 3345. Rwanda has achieved
70 percent coverage of those in need of anti-retroviral
treatment. This is one of the highest rates in sub-Saharan
Africa, and can be directly linked to the significant
geographic expansion of HIV/AIDS services. Rwanda has also
completed a national roll-out of performance-based financing
as an incentive for improved health care delivery, and built
the capacity of local organizations to manage and implement
HIV/AIDS programs. FY08 PEPFAR funding for Rwanda exceeded
$123 million. FY09 funding is expected to be at similar
levels. The RDF has been a leader in HIV/AIDS programs for
military forces in Africa, and has several innovative
programs underway to protect its men and women.

Malaria: In addition, Rwanda is a President's Malaria
Initiative (PMI) country. In 2006, the number of
uncomplicated malaria cases treated in public sector health
facilities was 1.3 million. By mid-FY08, it decreased to
900,000 cases. Given this reduced incidence malaria has now
dropped down to second place as the leading cause of
morbidity and mortality among children under five in Rwanda.
Much of this success is attributed to the use of
indoor-residual spraying and insecticide-treated bed nets
funded by USAID. During FY08, a spraying campaign treated
200,000 houses or more than 900,000 people (approximately 10
Q200,000 houses or more than 900,000 people (approximately 10
percent of the population). PMI funding for in FY08 was $17
million; FY09 funding is expected at similar levels. The
Mission also implements successful programs in child
survival, maternal and child health, reproductive health and
family planning. These programs have annual budgets of $11.8
million.

Comment
--------------


14. (C) Rwanda engages extensively with the UN on a number
of issues, while keeping a weather eye out for any perceived
new failings on the UN's part. Be it cautious behavior by
MONUC in the Congo, attempts to thwart Rwandan candidates for
peace-keeping slots in Sudan, or unwillingness to pursue
sanctions against a wide array of genocidaires active in
Africa and the West, Rwanda will assert the correctness of
its policies and the appropriateness of its actions with firm
and concerted advocacy in multilateral fora. Today, Rwandans
have reason to be optimistic. Their recent rapprochement
with the DRC is absolutely essential to Rwanda's own
long-term ecnomic growth and to the prospects of all Rwandans
and their neighbors. Economic growth and social justice are
vital for lasting national reconciliation. Rwanda will
continue its close relations with the USG, and look to us to
continue serving as, perhaps, its mosts significant partner
in regional security, peace-keeping, health and economic
development. End comment.



15. (U) Ambassador W. Stuart Symington Bio

Begin Text:

Ambassador W. Stuart Symington was nominated by President
George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate as
Ambassador to Rwanda on August 1, 2008. Ambassador Symington
presented his credentials to President Kagame on November 3,

2008.

Ambassador Symington was raised in Missouri, earned a
bachelor,s degree from Brown University and a Juris
Doctorate from Columbia University. He clerked for the Chief
Judge of the Eastern District of Missouri, then litigated and
practiced corporate law in New York, London, Paris, and St.
Joseph, Missouri, before becoming a Foreign Service Officer
in 1986. After beginning his diplomatic career tracking
protests and politics in Honduras, he moved to Spain and
worked on economic issues before serving as the Ambassador,s
aide during Desert Shield and Storm.

In Mexico, Stuart cultivated the political opposition, worked
anti-drug issues, helped congressional visitors looking at
NAFTA, and reported from Chiapas during the Zapatista revolt.
At the State Department, he worked for the Under Secretary
for Political Affairs on Latin American and African issues,
backing up as his aide for Bosnia. During a yearlong Pearson
Fellowship, he served on the staff of Congressman IKE Skelton
studying U.S. military joint operations and education. He
later traveled to Sudan and North Korea on teams negotiating
to free American captives before finishing the year as an
aide to Ambassador Bill Richardson, then the U.S. Permanent
Representative to the UN. As a political officer in Ecuador,
Stuart forged ties to the political opposition, indigenous
leaders, military commanders, and other government and
private sector leaders. He joined efforts to end the
century-old Peru/Ecuador border conflict, helped negotiate
the agreement establishing an anti-drug Forward Operating
Location, and, after protests toppled Ecuador,s president,
he pressed for a return to civilian rule.

From 2001-2003, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in
Niger, West Africa, dealing with military mutinies, terrorist
threats, and civil unrest; he mounted an outreach effort to
Muslims leaders, fostered anti-terrorism cooperation, and
buttressed Niger,s democracy with a key food security
program. He then returned to the State Department as the
Deputy Director of West African Affairs in the Africa Bureau,
working on the Trans-Sahara Counter Terrorism Initiative,
humanitarian and development issues, and challenges to
security and democratic stability.

From October 2004 to February 2005, he worked for Ambassador
Negroponte in Iraq on the election process and political
issues, managing pre-election political reporting from around
the country and visiting reporting officers in six of our ten
regional offices during the run-up to the election. On
Election Day, January 30, 2005, based in Baqubah, Stuart
observed voting there and in other cities of Diyala province
in the Sunni Triangle.

He taught at National Defense University,s Joint Forces
Staff College in Norfolk, where he worked with military
officer students and staff to see how America,s diplomats
and warriors can cooperate best to advance U.S. interest
abroad.

From 2006-2008, Stuart served as Ambassador to Djibouti. His
interagency U.S.G. team advanced regional economic
integration, defused humanitarian crises, and promoted
democratic development and regional security.
Qdemocratic development and regional security.
End text.


SYMINGTON