GRENADE ATTACK NEAR GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000470 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KCRM RW SUBJECT: GRENADE ATTACK NEAR GENOCIDE MEMORIAL REF: A. 08 KIGALI 874 ¶B. 08 KIGALI 269 Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) On the evening of July 22, an unknown person tossed a grenade approximately 500 meters from the Kigali Memorial Center, the principal genocide memorial in Rwanda, which has the mass graves of some 300,000 genocide victims and a museum complex. The explosion injured two bystanders. Police made an arrest immediately after the attack of a passing motorcyclist. Initial police sources at the scene told the Embassy the grenade was a home-made explosive device; a more senior source told us the explosive device was in fact a real grenade. This source said the suspect may have not been involved in the attack, and police continue to investigate. The Chief of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) later confirmed that the suspect had been released, as it was determined he had no connection to the crime. The police had no solid leads, he said, but their efforts continued. ¶2. (C) Comment. In the last three years, there have been two direct grenade attacks on the Kigali Memorial, and two attacks in the general vicinity of the complex. Rwandan police often make immediate arrests of those in the vicinity of such incidents, seeking information and possible suspects, and then later release those detained, as happened here. Direct attacks on the Center have typically occurred on or around the yearly genocide commemorations that take place in April, and are presumed to be the work of those opposed to Rwanda's government and its reconciliation efforts. The purpose of this particular attack may be the same, but the exact motive remains unclear. End comment. SYMINGTON