VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0228/01 0670645
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 080645Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2494
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0112

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000228 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PINR RW BG
SUBJECT: HOTEL RWANDA MANAGER NO HERO TO GOR 
 
Classified By: Poloff GLearned. Reason 1.4(b) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. There has been an ongoing public campaign to 
discredit Paul Rusesabagina, the former manager of Hotel des 
Mille Collines during the 1994 genocide and current hero in 
the US and Europe due to the film 'Hotel Rwanda', in Rwanda. 
The efforts to damage the reputation of Mr. Rusesabagina have 
been spearheaded by 'The New Times', a pro-government, 
English language paper but also include the President, 
senators and other genocide survivors claiming to have been 
at the Mille Collines during the genocide.  Ambassador 
confirmed with National Security Service Director that this 
is a GOR-driven effort which will continue. Belgian Embassy 
had no information on a 2005 car accident that Mr. 
Rusesabagina has claimed was an attempt on his life by the 
GOR. End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The New Times has published a series of highly 
critical articles and editorials that have called into 
question Mr. Rusesabagina,s actions during the spring and 
summer of 1994. Additionally, The New Times has a web page 
called 'Facts about Paul Rusesabagina'.  Accusations include: 
-- Using his fame from 'Hotel Rwanda' to advance an agenda of 
divisionism and to undermine efforts to improve tolerance and 
reconciliation among Rwandans. 
-- Deliberately distorting history in order to negate the 
genocide of the Tutsis and protect those who carried it out. 
-- Lying about his heroic actions during the genocide. 
 
¶3. (U) Articles have included quotes from genocide survivors, 
including Senators Odette Nyiramirimo and Wellers Gasamagera 
(Note: Sen. Nyiramiririro, whose story is featured in the 
book 'We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow You Will be Killed 
With Your Children', is reportedly a former friend of Mr. 
Rusesabagina but is now accusing him of charging her over 
$400 for her time in the hotel. End note).  Others have 
accused him of: forcing those who could not pay out of hotel 
rooms, associating closely with Interahamwe and Rwandan Armed 
Forces (FAR) leadership, and cutting off all of the phone 
lines in the hotel except the one in his office (which he 
then charged people to use). 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Rwanda's Heroes are Not Made in America 
--------------------------------------- 
¶4. (U) In a public speech in Kigali on February 1, National 
Heroes Day, President Kagame singled out Rusesabagina out as 
a 'manufactured hero' who, 'sooner or later, ...will let his 
manufacturers down'. Kagame said that 'Rwanda's Heroes are 
not made in America, Europe or Asia' and 'Rwanda's history 
must be determined by Rwandans not foreigners'.  A New Times 
article described the President as 'seemingly irritated' when 
referring to Rusesabagina during the speech. 
 
¶5.  (C) The day after Kagame's speech, Ambassador Arietti met 
with National Security Service Director Ndahiro. Ndahiro said 
that the GOR had conducted an investigation into the events 
that occurred at the Hotel des Mille Collines during the 
genocide and determined that much of the story depicted in 
the movie was inaccurate. According to the GOR,s 
investigation, Rusesabagina exploited his position to enrich 
himself at the expense of the Tutsis who were forced to pay 
him for protection. He dismissed Rusesabagina,s role in 
preventing attacks on the hotel claiming that the presence of 
the UN forces was the real deterrent. 
 
¶6. (C) Ndahiro told Ambassador Arietti that the GOR is under 
pressure from genocide survivors who resent the focus on 
Rusesabagina who they feel is enriching himself due to the 
publicity surrounding  Hotel Rwanda, while genocide 
survivors continue to face multiple problems which 
Rusesabagina ignores. Moreover, the GOR believes he has 
become a proponent of the theory of a  double genocide, 
which equates the killing of up to one million Tutsis and 
moderate Hutus with the killings of perhaps tens of thousands 
of Hutus by the Rwandan Patriotic Army during and after its 
military campaign to overthrow the previous genocidal 
government.  Ndahiro said President Kagame may well use the 
April 2006 genocide commemoration ceremonies to further 
criticize Rusesabagina. According to Ndahiro, the GOR 
recognizes that Rusesabagina is thought of as a hero in the 
US and has no intention of criticizing the producers of the 
film or the USG for its actions. (Note. President Bush 
awarded Rusesabagina the Presidential Medal of Freedom. End 
note). 
 
¶7. (C) In a 7 March meeting with counterpart at the Belgian 
Embassy, poloff requested information on a car wreck in 
Belgium on 9 May 2005 that Rusesabagina claims was an attempt 
on his life by the GOR. Belgian poloff, Sibile Decartier, had 
no knowledge of said incident but said she would follow up 
with the Belgian security service.  Additionally, Decartier 
was unaware of any overtly anti-GOR comments made by 
Rusesabagina or intentions to form an independent political 
party. 
 
¶8. (C) Comment. It is not clear what impact the GOR,s 
anti-Rusesabagina campaign will have outside of Rwanda, but 
inside the country, it is certainly an issue that President 
Kagame considers important enough to risk some bad press. 
GOR contacts, including Ndahiro, have alluded to the still 
unconfirmed political intentions of Rusesabagina. While this 
may be one of the reasons for this campaign, what is certain 
is that there are members of the GOR that dismiss 
Rusesabagina,s status as a hero and do not appreciate his 
popularity in the U.S. and Europe. As expressed by Ndahiro, 
the GOR has thought through the arguments and considers it 
necessary to debunk the 'self-proclaimed hero'.  Thus, 
despite the possibility of negative attention, the GOR seems 
set to continue these personal attacks.  Post will continue 
to follow and update, including any development on the 2005 
car accident. End comment. 
ARIETTI