VZCZCXRO5561
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHLGB #0393/01 1161804
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 261804Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2673
INFO RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN IMMEDIATE 0001

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KIGALI 000393 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM KJUS RW
SUBJECT:  Catholic Church of Rwanda Supports Gacaca, 
Encourages Careful Monitoring 
 
REF:  A. VATICAN 0059 
 
      ¶B. 05 KIGALI 1006 
 
This is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  During an April 11 meeting with the Papal 
Nuncio, Ambassador brought up a recent note verbale from the 
Vatican that criticized gacaca (ref A).  Ambassador noted 
that he is aware of concerns that gacaca is not serving the 
purpose for which it was created and that the GOR, itself, 
has acknowledged its shortcomings.  The Nuncio clarified 
that the contents of the note were not drafted by the 
Vatican but by a Belgian NGO and should not be seen as 
official Vatican views.  He asserted that notwithstanding 
the strong critical tone of the note, the Vatican and 
Catholic Church of Rwanda support gacaca in concept as it 
provides closure on genocide cases, but urged the 
international donor community to demand greater respect for 
human/civil rights in the implementation of gacaca.  In 
particular, he called for a presumption of innocence, clear 
evidence to support accusations, defense of the accused by 
lawyers or human rights groups, and prompt completion of 
dossiers on prisoners.  End summary. 
 
Critique of Gacaca from Vatican 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador met with the Papal Nuncio, Monsignor 
Anselmo Guido Pecorari, April 11 to exchange views on 
gacaca.  He brought up concerns over a March 28 note verbale 
and paper from the Vatican entitled "The Gacaca Traditional 
Tribunals in Rwanda" (ref A).  Ambassador also mentioned a 
separate letter, dated March 27, from the Catholic bishops 
of Rwanda urging Christians to participate actively in the 
gacaca process.  Ambassador noted to the Nuncio that the 
Bishops' pastoral letter, which described the gacaca process 
as a positive contribution to national reconstruction and 
reconciliation, was in stark contrast to the paper from the 
Vatican, which criticized gacaca as disrespectful of human 
rights. 
 
¶3. (U) Note:  The paper from the Vatican criticizes gacaca 
for not serving the purposes for which it was created. 
Among its criticisms, it charges that innocent individuals 
remain in prison while many of those responsible for the 
genocide have been freed.  It also notes that detainees can 
plead guilty and denounce accomplices in return for reduced 
or suspended sentences, and that there is a presumption of 
guilt which is difficult to disprove.  Embassy reaction to 
the Vatican paper is reported septel.  End note. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Papal Nuncio agreed that the Vatican paper and 
the Bishops' letter differ dramatically in tone and 
explained that this is because they were written for 
different audiences and for different purposes.  The 
pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops, the second such 
letter (the first was sent in 2002), was intended to 
encourage Rwandan Christians to participate in the gacaca 
process.  Aware that many fear gacaca, the bishops drafted 
the letter to assuage their fears. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Vatican paper, on the other hand, which was 
delivered to the EU, American, French, Dutch, German, and 
Belgian governments, was intended to urge those governments 
that provide financial support to gacaca to demand greater 
respect for human and civil rights.  The Nuncio acknowledged 
that the note was "very strong" and indicated that it was 
drafted by a Belgian human rights organization requesting 
intervention from the Vatican.  He maintained that the paper 
reflects the position of that one group, and not the 
official position of the Vatican. 
 
Gacaca Cases Involving the Catholic Church 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Nuncio cited two specific gacaca cases 
involving the Catholic Church.  He mentioned that the 
Catholic Archbishop of Kigali (formerly the Bishop of 
Cyangugu Diochese), Thaddee Ntihinyurwa, was falsely accused 
in July 2005 by a gacaca court.  He confirmed Ambassador's 
understanding that during the genocide the Archbishop had 
accompanied the prefect to the church in Nyamasheke where 
several Tutsis were killed.  He maintained, however, that 
the Archbishop had not participated in any meetings or 
served as an informant.  (Note:  This year's national 
genocide commemoration was held at the Nyamasheke church 
where one of the key speakers, a Catholic priest who had 
 
KIGALI 00000393  002 OF 003 
 
 
tried to prevent the massacre, suggested that Bishop 
Ntihinyurwa stood by passively while the massacre took 
place.  End note.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) As to Belgian priest Guy Theunis, who has since 
been transferred to Belgian authorities, the Nuncio said 
that he was arrested while in transit through Rwanda and, 
five days later, brought before a gacaca tribunal without 
having been given sufficient time to prepare a comprehensive 
defense (ref B).  Ambassador pointed out that Theunis faced 
a preliminary information-gathering hearing of gacaca and 
that he did call defense witnesses.  He was not found 
guilty, but his case was referred to a higher court. 
 
Papal Nuncio's Concerns about Gacaca 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Nuncio expressed concern that gacaca is not 
always used for reconciliation but sometimes for "political 
purposes."  Ambassador said that he was aware of concerns 
that some Rwandans might try to use gacaca accusations to 
settle personal grudges.  He observed that with more than 
12,000 gacaca courts throughout the country, there 
inevitably would be problems in some locales.  However, it 
is the responsibility of the panel of gacaca judges to find 
the truth and to ensure fairness in the process.  He pointed 
out that those accused can call witnesses to speak in their 
defense and that at least 20 percent (about the same percent 
as in the regular court system) of those whose trials have 
been completed were found innocent. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Nuncio affirmed that the Catholic Church of 
Rwanda accepts and supports gacaca and has encouraged all 
Catholics to participate in the process.  It accepts the 
finality of verdicts reached through the gacaca process.  He 
noted, however, that in the interior of the country, this 
finality is not respected and there are problems.  He 
pointed out four specific problems that he had earlier 
raised with Foreign Minister Murigande: 
--  one should not be accused based on the testimony of a 
single person; 
--  there should be a presumption of innocence, not a 
presumption of guilt.  Presumption of guilt is contrary to 
the rule of law, and the accused should not have to prove 
their innocence; 
--  the accused should be given the opportunity to defend 
themselves with counter testimony or to be defended by 
lawyers or human rights groups; 
--  there should be a set deadline for completion of 
dossiers so that the accused will not languish in prison for 
an indefinite period of time. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Ambassador commented that, given the chaos of the 
genocide, concrete evidence is hard to find.  In many cases 
there is no proof because there were no witnesses or no 
survivors.  The Nuncio in turn noted that during the 
genocide the Interahamwe tried to involve the entire 
population in the killings, and that many people knew about 
the killings but did not participate directly in the 
genocide.  He said while it is easy to accuse someone of 
having knowledge, it is difficult to defend oneself once 
accused.  He noted that he met many prisoners who have been 
in jail for years and have not yet been charged. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Ambassador said that, for its part, the U.S. has 
provided assistance to train gacaca judges but that much 
more assistance is needed to ensure the proper functioning 
of the gacaca system.  He asked the Nuncio what more the 
international community could do to improve the gacaca 
process and whether he thought this process would ultimately 
bring Rwandans together or pull them apart.  The Nuncio 
responded that governments must not simply sign checks to 
financially support gacaca, but must also urge the GOR to 
respect basic human and civil rights in the process, such as 
by ensuring a presumption of innocence for the accused until 
they are proven guilty. 
 
2004 List of "Genocide Ideologists" 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Ambassador agreed on the importance of a 
presumption of innocence.  This had been a problem in the 
2004 parliamentary report on genocide ideology.  He 
criticized the manner in which the GOR had handled the 
report, in particular for not giving the named individuals 
an opportunity to defend themselves prior to the report's 
release. 
 
 
KIGALI 00000393  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶13. (SBU) When asked whether the Church has followed up on 
those named in the 2004 report, the Nuncio advised that the 
Church has kept a list of the accused priests and bishops. 
Among those accused was a monsignor, imprisoned for several 
months, who was declared innocent in the regular court 
system, then brought before gacaca to be tried again.  The 
case was dismissed by the gacaca court when the Papal Nuncio 
advised the monsignor to show evidence that he had already 
been tried in the regular court system.  He noted that in 
some seminaries where there were more Hutus than Tutsis, 
seminarians were summarily accused of "divisionism."  He 
indicated that some of the individuals on the 2004 list went 
abroad, but most stayed and defended themselves and are 
actively preaching. 
 
¶14. (SBU) The Nuncio commented that the position of 
President Kagame, who made the decision on Father Theunis' 
case, reflects the position of the Church.  Individuals need 
to pay for their crimes, but the guilt of one individual 
does not reflect the guilt of the institution as a whole. 
Pope John Paul II iterated that the Church will not defend 
every ecclesiastic.  The Nuncio agreed with Ambassador that 
the GOR appears to be determined to complete the gacaca 
process as quickly as possible, particularly in view of 
public opinion and the scrutiny of the international 
community. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) The apparent contradiction in the message between 
the Vatican note and the pastoral letter is comprehensible 
in light of the Nuncio's explanation that they were intended 
for different audiences and different purposes and that the 
critical assessment in the Vatican note, drafted by a 
Belgian NGO, does not reflect official Vatican views.  It is 
encouraging that, according to the Nuncio, the Catholic 
Church of Rwanda generally supports gacaca and respects the 
finality of verdicts, but urges greater attention on the 
process to ensure respect for the human and civil rights of 
the accused. 
 
¶16. (U) The GOR readily acknowledges that gacaca is not 
perfect and that it is working on ways to improve the system 
within its constraints.  It points out, however, that gacaca 
cannot be judged against the regular court system as the 
purpose for which it was created is unique.  It also points 
out the sheer magnitude of the problem of trying tens of 
thousands of genocide cases given its lack of legal 
capacity.  Rwanda has a total of only about 150 lawyers, 
with most based in the capital rather than in the rural 
areas where the majority of the population resides, and only 
about 250 judges in the regular court system.  It is 
important to note that for all its shortcomings, gacaca is 
the only viable option thus far for handling the huge volume 
of genocide cases.  The GOR is determined that gacaca 
succeed both in dispensing justice and facilitating post- 
genocide reconciliation and it is in the U.S. interest to 
support this.  We will continue to watch the process 
closely, advise on areas for improvement, and seek ways to 
provide further capacity-building assistance as trials get 
under way this year.  It will be useful to be able to 
coordinate these efforts with the Catholic Church, which has 
a strong following in Rwanda. 
Arietti