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DE RUEHLGB #0231 0920753
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010753Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5204
INFO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0217
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0272
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 1086
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1854
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0407
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0194
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1173
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0448
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0109

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000231 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA THREATENS PULL-OUT FROM UNAMID IF DEPUTY 
COMMANDER KARAKE DROPPED 
 
REF: A. KIGALI 227 
     ¶B. KIGALI 107 
 
Classified By: Charge Cheryl J. Sim, reason 1.4 (B/D) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Charge spoke with Foreign Minister Rosemary 
Museminali March 31 on the margins of the White House 
Faith-Based Initiatives Conference regarding the apparent 
move by UN and or EU officials to remove Deputy UNAMID 
commander Karenzi Karake.  General Karake and 39 other 
present and former Rwandan military officers were indicted by 
the judge in early February for alleged participation in mass 
killings in the 1990s (ref B).   Museminali told Charge that 
Rwanda would bring home its four battalions of peacekeepers 
if Karake were removed from his position. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Museminali's unequivocal remarks were echoed by 
Lieutenant General Charles Muhire, Air Force Commander, who 
repeatedly told Defense Attache March 28 that RDF 
participation would end if Karake was removed as Deputy 
UNAMID Commander. 
 
¶3.  (C) Comment. Post does not regard these comments by 
senior Rwandan officials as bluffs or empty posturing.  Anger 
within senior Rwandan ranks, civilian and military, is 
palpable on the subject of the 40 indictments, particularly 
following the issuance by the Spanish government of an 
Interpol "red notice" for Chief of Defense Staff General 
James Kabarebe (ref A).  Reftel provides post's analysis of 
the indictments, which appear to be based upon outlandish and 
grossly inaccurate recountings of the 1994 genocide, events 
leading up to it, and its aftermath.  End comment. 
 
 
SIM