VZCZCXYZ0018
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0810 3241528
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191528Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5757
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0062
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 0338
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0437
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 1250
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2025
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0577
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0351
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1357
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0610

UNCLAS KIGALI 000810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM RW
SUBJECT: PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS NATIONWIDE IN SUPPORT OF 
ARRESTED OFFICIAL 
 
REF: KIGALI 796 
 
 ¶1.  (U) Following nine days of demonstrations in front of 
the German Embassy in Kigali concerning the arrest of Chief 
of Presidential Protocol Rose Kabuye in Stuttgart (with 
occasional protest marches in front of the Deutsche Welle 
radio station complex and the European Union offices, also in 
Kigali) (reftel), large nationwide demonstrations occured on 
November 19 to protest her arrest.  Embassy officers 
estimated that crowds lining the residential streets around 
the German Embassy site likely numbered in excess of 50,000 
persons.  Crowds traveling the roads to the Deutsche Welle 
complex on the edge of Kigali probably numbered several 
hundred thousand.  Marches occured in other towns and hamlets 
throughout the country -- Ambassador saw about ten thousand 
persons gathered in the small town of Ruhengeri in the north 
of the country, for example. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The nationwide marches were uniformly peaceful and 
orderly, with security forces closely monitoring the progress 
of the assembled crowds.  Ostensibly called by local NGOs and 
media houses, the marches were in fact organized by the 
government and ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF). 
Instructions went out from the central authorities to all 
administrative levels of the government to assemble their 
populations for the marches.  Some residents of outlying 
districts of Kigali assembled as early as 5 am, with others 
gathering later in the morning.  Some marchers carried signs 
denouncing the German and French governments (the German 
arrest made on behalf of French authorities), and a few 
chanted slogans, but most simply walked quietly to their 
assigned assembly points.  Near the German Embassy, a reggae 
band entertained the crowds as they swelled throughout the 
mid-morning hours.  Heavy late morning rains brought the 
demonstrations in the capital to a close before noon.  Other 
areas of the country held marches later in the day.  Local 
media, including government television and radio, offered 
extensive coverage of the demonstrations.  Government 
officials held a press conference in Kigali in the afternoon 
to highlight the demonstrations and express support for 
Kabuye. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Mission understands that Rose Kabuye has in fact 
been transferred to France on November 19 (GOR officials tell 
us she boarded an airplane for Paris in the afternoon) to be 
examined by the two French judges in the case.  Rwandan 
officials here assert that Kabuye will clearly show that she 
had no role in the shooting down of the President Habyarimana 
jet in April 1994, the event which touched off the genocide. 
One of the most prominent of the witnesses to the alleged 
Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) shootdown of the jet, a former 
RPA officer, has reportedly recanted his testimony, a 
happenstance which must hearten Rwandan officials.  In the 
interim, we expect that the GOR will continue its campaign 
against the arrest of Kabuye, having demonstrated today that 
it can if it wishes produce large crowds of Rwandans on short 
notice in support of its policies and personnel. 
SYMINGTON