O 211353Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1741
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 
SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUJUMBURA 000508 
 
 
USUN FOR AF DELEGATION 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019 
TAGS: KPKO MOPS AU BY SO
SUBJECT: AFTERMATH OF SOMALIA DEATHS: BURUNDI WILL STAY IN 
SOMALIA 
 
REF: A. BUJUMBURA 499 
     ¶B. BUJUMBURA 500 
 
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CHARLES H. TWINING FOR 
REASON 1.4 (B,D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  With all attention in Bujumbura centered on 
the funerals of the twelve soldiers killed in Somalia 
September 17, the event has generated discussion about 
whether Burundi should remain in AMISOM.  At this time, the 
answer here is yes.  Most calls are for an expansion of 
AMISOM's mandate to allow it to undertake offensive actions 
rather than remain in a static defense position.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The GOB announced a five day period of mourning 
beginning September 18.  The Presidential spokesman said the 
Government condemned "the attack perpetrated by Somali 
extremists" and said the GOB is "committed to supporting 
without reservation the initiative of the international 
community to bring peace to Somalia."  He asked that the 
community strengthen the materiel support provided to its 
troops.  The Defense Ministry spokesman reiterated the 
Burundian commitment.  He also called for a change in 
AMISOM's mandate to permit offensive action to be taken and 
for an increase in personnel and equipment.  Media of all 
persuasions have been broadcasting the various government 
statements of support, usually along with the Embassy's own 
statement (ref B).  Other helpful statements being broadcast 
have been those of the head of the International Conference 
of the Great Lakes and of the UN Secretary General. 
 
¶3. (U) The bodies of the twelve Burundian troops, including 
that of outgoing Deputy AMISOM Force Commander Major General 
Juvenal Niyoyunguruza, were returned to Bujumbura September 
19, with funeral services and burials here the following day. 
 Visitors to Bujumbura who spoke at graveside included the AU 
representative for Somalia, the Transitional Government's 
Minister of Public Security, representatives of the UN, the 
U.S., the EU, and of the Rwandan and Ugandan military.  The 
Somali representative told the Burundians, "Please don't give 
up; we need your help."  The Ugandan head, former AMISOM 
Commander General Okello, said the attacks would not dampen 
Uganda's resolve to help its Somali brothers.  He asked that 
a new look be taken at the mandate.  GOB Minister of National 
Defense Lt. Gen. Germain Niyoyankana, told the Somali that 
Burundians are not there for business or tourism but for 
Somalia.  He asked Somalis to stop the killing.  He also 
asked the international community for sufficient equipment 
and authorization to take the offensive. 
 
¶4. (U) AFP dispatched from Bujumbura September 19 an article 
entitled, "Burundi opposition seeks troop recall from 
Somalia."  There was little substance to the article, citing 
only two of this country's 43 parties -- the UPD and the 
CNDD, both offshoots and bitter rivals of the ruling CNDD-FDD 
party -- as sources.  (A third, insignificant party, the PT 
or Workers' Party, has joined the call, stating that 
Burundian and Ugandan troops are there to pillage Somalia's 
resources for the West, particularly the U.S.)  The AFP 
article failed to mention that the great majority of other 
political parties -- both wings of FRODEBU, UPRONA, MSD, MRC, 
ABASA -- as well as the civil society organization OAG, have 
all called for supporting the troops.  Uprona did strike a 
responsive chord, however, in asking that Parliament debate 
the troop issue when it resumes its session in October.  Both 
the CNDD-FDD and Uprona chiefs were prominent at the funeral 
services.  Even the UPD hedged its call for withdrawal, 
calling for a pull out unless Parliament takes a new look at 
the situation. MSD chief Alexis Sindhuije travelled to 
Nairobi to visit wounded soldiers and told the media that, as 
the region had supported Burundi in its time of troubles, so, 
too, should Burundi support the region and fight for liberty 
in Somalia.  The CNDD party asked to bring home the troops, 
who cannot succeed where the "big powers" have failed, to 
which Sindhuije replied that the West had pulled out of 
Somalia previously because its troops were needed elsewhere, 
not due to failure. 
 
¶5. (U) As for the popular mood, a Minister told us during the 
funeral service what we have heard from others outside the 
government, that Burundians have known so much killing in 
their history that the September 17 suicide attack merely 
represented "one more incident."  A Web-passed Burundian news 
service suggested that the Burundians and Ugandans have taken 
the fall for the Americans following our killing September 14 
of the Kenyan terrorist.  It went on to observe, however, 
that the mood in the Army is to stick with the fight.  As for 
the population, it continued, public opinion is "soft" and 
generally follows the government line. 
 
¶6. (C) All that is not to say that we can just sit back and 
allow the situation to go back to normal.  First Vice 
President Yves Sahinguvu, the ranking official at the 
September 20 ceremonies, asked the Charge to request 
Washington to lobby hard in the UNSC for additional countries 
to contribute troops to AMISOM and provide troops with better 
equipment.  We said we intend to do both.  In his subsequent 
comments at the burial site, the Vice President added the 
need to make AMISOM's mission more robust.  Defense Minister 
Niyoyankana confided that he will travel to Kampala September 
23 for a meeting convened to discuss the lack of troops in 
the Somali operation. 
 
¶7. (C) In a lengthy meeting with the Minister September 21, 
he insisted to us that Burundi will hold to its course. 
Parliament may well have its say, he said, but he doubts that 
the outcome will be be different.  He volunteered that he met 
with President Nkurunziza September 19, who criticized the 
stance several parties have taken and said that Burundi will 
maintain the mission, asking Minister Niyoyankana to continue 
to seek support from the international community.  The 
Minister said that if his troops are to work effectively, 
they must be able to go on the offensive against potential 
threats, and for this both Burundi and Uganda need 
appropriate equipment, e.g., tanks, mine detection equipment, 
night vision goggles, money for its intelligence people to be 
able to recruit Somali agents.  He feels strongly that per 
diem payments equal to those others receive in peacekeeping 
operations elsewhere in the world would make a difference in 
motivation.  Food shipped from Burundi rather than procured 
elsewhere would be a good morale factor.  Additional training 
is always welcome but, if it must be done by contractors, 
Minister Niyoyankana would prefer to see professional 
American military personnel at least overseeing all training 
of Burundian troops.  Asked about rumors that the Burundians 
have brought equipment back here from Somalia, the Minister 
bristled and said he would like to see any and all evidence 
of that happening.  A fourth battalion is ready and willing 
to depart, though he acknowledged that other signs of support 
coming first might help pave the way for better acceptance by 
public opinion. 
 
¶8. (C) Comment.  This is an opportunity for the local 
politicians to make hay, and the variety of reactions quoted 
show just how mixed their views are, though most are 
supportive.  The government seems firm in its commitment to 
AMISOM, from all indications that we can see, and there is 
little reason to believe public support is far behind.  While 
there is undoubtedly equipment supply and upgrades needed, 
the September 17 incident was a failure of security 
procedures at AMISOM, not of equipment.  Minister Niyoyankana 
feels strongly that "We are engaged, and we must live with 
the consequences."  When we met with him, he had just ended a 
meeting with the General Staff, with the decision taken to 
send a group to Somalia to meet with the troops and prepare 
the way for the Minister's own subsequent visit.  If there is 
a consensus here on something, it is that the peacekeeping 
operation's mission needs to be expanded from that of static 
defense to a Chapter 7 type operation and, while we cannot 
figure out from here whether the ball is in the court of the 
AU or the UNSC, it would appear that it is time to pick up 
that ball. 
 
Twining