-
CHAPTER 7: Resurrecting a Country
- Texas A&M University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
210 | CHAPTER 7 Resurrecting a Country I tmightbeanewyear,butitwasstillRwandaandthetroubles werenotover.DavidandIhadstatedthatthegoalofpolicymakingin Rwandahadtobereducingthekilling.Stoppingthekillingwas impossible.Althoughtherefugeecampsacrosstheborderremained themostseriousthreattostability,therewereinternalparallels. WhentheFrenchhadestablishedtheirsecurityzoneinthesouthwest ,thefleeingHutusweresoongatheredindisplacedpersons(DP) campsinsidetheareaunderFrenchcontrol.TherewereDPcamps neareverylargeRwandantowninthesouthwest.Attendedbythe U.N.HighCommissionforRefugees(UNHCR),theysoonbeganto takeonthesameaspectsofpermanencethatwereappearinginthe campsinZaire.Worsestill,therewereanumberofsmallercamps closertotheborderwithBurundi,populatedbyamixofBurundians andRwandans. Help from Burundi Thesecampswereanaturalstagingbaseandrefugeforhard-core militiadeterminedtocarryonthefightagainsttheRwandanPatriotic Front(RPF)inthecountryside.Theyalsoservedasstagingbases forBurundiansdoingthesameagainsttherampagingTutsiarmyin Burundi.Asonewouldexpect,theRwandanPatrioticArmy(RPA) establishedambushesandrovingpatrolstointerceptthesegroupsas theymovedacrosstheborder.Theinevitablehappened:anRPAunit interceptedoneofthesemilitiagroupsandpursueditintooneofthe smallerDPcampsontheRwandansideoftheborder.Summoning reinforcementsfromthesectorcommander,theRPAplatoonmoved intothecamp.Theleadersoonlostcontrol,andhistroopskilleda numberofciviliansbeforethereinforcingRPAcommanderarrived resurrectingacountry | 211 andstoppedtheaction.TheU.N.AssistanceMissioninRwanda (UNAMIR)wasnotified,andtheblueberetssoonarrivedaswell. TheRPAcommanderactivelycooperatedwiththeUNAMIRforce andsoonUNAMIRhelicopterswereferryingwoundedtotheU.N. hospitalinKigali.Thecooperationcontinuedafterthemeleewas over.RPAandU.N.HumanRightsOfficersinvestigatedtheincident intandem.TheRPAplatoonleaderwasrelievedanddisciplined.The unitwasmovedoutofthesectoraltogether.Allthingsconsidered,the incidentwasjustthat,anincidenthardlynoteworthyinthecontext ofRwanda’skillinggrounds.Whatmadeitremarkablewasthecooperation betweentheRPAandtheUnitedNations.Ireporteditasa matterofcoursewithintheUNAMIRsituationreportItransmitted almostdailybacktoWashington. EnterourambassadorinBurundi,avehementspokesmanagainst thedepredationsoftheTutsi-controlledmilitaryinsideBurundi.Often hewastoooutspokenandsoalienatedthegovernmenttheyshut himout.Laterthatyear,theBurundianarmyoritsmilitiasupporters triedtokillhiminanambushinnorthernBurundi.Theyfailed,and Stateattemptedtotonehimdowntonoavail.DavidandIwereabout togetatasteofhisvitriolicreporting.TheambassadorinBujumbura gotwindofthecampincidentinsideRwandaandheadednorthto interviewsurvivorswhohadfledbackintoBurundi.Onesupposed survivorspunataleworthyofOliverStone. Accordingtothissource,themilitiaswhowereattackedinthe countrysidebytheviciousRPAwerenomorethanpeacefulfarmers movingbackinfromthefields.TheRPAchasedthemintothecamp andthensummonedmoreRPAandUNAMIRtroopstofinishthe job.Accordingtohim,U.N.helicoptergunshipsledthecombined RPA-UNAMIRattack.Theyfiredrocketsandmachinegunfireinto thearea,andthegroundforcesthenmoppedup.Thevillagewassupposedly leveled.TheU.N.andRPAtroopsthenhidallthebodiesby throwingthemdownwellsinthearea.Thedeathtollwassupposedly inthe“hundredsorthousands.” Withoutanycorroboration,ourneighboringambassadorputall thisintoacableandfireditofftoWashington.Davidcalledmein andshowedmethereport.Ireaditandwastornbetweenlaughter andrage.Thissortofthinggetsambassadorsrelieved.ItoldDavid Iwouldputoutafullreportonthematter.Imadeaspecialtripout toUNAMIRtoverifywhattheyhadsaidbefore,andIcheckedwith ColonelKarenzionthematter.Irelatedthefullstoryinaseparate [3.140.242.165] Project...