TEXT OF DAS BROWN'S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R001100050013-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: September 24, 1988
• Content Type: CABLE

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0 P 2403082 SEP 88
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
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INFO RUEHBS/AM19EMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0000
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RUEHDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0000
RUTABM/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0000
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RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY 0000
BT
UNCLAS STATE 313206
E.O. 12356: N/A'
TAGS: PREL, US, BY
SUBJECT: TEXT OF-OAS BROWN'S CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY:
1~~THE_FOL-LOW3~NG IS~HE TEXT OF DAS BROWN-=_5 TESTI~dON-Y_ -
ON BURUNDI WHICH_-HE-=DE_LI~ER-ED__BE.FORc=THE-HOUSE-FORE-I-GN--~
~FFAIRS SUB-C0MM19ITTEES ON.IaFRICA AND HUMAN RIGHTS .ON
SEPTEMBER 22: DA~S BROWN OPENED HIS TESTIMONY WITH A
BRIEF STATEMENT AND THEN SUBMITTED HIS FULL TESTIMONY FOR
THE RECORD.
2. BROWN STATED THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHARED THE CONCERN
OF CONGRESS OVER RECENT EVENTS IN BURUNDI AND NOTED OUR
INTEREST IN CONSULTING WITH CONGRESS ON THIS ISSUE.
BEGIN TEXT OF REMAINDER OF OPENING STATEMENT:
LAST MONTH, AFTER A HIATUS OF 16. YEARS, ETHNIC VIOLENCE
BETWEEN THE HUTU MAJORITY AND THE TUTSI MINORITY. ERUPTED
AGAIN IN BURUNDI. IN TWO AREAS IN THE NORTH HUTU KILLED
MANY TUTSI. IN RETALIATION,. ELEMENTS OF THE BURUNDI
MILITARY WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND KILLED EVEN MORE HUTU.
SOME 60,000 HUTU FLED TO NEIGHBORING RWANDA. AFTER A FEW
DAYS, CALM WAS RESTORED BUT FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY REMAIN.
WE D0 NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IdERE KILLED. ESTIRIATES.0F
2-3,000 TUTSI AND 5-10,000 HUTU ARE CREDIBLE.
BURUNDI PRESIDENT BUYOYA HAS DECLARED HIS GOVERNMENT'S
INTENTION OF DETERMINING THE FACTS OF THESE EVENTS AND
BRINGING THE GUILTY PARTIES TO JUSTICE UNDER THE LA.W.
FOR THE LONGER TERM HIS STATED POLICY IS TO ELIMINATE
DISCRIMINATION AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS AND BRING ABOUT
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. .-THE ACTIONS OF HIS GOVERNMENT
OCA ,
INCOMINSTAT
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IN REGARD TO HUMAN RIGHTS DURING.-HIS YEAR IN POWER HAVE
BEEN PROGRESSIVE AND HE DESERVES SUPPORT IN TRYING TO
ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
THE US AND OTHER DONORS HAVE PROVIDED EMERGENCY RELIEF,
PARTICULARLY FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS. WE HAVE
URGED PRESIDENT BUYOYA TO TAKE URGENT STEPS TO IMPLEMENT
HIS DECLARED POLICIES. WE BELIEVE HE WILL CO S0. IF THE
POLICIES ARE NOT PURSUED, WE MUST REQ.SSESS US POLICY ANO
PROGRAMS IN BURUNDI. END TEXT.'
3. BEGIN TEXT OF FORMAL WRITTEN TESTIMONY:
MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEES, IT IS A
PLEASURE TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TCCAY TO TESTIFY ON THE
SITUATION IN BURUNDI. A5 YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE, THE
RECENT OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE IN THAT NATION IS THE PRODUCT
OF A LONG HISTORY OF INTER-ETHNJC CONFLICT WHICH PREDATES
BUP.UNDI'S INDEPENDENCE IN 1962. I'N 1972, IN VENGEFUL
REACTION TO A HUTU UPRISING WHICH LED TO 10,000-15,000
.TUTSI DEATHS, THE TUTSI MINGRITY SYSTEMATICALLY MASSACRED
100,000-200,000 MEMBERS OF THE HUTU MAJORITY IN ONE OF
THE BLOODIEST EPISODES IN THE HISTORY OF MODERN AFRICA.
THIS TERRIBLE EVENT HAS POISONED ETHNIC RELATIONS SINCE
THEN, AND. IS THE UNDERLYING FOUNDATION OF THE LATEST
COMMUNAL VIOLENCE WHICH HAS WRACKED THAT NATION.
THE VIOLENCE THAT ERUPTED AUGUST 14 IN TWO AREAS OF
NORTHERN BURUNDI APPARENTLY, BEGAN WHEN SOME HUTUS,
FEARING ANOTHER MASSACRE, LAUNCHED A "PREEMPTIVE" ATTACK
ON NEIGHBORING TUTSI. WE ARE NOT SURE OF THE PROXIMATE.
CAUSE OF THIS OUTBREAK, BUT .HAVE NO INFORMATION THAT
HUTUS WERE ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED.- WE ALSO DO NOT KNOW HOW
MANY TUTSIS WERE KILLED, BUT THERE ARE CREDIBLE ESTIMATES
OF 2,000-3,000 DEAD. THE TUTSL-DOti9INATED BURUNDI ARMY WAS
ORDERED TO INTERVENE TO RESTORE,.ORCER. IN THE PROCESS,
UNCONTROLLED ARMY ELEMENTS MASSACRED MAi~Y HUTUS,
INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IN REVENGE FOR THE KILLINGS
OF THE TUTSIS. AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE PRECISE INFORMATION
ON THE NUMBER OF DEAD, BUT BELIEVE THAT THEY NUMBEREG
FROM 5,000-10,000, INCLUDING THDSE blHO DIED FROM HUNGER,
INFECTION, AND EXPOSURE. SN ADDITION, SOME 60,000
BARUNDI, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, FLED TO SOUTHERN
RWANDA, WHERE THAT GOVERNMENT IS COOPERATING CLDSELY WITH
INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES TO ASSIST THESE REFUGEES.
THE SITUATION IN-THE AFFECTED NORTHERN AREAS OF BURUNDI
IS CALM FOR THE MOMENT, BUT REMAINS VOLATILE. HOWEVER
OUR EMBASSY REPORTED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT THE MOVEMENT
TOWARD NORMALITY IN THE AFFECTED AREAS IS ACCELERATING,
AND AT LEAST SOME PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO TRICKLE BACK TO
THEIR HOMES AND FIELDS.
THE BURUNDI GOVERNMENT HAS ADMITTED (AND REGRETTED) THAT
IN .ITS EFFORTS TO RESTORE ORDER, UNCONTROLLED ELEMENTS OF
-THE ARMY ATTACKED INNOCENT CIVILIANS. BUT THE GOVERNMENT
DENIES SUCH ACTS WERE INTENDED OR ORDERED BY IT OR THE
MILITARY. MOREOVER, IN MARKED CONTRAST TO 1972, IT IS
THE STATED POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THESE
TRAGIC EVENTS AND TO BRING TO JUSTICE THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE VIOLENCE, Tf-IE GOVERNMENT HAS
PURSUED A POLICY OF PROVIDING-OPEN ACCESS TO THE NORTHERN
PROVINCES. IT KEPT THE DIPLDMATTC COMMUNITY INFORMED AND
ALLOWED DIPLOMATS (INCLUDING OUR AMBASSADOR AND OTHER
EMBASSY OFFICIALS), THE PRESS, AND INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS FREE ACCESS TO THE AFr"ECTED REGIONS.. THE
GOVERNMENT.ALSO DECLARED ITS INTENTION TO SEEK NO
REPRISALS, TO MOVE ACTIVELY .TOWARD NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR .THE. EARLY REPATRIATION
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OF THE REFUGEES IN CONDITIONS OF PEACE AND SAFETY. THESE
POLICIES HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED FULLY, BUT WE BELIEVE
THAT BURUNDI PRESIDENT BUYOYA .IS SINCERE IN HIS EFFORTS
TO DO S0, AND WE HAVE URGED HIM TO.CONT;INUE-IN THAT
DIRECTION.
THE USG RESPONDED TO THE TRAGEDY BY CONDEMNING THE
KILLING OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND BY CALLING FOR A RETURN
TO CALM AND STABILITY. WE AL50-HAVE URGED THE BURUNDI
GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THE KILLINGS AND BRING THE
PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE. ON SEPTEMBER 17; PRESIDENT
BUYOYA, IN A PUBLIC SPEECH, SAID "WE SAY"IT.FOR NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES. WE ARE PLEDGED TO
RESPECTING THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF,-THIS COUNTRY.
WHOEVER IS ARRESTED WILL HAVE THE CHANGE TO?PRESENT HIS
DEFENSE AND TO BE JUDGED. IF HE IS FOUND GUILTY, HE WILL
BE PUNISHED. IF HE IS FOUND INNOCENT, HE WILL BE
ACQUITTED."
WE HAVE ALSO URGED THE BURUNDI GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT
FULL INFORMATION, CREDIBLY DETERMINED; .IS MADE AVAILABLE
ON THE RECENT EVENTS AND TO MOVE RAPIDLY TO REMOVE THE
CAUSES OF ETHNIC DIVISION .AND TAKE STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION. IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS WISH 'THE
GOVERNMENT, OTHER DONORS HAVE ECHOED OUR CONCERN ABOUT
.THE NEED FOR NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND HAVE URGED IT TO
TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS, INCLUDING THOSE WHICH WE HAVE
SUGGESTED. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE URGED BURUNDI'S AFRICAN
NEIGFiBORS-AND FRIENDS TO USE THEIR GOOD OFFICES TO HELP
EASE TENSIONS IN BURUNDI AND PROMOTE NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION. ZAIRE'S PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE SEKO HAS
BEEN PARTICULARLY ACTIVE IN THIS REGARD. HE MET WITH
PRESIDENT BUYOYA OF BURUNDI AND PRESIDENT HABYARIMANA OF
RWANDA TO FORM A TRIPARTITE COMMISSION blITH THE
OBJECTIVES OF CALMING .TENSIONS AND MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD
AN EARLY RETURN OF THE BARUNDI REFUGEES FROM RWANDA.
AS FOR RELIEF, THE USAID MISSION IN RWANDA, IN
COORDINATION WITH CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES, IMMEDIATELY
PROVIDED 171 TONS OF FOOD FOR THE REFUGEE RELIEF EFFORT,
AND IS PREPARED TO PROVIDE MORE AS NEEDED. THE REFUGEE
BUREAU OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT NOW I5 CONSIDERING A UNHCR
APPEAL FOR $4.7 MILLION IN LONGER-TERM AID FOR THE
REFUGEES. THE PRINCIPAL EUROPEAN AID DONORS - BELGIUM,
FRANCE,-AND GERMANY - ALSO HAVE PROVIDED EMERGENCY AID.
IN BURUNDI, OUR AMBASSADOR DECLARED AN. OFFICIAL DISASTER
ALLOWING THE USG TO DONATE $25,000 TO UNICEF TO HELP
DISPLACED PERSONS. THE U.S., TOGETHER WITH THE EUROPEAN
AID DONORS, IS READY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE TO
THESE PERSONS AS SOON AS AN APPROPRIATE INTERNATIONAL OR
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IS SELECTED TO COORDINATE
THE RELIEF EFFORT.
IT IS SADLY IRONIC THAT THESE TRAGIC EVENTS SHOULD HAVE
TAKEN PLACE UNDER PRESIDENT BUYOYA BECAUSE HIS GOVERNMENT
HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO POLICY REFORM AND ETHNIC
RECONCILIATION. PRIOR TO HIS OVERTHROW IN SEPTEMBER
1987, COL. BAGAZA, THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENT, HAD UNDERTAKEN
A CAMPAIGN OF PERSECUTION AGAINST .ORGANIZED RELIGION - IN
PARTICULAR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. HE HAD GRADUALLY
RESTRICTED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, CLOSED CHURCH SCHOOLS,
EXPELLED .FOREIGN MISSIONARIES, AND IMPRISONED THOSE WHO
DARED TO DISSENT. THESE MEASURES WERE WIDELY VIEWED AS
AIMED AT UNDERCUTTING THE HUTU MAJORII`Y. THE HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION HAD BECOME OF SUCH CONCERN TO THE USG
THAT OUR DIPLOMATIC AND AID RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BAGAZA
REGIME WAS UNDER REVIEW AT THE TIME OF HIS OVERTHROW.
BUYOYA'S COUP D'ETAT DRAMATICALLY ALTERED-THE HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION IN BURUNDI.
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PRESIDENT BUYOYA FREED ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS, RESTORED
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, REINSTITUTED RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN
THE SCHOOL, REOPENED BURUNDI'S DOORS TO FOREIGN
MISSIONARIES, AND PROVIDED LEGAL STATUS TO PROTESTANT
SECTS SUCH AS THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS. WITH REGARD TO
POLITICAL.REFORM, BUYOYA INCREASED THE NUMBER OF HUTUS IN
THE GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS (7 OF 20 MEMBERS OF HIS
CABINET ARE HUTU) ANO PUBLICLY CECLARED HIS INTENTION TO
MAKE ETHNIC RECONCILIATION THE CENTERPIECE OF HIS
DOMESTIC PROGRAM.
IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THE BUYOYA GOVERNMENT HAS REPAIRED
RELATIONS WITH ITS IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORS, RWANDA, ZAIRE AND
TANZANIA. IT ALSO STRENGTHENED ITS TIES WITH BELGIUM,
FRANCE, AND GERMANY. ALTHOUGH OFFICIALLY NON-ALIGNED, IT
CLEARLY HAS MOVED TOWARD A MORE MODERATE, PRO-WESTERN
STANCE. IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC POLICY, THE BUYOYA
GOVERNMENT COMMITTED ITSELF TO STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND
LIBERALIZATION. THE WORLD BANK REGARDS ITS APPROACH AS A
MODEL .FOR OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES. .
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE~'OF U:S. INTERESTS, PARTICULARLY
HUMANITARIAN, THE BUYOYA GOVERNMENT HAS REPRESENTED A
DISTINCT IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS REGIME AND
THEREFORE HAS MERITED OUR SUPPORT. HOWEVER, THE RECENT
TRAGIC EVENTS CLEARLY UNDERSCORE THE DEEP DIVISIONS
BETWEEN HUTU AND TUTSI AND HOW MUCH FURTHER THE BUYOYA
GOVERNMENT MUST GO TO OVERCOME A DECADES - EVEN CENTURIES
- OLD LEGACY OF.ETHNIC TENSION AND TO ACHLEVE JUSTICE ANO
ETHNIC RECONCILIATION. DISCRIMINATION.AGAINST THE HUTU
MAJORITY CONTINUES, AND REFORM IS URGENTLY REQUIRED.
tVE HAVE-URGED AND WILL CONTINUE TO URGE THE BUYOYA
GOVERNMENT TO ACCELERATE ITS ADMITTEDLY-TENTATIVE STEPS
IN THE DIRECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL REFORMS. PRESIDENT
BUYOYA HAS TOLD US THAT THIS IS HIS INTENTION. AT A
PUBLIC RALLY ON SEPTEMBER L7, HE REITERATED THIS
POSITION, REJECTING WHAT HE CALLED "THE SPIRIT OF
VENGEANCE"-AND THE "CONVICTION OF CERTAIN EXTREMISTS THAT
PEACE WILL COME ONLY AFTER THE EXTERMINATION OF ONE
ETHNIC GROUP BY ANOTHER." HE SAID BURUNDI HAD NEARLY
FALLEN INTO A GREAT ABYSS, AND THAT IT WAS NOW ESSENTIAL
THAT IT IMPLEMENT ITS POLICIES OF PEACE AND NATIONAL
UNITY AND THAT THE BARUNDI PEOPLE "CULTIVATE A SPIRIT OF
TOLERANCE AND MUTUAL PARDON".
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS WILL BE CRITICAL FOR
BURUNDI. A TENUOUS CALM HAVING RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY,
AT LEAST A FEW PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO THE AFFECTED
AREAS. THE GOVERNMENT NOW FACES THE SHORT-TERM TASK OF
HELPING ACCELERATE THAT TREND AND HAVING AN EARLY RETURN
OF THE REFUGEES BY BRINGING STABILITY TO THE AFFECTED
REGIONS. ITS MORE IMPORTANT LONG-TERM CHALLENGE IS, OF
COURSE, NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. WE BELIEVE;THE BUYOYA
GOVERNMENT, WHOSE POLICIES IN ITS ONE YEAR IN POWER HAVE
BEEN ORIENTED IN THESE DIRECTIONS, IS THE BEST AVAILABLE
HOPE FOR ACHIEVING THESE OBJECTIVES.
MAINLY FOR THIS REASON,. WE ALONG WITH OTHER DONORS HAVE
CONTINUED OUR ECONOMIC AID PROGRAMS, WHICH-ARE ORIENTED
TOWARD ASSISTING THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OF BURUNDI, NOT
THE GOVERNMENT, AND WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY ASSIST'THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN DISADVANTAGED BY DISCRIMINATION. OUR SMALL
MILITARY EDUCATION-AND TRAINING PROGRAM IS-BEING USED TO
TRAIN A FEW OFFICERS EACH YEAR IN VARYING FIELDS AND HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN EXPOSING TRAINEES. TO U.S. DEMOCRATIC
VALUES.
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AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE WATCHING CLOSELY TO ASSURE THAT
THE BUYOYA GOVERNMENT FULLY IPIPLEMENTS ITS STATED
POLICIES OF ELIMINATING ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION AND
PROMOTING RECONCILIATION. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
MOST OF THE OTHER DONORS ARE TAKING SIMILAR POSITIONS.
DIVERGENCE FROM THOSE POLICIES WOULD CAUSE US TO
RECONSIDER"OUR POLICIES TOWARD AND PROGRAMS IN BURUNDI.
END TEXT. SHULTZ
END OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
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