DATE=1/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224953
TITLE=RWANDA KILLINGS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DIANNA CAHN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AT LEAST 12 PEOPLE IN RWANDA HAVE BEEN KILLED AND
ANOTHER 14 WERE ABDUCTED IN AN ATTACK THIS WEEK BLAMMED ON HUTU
REBELS. THE ATTACK TOOK PLACE MONDAY NIGHT IN THE CENTRAL
GITARAMA REGION WHICH BORDERS ON RWANDA'S TROUBLED NORTHWEST
WHERE THE VIOLENCE IS ALSO CONTINUING. DIANNA CAHN REPORTS FROM
KIGALI.
TEXT: MILITARY OFFICIALS SAID HUTU REBELS ATTACKED VILLAGES IN
TWO COMMUNES OF THE GITARAMA REGION IN WEST OF KIGALI KILLING
BOTH HUTU AND TUTSI CIVILVILANS. COLONEL KARENZE KARAKE, DEPUTY
BREGADE COMMANDER OF THE AREA SAID HUTU REBEL ATTACKERS TARGETED
THE TUTSIS WHOM THEY SEE AS ENEMIES AND HUTUS WHO THEY BELIEVED
ARE COLLABERATING WITH THE TUSI DOMINATED RWANDAN ARMY. HE SAYS
THE ATTACKERS ALSO ABDUCTED 14 PEOPLE, ALL HUTUS, AND IT IS
UNCLEAR WHETHER THE REBELS ARE HOPING TO RECRUIT THEIR HOSTAGES
INTO THE INSURGENCY OR TO KILL THEM.
COLONEL KARENZE SAID THAT AT THE HOME OF ONE ABDUCTEE THE
ATTACKERS LEFT A NOTE SAYING THAT THE MAN HAD BEEN COOPERATING
WITH THE AUTHORITIES AND SO HE WAS TAKEN AWAY.
THE ARMY, HE SAID, IS STILL LOOKING FOR THE ATTACKERS WHO HE
BELIEVED MAY HAVE FLED TO THE NEARBY GISENYI AND RUHENGERI REGION
IN RWANDA'S NORTHWEST WHICH ARE THE HUB OF THE HUTU REBEL
ACTIVITIES. THIS NORTHWESTERN AREA HAS MOSTLY HUTU POPULATION
WHICH IS SEEN AS SUPPORTIVE OF THE INSURGENCY.
BUT FURTHER SOUTHEAST IN GITARAMA, VILLAGERS HAVE BEEN LESS
INCLINED TO ASSIST THE REBELS WITH FOOD AND SHELTER AND HAVE BEEN
IN THE PAST INFORMING THE MILITARY OF REBEL ACTIVITIES. CORNEL
KARENZE SAID THE SAME REBELS WHO ATTACKED GITARAMA MONDAY NIGHT
MAY HAVE CARRIED OUT AN EARLY ATTACK MONDAY MORNING ON VILLAGES
IN GISENYI.
SOME OF THE REBELS' ATTACK KILLED CIVILIANS AND LOOTED VILLAGE'S
SHOPS THERE, HE SAID, OTHERS CLASHED WITH SOLDIERS. IT WAS
UNCLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED OR WHO HAD KILLED THEM BUT
MILITARY OPERATIONS ARE CONTINUING. (SIGNED)
NEB/DC/WDC-T/PT
07-Jan-98 8:15 PM EST (0115 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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