This declassified U.S. government briefing document outlines the situation in Rwanda during the mid-1990s, specifically from 1995 to 1996. It provides background for U.S. officials meeting with Paul Kagame, then Vice President and Minister of Defense of Rwanda. Here's a breakdown of what it reveals, and why it's damning for the Kagame regime:

1. Prisons Full of Uncharged Genocide Suspects

• Over 75,000 people, mostly Hutus, were imprisoned in horrible conditions without being charged.

• The genocide law that would define crimes and allow trials or amnesties was repeatedly delayed, showing Kagame's regime was more interested in holding people indefinitely than delivering justice.

• This raises serious concerns from Congress, NGOs, and international observers.

2. RPF’s Insecurity and Brutality

• The Kagame-led RPF used guerrilla attacks by ex-genocidaires as justification for refusing reforms and possibly preparing retaliatory attacks in Zaire (now the DRC).

• The report openly admits that Rwandan troops under Kagame committed atrocities after he took power. This is a rare official confirmation from the U.S.

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3. Refugee Crisis Weaponized

• There were 1.7 million Rwandan refugees (mostly Hutus) in camps in Zaire and Tanzania, controlled by remnants of the former regime.

• Kagame wanted to shut down or relocate those camps, which later became a pretext for his invasion of Congo in 1996.

• The camps were labeled as a “security threat”, setting the stage for Kagame’s justification for war.

4. Kagame’s U.S. Visit Agenda

• Kagame was lobbying in Washington D.C., meeting with high-profile figures and institutions like:

  • CSIS, IMF, World Bank

  • U.S. officials: Tim Wirth, George Moose, and Secretary Perry

• He was seeking aid, political support, and non-lethal military gear.

• The U.S. was supporting Kagame with AID money, military training (IMET), and influence at the UN — including helping lift the arms embargo.

5. Manipulation of Genocide Narrative

• Kagame pushed the U.S. to focus on cross-border attacks and repatriation, while deflecting from RPF war crimes and internal repression.

• The document urges Kagame to pass the genocide law, a signal that the U.S. was aware Rwanda was delaying justice for political gain.

6. Burundi Involvement

• Kagame's regime was secretly arming the Burundian military.

• Rwanda pretended to support sanctions against the Tutsi-led Buyoya regime, but felt betrayed when other countries moved quickly to enforce them.

• This exposes Rwanda’s duplicity in regional politics, publicly supporting peace while fueling conflict behind the scenes.

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