Citation
ADDIS ABABA, April 8 (Reuter) - The Organisation of African Unity's
secretary-general on Friday denounced the bloodletting in Rwanda and
called for peace in the central African country.
Other African leaders echoed the call for peace and neighbouring Zaire
declared eight days of mourning.
I condemn in the strongest terms these heinous acts perpetrated by
some elements of the security forces,
said Salim Ahmed Salim,
secretary-general of the Addis Ababa-based OAU.
I call upon all those involved to halt to this carnage, to respect the
sanctity of human life, work towards the restoration of peace and
social order,
Salim said in a statement.
Rwandan presidential guards have fought fierce battles with the rebel
Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) while other military regiments and
civilians have rampaged through the capital Kigali in chaotic scenes
since their president was killed on Wednesday.
Rwanda's prime minister is among the dead.
Salim urged parties to a Rwandan peace agreement in Tanzania last
August to revive the pact. That agreement remains as valid as before
and constitutes the basis for peace, national reconciliation and unity
in the country,
he said.
Zaire declared eight days of mourning to mark the deaths of the
presidents of Rwanda and Burundi, killed in a rocket attack on their
plane at Kigali airport.
The mourning period for Rwanda's Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundi's
Cyprien Ntaryamira was announced on state television. An announcer read
a message of condolence from President Mobutu Sese Seko sent to
Rwanda's prime minister and parliamentary speaker, saying it had been
sent before both officials were themselves killed.
Mobutu, current chairman of the sub-regional Economic Community of the
Countries of the Great Lakes (CEPGL), met both presidents at his
northern palace at Gbadolite on Monday, before they left for regional
peace talks in Tanzania.
They were landing on their return from Dar Es Salaam on Wednesday night
when a rocket destroyed their aircraft.
West African leaders sent condolences on Friday.
Benin's President Nicephore Soglo, chairman of the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS) told his country's television that the
double killing pained the whole continent.
Niger's government issued a statement calling on the people of Rwanda
and Burundi to take their grievances to the OAU and stop the bloodshed.
Politicians and academics meeting in the Ugandan capital Kampala under
the umbrella body Pan African Congress (PAC) also condemned the anarchy
in Kigali and asked the OAU to intervene.
We condemn very strongly the presidential guard and all those who are
involved in the killing taking place... and call upon the OAU as well
as other neighbouring African states to take steps to bring about the
cessation of hostilities and restore a condition of peace and democracy
among the peoples of all factions in that country,
they said in a
statement.
The PAC groups leading African politicians and black civil rights
activists from America and the West Indies.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
