FBIS4-296
"drafr067_a_94009"
FBIS-AFR-94-067
Daily Report
7 Apr 1994
CENTRAL AFRICA
Rwanda
Habyarimana, Ntaryamira Killed in Plane Crash
Habyarimana, Ntaryamira Killed in Plane Crash
National Radios Appeal for Calm
AB0704080294 Paris AFP in English 0637 GMT 7 Apr 94
AB0704080294
Paris AFP
English
BFN
[Text] Kigali, 7 Apr (AFP) -- National radio in the
neighbouring African states of Burundi and Rwanda broadcast
appeals for calm on Thursday [7 April] following the death in a
plane crash of their presidents. UN forces increased their
patrols here to avert any disturbances, according to a UN
spokesman who said that the night passed without incident. But
a group of soldiers stopped a UN patrol on the airport road to
Kigali, according to a UN spokesman. "But the problem was
quickly resolved, we are not making an issue of it."
According to a Burundian Government spokesman, the Burundi
capital Bujumbura was also generally calm.
Rwandan authorities confirmed Thursday the death of Rwandan
President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien
Ntaryamira when their plane crashed in Kigali as they were
returning from a regional summit in the Tanzanian capital aimed
at settling ethnic strife in their countries.
Rwandan Government officials said all 12 people aboard the
plane died. The other victims were the country's Army chief of
staff, General Deogratias Nasabimana, four associates of
President Habyarimana -- a doctor, a political counsellor, a
security official and a private secretary -- two Burundi cabinet
ministers and the three French crew members.
The cause of the crash was not known, but at the United
Nations in New York, Rwandan Ambassador Jean Damascene Bizimana
charged that the aircraft had been hit by rocket fire as it
prepared to land at Kigali airport. Some witnesses spoke of
hearing heavy weapons fire near the airport when their French
Mystere Falcon came down.