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.