Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
26 June 2007
Kigali — The umbrella grouping of Genocide survivors IBUKA has added its voice to increasing demands by Rwanda that all ICTR archives are handed over because they are "part and parcel of Rwandan history", RNA reports.
Mr. Simburudali Theodore - IBUKA president told journalists Wednesday in Arusha that the grouping needs the archives "specifically because they are the ones who have major interest" in keeping the thousands of files.
Mr. Simburudali was on a stop-over from UN Headquarters in New York where he also met UN boss Mr. Ban Ki-Moon demanding that Genocide survivors to be given "civil damages" for the "pain that has been caused to us".
Ibuka says that access to all information stored in Arusha will help the survivors' reinforce their campaign to reconstruct their history and that of the "dead".
Mr. Simburudali said the files would also enable IBUKA fulfill its objectives that include assisting and representing Genocide survivors, seeking evidence of culpability hanging over the presumed authors and promotion of justice and impunity.
While in New York, Mr. Simburudali presented an Ibuka letter affirming that "over 1.074.000 million Tutsis" were butchered during the 1994 Genocide by thousands of rampaging militias and former government soldiers. RNA has seen the letter.
IBUKA, that is comprised of 10 Genocide survivor associations all over Rwanda claims that UN is "obliged" to compensate the survivors because of the reluctance of the international community that looked on as thousands perished.
The letter jointly signed by Genocide widows grouping AVEGA/AGAHOZO chairperson Umukobwa Bellancilla also quote the then ICTR President - Laitty KAMA who acknowledged that the UN had the "obligation" to compensate the victims "as stipulated by international rules".
Laitty KAMA is quoted to have said in 1998: "I think we have not taken sufficient attention with the rights of the victims or the survivors".
In December 1998, Mr. Agwu Okali the then registrar of ICTR designed a victims' compensation project to the UN detailing voluntary contributions from international community into a fund for genocide survivors. The project was probably shelved.
Genocide survivors have continued to demand for UN compensation for the 1994 Tutsi survivors who live by struggling day and some survivors do not have the basic needs of life such as food and shelter. The UN general assembly declared on November 29 1985 it would assess civil reparations for Criminal Victims.
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