Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
11 December 2007
Kigali — Contrary to the arguments that there is only a small number of Genocide suspects among the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels in the DR Congo, there are hundreds and remain a force that must be 'dismantled' and repatriated to Rwanda, African Rights says in report released Tuesday.
The London-based organization that has campaigned for justice to Genocide victims says the FDLR is not only in DRC but there are dozens Genocide suspects living in comfort in Africa, Europe and North America, among their representatives.
They have not only escaped justice themselves, as African Rights argues, but are also undermining the process of justice in Rwanda by intimidating and bribing those who have testified against them in Gacaca courts or potential witnesses.
The report 'A Welcome Expression of Intent: The Nairobi Communiqué and the EX-FAR/Interahamwe' also alleges that the militias have set up networks to help their close relatives - accused of Genocide - to elude justice and find refuge abroad.
The Rwandan rebels holed up in jungles on the DRC since 1994 are the centre of the conflicts that have ravaged the country as invading forces have fought there on different schemes. The chemistry of the current battles goes way back to 1996 when Rwandan and Ugandan forces took over the country ushering in the Kabila reigns.
Government in Kigali has maintained that the FDLR - are Genocidaires - with whom it cannot hold any discussions - and should simply surrender.
Last month, regional leaders agreed to a deal that would see them disarmed in what has become the Nairobi Communiqué. DRC committed to submitting a comprehensive plan for their repatriation but Rwanda would also hand in the list of those suspected for Genocide. Rwanda is yet to do its part of the bargain.
Human Rights Watch Africa expert Ms. Alison DesForges said recently that she doubted there were any considerable number of genocide suspects among the ranks of the FDLR, because she had long asked for the lists from government unsuccessfully.
Presidential Great Lakes Envoy Dr. Richard Sezibera later said government of Rwanda was 'not answerable to DesForges' and did not have the obligation to hand her the lists. He however, maintained that there was evidence indicating that he group is largely made up of Genocide criminals.
The African Rights report also refutes the argument that the military commanders implicated in the genocide are now too old to be among the commanders of the FDLR.
"A substantial number of officers in senior positions are in their late thirties, and for the most part in their forties and early fifties", says African Rights.
'Representatives and lobbyists'
The 88-page report gives in graphic detail how that rebel force as evolved from numerous previous groups that have fallen apart due to internal wrangles over money and command. The report also includes photos of top figures still moving free.
In analysing the top echelons of the FDLR/RUD, as well as the background of their representatives and supporters, there are few surprises, African Rights says. For the most part, as the report suggests, they come from the préfectures in the north of the country, Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Byumba and Greater Kigali, especially the communes of Rushashi and Tare in the north of Greater Kigali.
During the time of President Habyarimana, power, privilege and wealth were concentrated in the hands of people from these préfectures, in particular Gisenyi, Habyarimana's home region.
According to African Rights, whose report also includes lists of the political and military leaders of the FDLR, many of them were also shareholders in the hate radio RTLM, which came to be known as radio machete.
Included as well are what African Rights calls 'representatives and lobbyists' in Africa, Europe and North America of the rebel outfit - mainly Rwandan opposition groups. The report singles out RUD-Urunana - whose leaders are comfortable in the US.
"If the international community is serious about destroying the FDLR, and ending the terrible impact they have on the sub-region," argues Major-General Paul Rwarakabije in the report, then it should first deal with its leaders who live free and tranquil lives in their countries, for example in Europe, the US etc."
Gen. Rwarakabije surrendered in 2003 and is now the Vice President of the Repatriation and Reintegration Commission. According to the former second-in-command, the link with the outside world especially the through the media, is what has sustained the FDLR, and also distorts reality.
"Do you have any idea about the value of programmes transmitted by radios like the BBCGahuzamiryango [the BBC Kinyarwanda/Kirundi service]?", he asks. The day we heard the spokesperson of the FDLR speaking on our behalf in Brussels, followed perhaps the next day by someone else setting out our position from France, it really used to lift the soldiers' morale, narrates the retired General.
More Genocidaires in Zambia
The strong presence abroad, as African Rights argues, has helped FDLR nurture contacts, to lobby governments, inter-governmental agencies, Churches, academic institutions and NGOs, maintain diplomatic visibility, raise funds, recruit Rwandese and foreign supporters, facilitate travel documents for their leaders, to win over public opinion, especially through contacts with the media, to spread the propaganda of their groups and to mislead the world.
With more than 6,000 refugees, according to the report, Zambia has the largest concentration of Rwandan in Africa outside of the DRC, including hundreds of genocide suspects, as well as FDLR activists, both military officers as well as civilians.
"It is, therefore, not surprising that it is where the FDLR is particularly strong there (Zambia)", the report argues. Government and the UN refugee agency have tried unsuccessfully to have these refugees return to Rwanda.
The reports also says after the camps in the DRC were forcibly dismantled in 1996, thousands made their way to Congo Brazzaville, including large numbers of ex-FAR and interahamwe, and they were settled in different camps, for example at Lukolela, Kinkele and Lilanga. South Africa and Cameroon are other countries that are said to be harbouring Genocidaires.
Malawi is another country, as African Rights suggests where there are many Genocidaires 'especially given the close ties between the Rwandese communities in Malawi and Zambia'. The secretary general of the FDLR in Malawi, Frodouald Ntawulikura, a former state radio journalist where he made incendiary speeches - lived for a long time in Zambia.
Dismantle FDLR
African Rights wants DRC, Rwanda, the EU, the UN and the US - as signatories to the Nairobi communiqué to work out a plan that should see the force 'dismantled'. The organisation proposes that former FDLR officers are used in the military operations against the group in DRC.
Stringent sanctions, according to African Rights should be tighten including banning the rebel force from accessing the media by their promoters with the intent to have those in the battle lose morale.
However, the report also calls for programs aimed at encouraging repatriation. African Rights wants the airing of the weekly radio program 'Isange Mu Banyu' (feel at home), increased "to at least twice a week, and for a longer duration". Some of the rebels that have escaped and returned voluntarily say the program is popular but secretly listened.
Rwanda, as African Rights puts it, should consider the sharing of list of Genocide suspects among the ranks of the rebels as a 'priority'. Overcome the reluctance to make up such lists as a response to the suggestions, made by some commentators, that everyone who is not on those lists can then automatically be considered as having nothing to do with the genocide, the report says.
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that true my dear we have tutsis soldiers in canada and sans echecs.
According to kagome kagame every hutu is genocide and tutsis who is against his leardships is interahamwe or bandit,he doesn't want the existence of hutus especailly the educated ones we know that following what we saw when he was in the bush killing every week 6000 persons by tying theirs arms behind theirs backs hanging and beatting with hammer, so ,If kagome is practcing democracy why a big number of tutsis ran ,fleed out side of the country most refugees in europe in belgium are tutsis ,so tell me If I can kill easly my family ,what will happen to other families we do not related. FDLR PUT TOGETHER TUTSISAND HUTUS WHO ARE OPPOSING KAGOME'S LEARDSHIP SO THE WORLD SHOULD SEEK FIRST DEMOCRACY IN RWANDA, BRING BACK THE OPPONENT TO LIVE AND STAY IN RWANDA SO KAGOME MUST BE CONVINCED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
GENOCIDE SUSPECTS ARE AMONG WHO? SO NOW ALL BURUNDESE SOLDIERS,RWANDESE OF RFP OR FPR ARE ALSO GENOCIDE BECAUSE THEY KILLED INNOCENT HUTUS WHO WERE COMING BACK TO RWANDA AND ALL THOSE SANS ECHEC ARE NOW IN CANADA THEY ARE AMONG CANADIAN THEY KILLED HANGED PENETRATE THE BAMBOOS IN ASSHOLE,BURNING ALIVE PEOPLE CALLING A HUMAN BEING A"THING" IN FRENCH IS "BOR" SO HUMAN BEING WAS CONSIDERED AS THING A SPECIALLY EVERY ONE WHO IS NOT TUTSI SO ,ALL OF THEM THEY COME TO CANADA FROM USA VIA WINDSOR WITH A REASON OF BEING TUTSIS SO THEY ARE VICTIMS OF KILLING ,BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS USE GENOCIDE AND BEING TUTSIS THE UNCHR AND IMMIGRATION IN CANADA CAN'T EVEN DOUBT OF THEIR STATEMENT.SO WE HAVE CRIMINAL HERE IN CANADA, AND THE SO MOST OF CALLED GENECIDE SUSPECTS ARE INNOCENT AND JUST THEY ARE HUTUS , WE HAVE THOSE TUTSIS WHO WERE SOLDIERS IN FPR RWANDA AND SOLDIERS IN BURUNDI AND SANS ECHEC WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN CANADA WHY CANADA CAN'T FIND THEM AND JUDGE THEM, NO MORE LIES , THE BIG NUMBER OF TUTSIS FROM RWANDA AND BURUNDI CROSSED TO CANADA FROM USA VIA WINDSOR.AND MOST OF LYING ,BECAUSE THE MAJORITY ARE SONSOR DAUGHTERS OF WEALTHY RWANDESE AND BURUNDESE WHO CAME TO STUDY ABROAD ,WHEN TROUBLE CAME BACK TO THEIR HOME THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT MATTER. PLUS THEIR PROPAGANDA IN THIS 21CENTURY ABOUT MINORITY TUSIS GENOCIDE AND CONSORT EVEYBODY BELIEVE THEM WHEN NOT REALLY TRUE. NOW STOP SAYING ABOUT GENOCIDE SUSPECTS WHEN YOU LIVE TPGETHER WITH CRIMINAL ,GO TO GATINEAU,OTTAWA,MONTREAL ALLOVER CANADA THEY ARE THERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GENOCIDE.WE HAVE SOLDIERS AND KILLERS TUTSIS IN CANADA .TOO