Published on 20/09/2024
In a surprising move, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has granted six individuals, including former Genocide convicts, the freedom to travel and move freely within the country. This decision has shocked Rwanda, which accuses the DRC of harboring and arming those responsible for the 1994 Tutsi Genocide.
The DRC’s actions have raised concerns about regional security and justice. Rwanda continues to seek accountability for the atrocities committed during the Genocide.
In a letter that leaked this morning entitled Special mandate from Felix Tshisekedi Chilombo, through his director of Cabinet, the president of DRC directed one Alli Illiassou Dicko from the Republic of Niger to obtain freedom of movement to DRC for the six “Rwandan hutus who were either acquitted by the UN criminal tribunal for Rwanda or have concluded their prison sentence, and now in exile in Niger.”
Read Also: 1994 Genocide Convict Protais Zigiranyirazo, Eight Other Rwandan Nationals Expelled From Niger
This mission that Tshisekedi’s cabinet director qualified ‘highly confidential’ was in favor of six people accused back home of being responsible of planning and execution of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi where more of a million innocent tutsi were massacred between early April and Early July.
The list includes Protais Zigiranyirazo, member of Akazu – the clique on power(until 1994) that is believed to have prepared and executed the Genocide against Tutsi.
He is the brother of Agathe Habyarimana, and thus, brother-in-law to former President Juvenal Habyarimana.
In 2008, ICTR sentenced Zigiranyirazo to 20 years in jail over Genocide crimes.
Others are Andre Ntagerura who was Minister of Transport during the 1994 Genocide, Prosper Mugiraneza, Minister of Civil Service in the same government.
Another one is Innocent Sagahutu, a captain of Ex-FAR, Nzuwonemeye Francois Xavier and Nteziryayo Alphonse.
Therefore, Tshisekedi gave the person on mission, a mandate of three months to obtain to the “six Rwandan hutus” travel documents to DRC where they will be received.
DRC Does Not Want Rwanda to Know The Deal
According to Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, DRC wants to keep obscure this love affair with the six people, but it is too late.
“I am surprised to hear that the presidency of DRC qualifies an authentic document of being “fake news”. It consists of a special mandate delivered by the cabinet Director of DRC President, on annex of an official note verbal that was forwarded by the UN residual mechanism of criminal tribunal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Niger, with copy to Rwanda.
“If the government of DRC wishes to give freedom of movement and travelling to the “Rwandan Hutus” members of the Rwandan genocidal regime including a former captain and member of armed groups, let them do it without hiding it,” Minister Nduhungirehe said.
How did they arrive in Niger Anyway?
The presence in Niger, of people highly related to the Genocide against Tutsi is not an accident.
In 2021, the then UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) relocated a group of eight people to Niger from a safe house in Tanzania after they were acquitted or served sentences handed by the then UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) over Genocide crimes committed in 1994.
In November 2021, in agreement with the UNIRMCT, Niger had agreed to accept eight Rwandan nationals convicted for their role in the 1994 genocide or acquitted by the ICTR.
Of the eight names listed, four were convicted of crimes during the genocide by the ICTR.
Those who were convicted and served their sentences include former prefect Alphonse Nteziryayo, ex-military intelligence head Anatole Nsengiyumva, and former army officers Innocent Sagahutu and harcisse Muvunyi.
The acquitted include: Protais Zigiranyirazo, a brother of former first lady Agathe Habyarimana and was considered to be a prominent figure in the planning of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. Others are Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, former commander of an elite battalion, ex-transport minister Andre Ntagerura and Prosper Mugiraneza, former civil service minister.
However on December 27, 2021, a Niger ministerial decree formalized their definitive expulsion from Niger, a move that is considered to be a u-turn to the agreement with the UN tribunal.
“The interested parties will be given notice to leave the territory of Niger within seven days,” the Niger minister Internal Affair Hamadou Adamou Souley ordered without indicating where they would be expelled to.
A few hours to the expulsion deadline, the UN Tribunal (on December 31,2021) filled an order to the republic of Niger to stay the expulsion order of relocated persons and order for submissions.
In the file the Tribunal said that the Relocation Agreement envisaged that the relocated Persons stay in Niger for at least one year following relocation, with financial assistance from the Mechanism.
“The Expulsion Order may be in breach of the Relocation Agreement and that it is necessary to order the stay of the execution of the Expulsion Order pending the adjudication of the present matter,” the Tribunal said in part.
In the time being, the group continued to go on record to utter several statements against Rwanda government.
Relations between Rwanda and DRC deteriorated since the last two years or so, following a political crisis in the latter. A rebel group named after March 23 (M23) has stood to fight their rights as Congolese who have been undergoing persecution for being Kinyarwanda speakers.
Rwanda accuses the Congolese army (FARDC) of integrating terror group of the so-called Democratic Force for Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) whose members are largely responsible of the Genocide against Tutsi. DRC sworn never to negotiate with the rebels but accuses Rwanda of supporting them. Rwanda denies this allegation.
Read Also: 1994 Genocide Convict Protais Zigiranyirazo, Eight Other Rwandan Nationals Expelled From Niger
