The recent call by Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation to European Union States to collaborate in addressing the issue of the notorious Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) could never have come at a better time.

These elements, despite being identified as terrorists or negative forces, have remained visibly untouched even though they have active bases in nearly all European capitals from where they mobilise funding for their evil cause.

There have been talks, most of them brokered by these same European countries to have the FDLR problem dealt with but alas! Nothing has stopped these people responsible for the merciless killing of innocent Tutsi during the 1994 Genocide.

A culture of impunity has existed with the tacit support of some European governments.

A spec of hope lies in Bert Koenders’s call upon his European counterparts for some reasons—that is if the call was genuine, not another ‘conference talk’.

One, is the ‘solidarity’ that has characterised members of the EU, which was recently evidenced in the arrest of an innocent Rose Kabuye, a woman who was arrested over politically motivated indictments.

An EU member state would not look objectively into the reason for the arrest, simply because of the allegiance to another member State. 

So if they heed to the call by Koenders by virtue of this allegiance, we are pretty sure it will yield positive results. That is once again if he meant this.

He should also call for the arrest of indicted fugitives who masterminded the Genocide many of whom have integrated into their societies.

Good for his country that a Dutch prosecutor recently sought a life sentence for Joseph Mpambara who is imprisoned there over Genocide but they should do more because others are still there.

Ends