KIGALI - The government has welcomed the UN Sanctions Committee’s decision to impose a travel ban and freezing assets of four FDLR leaders, but also firmly urged the world body to do more. The measures taken against Callixte Mbarushimana, Stanislas Nzeyimana, Pacifique Ntawunguka and Leopold Mujyambere, were based on a recommendation by France, Britain, Belgium and the United States.
KIGALI - The government has welcomed the UN Sanctions Committee’s decision to impose a travel ban and freezing assets of four FDLR leaders, but also firmly urged the world body to do more.
The measures taken against Callixte Mbarushimana, Stanislas Nzeyimana, Pacifique Ntawunguka and Leopold Mujyambere, were based on a recommendation by France, Britain, Belgium and the United States.
"The Government of Rwanda welcomes the move of the United Nations Sanctions Committee,” states a Foreign Ministry press release, which points out that the travel ban and asset freeze is in line with last year’s UN resolution 1857.
It however immediately added that "this action should go beyond” the FDLR slapping travel bans and freezing of assets to also fully implement UN resolution 1804 of 2007. Resolution 1804 requires countries to stop supporting FDLR.
"This move would curtail the members of FDLR from utilizing other resources such as access to media and fundraisings in areas where they reside since these actions continue to facilitate their actions,” the Government statement reads.
Also stressed is that the four are "only part of a longer list” of top FDLR/Interahamwe members wanted for crimes committed during the genocide of 1994 against Tutsis in Rwanda, and other crimes against humanity.
After masterminding the killing of over one million people, Ex-Far/Interahamwe (now regrouped under the FDLR) sought refuge in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where they have since propagated their genocidal ideology – with disastrous effects on the wider Great Lakes region.
"The Government of Rwanda feels this is a commendable, initial step in the right direction, especially in the wake of the just concluded Umoja Wetu,” says the statement, referring to the recent joint Rwanda-DRC military offensive that saw over 5000 FDLR/Interahamwe elements forcefully repatriated.
"We urge the international community to ensure that justice takes its full course on the four and the rest of the 19 member list submitted to the UN Security Council.”
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