IBUKA seeks right to pursue foreign Genocide accomplices

KIGALI - Genocide survivors want the government to pass a law on compensation to pave way for several lawsuits they may want to file against Genocide accomplices; Theodore Simburudari, the president of IBUKA said yesterday. Simburudari told The New Times yesterday that by passing the law, the government would be giving survivors the right to drag to court NGOs, the United Nations, foreign governments and individuals who supported the Genocide. “Bagosora has assets in this country. The United Nations in whose hands the security of Rwandans was placed did not do anything to abate the killings. Then there is the case of French soldiers who did not only support the Interahamwe, but also provided them with a safe haven until they fled to the DRC. All those deserve to explain why and also to provide reparations to Rwandan Genocide survivors,” he said. Simburudari’s remarks comes a day after the world celebrated the 61st anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Genocide that was signed on December 9, 1948. Referring to the Convention, Simbururdari blamed the government for what he says is “denial for a right of compensation but said that his organisation would not stop pushing for changes. “The government seems to be dodging the issue, but if they could tackle it accordingly, we would be able to follow up any accomplice of the Genocide — whether local or foreign— for compensation,” he said Initially, the government of Rwanda had hinted on a basket fund that would pool together funds to compensate survivors. The fund would be kept afloat by donations from the government, International donations and several other sources that the government would find in the process. When contacted for comment about the progress of the fund, Evariste Kalisa; who heads the Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights said that the compesation draft bill was brought to parliament during the transition period of 2002 but was taken back to Cabinet for review. “The law is dynamic. You have to look at the implication cost before several other things. You would have to conduct a census of survivors, beneficiaries and other things. You have to remember that the law also requires us (MPs) to show the source where that kind of money will come from,” he said Kalisa also informed The New Times that the government had for now taken supporting survivors through FARG as a better option over compensation. Ends

National

IBUKA seeks right to pursue foreign Genocide accomplices