Ndahimana fate still unknown

ARUSHA - It is not yet clear when the transfer of the Genocide fugitive, Gregoire Ndahimana who was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be effected, a senior official at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has said. The ICTR Chief of press Bocar Sy yesterday told The New Times that despite numerous requests, the DRC government has not communicated to the tribunal when Ndahimana will be transferred to Arusha. “We don’t know when. We are still waiting because each time we put up our case, they say, please wait,” Bocar said. Ndahimana, a top Genocide fugitive was arrested by DRC forces on August 11, in a village in North Kivu Province, but is yet to be handed over to the Arusha-based tribunal. The tribunal early this month warned that if DRC persists, it would report the country to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for non-compliance. But Bocar said that negotiations to effect the transfer are still at diplomacy level and that the court would continue to push for this. “We have the right, as governed by the ICTR statute, to report DRC to the UNSC, but we are giving negotiations more time,” Bocar added. According to UN procedures, a suspect is supposed to be booked in the ICTR detention facility within 72 hours upon arrest but it is a month now since Ndahimana was arrested. Meanwhile, Bocar revealed to The New Times that a high powered delegation of European envoys will visit the tribunal next week to seek more knowledge on how the UN court operates. It is expected that Germany, which is one of the countries to be represented, will sign an agreement with the tribunal to fund a youth project among five African countries. “This youth project will sensitise the youth on the works of the tribunal. It will cover Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya,” he added Other countries the envoys will represent include; France, Belguim, USA, and the UK. Ends

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Ndahimana fate still unknown