UK has no excuse not to extradite Genocide suspects to Rwanda

Editor,Refer to Felly Kimenyi’s article “To Genocide fugitives holed up in the UK, justice must take its natural course” (The New Times on December 19).As Mr. Kimenyi stated, claims by the suspects that they would not get fair trial in Rwanda are baseless because international jurisdictions have ruled that the Rwandan courts are able to deliver real justice.Unfortunately British courts have previously ruled against extradition of these suspects.The incomprehensible decision to shield those suspected of being active participants in the worst crime in our living memory is just one piece in a puzzle that makes one wonder about British commitment to the solemn international covenant to prevent and punish the supreme crime of Genocide.You only have to see how a once proud BBC – for most of us the world standard for reliable news during our youth – has become the favourite home of Genocide deniers, denigrators and revisionists, to realise that something is very wrong in the UK.Don’t hold your breath about these genocidaires being finally extradited. When the Crown Prosecution Service starts planting stories in the media about Rwanda not cooperating in this endeavour, you know what they are up to: preparing another excuse beforehand to explain Britain’s failure to do the right thing for these genocidal suspects’ victims while also aligning the UK’s actual actions to its frequent declarations on human rights.No matter the pretext used this time round to not extradite, all Rwandans will understand that 20 years after our holocaust (the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi), British words have no relationship with British actions when it comes to genocide, human rights and the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect.Either that, or British understanding of these terms are in contradiction with those of our simpler minds.Mwene Kalinda, Kigali**************************** This is a great article. But I will add that sooner or later, real justice will come to bear. Over the years, Rwanda has fought to establish the ability of its judicial system to deal fairly with suspected masterminds of the Genocide against the Tutsi. That fight was fought the right way – through demonstrated reforms and a fair application of the rule of law.So over time, many countries hosting these “unsavoury” characters came to recognise the validity of Rwanda’s transfer/extradition requests. It is my belief – not a naive or idealistic one as I like to underscore – that not doing so would have “turned the tables” at some point in the eyes of their constituency.Indeed, who then would have had to prove the credibility, fairness and objectivity of its legal decisions? Not Rwanda. Nonetheless, I applaud countries that have come to effect these transfers, because on the world stage the power a country commands often leads to actions that have little to do with justice and a lot to do with interests.So they deserve the credit. As for the UK, well it should take a page from these other countries’ book and come to the only sound position on this issue. If only to stand on the right side of history, which, one cannot claim to have been by trailing behind the curve of justice.Diyana, Kigali

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UK has no excuse not to extradite Genocide suspects to Rwanda