Museminari raises issues of security and Universal Jurisdiction in Doha

DOHA - Foreign Affairs Minister, Rosemary Museminari, Sunday drew world leaders’ attention on the country’s current security concerns and the ongoing battle over the apparent abuse of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction. She was addressing the international conference on financing for development in Doha, Qatar. “Today, for more than fourteen years, Rwanda continues to face a security threat from the ExFAR-Interahamwe/FDLR who committed Genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and continue to have an active presence in our region and the world over,” she said. She added that with their top leaders living freely in Europe, especially Germany, Rwanda’s former genocidal forces, Interahamwe, regrouped under the Forces Democratique pour la Liberation de Rwanda (FDLR) and they continue to operate, undeterred from bases in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo). The FDLR are remnants of the former Rwanda army (ex-FAR) and Intarahamwe militia who spearheaded the 1994 Genocide killing over one million Tutsis. “Their actions and those that support them by commission or omission are detrimental to our development and even survival!” she said, also pointing to another drawback affecting not only Rwanda but others in Africa. “In addition to this, the long difficult path that Rwanda has come through ironically has made us a victim of the ongoing abuse of international legal Jurisdiction,” Museminali said, emphasising that it must stop if all present were to dare speak of an equal and strong partnership for development. “No country must be forced to divert their agenda and resources for development to address this injustice!” The minister’s remarks referred to indictments issued against senior government officials by French and Spanish judges. International legal experts have pointed out a number of procedural and legal shortcomings in both cases, resulting in their wide condemnation. The African Union (AU) and the Pan African Parliament (PAP) are among those who have condemned the indictments, citing incurable defects – procedural and legal shortcomings in both cases. Museminari said that only “a genuine partnership” will make the conference and those before it worth the time and resources committed. “We have what it takes to achieve millennium development goals and our national dreams if we are committed to this partnership!” she concluded her speech. The conference opened Saturday and concludes today. It was a follow-up largely to review the implementation of the 2002 Monterrey Consensus, which in March 2002 was agreed on by more than 50 world leaders in Monterrey, Mexico. The Monterrey Consensus then became the major reference point for international development cooperation since its adoption. It embraces six areas of financing for development, including, the mobilization of both domestic financial resources and international resources for development. Ends

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Museminari raises issues of security and Universal Jurisdiction in Doha