Ending culture of impunity, UK setting a precedence

The curtain raiser to this year’s celebration of the July 17th, World Day for International Justice, was British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown’s recent public announcement that the legal loophole on the country’s Genocide law would soon be closed. Should this go through, unlike before, anyone suspected of war crimes since 1991 will be liable for trial in a UK court. This spells victory for those who have campaigned for legislative reform, which they argued that in its present form , makes the UK a potential haven for war criminals, ‘who walk free with impunity’. The most prominent among those who have escaped justice in the UK is the financier of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Felicien Kabuga. Brown’s statement also comes hard on the heels of an unpopular UK Court ruling that four Rwandan men suspected of Genocide crimes in which a million people perished would not face a fair trial, shouldthey be extradited to Rwanda. The four Dr Vincent Bajinya, Charles Munyaneza, Celestin Ugirashebuja, and Emmanuel Nteziryayo are well polished, looked after by British residents. Their sight of people leading a good life of plenty in the UK as compared to the miserable lives Genocide survivors lead, should prick our collective consciences. The strong message delivered by the Premier after a bi-lateral meeting with President Paul Kagame, was: “Your time is up. You may have run from responsibility, but you can no longer hide from justice.” It is a bold statement not just to Genocide fugitives on UK soil, but surely a message to the rest of the world that the UK in ensuring justice, is ready to take the lead in healing the wounds of the past, not just in Rwanda but in other places such as the Balkans. July 17 is a day that the world turns its attention and reflects on criminal justice issues. While the focus is on the Rome Statute which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), it is however important that issues to do with the dispensation of international justice are on the spotlight. Already dust has been raised in global politics over the ICC arrest warrant against Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir, with many raising objections to what they fear the ICC might be yet another western stick to arm beat those from Third World countries, who fall out of favour. Such doubts raise the spectre of a real polarised global society in the delivery of justice, sadly it is the aggrieved who suffer. Rwanda celebrated her liberation on the 4th of July, under the theme:’ Dignity is our strength.’ Even as the country stood tall celebrating years of achievement after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, issues of justice and accountability remain a dark cloud hovering above all the success. There are fugitives from justice who have sought sanctuary in Africa, Europe and the United States of America. Many still roam freely and have never been made to account for their heinous actions, albeit with many of them being protected by organisations that claim to be champions of human rights and justice. Others like Sweden-based Sylvere Ahorugeze, will soon be extradited to Rwanda to face justice, amidst protests from the same organizations such as Amnesty International who claim he will not get a fair trialin Rwanda. It is totally disingenuous if not out rightly malicious for Amnesty International, which has not of recent set foot in Rwanda to corroborate some of its fair trial claims, to make such a position. The organisation is now dancing out of tune as the lyrics in Rwanda have since changed over time. A robust programme has been put in place in not only reforming the country’s judiciary, but legislative changes have been instituted as well, such as the abolishment of the death penalty. For their own reasons, they remain stuck in analysis with no real benchmarks to measure progress since that position was first made, a catastrophic situation in the dispensation of international justice assome of these groups are critical players. What is also incisive in their narrow one-sided analysis; is that justice for Rwandan’s goes beyond narrow scope of blacks who committed Genocide, such as the fugitives on European soil or even those still in Arusha. There is abundant evidence of French officials’ complicity in the same Genocide, but here international justice activism is found wanting. Countries like Rwanda who do not contribute to the daily financial support of some of these groups become easy game, while the real big fish are at large. Those who say justice is not for the poor are not far from the truth. Rwanda today is a far cry from what it was when some of the quoted opinion makers cut their professional teeth in the world of international justice. It is however prudent for them instead of dancing to the masters tune, to go a notch higher in giving a sophisticated analysis on a positively evolving situation in Rwanda, based on authentic well researched facts on the ground. For the world over, July 17 is important for us to take stock on all issues pertaining to international justice and to acknowledge that the world is still very skewed in favour of the rich in the deliverance of the same. Ends