Zambia should act on Genocide suspects - NGO

A continental Non Governmental Organisation has demanded that Zambia acts expeditiously in apprehending Genocide suspects who have made the country a safe haven. Joseph Chilengi, the Executive Director of Africa Internally Displaced Persons’ Voice (Africa IDP Voice) sounded the call at an ongoing training workshop on equal status and human rights of Women in East Africa in Mombasa, Kenya. “Zambia needs to co-operate genuinely, and deliver any Genocide suspect as we have all to gain from that”, Chilengi said in a heated question and answer session. “I will remind my country to behave responsibly…this is a serious matter as we all work and pray that what happened in Rwanda does not repeat itself anywhere else on the continent,” he added. The government recently said that Zambia and other countries in southern Africa have up to now failed to cooperate with Rwanda in acting against Genocide suspects who are comfortably living in their territories. The Africa IDP Voice boss recommended that Zambia establish specific practical arrangements for the investigation of serious international crimes such as specialised units within immigration, police and prosecution authorities that will ensure that serious international crimes are investigated regularly. “We need to rescreen all those claiming to be Refugees in my country,” Chilengi. “I know of Refugees for example claiming to be Burundians when they are actually Rwandans and use names that are not their real names. We need to expose these and if they are found wanting, they be sent to face justice,” he added Meanwhile, Tanzania has denied accusations levelled against it by the UN Group of Experts which implicates the East African country in the illegal supply of arms to FDLR rebels operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The country’s Foreign Affairs Ministe,r Bernard Membe, told reporters during the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port-of –Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, that the accusation was an outright malicious lie concocted with the intention of tarnishing the image of his country. Membe said the work of the UN Group has left his government surprised at such a level of incompetence and un-professionalism. Ends

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Zambia should act on Genocide suspects - NGO