Weekly review

France lifts arrest warrants against Rwandan officers The Government of Rwanda welcomed the decision by French Judges to lift the arrest warrants issued against top army officers who had been indicted by controversial French judge, Jean Louis Bruguiere. The warrants have been lifted following investigations carried out in Rwanda, France as well as in Bujumbura, Burundi by the two judges. Recently, the Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks also revealed documents showing that Brugueire connived with French officials including, former French President, Jacques Chirac to issue the indictments. Canada to extradite Genocide suspect A Canadian federal court ruled that a Rwandan man accused of participating in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi must be extradited to Rwanda to answer charges against him. The court ruled that Faustin Rutayisire, 54 was “complicit” in the slaughter of Tutsis in Southern Rwanda in 1994 before fleeing to Canada and that the decision cannot be appealed against. The Government of Rwanda welcomed the decision by the court but Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama said that he was not “unfazed”, until the extradition is effected but nevertheless welcomed the decision. Rwanda recognized for promoting health science and technology World researchers from McLaughlin-Rotman Centre (MRC) Global Health in Canada have ranked Rwanda as the best country in sub-Saharan region to support health science and technology. The research was conducted in Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Dr Ken Simiyu, who was part of the team that conducted the research, reported that Rwanda was the only country that showed political support in developing science and technology in the sub-Saharan region. Simiyu further urged that Africa shouldn’t mine natural resources and sideline nurturing progressive ideas of its citizens, adding that most countries developed not because of the natural resources, but embracing ideas of their people. The New Times dismisses Karegeya’s allegations The New Times management has dismissed, as FDLR propaganda, claims by Rwandan fugitive, Patrick Karegeya, that the publication is owned and run by the National Security Services (NSS).Speaking to The New Times, the Managing Director, Mr Joseph Bideri, made it clear that The New Times, like its affiliated publications, is owned by private individuals and is registered with the registrar of companies as a private company and is listed in the official Gazette. Karegeya made the allegations, last week, in a pamphlet he wrote in reaction to a report by a panel of experts, submitted to the UN Security Council, confirming that Karegeya and Kayumba are actively working with the FDLR. Both Karegeya and Kayumba have been indicted and face various charges including, forming a terrorist group, ethnic divisionism, threatening national security, undermining state authority, and spreading harmful propaganda. ICTR pins Zimbabwe on Genocide fugitive The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Hassan Boubakar Jallow, accused the Zimbabwean government of protecting Protais Mpiranya, a fugitive who is wanted for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Mpiranya who is on an ICTR indictment, is categorized as a ‘big fish’ by the tribunal for his role in planning and executing the genocide. According to the Zimbabwean media, Jallow has since petitioned the United Nations to ensure Zimbabwe cooperates in arresting Mpiranya. Mpiranya was the commander of the Presidential Guard during the Genocide and has a 5-million dollar bounty, under the US-funded Reward for Justice Programme. Dutch Police search Ingabire’s house Reports from the Netherlands indicate that the Dutch Police cordoned off and searched the houses of Victoire Umuhoza Ingabire in the Village of Zevenhuizen, close to Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Monday. Ingabire who is currently in detention and awaiting trial for a case related to threatening national security, lived in the Netherlands before she traveled to Rwanda, earlier this year. According to the reports in the Dutch media, 12 officers of the Rotterdam Department of justice raided Ingabire’s home to search for possible evidence that can be forwarded to Rwanda to assist in the on-going case. Ends