Amid massive expulsions of Rwandans from
Tanzania on the orders of President Jakaya Kikwete, Kigali has moved to
reassure Tanzanians that they have no reason to fear – even as
relations between the two countries are at all time low.
Since June, more than 1,000 have been
forced out often without anything – even when many of them were born in
Tanzania. The most affected areas are the Kagera region bordering
Rwanda. President Kikwete issued a 14-day ultimatum last late last month
which he said was meant to flash out criminals and undocumented
foreigners.
However, critics have charged that
Tanzania is targeting Rwandans – specifically those who fled persecution
as previous Rwanda governments targeted them for being Tutsis.
Following his stance that Rwanda’s government negotiate with FDLR
genocidal rebels in eastern DRC,President Kikwete is also siding with
those who he associates with them in his country, critics also charge.
However, the expulsions have been going
on since 2005 – when the mass evictions began. Thousands have been
resettled in eastern Rwanda and are only beginning to restart their
lives because they lost everything they had worked for all their lives.
Back in Rwanda, the Tanzania community –
like many other foreigners have been expressing anxiety, fearing the
worst from Rwanda authorities. Foreign Affairs Minister Louise
Mushikiwabo was on hand to their support yesterday.
“I want to reassure Tanzanians living in
Rwanda that no harm will come to them,” said Mushikiwabo, at a press
conference. “We are all part of the East African Community and as such
any Tanzanian should feel welcome.”
On the Rwandans evicted from Tanzania,
Minister Mushiwabo said that while these things are usually discussed
among countries, Kigali was not consulted on the expulsions. She
however, added that Rwanda is ready to receive any Rwandan who crossed
the border.
The minister also discussed about a
request for extradition from the government of the Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC) for four former members of the M23 group who sought
refuge in Rwanda earlier this year. Among them includes Jean Marie
Runiga and his close commanders.
“Rwanda is abiding by international standards but the process takes time,” said Mushikiwabo.
“The Ministry of Justice has received
the papers and is currently reviewing the documents to see if they are
complete. Extradition is not a simple matter where you send a letter and
then the people are sent over. It is a serious legal procoess and we
must make sure that everything is done right. One of the challenges we
must address is how to extradite people to a country that still has the
death penalty when we abolished it. However, rest assured that we are
abiding by international law,” said Mushikiwabo.
On wider discussions on the DRC,
Mushikiwabo said that the International Conference for the Great Lakes
Region (ICGLR) Summit held last week called on the DRC government to
resume Kampala peace talks as well as naming FDLR, a negative force.
This combined with individual country commitments in the UN Peace,
Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region showed
that regional efforts and as well as a commitment to addressing root
causes gives hope of a lasting solution for sustainable peace in the
region.
“As we do our part, Rwanda requests that that there are no other threats to our territory,” said the minister.
Rwanda’s top diplomat was also pressed
about relations with fellow East African Community member Tanzania. “We
are neighbours and so we have to live in peace,” said Mushikiwabo.
“We are in the same block and much is to
be gained from this. However, the tension that arose from the
suggestion to Rwanda negotiate with FDLR would be met with the same
reaction were it from anyone else. FDLR committed genocide in Rwanda.
They should be the whole world’s enemy. That’s how serious crimes of
genocide are; we are not talking of a mutiny or a rebel group. They
committed genocide in Rwanda and have continued their deadly work in the
DRC. Some say most FDLR are too young to have been in the genocide but
the ideology, indoctrinated since birth, has no age. Rwanda will never
sit at a table with them and rejects any suggestion to do so. FDLR
should disarm, reject genocidal ideology and return to Rwanda.”
No comments:
Post a Comment