Organization for Peace, Justice and Development in Rwanda, inc. (OPJDR)
P.O. BOX 8011
Talleyville/Delaware 19803, USA
PHONE: 973-449-3117 * FAX: 201-794-6542 12.11.00
OPJDR is non-profit and apolitical. Its mission is to promote the respect of human rights and cultural, educational, and economic development in the Great Lakes Region of Africa
To His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki
Private Bag X 100
Pretoria 0001
Union Building West Wing
Government Avenue
Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
ph (012) 319-1500
fax (012) 323-8246
e-mail: president@po.gov.za
To Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
South African Foreign Affairs Minister
Private Bag X 152
Pretoria 0001
Union Building East Wing
Government Avenue
Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
ph (012) 351-0005
fax (012) 351-0253
To Her Excellency Ms. Thami Ngwevela
South African Consul-General
333 East 38th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 213-4880
Fax: (212) 213-0102
e-mail: sacg@southafrica-newyork.net
His Excellency Mr. President:
Her Excellency Madam the Minister:
Her Excellency Madam the Consul-General:
The Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda, Inc. (OPJDR) just learned that the former President of the current Rwandan Government has been in South Africa for a few weeks and may seek political asylum. On the one hand, the OPJDR is happy that a person, another Rwandan, has escaped from the perpetual abominable crimes committed by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). On the other hand, the OPJDR is perplexed that a person who served, in the leadership positions, one of the most brutal and criminal regimes on the Earth can easily be admitted in the country at the forefront of democracy, justice, and freedom in Africa and in the World.
The OPJDR calls on the leaders of the Republic of South Africa to try or have Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu be tried for the crimes he committed as an official of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, its spokesperson and vice- president, and later as the President of Rwanda. Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu does not deserve asylum anywhere in the World, less in RSA. Instead, he must be held responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. He should be punished accordingly by the South African Judiciary System or extradited to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.
The OPJDR takes this opportunity to warn the government of the Republic of South Africa that several criminals from the Rwandan Patriotic Front government, including high ranking military officers, members of the Parliament, and cabinet ministers have been admitted or entered in Republic of South Africa to seek asylum.
To this day, most Rwandans, especially Hutu, are mourning crimes against humanity and genocide committed by Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu's government. These crimes are obvious and confirmed by both the international community and media, and by former Rwandan Patriotic Front officials and military officers. These crimes were never prosecuted. On the contrary, Mr. Bizimungu continued to lead a government responsible for the crimes, harbored criminals, and continued to seek and promote the adulation of the international community for the regime.
Following are crimes that the OPJDR would like Mr. Bizimungu to clarify and indicate the responsibilities:
* Massacres of hundreds of thousands of civilians, members of the clergy, and social leaders by the Rwandan Patriotic Front from 1990 to 1994.
* Massacres of tens of thousands unarmed Hutu civilians, mostly women, children and elderly, by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, in Kanama in October-November 1997. The Rwanda Patriotic Army accepted the responsibility for these crimes, but none was punished or even prosecuted for these crimes against humanity. Bizimungu defended RPF crimes and justified these as retribution to the civilian population for harboring Interahamwe.
* Massacres of tens of thousands of unarmed civilians, mostly women,children and elderly in the caves of Nyakinama, Bugoyi, in 1998.The international media and the international community confirmed the massacres and Rwandan Patriotic Army admitted to the crimes. Bizimungu said that the population had harbored criminals and deserved to be punished for it.
* Massacres of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hutu civilians villagers, mostly young boys, women, children, and elderely in the villages across Ruhengeri and Gisenyi in 1997-1998, by the Rwandan Patriotic Army. The international community confirmed the massacres. No one was prosecuted or punished by Bizimungu's governement.
*Massacres of an estimated 200,000 Hutu civilians in the refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, former Zaire in 1996-1997.The United Nations, the USA, and European Union confirmed the massacres and the Rwandan Patriotic Army admitted to these crimes, but none was prosecuted or punished by Bizimungu's governement. These crimes were called "acts of genocide" by the International Non-Government Independent Commission set up to inquire on crimes committed in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
* War of aggression against the Democratic Republic of the Congo and war crimes committed during the aggression, from 1996 to today.
* Summary executions of the soldiers of the ex-FAR (Forces Armmees Rwandaises) and their families after they returned from the refugee camps of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania from 1996.
* Extrajudicial executions of detainees by members of the security forces some of which have been documented by Amnestey International, for example:
- Execution of 12 detainees at Muyira solitary confinements, prefecture of Butare on January 14, 1997.
- Executions of more than 20 detainees at Gisovu dungeons, prefecture of Kibuye on January 23, 1997.
- Execution of six detainees at Runda dungeons, prefecture of Gitarama on February 14, 1997.
- Execution of 10 detainees at Maraba dungeons, prefecture of Butare on May 7, 1997.
- Execution of 15 detainees at Gatonde dungeons, prefecture of Ruhengeri.
- Execution of six detainees at Ndusu dungeons, prefecture of Ruhengeri on May 10, 1997.
- Execution of 95 detainees at Rubavu dungeons and an unknown number at Kanama dungeons.
* The disappearances of many Rwandan citizens (journalists, businessmen and ordinary people) and the detention of Rwandan citizens in private houses.
* The killings of foreign nationals such as three Spanish employees of the non government organization Medicos del Mundo killed on 18 january 1997 and Father Guy Pinard, a Canadian killed on February 2, 1997.
* The Rwandan Patriotic Army never changed its policy of extermination under Mr. Bizimungu's regime. Mr. Bizimungu did nothing to put an end to the policy. Around hundred fifty thousand of elite Hutu civilians, along with children are rottingin filthy jails. Even the so-called moderate Hutu were and stil are hunted down, arrested, torturedand put in jail without reason. Bizimungu never did anything about it. On the contary, he is accused by Rwandans to have facilited or promoted the repression and imprisonment ofa large number of Hutus.
According to former disaffected Rwandan Patriotic Front officials and leaders, it was an official policy of the party to commit large scale massacres, war crime and grave human rights violations. The Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda would like Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu to explain to the World his own responsibility. What does he know about these crimes? What measures did he take to prevent them? Who prevented him to stop the killings? Who gave orders to kill? Were these killings discussed at RPF or cabinet meetings? Were these killings government policy? Did these killings receive approval from the government since the perpetrators have not been brought to justice?
These questions need answers in order to end impunity and move forward towarda Rwandan society built on the rule of law. Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu must answer these questions, either before the South African justice system or the International Criminal Tribunal for the Rwanda (ICTR).
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Felicien Kanyamibwa, Ph.D.
Coordinator-General.
Jean Marie Vianney Higiro, Ph.D.
Coordinator and Spokesperson.
Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda, Inc.