Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda (OPJDR)
Talleyville, Delaware, USA
07.29.00
To Honorable Cynthia McKinney
124 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
To Madelein Albright
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
To Doris Meissner, Commissioner,
US Immigration and Naturalization Services
425 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20536
It is with mixed feelings that the Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda (OPJDR) learned that the ex-Prime Minister of the curent Rwandan Government has fled the country and is seeking asylum in the United States of America. 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 leading country of the democratic and free World.
The OPJDR calls on the leaders of the United States of America to compel Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema to tell the World who is responsible for the crimes committed by the government for which Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema was the Prime Minister. Without that, Mr. Pierre Celestin doesn't deserve an asylum in the USA. Instead, Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema should be held responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. He should be punished accordingly by the United States 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 United States of America that several criminals from the Rwandan Patriotic Front government, including high ranking military officers, members of the Parliament, cabinet ministers have been admitted or entered in the United States to seek asylum.
We would like to remind the Government of the United States that the IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT TITLE II - IMMIGRATION CHAPTER 2 - QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADMISSION OF ALIENS; TRAVEL CONTROL OF CITIZENS AND ALIENS, aliens who committed the following crimes are inadmissible for asylum, refugee status, or other kinds of visa for entry in the United States of America:
- - a crime involving moral turpitude.
- conduct that is defined as genocide for purposes of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.
- - a violent attack upon an internationally protected person (as defined in section 1116(b)(4) of title 18, United States Code) or upon the liberty of such a person.
- - use of any explosive or firearm (other than for mere personal monetary gain), with intent to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals or to cause substantial damage to property.
To this day, most Rwandans, especially Hutu, are mourning crimes against humanity and genocide committed by Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema's government. These crimes are obvious and confirmed by both the international community and media. These crimes were never prosecuted. On the contrary, Mr. Rwigema 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 Rwigema to clarify and indicate the responsibilities:
* 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. Rwigema 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. Rwigema 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 Rwigema'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 Rwigema's governement. These crimes were called "acts of genocide" by the International Non-Government Independent Commission set up to 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 Amnesty 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. Rwigema's regime. Mr. Rwigema did nothing to put an end to the policy. Around hundred fifty thousand of elite Hutu civilians, along with children were rotting in filthy jails. Even the so-called moderate Hutu were and stil are hunted down, arrested, tortured and put in jail without reason. Rwigema never did anything about it. On the contary, he is accused by Rwandans to have facilited or promoted the repression and imprisonment of al large number of Hutus, including some member of his political party.
The Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda would like Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema 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 cabinet meetings? Were these killings a 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 toward a Rwandan society built on the rule of law. Mr. Pierre Celestin Rwigema must answer these questions, either before the US justice system or the Internatonal Criminal Tribunal for the Rwanda.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
For the Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda.
Felicien Kanyamibwa, Ph.D.
Coordinator
Jean Marie-Vianney Higiro, Ph.D.
Deputy- Coordinator and Spokesperson
OPJDR
P.O. Box 8011
Talleyville, DE 19803
USA.