Rwandan association of survivors welcomes arrest of genocide fugitive

KIGALI — Survivors association of the 1994's Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi on Saturday welcomed the arrest of one of the most wanted fugitives of the 100day genocide, Felicien Kabuga.

Kabuga was arrested in France earlier on the day. He was indicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in 1997 on seven counts including genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide. ”We are happy for the arrest of Kabuga who has been wanted for crimes against humanity during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. This is good news to us!” Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, president of IBUKA, an umbrella body of genocide survivors’ associations of Rwanda, told Rwanda Television in a news programme. ”This is big relief to us as genocide survivors most especially during this period of 100 days when we are commemorating the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi,” he said.

Rwanda holds the annual commemoration of the genocide from April 7 to July 4, which is in line with the period of the genocide. There are other genocide fugitives who are still at large in foreign countries, he said, appealing to countries that might be hosting them to bring them to justice. Kabuga was arrested on in Paris by French authorities as the result of a joint investigation with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) Office of the Prosecutor. "The arrest of Kabuga is a good step in apprehending genocide suspects roaming freely across the World. Rwanda prosecution authority works with IRMCT to arrest genocide suspects and Kabuga's arrest is a result of our good collaboration,” Faustin Nkusi, spokesperson of Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority told Rwanda Television. Following completion of appropriate procedures under French law, Kabuga is expected to be transferred to the custody of the Mechanism, where he will stand trial, according to IRMCT.