KENYA-POLITICS: NAIROBI ACCUSED OF HARBOURING RWANDAN KILLERS

NAIROBI, Dic 23 (IPS) - A LONDON-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, AFRICAN RIGHTS, HAS ACCUSED KENYA OF HARBOURING 150 EX-RWANDAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENOCIDE COMMITTED BETWEEN APRIL AND JULY IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION.

ALEX DE WAAL, AFRICAN RIGHTS CO-DIRECTOR WHO RETURNED TO LONDON THIS WEEK AFTER COLLECTING EVIDENCE HERE, HAS CALLED ON THE NAIROBI GOVERNMENT TO CHARGE THE SUSPECTS OR EXTRADITE THEM TO RWANDA.

THE ORGANISATION HAS GIVEN THE KENYAN GOVERNMENT A LIST OF 17 HIGH RANKING MEMBERS OF THE FORMER KIGALI GOVERNMENT SAID TO BE LIVING IN NAIROBI AND THE INDIAN OCEAN PORT OF MOMBASA, 500 KILOMETRES EAST OF HERE.

THE LIST, MADE AVAILABLE TO IPS AND OTHER MEDIA HERE ON THURSDAY, INCLUDES FORMER CHIEF OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, COL. RUTAYSIRE, LT. COL RENZAHO, A FORMER PREFECT OF KIGALI, CASIMIR BIZIMUNGU, A FORMER HEALTH MINISTER AND HASSAN NGEZE, EDITOR OF 'KANGOURA,' A NEWSPAPER THAT OPENLY PREACHED HATE AGAINST TUTSIS.

ACCORDING TO DE WAAL, THESE TOP OFFICIALS ARE NOT REGISTERED AS REFUGEES BUT HAVE DIPLOMATIC STATUS AND HAVE ALLEGEDLY PAID HEAVY BRIBES TO STAY ON IN KENYA.

THE AFRICAN RIGHTS LIST ALSO INCLUDES MEMBERS OF LATE PRESIDENT JUVENAL HABYARIMANA'S FAMILY: HIS WIDOW, AGATHE, HER BROTHER PROTAIS ZIGIRANYIRAZO AND HER SON-IN-LAW, ALPHONSE NTILIVAMUNDA.

"IF JUSTICE IS TO BE DONE IN RWANDA - AND IT MUST BE DONE FOR THE SAKE OF RWANDA AND THE REGION AS A WHOLE - KENYA SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN SHOWING THAT SUCH PEOPLE ARE NOT WELCOME ON (ITS) SOIL," SAID AFRICAN RIGHTS' OTHER CO-DIRECTOR, RUKIYA OMAR.

THE NAIROBI GOVERNMENT HAS DECLINED TO COMMENT ON AFRICAN RIGHTS' DEMAND. IT HAD STRONG TIES WITH THE HUTU ADMINISTRATION OF HABYARIMANA, WHO HAD A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH KENYAN PRESIDENT DANIEL ARAP MOI.

"I DO NOT SEE KENYA SENDING AWAY THE FAMILY OF HABYARIMANA," DR. SAMUEL KWESI, A UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI LECTURER IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, TOLD IPS.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service