Australian Parliament used as den of genocide deniers, revisionists

Twenty-seven years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi which claimed more than one million innocent lives, some countries are still sheltering genocide fugitives, deniers, and revisionists.

One of those countries is Australia. It is as if this country, thousands of miles away from Rwanda, does not know the gravity of the genocide crimes perpetrated by some of the Rwandan refugees living there who are behind the on-going drive to propagate genocide denial and revisionism. Most of these Rwandans are descendants of well-known genocidaires indicted for their proven role in the genocide.

Frodouard Rukeshangabo, is one of the genocide deniers living in Australia. He is a former inspector of schools in Rubona sector, former Kigarama Commune who is known for his barbarity during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Gacaca courts before fleeing to Malawi, and then to Australia. He was, nevertheless, given citizenship in Australia despite his past criminal records. Rukeshangabo is known to have directed mass murder and torture of the Tutsi in Rwanda's Eastern Province during the 1994 Genocide.

But there are several other genocidaires living, unperturbed, in this country after fooling Australian authorities that there was a double genocide in Rwanda.

These Rwandans regrouped into what is called the Rwandan Association of Queensland, where they commemorate, every year, what the association calls “Rwandan genocide.” Australian authorities should be aware that the UN and the International community at large now know that what happened in Rwanda in 1994 is not a “Rwandan genocide” but, the Genocide against the Tutsi. 

Those who insist on calling it “the Rwanda genocide” are advancing the double genocide theory. The latter theiry is only upheld and spread by the genocide papetrators on the run. What is shocking and equally troubling is that the Australian Parliament has given venue to the genocide deniers where guests include parliamentarians and former soldiers who were part of an Australian UN contingent of peacekeepers deployed in Rwanda in the aftermath of the genocide.

Is it by ignorance, or simply turning a blind eye, on the sham commemoration that trivializes the genocide against the Tutsi? Australian authorities should be aware of the UN General Assembly resolution GA/12000 establishing April 7 as an International Day of Reflection on 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Australia is part of the International community and the UN system and should not be allowing the Rwandan Association of Queensland to commemorate the “Rwandan Genocide” year in year out.

In the wake of this year’s 'commemoration' attended by members of Queensland Parliament, Amiel Nubaha, former president of the association wrote on his twitter account: “What an amazing experience MC’ng our annual Rwandan Genocide Commemoration at Parliament House today. Rwandan-Association Queensland cheers to all visitors and friends who joined us as we remember all who lost their lives. The Rwandan genocide cut through the soul and fabric, and to this day our beloved country is still bleeding…”

Nubaha is the son of indicted genocide suspect, Frodouard Rukeshangabo, who is still on the run. What his son is engaged in in Australia is cynical and heartless. How can genocide deniers and suspects ever commemorate the lives of the people they slaughtered?

Fertile ground for recruitment, funding of terrorist organizations

It has also become clear that Australia has become a fertile ground for recruitment and funding of terrorist organizations working to undermine the hard-won peace, stability, and unity in Rwanda, as well as well as national reconciliation. Worse still, their intention is to topple the democratically elected government in Rwanda.

Evidence exists that shows that the Rwandan National Congress (RNC) and the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change/ Front for the National Liberation (MRCD/ FLN) of former hotelier Paul Rusesabagina get financial support from the Rwandan Association of Queensland.

Both the RNC and MRCD/FLN are terrorist outfits which have carried out deadly attacks on Rwandan soil.  Rusesabagina, head of the MRCD/FLN, is currently on trial in Rwanda for the same crimes.

It is high time Australia comes clean on whether it will continue to support genocide revisionists and deniers, thus perpetuating the suffering of the victims of the genocide who are still reeling from the immense loss of loved ones 27 years ago. Australian authorities also ought to know that the dangers of genocide denial and revisionism are real.