Countries have an obligation to arrest, try Genocide fugitives

A few days ago, it was good news for the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda as some fugitives in European countries finally had their day in court.

The trial of Laurent Bucyibaruta in France and the arrest of Pierre Claver Karangwa in the Netherlands are bold steps to uprightness from the two countries.

However, the plea for Rwandans, especially genocide survivors is that all other genocide masterminds like Charles Ndereyehe in the Netherlands and Marcel Sebatware, in Belgium, among many still at large can be prosecuted as well.

Ndereyehe is a genocide fugitive who, through dubious means, became a Dutch citizen and now lives in the city of Harderwijk with his family.

His daughters Gloria and Solange Ndereyehe both living in the same country and are politically active. Solange is known to have accompanied Ingabire Victoire to Rwanda for her ‘homecoming’ back in 2010. She probably saw through the lawbreaking practices in their campaign and quickly returned to Europe and left the double genocide ideologue in Ingabire Victoire in Rwanda.

 Ndereyehe, an agronomist by profession, was appointed in 1992 as the Director General of ISAR, a national agricultural institution that was engaged in agriculture related scientific research. A position he certainly lobbied for through his 1990 networks in the notorious Circle for Progressive Republicans (CRP), a political think tank that brought together like-minded Hutu extremists.

His so-called think tank is known to have been dissatisfied with the compromises, once believed to be essential in bringing an end to the war between the former Government of Rwanda and the then RPF armed wing, the Rwanda Patriotic Army.

In the 1990s, Ndereyehe’s last shot to oppose the Arusha Peace Agreement was his role in the establishment of the Coalition for the Defense of the Republic (CDR) which in 1994, distinguished itself in the planning and execution of the genocide.

He is accused of holding secretive security meetings in preparation of the genocide at ISAR-Rubona and ISAR- Songa. The Interahamwe in that region operated under his instructions to kill all Tutsi staff and refugees who sought refuge at ISAR. In the various testimonies by his fellow genocidaires already in custody, Ndereyehe as their chief genocidaire, often rewarded the killers by offering them a cow for participating in the killings.

After the Genocide against the Tutsi, Ndereyehe fled to DRC and pursued his political activities while in exile He worked as a Commissioner for political affairs and later as the President of RDR, a preceding organization to the current terrorist organization, the FDLR.

In the Netherlands, he remains an active propagandist against the leadership and government of Rwanda, a top and active FDU leader and a fierce double genocide ideologue. He is a negationist ideologue of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

He is on the Interpol Red Notice as wanted for Genocide crimes in Rwanda.

Among several other genocide fugitives still at large is Marcel Nzabona Sebatware. He fled the country after actively participating in the Genocide against the Tutsi and currently resides in Belgium.

He is an active member of FDU-Inkingi regional committee and participates in subversive activities. He spends majority of his time in Belgium organizing anti-Rwanda demonstrations, hosted by notorious Belgian nationals and institutions to organize conferences and meetings meant to harm Rwanda’s interests.

Marcel’s Sebatware current motivation as an active anti- Rwanda agent operating from Belgium under some mysterious support comes from his background as a former active member of MRND in Ruhengeri, now Musanze.

In Ruhengeri, he was a close friend and neighbor to Joseph Nzirorera, a former minister of infrastructure and speaker of Parliament under Juvenal Habyarimana’s presidency.

He participated in killings in Nyarushishi where he even contributed to the killings by deviating a truck belonging to CIMERWA for transporting the Interahamwe militia to Nyarushishi for a specific mission; the killing of the Tutsi survivors who had escaped from previous extermination exercises.

Sebatware is also known to have been a shareholder in RTLM, a genocide propaganda radio whose role in the extermination of the Tutsi is incontrovertible.

Talking of the genocide fugitives still at large and living in foreign countries, the list can be long and definitely not exhaustive.

People like Karwera Mutwe Esperance who lives in France might think that they are out of sight from Rwandans. Karwera is one among many genocide fugitives not mentioned in this piece and who unjustifiably continue to benefit freedom and protection from their host countries instead of being prosecuted for their serious crimes against humanity.

Rwandans believe that it is never late to get justice. All criminals still at large should be prosecuted for justice’s sake and in respect of humanity.