05.12.11 - ICTR/UN - SECURITY COUNCIL CHALLENGED TO FIND HOST
COUNTRIES FOR ICTR ACQUITTED PERSONS
Arusha, December 5, 2011 (FH)
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) made a special appeal to the
United Nations Security Council to find a lasting solution of getting host countries to
acquitted persons who remain in safe houses under the Tribunal's protection.
‘'The Tribunal has had no other choice but to call upon the assistance of the Security
Council to find a sustainable solution to this issue,'' stated ICTR President, Judge Khalida
Rachid Khan in a letter to the President of the Council.
She explained that efforts to find host countries for the five acquitted persons proved
unsuccessful due to the absence of a formal mechanism to secure the support of the
member states to accept those persons in their countries.
Three persons whose acquittals have been confirmed on appeal are still trying to find a
host country. They are former Rwandan Transport Minister André Ntagerura, General
Gratien Kabiligi and Protais Zigiranyirazo, brother-in-law of the late former president
Juvénal Habyarimana.
Two more people are waiting to know whether their acquittals will be confirmed by the
ICTR Appeals Chamber including, former Foreign Affairs Minister Jérôme
Bicamumpaka and former Health Minister Casimir Bizimungu.
Ntagerura has been looking for a host country for the longest time. He was acquitted by
the lower court in February 2004 and the decision was confirmed on appeal in February
2006.
‘'The Tribunal considers the settlement of persons acquitted by an international criminal
tribunal to be a fundamental expression of the rule of law and is concerned about the
consequences of failing to fulfill this obligation,'' ICTR President underlined.
In the same letter, President Khan also told the Security Council that the effort to track
down the remaining nine fugitives including the top on the list, Felicien Kabuga, the
alleged financier of genocide was still on. ‘'The Prosecutor continues to seek due diligent
from Kenya in the discharge of its international obligation pursuant to Security Council
resolution 1966 (2010) by expediting work on the tracking and arrest of this top-level
fugitive,'' she states.
Apart from Kenya, the letter also called upon other member states especially the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the neigbouring Great Lakes countries and
countries in the Southern African region to double efforts in tracking down the remaining
fugitives believed to be in the hide out in those countries.
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The other two most wanted fugitives are ex-Rwandan minister for Defence, Augustine
Bizimana and former Presidential Guard Commander, Major Protais Mpiranya.
ICTR President Judge Khan and the Prosecutor, Hassan Bubacar Jallow are expected
next Wednesday, December 7, 2011 to present before the UN Assembly in New York
reports on the progress and challenges facing the Tribunal in the implementation of the
exit strategy. It was expected that the Tribunal would conclude its first instance trials by
December 31, 2011 but it is now evident that it is not possible despite all the efforts
made.
NI/ER/GF
© Hirondelle News Agency
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