“Rwanda believes that only a political solution, through the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), will bring peace to Darfur,” Rwandan UN Ambassador, Eugene-Richard Gasana said during the UN Security Council Briefing Meeting on Sudan and International Criminal Court (ICC) (see here). DDPD is the peace agreement on Darfur signed in Qatar in 2011 .
The remarks by the Rwandan Ambassador and Government Minister came as a shock.
Over the last couple of weeks, the Rwandan Government has been calling the Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete “genocide denier”, “terrorist sympathizer”, for calling on Rwandan Government to negotiate with its own armed opposition (see here our article of May 26, 2013: Talk to Your Armed Opposition, Tanzanian President Kikwete Tells Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Joseph Kabila of DRC).
Speaking to the United Nations Security Council, International Criminal Court (ICC ) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda expressed her deep frustration, and even despair, in regard to the paralysis within the United Security Council that aggravates the plight of victims in Darfur, gone “from bad to worse”, especially due to “aerial bombardments, which could only be attributed to one party, the use of sexual violence and impunity for such crimes persisted.”
However, the Rwandan Ambassador, perhaps worried about setting up precedent that could eventually targets the members of the Rwandan government, reinforced the opposition to the International Criminal Court and rather complained that it was unfortunate African countries that had received President Al-Bashir since his indictment were sanctioned for their efforts, despite the fact that they were in conformity with their obligations.
But what shocked the most, was when the Rwandan Ambassador Gasana said: “Rwanda strongly condemns continued fighting between the government of Sudan and armed groups, as well as inter-communal fighting. We remain deeply concerned at continued violations of human rights in Darfur, particularly targeted attacks against civilians and sexual and gender-based violence.”
According to sources with the United Nations, the questions among the members UN Security Council following the speech by the the Rwandan Ambassador were: “Why Rwandan Government feels allowed to urge others to negotiate with their armed opposition, but barks out its vitriol at whoever asks the same from the Rwandan Government?”
Thousands of UN blue helmets are keeping peace in Darfour under f the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The United Nations Secretary General and African Union Chairperson decided this week not to renew the term of Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba who commanded the blue helmets, despite the fact that Rwanda contributes 3,200 troops to the Mission.
Lt Gen Patrick Nyamvumba was replaced by the Tanzanian Lt Gen Paul Ignace Mella. The appointment of the Tanzanian general by both the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) to head UNAMID appears to be a new sign of the growing influence of the United Republic of Tanzania. A Tanzanian also commands the UN Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
©2013 AfroAmerica Network. All Rights Reserved.
Comments on this entry are closed.
Why don’t u be able to differentiate the problem of Rwanda and other outside problems? why do u compare the problem of sudan and that of Rwanda Either President KAGAME or Minister Louise and James Kabarebe the minister of Defense always explain. “We Rwandans we can not negotiate with the KILLERS who killed our people in 1994 genocide and fled acountry” end coat. So I don’t know why u always do not understand that!!!!!!
Therefore your article is out of minds. Richard is true to argue that.
The unshakable reason the Rwanda government and its master Kagame considers themselves as lesson-givers and not as lesson-takers is a bit simple, and the the United Nations responsibility is involved. Since 1994 genocide, their lies and trans-borders` killings committed in the Great Lakes Region have been bailed out by the most powerful men of the planet ( Boutros Ghali, Ban Kimoon, Bill Clinton, Suzanne Rice, Tony Blair, Sarkozy, Barack Obama …). Kagame has genuinely crafted an umprecedented tip to become the uncontested leader of United Nations through digging into tutsi genocide. So none should be apologetic if Kagame is enjoying his merited position at the frustration of all.