[UAH] Tutsis condemn Kikwete

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Sent: 5/29/2013 10:46:05 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Press release: Response to the Statement of President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania at the 50th Anniversary of the African Union Summit of 26 May 2013

Response to the Statement of President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania at the 50^th Anniversary of the African Union Summit of 26 May 2013

Kigali 29 May 2013

IBUKA, the Rwandan Umbrella of Survivor Organizations strongly condemns the statement of President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania at the AU Heads of State Summit on the 26 May 2013.

President Kikwete, to the shock of the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, expressed support for FDLR, former genocidaires and a terrorist group declared as such by the US government and under sanctions and international indictment by the US, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, and many other international organizations.

Mr Luis Moreno Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in a April 2010 document entitled 'Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo' confirmed that FDLR "was created by the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, who fled to neighbouring DRC, that they are criminally responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes including attacks against a civilian population, killings, rapes, persecution based on gender and extensive destruction of property committed and that since 2002, FDLR has committed crimes against the civilian population of Northern and Southern Kivu Provinces, DRC;

A June 2005 Resolution of the African Union requested all member states to fight FDLR and stop any form of support from their nationals or from their territory;

Resolution 1804 of the UN Security Council of 13 March 2008 requested FDLR to lay down arms, report to the DRC authorities and to MONUC with no further conditions in view of disarmament, demobilization and repatriation, and requesting all Members States of the United Nations to stop and take measures against any form of support whatsoever from their nationals or their territory to FDLR;

IBUKA strongly condemns President Kikwete's statement as no negotiation is acceptable with a known terrorist group that is responsible for the death of over a million Tutsis in Rwanda and continues its deadly work in the eastern DRC. We are offended that a Head of State who is well aware of the history of the genocide against the Tutsi would promote unrepentant genocidaires and their ideology.

Given that Tanzanian troops will be part of an intervention brigade that is supposed to stop and disarm groups such as FDLR, President Kikwete undermines the brigade's action by publicly supporting the most murderous of such armed groups.

Negotiating with FDLR would legitimize their cause and encourage impunity. FDLR should be disarmed, repatriated and rehabilitated for those members of the group willing to do so.

IBUKA requests strict observance of the UN/AU position, declarations and sanctions concerning FDLR, and calls on President Kikwete to retract such a grievous and callous statement.

Done in Kigali, on 29^th May 2013

Prof. Jean-Pierre DUSINGIZEMUNGU,

President