Following the recent utterances by President Jakaya Kikwete proposing negotiations between Rwanda government and genocidal FDLR rebels, the Rwanda Diaspora in Canada wrote an open letter to the Chairperson of the African Union.

Below is the complete letter written on June 6.

{{OPEN LETTER TO THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION}}

Your Excellency,

Re: {{Reaction by the Rwandan Diaspora of Canada to the public statement by President Jakaya Kikwete calling on Rwanda to negotiate with the FDLR}}

{The Rwandan Diaspora of Canada takes great exception to the remarks made by Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete at the African Union (AU) Summit, May 26 in Addis Ababa, where he called upon Rwanda to enter negotiations with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

This well-known terrorist organization, according to the United Nations (UN) own definition, has wreaked havoc for the past 20 years in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and surroundings.

The FDRL leadership is comprised chiefly of those Interahamwe militia and the former Rwandan army (ex-FAR) responsible for the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, and their recruits over the years.

Their killings of innocent civilians and rape of women were extended to the eastern DRC as documented in various United Nations reports.

The International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda (ICTR) based in Arusha, Tanzania has tried and condemned some members of the Interahamwe and ex-FAR who were captured following efforts by international justice. For those who are still in hiding, multimillion-dollar rewards have been offered by the international community for their capture.

Despite international condemnation, however, FDRL is still committing crimes based on their repugnant ideology of ethnic hatred and its unrelenting commitment to “Hutu Power” ideology, which was at the root of the well-orchestrated 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

The argument for considering the FDRL as just another political “opposition” group worthy of an equal stake in the affairs of the government of Rwanda is completely faulty.

The government of Rwanda has opened up plenty of opportunities for combatants wishing to return home through the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration program (RDRC).

Hundreds of thousands of FDRL members and their sympathizers who decided to no longer propagate genocide ideology, opting instead for peace, have returned to Rwanda through the RDRC program, and have integrated successfully into Rwandan life.

President Kikwete is certainly aware that most of the 1994 Rwandan refugees who had fled to the neighbouring countries, including Tanzania, have been peacefully repatriated and are now fully engaged in the rebuilding of Rwanda in different capacities, including cabinet positions, mayors, and even army commanders.

He is also aware of UN Resolution 1804 of March 13th, 2008, and many others, in which the UN Security Council adopted the condemnation of the FDLR with obligations binding upon all states, including Tanzania.

Additionally, President Kikwete must not ignore the ongoing sexual violence on Congolese women being committed by members of FDLR, with 374 documented cases between November 2011 and December 2012. It is evident that the FDLR have no remorse for their actions.

It is therefore difficult to comprehend how Mr. Kikwete, as Head of State could even consider that Rwanda go into negotiations with the FDRL.

We the members of the Rwandan Diaspora of Canada believe that to negotiate with a terrorist organization whose members are steadfast in their adherence to the genocide ideology, who took part in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, and who have continued to use violence in an attempt to regain control of the Rwandan government, would be immoral.

Since we are confident that President Kikwete would never permit his government to be subjected to such a request, we believe that what would be immoral to Tanzania should be acknowledged as immoral for Rwanda as well.

We believe that it would be irresponsible and ill-advised at best, to negotiate with those who chose to remain in hiding because of their bloody hands following the genocide they perpetrated in 1994.

However, as military force alone may not end the conflict in the eastern DRC, we strongly urge that the African Union and the international community take the initiatives to address the root-causes of the conflict through member-states dialogue, while avoiding counterproductive declarations which might in the end only serve to reward the perpetrators of genocide and mass human rights violations.

To conclude, in proposing negotiations with FDRL, President Kikwete apparently disregarded his own commitment to “NEVER AGAIN”. Not only does his irresponsible suggestion place his commitment as a genuine regional player for finding lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region in serious question, but it lends support to the very same group the Tanzanian army is supposed to fight under the new UN mandate.

President Kikwete cannot fight and support the FDRL at the same time. We therefore would request your Excellency to advise President Kikwete to recant his statement, and instead stand for the message he once gave to Rwandans at Gizozi Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali where he had declared:

“It is horrifying, saddening, and pitiful too. Let this be a reminder once again for such abominable things to never happen again. Let us say never again and make sure it really does not happen again. Let us say never again and make sure it really never happens again”

Thank you for your time and cooperation.}

{{For Rwandan Diaspora of Canada,

Dr. Egide Karuranga John Ruhinda}}

President Secretary General
{{CC:

East African Heads of States

UN Secretary General

AU Commission Chairperson}}