UK survivors sue Twagiramungu

By Felly Kimenyi
Sunday, 09 April 2006

Rwandan genocide survivors living in the United Kingdom Thursday April 06, filed a suit against former Prime Minister and presidential contender, Faustin Twagiramungu at the High Court of Nyarugenge, accusing him of negating, justifying and rudely minimising the Rwandan genocide.
The survivors who lodged their lawsuit through the Rwandan-based African Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), also say the judiciary is not doing enough in ‘prosecuting and punishing the crime of genocide’.
According to a communiqué from ACHR dated April 6 and signed by David Rukara, the survivors say they filed a similar petition to the Public Prosecutor of Kigali City in April last year, asking him to indict and prosecute Twagiramungu.
“Unfortunately, it is one year and no action has been taken with regard to our clients’ petition,” the communiqué reads.
Contacted Saturday Rukara, who he handed over the petition to the Nyarugenge Court Clerk, who in turn forwarded it to Judge Charles Kalimwabo, said that the Prosecution seemed reluctant to handle the case.
“According to Criminal Court Procedure, when Prosecution fails to handle a case for six months, the aggrieved party has the right to take the case straight to the court,” Rukara said.
The survivors say that in 2004 Twagiramiungu published offensive audio material on his website in which he denied that what happened in Rwanda in 1994 was genocide. They also say the publication provided moral and political justification for the heinous crime.
“We call upon the Rwandan government to take immediate action and bring Twagiramungu to justice and repair the damaged dignity of our clients,” the communique reads in part.
Twagiramungu was Prime Minister for two years after the 1994 Genocide and contended for presidency in the 2003 elections.