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DRC Honoured ICJ Verdict - Ruberwa

The New Times (Kigali)
NEWS
February 22, 2006
Posted to the web February 22, 2006

By Steven Baguma & Edwin Musoni
Kigali
The Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Azarias Ruberwa
Manywa, has said that his country had respected the decision to dismiss the
DRC's plea at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague. "It's
official. Rwanda defeated us at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the
Hague and since this is an internationally recognized court of justice,the DRC
has no alternative other than conceding defeat,"
Ruberwa said Tuesday 21, in an exclusive interview with The New Times. Ruberwa
was reacting to the recent ruling by ICJ, that it had no jurisdiction to
entertain an application filed by the DRC accusing Rwanda of 'massive, serious
and flagrant violations of human rights and of the International Humanitarian
Law' during its presence in the Central African nation.
Ruberwa, who is also the President of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD),
a registered opposition political party in the DRC, however hastened to clarify
that, "the issue is not Rwanda winning the case or DRC losing, instead the two
sister nations ought to strengthen their bilateral relations, by devising means
of how they can mend ties outside the courts of law."
The DRC had dragged Uganda and Rwanda to the ICJ, the principal judicial organ
of the United Nations, seeking damages for alleged illegal armed occupation of
her territory, gross violation of the rights of her citizens and plundering of
her natural resources, 'in contravention of international law'.
Subsequently, Rwanda objected to the competence of the ICJ hearing and
pronouncing itself on the case, arguing that the conventions on which the DRC
based her claims were not binding in regard to the UN court's competence.
Ruberwa, who is also ready to tussle-it-out with President Joseph Kabila and
other 30 presidential aspirants in the forthcoming Presidential elections due
in June, also held talks with President Paul Kagame and other senior government
officials.
"I was here purposely to share views with Rwanda's leaders ahead of the
elections, our discussions with President Kagame focused on how relations
between the two countries can be improved mainly in areas of security, economic
development and democracy," Ruberwa told reporters at Hotel Intercontinental.
The exclusive interview with Ruberwa will appear in the next issue.

   

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