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AI Call for Arrest of Genocide Fugitives

The New Times (Kigali)
NEWS
December 16, 2006
Posted to the web December 18, 2006

By Innocent Gahigana
Kigali
Amnesty International (AI) has appealed to the UN Security Council (UNSC) and
member states to ensure that all genocide fugitives are arrested and tried.
Under UN Resolution 955 which prescribes the establishment of the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
(ICTR), the Security Council committed itself to prosecute persons responsible
for genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law
committed in the territory of Rwanda over her citizens, from January 1, to
December 31, 1994.
'It is imperative that all persons indicted in the 1994 genocide should be
prosecuted and that no individuals should benefit from impunity as a result of
the imminent completion strategy of ICTR,' AI appealed in a press statement.
Making inference to UN Resolution 978 of February 27, 1995 of Security Council,
AI said universal jurisdiction should be used as a tool for addressing crimes
under international law and an effective mechanism against impunity. 'Even if
the authorities of Rwanda are unable to tackle impunity for such crimes, it
remains the responsibility of the international community to ensure that
justice is done, both at the international level and at the national level,'
the IA stressed.
'Amnesty International urges the Security Council to use this opportunity to
ensure the investigation and prosecution of the thousands of other genocide
related crimes under international law which the ICTR has not been able to
investigate or prosecute in accordance with international standards' the AI
release further indicates. The organisation also requests that the Security
Council urge all states to contribute sufficient personnel, material and
financial resources to Rwanda enabling them to develop a long-term,
comprehensive action plan addressing all genocide crimes under international
law.


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