A genocide survi vor’s cry fo r justice

Note to Andrew Smith

MP for E ast Oxfo rd

My name is Jean Baptiste Kayigamba. I am a British Citizen, of Rwandan

origin. During the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and massacres of moderate
Hutus of President Juvenal Habyarimana’s regime, I lost my father, my
mother, four brothers, one sister, a nephew, and scores of other relatives.

The massacres that took place in Gikongoro, in particular Musange commune

where my relatives lived have been largely documented. The perpetrators of
these mass-killings included senior government officials, the army, the police
and marauding Hutu mobs who were organised in the form of militias.

As indicated in several human rights reports, these massacres were made

possible by the active mobilisation of the killers by s leadership consisted of
the grass-roots authorities, and those on the high echelon of power: the
mayors, and the governors, and senior military officers.

In the case of my family members, at least two of the former government

officials in Gikongoro, who took part in the killings there had managed to find
a safe heaven in the UK, thinking that they have escaped from the long arm of
the law.

The two men are Charles Munyaneza, former Mayor of Kinyamakara

commune, an Emmanuel Nteziryayo, former Mayor of Mudasomwa. Much to
the relief of many genocide survivors, these two were arrested in 2006. The
Rwanda government had asked for their extradition to Rwanda to face trial
for the crimes they perpetrated.

But to our consternation, the High Court recently ruled against their
extradition and ordered their release. Imagine the anguish and trauma that
these people are causing on the survivors like myself who believe that this
ruling is but a clear denial of justice to the thousands and thousands of
victims.

Genocide is a crime against humanity and its perpetrators should not go scot
free, and go about their normal life here in the UK, as if nothing happened.
In the name of all the victims of the Gikongoro massacres, I am writing this
memorandum to the Prime Minister, Right Hon. Gordon Brown, and the Home
Secretary Jacqui Smith, to use their powers to have the 2001 legislation
reviewed so that these genocide suspects are brought to book here, or if not,
are sent to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

I have attached to this memorandum some press releases by international

organisations, as well a number of articles written about the issue of these
fugitives living here in the UK.

I thank the UK government for the relentless efforts in helping Rwandans to

come to terms with this horrendous past. I hope that my voice, together with
numerous others will get appropriate response from all those in charge of
ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done.

Jean Baptiste Kayigamba

50 Bartholomew Road

Oxford

OX4 3QH

Done in Oxford

On 16/04/09