EAC vows to fight ‘genocide’ ideology

Arusha. Only 100 out of over 1,000 alleged perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda have been apprehended and brought to justice. However, three most sought suspects are at large and still being sought so that they can be arraigned.
This was revealed here on Sunday during the 25th commemoration of the manslaughter that claimed the lives of over 800,000 people. The United Nations says 300 alleged perpetrators were identified within the East Africa Community (EAC)  region and 805 in the entire Africa. “Out of them, only 100 were apprehended and brought to justice,” said an official of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (UN IRMCT).
However, the official of the Arusha-based tribunal confirmed that three of the major genocide suspects she could not mention their names are still at large. “The Mechanism is looking forward to deal with any time they fugitives are arrested,” she said during the commemoration held at the EAC headquarters.
Although their names were not revealed, one of them is believed to be Felicien Kabuga, a former Rwandan businessman with a $ 5 million tag on his head.
The others include Pheneas Munyarugarama, Fulgence Kayishema, Charles Sikuwabo, Ladislau Ntaganzwa, Alloyce Ndimbati and one Ryandikayo. The horrific atrocities in Rwanda were triggered  by the killing of the former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994 when his plane was shot down.
Before it closed business in December 2015, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) - the forerunner to UN IRMCT - had convicted 61 fugitives and acquitted 14. Speaking during the commemoration the EAC deputy secretary general Christophe Bazivamo called on the region to  keep on supporting Rwanda on its path to total healing. “EAC recognised the genocide (against the Tutsis) as a crime against humanity,” he said, noting that EAC would use all means to fight the genocide ideology.