Rwanda Information Portal

Letter written by Mrs Esperance Mukashema to US Secretary of State about Rwandan war criminal General Kabandana

From:
Esperance Mukashema
[full address + tel nr]
NEDERLAND

To:
H.E. John Kerry
Secretary of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

s’Heerenouek, February 18, 2013

Your Excellency,

Re: Accountability for massacres committed

I and other victims of atrocities that were committed in Rwanda during the 1994 war and genocide have recently learnt with deep shock that Brigadier General�Kabandana is now serving as military attach� at the embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the United States of America.

As I outline in my testimony which is attached to this letter, Brigadier General Kabandana is one of the officers of the current army of the Republic of Rwanda who are responsible for a horrific massacre which took place at Gakurazo, Gitarama Prefecture, on June 5,1994
The Government of the Republic of Rwanda has failed to investigate and prosecute, in good faith, the persons who were responsible for the above mentioned massacre, as the attached letter addressed to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda demonstrates. Rather bring the persons who are responsible for this particular massacre to justice, the Rwandan government has rewarded the perpetrators of the atrocity with promotions in the army hierarchy and appointment to very high public offices in Rwanda.
Perpetrators of international crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide should under any circumstances not be allowed to serve as diplomats accredited to the United States. States have an unyielding obligation under international law to punish persons in their territories who are responsible for such crimes, or to extradite them to jurisdictions that are able and willing to do so.
The purpose of this letter is to request your Department to exercise the power vested in it by the laws of the United States of America to ensure that Brigadier Kabandana is either brought to justice for his crimes or, at the very least, barred from continued service as military attach� at Rwanda�s embassy in the United States of America.

I would also like to put the government of the United States on notice that should Brigadier General�Kabandana be permitted to continue to serve in the position of military attach� at Rwanda�s embassy in the United States of America, I and some other victims of the atrocity referred to in my testimony will without doubt seek to use all available legal means to have Brigadier General�Kabandana brought to account for his crimes, either before the courts of the United States or the courts of other states able and willing to try the Brigadier General�Kabandana under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Sincerely,
Esperance Mukashema

Cc:

-H.E. Barack Obama
President of the USA
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
USA

– H.E. Leon E. Panetta
Defense Secretary
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1400
USA

– Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118-3299
USA

– Amnesty International
1 Easton Street
London
WC1X 0DW, UK

 

2 comments

1 Eyewitness Testimony by Esperance Mukashema on RPF army massacres at Gakurazo, Rwanda — Rwandinfo_ENG { 03.05.13 at 10:48 pm }

[…] testimony was attached to the letter sent by Mrs Esperance Mukashema to the US Secretary of State John Kerry on 18th February 2013 relating to the role of Brigadier General Kabandana in pre-planned Gakurazo […]

2 Enock Safari Buhendwa { 03.06.13 at 2:11 am }

I urge all well wishers to join hands together and clam justice. Time has come where every criminal must be brought to justice and allow reconciliation so needed in our motherland.
To Esperance Mukashema, I promise my full support.

Leave a Comment