ugnet_: ACCUSATIONS "RIDUCULOUS" SAYS RWANDA'S US ENVOY.

Charges made last week by Vital Kamerhe, the Democratic Republic of Congo's commissioner-general in charge of negotiations in the Great Lakes region, that a Rwandan-created "new militia" is waging a "war by proxy." are ridiculous and represent "incoherent reasoning" says Rwanda's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Richard Sezibera.

During a Washington visit, Kamerhe complained that Hutus released by Rwanda's grassroots judicial gacaca system (designed to speed trials of those accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide) have been grouped by the Rwanda authorities and sent into Congo's North Kivu province.

Kamerhe said Rwanda had sent the armed Hutus to Kivu so as to be able to argue that there are still Hutu militias in Congo that pose a threat to Rwandan security, thereby justifying any delay in Rwanda's withdrawal of troops. He also suggested that the Hutus were being sent to continue working gold and coltan mines for Rwanda.

"We have released some 40,000 who have been in prison for the last eight years," Ambassador Sezibera told allAfrica.com. "They had been sentenced to eight years because they confessed. Half of that will be done as community service. We have documented that they are in Rwanda and it is ridiculous to say that they are in Congo."

Sezibera said his government had no interest in exploiting North Kivu. He continued: "To say Rwanda is backing thousands of ex-FAR (former members of the Rwandan Army) and Interahamwe (Hutu militiamen operating from Congo against Rwanda)" is simply incoherent reasoning. No responsible government would release 40,000 people to get them to fight against you."

The answer to the continuing civil war and exploitation in the Congo is effective government says Sezibera."If [the Congolese government] thinks resources are illegally going into Rwanda, we are willing to help as neighbors, but I think the onus is on the Congolese themselves. All they need to do is form a government that controls the whole country."

And though there are "many factions" in the Congo, said Sezibera, the DRC's warring parties have reached promising agreement via the Pretoria Accord and the Inter-Congolese Dialogue. Last month they reached a Global Inclusive Agreement which should outline the framework for a transitional government. "We think they should implement what they agreed on."

But while Rwanda's relationship with the DRC clearly remains sour, the relationship with Kenya is "warming progressively" now that a new government is in place in the East Africa nation. Protection of wanted war criminals by Kenyan government officials has ended. "They come in, using Kenya as a transit point. They are not only a danger to Rwanda, but they are also a danger to Kenya and other countries," said Sezibera.

However, even as Kenyan help with catching war criminals responsible for the 1994 genocide improves, Sezibera declared himself and his government "frustrated" with the pace and operations of the Arusha, Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Since its start in 1996, there have been just eight convictions.

Corruption is a huge problem in Sezibera's eyes. ICTR defense lawyers receive between US$80 and $110 per hour in legal fees, and can claim up to 175 hours per month. Defendants often ask for kickbacks from attorneys seeking to handle their cases. Last February the Court fired a defense lawyer and prevented another from representing a potential client because of fee-splitting allegations. "It's a big problem."

Little value has resulted from expenditure on the ICTR, says Sezibera. In 2001, US$6.55m was spent. This jumped to US$17.11m in 2002/2003. And if this pattern continues, according to a UN administrative and budgetary committee, costs will rise another US$3.7m. "For just eight convictions...and one acquittal. What are they doing?"

The ICTR has had no Chief of Prosecutions for two years. The position of deputy prosecutor has been vacant for 21 months. Nonetheless, despite low expectations about ICTR competence, Rwanda will try and stay with the process, said Sezibera.

Ambassador Sezibera leaves his post at the end of February and returns to Rwanda. "It's just a regular rotation," he says.

ugnet_: ACCUSATIONS "RIDUCULOUS" SAYS RWANDA'S US ENVOY.

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