Untitled Document

Organization for PEACE, JUSTICE, AND DEVELOPMENT In RWANDA, INC. (OPJDR)
February 13, 2001

To Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defence
The Pentagon Washington,
DC 20301

To General Colin Powell
Secretary of State U.S.
Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520

To Horst Köhler
Managing Director,
International Monetary Fund
700 19th Street,
N.W. Washington, D.C. 20431

To Honorable Cynthia McKinney
US Congress
124 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515

To Dr.. Condoleezza Rice
National Security Adviser
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW Washington, DC 20500

REFERENCE: General Kagame's visit to the United STATES AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF).

His Excellency Mr. Secretary:
Mr. Managing Director:
Madam the National Security Advisor:

General Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda will visit the United States of America from February 2, 2001 and plans to hold talks with officials at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the US State Department, and the Pentagon. OPJDR believes that the US Administration and the International Monetary Fund are not an appropriate forum for General Paul Kagame.

The appropriate forum for him should be the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania in which he should be prosecuted for his crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). OPJDR would like to bring to your attention some of the facts regarding General Paul Kagame's and his Rwandan Patriotic Army's criminal records:

A. BEFORE APRIL 1994 Massacre of Burundian refugees resettled in Commune Muvumba and massacre of Hima in Commune Muvumba, Prefecture of Byumba in October 1990 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) invaded Rwanda from its military bases in southwestern Uganda. Massacres of the population of Shonga, Commune Muvumba, Prefecture Byumba. The RPF occupied Shonga from October 1990 until its victory in July, 1994. The RPF decimated the population living in Shonga.

Between 1991 and 1992, RPF massacred Hutu in the communes of Bwisige, Cyumba, Cyungo, Kibali, Kivuye, Kiyombe, Mukarage, Muvumba, and Ngarama of the prefecture of Byumba. Massacres were also carried out in the communes Butaro, Cyeru, and Nyamugali of Ruhengeri. Some of the people from these communes were deported to Uganda and disappeared. RPF killings generated massive internally displaced persons who sought refuge at makeshift camps. The RPF shelled these camps although these internally displaced persons were not armed.

On February 8, 1993, the RPF attacked the town of Ruhengeri and massacred unarmed civilians. During the attack the RPF summarily executed a large number of civilians including Barengayabo, President of the Appeal's Court and Philippe Gakwerere, Inspector of mining and their families. During its military offensive of February 1993, the RPF massacred unarmed civilians in Ngarama, Commune Gituza, Prefecture of Byumba.

On May 18, 1993, the RPF assassinated Emmanuel Gapyisi, a member of the political bureau of the Democratic Republican Movement (MDR) and president of MDR in the prefecture of Gikongoro.

On August 25, 1993, the RPF assassinated Fidele Rwambuka, mayor of the commune of Kanzenze, prefecture of Kigali and a member of the central committee of the Republican National Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND).

In the night of November 17 and 18, 1993 the RPA under Colonel Kayizari massacred 48 unarmed civilians in the sous-prefecture of Kirambo, prefecture of Ruhengeri. In the same month of November 1993, the RPF Massacred of unarmed civilians in Commune Mutura, prefecture Gisenyi and Commune Bwisige, prefecture of Byumba. The United Nations Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) investigated the massacre of Mutura and Kirambo and never published its findings.

On February 21, 1994, the RPF assassinated Felicien Gatabazi, the executive secretary of the Social democratic party (PSD).

On February 22, 1994, the RPF assassinated Martin Bucyana, president of the Coalition for the Defense of the Republic (CDR). Colonel Karenzi of the RPF coordinated these political assassinations.

On March 15, 1994 RPF soldiers under Colonel Kayonga carried out the assassination of Nathanael Nyilinkwaya, director of the tea factory of Cyohoha Rukeri, his wife, and two factory employees. From 1991 to 1993, RPF agents posed mines and bombs on roads, minibuses, and public places. Some of these agents were arrested carrying explosives. Others were arrested crossing into Rwanda from Burundi, Tanzania, and Zaire (the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

B. FROM APRIL 6, 1994 TO PRESENT

According to a UN secret report and to Jean-Pierre Mugabe, a former RPF official, General Kagame ordered the shooting down of the plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana and his Burundi counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira. The plane was shot down on April 6, 1994 at 8:30 PM as it was about to land at Kanombe International Airport. Presidents, their aides and the crew died on the impact.

In April 1994, the RPF under Colonel Kayonga went from house to house in Remera, Kigali killing businessmen, intellectuals, politicians, and all members of their families. RPF soldiers executed unarmed civilians who fled to Amahoro Stadium. Following are the names of the people executed by the RPF.

The list is not exhaustive.
- Ndagijimana, Celestin, Chief Administrator officer at IMPRISCO
- Claudien Habarushaka, former prefect of Kigali;
- Baliyanga, Sylvestre, then prefect of Ruhengeri, his wife and children;
- Jean-Marie Vianney Mvulirwenande's wife and children; - Mujyanama, Theoneste, former attorney general;
- Habimana, Aloys, former director in the ministry of agriculture;
- Stanislas Niyibizi's wife and children;
- Hategekimana , Raphael, director of Village Urugwiro
- Major Bugenimana, Helene and her children;
- Bahigiki, Emmanuel, former secretary general in the ministry of planning, his wife, and children;
- Gahutu, Jean, his wife and his children;
- Nsengiyaremye, Theodore, pharmacist, his wife and his children;
Munyangabe, Marcel, former president of the General Accounting Court, his wife and his children;
- Ndaziramiye, Herson, his wife and children.
- Gashegu, Dismas, former vice chancellor of the National University of Rwanda;
- Mbanzarugamba, Felicien, employee at Bralirwa, his wife and children;
- Kayibanda, Irenee, employee at Societe Nationale d'Assurances (SONARWA);
- Hategekimana, Jean, president of the Court of Kigali, his wife and children;
- Mupenda, Frederic, employee at the ministry of public works
- Donat Hakizimana's wife and children.
- Nyungura, Emile, his wife and children;

According to Human Rights Watch and the FIDH, by April 25, 1994 the RPF had opened a corridor from Kigali to Byumba. It evacuated civilians from Amahoro Stadium, Kigali to Byumba. Some of the people it evacuated were summarily executed in Byumba. Among them was :
Gregoire Kayinamura, vice president of MDR,
Norbert Muhaturukundo, employee at the ministry of information, and
Sebulikoko, Celestin, businessman.

This list is not exhaustive.

So far, no RPF soldier has been prosecuted.
On April 21, 1994 the RPF killed Catholic priests who had sought refuge at Rwesero Seminary. These priests are:
Christian Nkiliyehe,
Anastase Nkundabanyanga,
Joseph Hitimana,
Gaspard Mudashimwa,
Alexis Havugimana,
Celestin Muhayimana,
Augustin Mushyenderi, and
Fidele Mulinda.
So far, no RPF soldier has been prosecuted.

On June 5, 1994 RPF soldiers summarily executed three Catholic bishops:
Vincent Nsengiyumva, Archbishop of Kigali;
Thaddee Nsengiyumva, bishop of Kabgayi;
Joseph Ruzindana, bishop of Byumba; and nine Catholic priests:
Mgr. Innocent Gasabwoya, former General Vicar Bishop of Kamonyi;
Mgr. Jean-Marie Vianney Rwabilinda,
Father Emmanuel Uwimana, Chancellor of the minor seminary of Kabgayi,
Father Sylvestre Ndaberetse,
Father Bernard Ntamugabumwe,
Father Francois Xavier Muligo,
Father Alfred Kayibanda, and
Fidele Gahonzire Human.
RPF soldiers also executed Brother Jean Baptiste Nsinga, President of St Joseph Brothers. So far no RPF soldier has been prosecuted. RPF soldiers summarily executed priests, nuns, and pastors.

- From April 7, 1994 through August 1994, the RPF summoned people to public meetings. After people had gathered to listen to RPF officials, RPF soldiers massacred them. The following terms are reminiscent of these episodes:
kwitaba inama or to attend a public meeting;
kwikiza umwanzi or to get rid of the enemy,
and gutegura or to clean up a place.

When people were summoned to attend a public meeting, they were summarily executed. When people were summoned to clean up a place to supposedly resettle internally displaced people, they were summarily executed. When people were summoned to attend a public meeting to learn how to smoke out interahamwe, they were asked to tie each other arms behind the back using ropes. Then they were summarily executed. Human Rights Watch and the FIDH have reported these massacres in the publication mentioned earlier.

A UNHCR report prepared by a team of three people headed by Robert Gersony on these numerous massacres that occurred as the RPF took control of Rwanda in 1994 was buried under pressure from the United States and the UN. According to Human Rights Watch and the FIDH, "From August 1 through September 5, the team visited ninety-one sites in forty one of the 145 communes of Rwanda and gathered detailed information about ten others".

They go on to say that "A written note produced by the UNHCR estimated only that the RPF had killed thousands of persons a month, but Gersony himself reportedly estimated that during the months from April to August the RPF killed between 25,000 and 45,000 persons, between 5,000 and 10,000 persons each month from April through July and 5,000 for the month of August. In press accounts based on leaked information, the figure most often cited was 30,000." Massacre of unarmed civilian at Kibeho, prefecture of Gikongoro. UNAMIR, non-government organizations and international news media witnessed this massacre. More than 8,000 people died.

Pasteur Bizimungu, then president of Rwanda, urged the international community to accept the death toll of three hundred people. RPA soldiers removed dead bodies at night and took them at other locations so that international news media and non government organizations could not count them. Massacres of tens of thousands unarmed Hutu civilians, mostly women, children and elderly, by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, in Kanama in October-November 1997. The Rwanda Patriotic Army accepted the responsibility for these crimes, but none was punished or even prosecuted for these crimes against humanity.

To repair the tarnished image of Kagame's regime, Colonel Ibingira who ordered this massacre was sentenced to one year of under house arrest. Massacres of tens of thousands of unarmed civilians, mostly women, children and elderly in the caves of Nyakinama, Bugoyi, in 1998. The international media and the international community confirmed the massacres and Rwandan Patriotic Army admitted to the crimes.

Massacres of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hutu civilians villagers, mostly young boys, women, children, and elderly in the villages across Ruhengeri and Gisenyi in 1997-1998, by the Rwandan Patriotic Army. These massacres occurred under the command of General Kayumba Nyamwasa, the current chief staff of the APR. He was then the highest-ranking military officer in charge of military operations in the prefectures of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri. The international community confirmed the massacres.

Massacres of an estimated 200,000 Hutu civilians in the refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, former Zaire in 1996-1997. The United Nations, the USA, and European Union confirmed the massacres and the Rwandan Patriotic Army admitted to these crimes, but none was prosecuted. These crimes were called "acts of genocide" by the International Non-Government Independent Commission set up by the United Nations to inquire on crimes committed in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The following military officers participated in the massacres of these Hutu refugees:
Colonel James Kabarebe, commander of the military invasion of former Zaire.
Colonel Ibingira;
Lieutenant Colonel Murokore;
Colonel Nzaramba;
Retired Colonel Nduguteye;
Colonel Jackson Rwahama;
Major Jacques Nziza, Director of the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI;)
Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rutayisire;
Major Dan Munyuza;
Commander David;
Commander Godfrey Kabanda;
Lieutenant Colonel Kiago Summary executions of the soldiers of the ex-FAR (Forces Armees Rwandaises) and their families after they returned from the refugee camps of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania from 1996. Those who escaped assassination are rotting in jail. The following listing is not exhaustive:
Colonel Stanislas Hakizimana, assassinated along with his family, relatives, and neighbors on January 21, 1997;
Colonel Stanislas Bangamwabo has disappeared;
Lieutenant-Colonel Augustin Nzabanita assassinated while in prison in Gisenyi on January 23, 1997;
Lietenant-Colonel BEM Antoine Sebahire assassinated along with his wife;
Major Laurent Bizabarimana assassinated in Nyarutovu on January 18-19, 1997;
Major Lambert Rugambage assassinated in January 1997;
Major Rutayisire assassinated while in RPF ideological training known as ingando;
Captain Alexander Mugarura, assassinated;
Captain Theodore Hakizimana, assassinated;
Captain Jean Kabera, assassinated;
Lieutenant Francois Nsengimana, assassinated;
Lieutenant Faustin Nsengiyumva, assassinated;
Lieutenant Edouard Nsengiyumva, assassinated;
Major Martin Ndamage rotting in a military prison;
Major Athanase Uwamungu, rotting in a military prison;
Captain Isidore Bwanakweri rotting in a military prison.

Extrajudicial executions of detainees by members of the security forces some of which have been documented by Amnesty International, for example:
Execution of 12 detainees at Muyira solitary confinements, prefecture of Butare on January 14, 1997.
Executions of more than 20 detainees at Gisovu dungeons, prefecture of Kibuye on January 23, 1997.
Execution of six detainees at Runda dungeons, prefecture of Gitarama on February 14,1997 Execution of 10 detainees at Maraba dungeons, prefecture of Butare on May 7, 1997.
Execution of 15 detainees at Gatonde dungeons, prefecture of Ruhengeri.
Execution of six detainees at Ndusu dungeons, prefecture of Ruhengeri on May 10, 1997.
Execution of 95 detainees at Rubavu dungeons and an unknown number at Kanama dungeons.

The disappearances of many Rwandan citizens (journalists, businessmen and ordinary people) and the detention of Rwandan citizens in private houses. The number of these prisoners is above 125,000 of whom more than 30 percent are believed to be innocent.

The killings of foreign nationals such as Father Valmajo of Spain, killed at Nyinawimana in April 1994;
Father Claude Simard, a Canadian killed on October 17, 1994;
three Spanish employees of the non government organization Medicos del Mundo killed on 18 January 1997;
Father Guy Pinard, a Canadian killed on February 2, 1997,
Father Curick Vjechoslav of Croatia assassinated in Kigali in 1998, and Father Duchamp, a Canadian.

Kagame's regime has detained 4,554 minors for allegedly taking part in the genocide. Some were arrested when they were as young as 8 years old. The children who were under 14 years old when they were arrested have been sharing overcrowded filthy prisons with adults.

To accelerate the decimation of the Hutu, General Kagame 's regime has resorted to two strategies. One has consisted of rounding up Hutu males and sending them to prison for allegedly participating in the genocide of Tutsi. Today 135,000 Hutu live in filthy crowded prisons where they die of epidemics slowly. Some have had legs amputated and others have lost feet or toes. The second strategy is round up able body Hutu young males and send them to the front in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after receiving minimal military training.

According to a news report broadcast by the Voice of America (VOA) on July 21, 2000, the UNHCR has recorded an increase of Rwandan refugees fleeing to Tanzania since the beginning of this year. This news report says: "The agency says that for the first six months of this year, an average of 380 Rwandan refugees a month have sought asylum in Tanzania. It says the recent big increase in refugees brings this year's total to three thousand two hundred forty." A UNHCR spokesperson told VOA that "aid workers who traveled to the Rwandan border on July 11 were told that bodies had been seen floating in the Akagera River." Local Defense Units (LDU), RPF militias based in all rural areas are responsible for this flight and murders. Lately they have been very active in the prefecture of Kibungo where the RPF has been trying to create a Tutsi land since it came to power in July 1994. Tutsi who came from Uganda have occupied houses and banana fields in Kibungo and chasing out Hutu from their properties. These Hutu have been relocated into concentration camps euphemistically called "villages" by the RPF regime.

C. KILLINGS OR TARGETING TUTSI OPPONENTS OR WOULD BE OPPONENTS

From 1990 to 1994 the RPF encouraged Tutsi refugees living in Burundi and Zaire (DRC) and the territory controlled by the then Rwandan government to send their sons to join the RPF in Uganda and northern Rwanda to serve as military manpower. Many young people responded to RPF recruiting effort.

The RPF labeled these idealist young people "French speaking". It suspected them of being spies for the Rwandan government. Many of them were executed. Major Dan Munyuza, in charge of the training wing at the time and Colonel Jacques Nziza, director of the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI) were responsible for the murder of these innocent people. Both Munyuza and Nziza led the first invasion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where they are responsible for the massacre of more than 200,000 Hutu. Munyuza and Nziza still serve in the RPA.

The later is responsible for the assassination of former RPF interior minister Seth Sendashonga and former RPA Colonel Theoneste Lizinde. Today he is director of DMI. He is now in the US setting up mobile RPA hit squads that will go after Rwandan exiles. In March 05, 2000 Assiel Kabera, advisor to former president Pasteur Bizimungu was assassinated. Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rutayisire Shabani, former director of Radio Muhabura during RPF war and former director of the Rwandan Information Office was assassinated in Kisangani, DRC by the RPA in June 2000. Other individuals the RPF has disposed of are Victor Bayingana, a businessman and his wife Kagaju. The family of Pastor Emmanuel Gasana of Parish of Nyamagana, Commune Kigoma, Prefecture Gitarama and his family along with Pastor Joseph Karamage who was appointed to replace Emmanuel Gasana. James Habarugaba, assassinated in front his home on his way from work. Professor Francois Munyamarere of the Rwanda National University Nyakinama, assassinated on his way from work. The businesswoman Ms. Mugambira, shot to death in her shop in Kigali. Some officials and military officers have fled the country; among them are Christophe Hakizabera, Major Ntashamaje, and Major Kwikiriza. A former member of Parliament, Mr. Mbanda is in prison for criticizing the Rwandan Patriotic Front.

Some prominent Tutsi have managed to escape RPF hit squads. They are: Joseph Sebarenzi Kabuye, exiled in the United States; Valens Kajeguhakwa, member of the Transitional national Assembly (NTA) and businessman; Sisi Evariste, member of NTA and businessman, exiled in Uganda; Doctor Kayijaho, president of Ibuka, exiled in Canada, former BP FINA Director General Jean Bosco Rutagengwa, Founder of Ibuka, exiled in USA, former AVEGA-AGAHOZO (1994 events widows association) President Chantal Kayitesi, exiled in USA, and former Prosecutor Edward Kayihura, exiled in USA.

D. WAR OF AGGRESSION AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND CRIMES COMMITTED DURING THE AGGRESSION, FROM 1996 TO TODAY.

General Kagame and his RPA are responsible for crimes against humanity, genocide, and violations of human rights. His criminal record and that of his army has been documented by reputable human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and FIDH, the International Panel of Eminent Personalities (IPEP) set up by the Organization for African Unity (OAU), the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development set up by the Canadian Parliament, by academics such as Alison DesForges, Professor at the University of New York at Buffalo; Andre Guichaoua, Professor at the University of Lille (France); Gerard Prunier, Senior Research at CNRS, Paris; and Filip Reyntjens, Professor at the University of Antwerpen (Belgium), and by international media.

E. IN CONCLUSION OPJDR calls on the United States Government and the IMF, to undertake the following actions in order to bring about peace in Rwanda and the Great Lakes of Africa: stopping financial, military and diplomatic support to the RPF regime; making sure that all Rwandan suspects including General Kagame and his associates are prosecuted by the ICTR; denying entry visas to General Kagame and his associates some of whom are mentioned in this letter; denying refugee status to Kagame's associates and handing them over to the ICTR; withdrawing support to Rwandan non government organizations that promote hatred, revenge, and discrimination under the cover of genocide; and dismantling the network of RPA hit squads Colonel Jacques Nziza, director of DMI is building worldwide to physically eliminate RPF opponents. The Unites States of America have the moral responsibility to assist Rwandan people get rid of Kagame and his regime because of the following reasons.

The United States blocked a UN military intervention in Rwanda to protect civilians in 1994.As a result more than one million people died.
The United States blocked a UN military intervention in Zaire to protect Rwandan Hutu refugees in 1996-97. As a result more than 200,000 people died.
The United States pressured a UN team that investigated this massacre into removing from its report the term "genocide."
The United States urged the United Nations to shelve indefinitely the Gersony report prepared by the UNHCR on massacres committed by the RPF in 1994.
The US has provided military training and equipment to the RPA since 1994.
The equipment and expertise acquired by the RPA has been used to carry out massacres of innocent people and to wage war against the DRC.

OPJDR asks the United Nations (including the IMF) and the United States of America to: broaden the mandate of the ICTR in order to enable this tribunal to investigate crimes against humanity committed by the RPF since October 1990;
endorse the IPEP recommendation calling for an investigation into the shooting down of the plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and his Burundi counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira.
Set up an international commission to investigate the genocide of Hutu committed by the RPF in Rwanda and DRC.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Felicien Kanyamibwa, Ph. D. Coordinator General
Celestin Muhindura, Deputy Coodinator General
Jean Marie-Vianney Higiro, Ph.D. Coordinator Organization for Peace, Justice, and Development in Rwanda, Inc.