Rwanda: "Hotel Rwanda Hero" Writes to UN Secretary General Over ICTR Mandate

Mr. Paul Rusesabagina has asked the UN Secretary General to use his "high authority to grant a term extension" for the Tanzania-based Genocide tribunal beyond its 2008 deadline arguing it has fallen "short of its initial mission", RNA has established.

Making reference to UN Security Council Resolution 955 creating the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the controversial hero behind the Hollywood theatrical Hotel Rwanda says the court has "only prosecuted members of one side to the (Rwandan) conflict".

In a letter to Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Mr. Rusesabagina argues that the court has only brought to book "former government and the former Rwandan armed forces (FAR), granting total enjoyment of impunity to members of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and its army the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA)".

"Not that there has been any kind of amendment to the original Resolution 955 allowing the ICTR to close its eyes on the RPF crimes. Quite the contrary." he notes in the letter dated June 20, a copy of which RNA has seen.

With the advice of the UN Secretary General Expert Commission, the Security Council established the Arusha-based court in 1995. Several years down the road, the highly staffed and funded court has just handled a handful of cases.

The same Council last year ordered the costly tribunal to phase out its activities by 2010. The remaining cases are now being transferred to Rwanda and Europe.

Outspoken Rusesabagina says if the ICTR goes ahead and concludes all proceedings on December 31, 2008 without prosecuting suspected criminals from the "other side of the conflict, it will have contributed to compounding the Rwandan problem rather than solving it".

Mr. Rusesabagina, claiming to be writing on behalf of "voiceless Rwandans thirsting for justice" also argues that the closure will have "served to entrench the very pattern of discrimination it had been destined to stamp out".

"Truthfully, unless all criminals guilty of the worst kind of crimes against humanity are punished, there is no hope for genuine reconciliation among Rwandans", Rusesabagina said.

He adds that his case is compounded by the fact that "specialists" on the great lakes region such as "Professor Filip Reyntjens of Antwerp University in Belgium". The Belgian academic has terminated all collaboration with the ICTR.

Last November, Mr. Rusesabagina also wrote to the ICTR detailing his case on what he called the "horrible crimes" committed by several officials currently part of the establishment in Kigali.

Despite calls coming in from campaign groups for the tribunal to be allowed more time, the UN is not convinced. The tribunal heads told the Security Council this week that they were on track with the phase out plan.

Since its inception, government has had an on and off relationship partly for its treatment of witnesses brought in from Rwanda.

At some point, officials in Kigali have said the billion dollars spent on managing the court would have been much helpful if it had been invested in supporting Rwanda redevelop its justice system from complete collapse.

Mr. Rusesabagina for his part has not had many friends except for the Rwandan opposition groups in exile. US President Bush honoured him for his apparent "courage" in saving hundreds of people during the Genocide. The US Democrats have also followed suit.

His critics have labeled him a "lair" and "impostor" who they argue does not deserve the stature given to him.

Some of the people Mr. Rusesabagina claims to have saved from the rampaging militia have come out hitting back accusing him of "forcing" them to pay for their stay at the Hotel Mille Colline during the 100-day carnage. This alone, they say discredits him from his self acclaimed humanitarian title.

In a series of articles late last year published by the American Chronicle, great lakes researcher Mr. William Church has even lashed out at media outlets that have given coverage to Mr. Rusesabagina.

Today, Rusesabagina has gained celebrity status, and now even a well respected news organization like Reuters feels free to quote him without supporting evidence and checking his facts", Mr. Church wrote in one piece.

Mr. Church added: "It is time we ask an important question: Have we crossed that boundary that separates freedom of the press and individual freedom of speech and the promotion of hate that could divide a country?"

On Mr. Rusesabagina himself, Mr. Church wrote: "Rusesabagina's views take Rwanda back to the Habyarimana policy of ethnic identification".