The opponent of the Rwandan regime has been cut off from his family since his surprising arrest at the end of August. How did Paul Rusesabagina end up in Kigali at the end of August?
The man, who became an opponent of the regime of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, has gained worldwide notoriety since a Hollywood feature film – Hotel Rwanda – highlighted his action during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Paul Rusesabagina saved the world life of more than 1200 people during these days of genocide in the land of a thousand hills.
On August 31, Paul Rusesabagina appeared handcuffed in front of Rwandan television cameras. The Rwandan prosecutor then read his indictment. Man must answer for terrorism, arson, kidnappings and murder.
According to the words of the Rwandan president, Paul Rusesabagina would have returned of his own free will to Rwanda. “Let me eliminate the word kidnapping because it was not. Rusesabagina will testify to this himself. There was no kidnapping, there was no wrongdoing in the process of his arrival in Rwanda, ”explained the Rwandan president.
Kidnapping?
A version rejected by Carine Kanimba, her adopted daughter, and her lawyer, Me Vincent Lurquin. The two speak openly of an abduction. “Before these events, the last time we spoke with my father, he was still in the United States and getting ready to take off for Dubai ,” explains her daughter. We never openly discuss the phone because we know we can be tapped no matter where it is. But there was no question of a trip to Africa, ” she continues.
“My client knew full well that he would be arrested if he set foot on Rwandan soil. He was kidnapped, there is no doubt, ” explains his Belgian lawyer who intends to do everything to get“ quickly ”to Rwanda. “I hope that the Belgian authorities will help us”, he blurted out, before evoking “an absolutely unacceptable violation of international law. Our country must be able to say that we cannot accept such a violation of international law.
His arrest is obviously absolutely not in accordance with international law. I think the conditions of his arrest mean that any trial that would take place in Rwanda would be unacceptable ” . “How far can Paul Kagame afford to go?” he asks, finally recalling that Belgium cannot act “as if this file did not exist” by recalling that Paul Rusesabagina had fled Rwanda, applied for and obtained in 1996 the status of political refugee at home ( “This means that Belgium must protect him ” ) before obtaining Belgian nationality.
A status and a link with our country that the Rwandan authorities do not deny, who authorized a consular visit by the Belgian diplomatic services. “If Rwanda considered that it is a Rwandan problem concerning a Rwandan national in Rwanda, there would be no reason to authorize this visit” , continues the lawyer. As for Belgian Foreign Affairs, this Monday we were content to confirm the consular visit “last Tuesday” before continuing: “We are monitoring the situation closely.” But no question of evoking any intervention from Brussels to Kigali. “We have to do with Paul Rusesabagina’s lawyers” , we were content to explain.
Opposition party chairman
Why would the Rwandan regime, regularly accused of seeking to execute its opponents even abroad, have brought Paul Rusesabagina back to the country? Far from the image of the manager who saves lives in a hotel in the midst of genocide, the opponent, since his exile, which he spent mainly between Belgium and the United States, founded a political party very critical of -visit of the Rwandan president. He is even believed to be linked to an armed wing that allegedly carried out military attacks in Rwanda.
A version denied by her daughter who wants to see in her adoptive father “a Hutu who married a Tutsi and who notably adopted a Tutsi girl. He has always worked for the rapprochement between the two communities ”. For Vincent Lurquin, his client has become an embarrassing man for the power of Kigali by his notoriety. “It is a symbol that we want to destroy. In particular, we want to pass him off as a negationist, it’s surreal. ”
“We fear for our life, for our health”
Paul Rusesabagina was indicted yesterday for terrorism, murder and rebellion financing by a court in Kigali. Visibly distressed, he asked the court for release on bail, saying he needed “constant” medical care , but the prosecution considered that he presented a risk of absconding abroad. The court will rule on his request this Thursday. Her daughter had mentioned her health concerns. “In a phone call since his arrest, he told us he had what he needed for treatment, but we felt he could not speak freely. I am very worried about his health and his life. ”
Source: https://afrique.lalibre.be/