Tuesday october 14,
Jean Gervais Munyaneza landed yesterday night around seven thirty PM at Kigali airport. He was accompanied by two policemen, who were ordered to hand him over to the Rwandese authorities, according to a spokesman of the Dutch ministry of Justice.
One would think the Rwandese authorities very eager to receive a person accused of genocide. But no one was there. If they were there, they were invisible.
On the contrary. The Rwandese customs first denied Munyaneza entrance to their country. They were preparing to get him on the next plane back, as they didn't trust his 'laissez-passer', according to Munyaneza himself. Getting him back on the plane to Amsterdam was something his lawyers had worked hard for all day, without success, and now Rwandese customs would do it for them.
According to the Dutch ministry of Justice, Rwanda knew Munyaneza was coming, because of the 'laissez-passer'. It's a temporarily travel document and can only be issued if the receiving country will accept that person.
An awkward situation for the two policemen who accompanied Munyaneza. What to do? Munyaneza said, he thought they were even a bit afraid. I can imagine. They probably expected a warm welcome and handcuffs for the genocide suspect but suddenly found themselves to be a suspect of breaking the law.
Let's see what it all means. Miscommunication between The Netherlands and Rwanda? Is Rwanda not interested in Munyaneza who has no ties whatsoever with the opposition? Or does Rwanda want to show the world that all people evicted or extradited have nothing to fear, so all judges all over the world will say 'yes', you can go back to Rwanda, because it's safe in Rwanda?
Jean Gervais Munyaneza, first to be evicted
Monday october 13, 2014
Today Jean Gervais Munyaneza was sent back to Rwanda at 11.00 AM. He was accompanied by two Dutch policemen, who will hand him over to Rwandan authorities. He will arrive at Kigali airport at 7.20 PM. He is the first Rwandese, accused of genocide, who’s sent back to Rwanda to stand trial.
The Dutch immigration service accuses Jean Gervais Munyaneza of killing a person during the genocide. Munyaneza denies the accusations. According to him, the accusations are made by people who want his family property in Rwanda.
Munyaneza came to Holland in 1997. In 2001 the Dutch Immigration service granted him a residence permit for an infinite period. The same Immigration Service started an investigation in 2009 because his name appeared in three reports. Two of those reports were from human rights organization African Rights. This organization works also for the Rwandese government.
In 2011 his permit was withdrawn; his status became officially illegal.
His brother Jean de Dieu Munyaneza is also accused of genocide. He's in a Dutch prison. His case is viewed by the European Court.
All in all around 15 to 20 people in The Netherlands are accused of genocide. Most of them are political opponents or have assets in Rwanda. Their fate could be the fate of Munyaneza: eviction to Rwanda.
Two people are in prison waiting for extradition.
Most accusations are based on a Individual Report, which quotes anonymous witnesses, is not checked by the immigration service or the ministry of foreign affairs. Already in 1998 and 2007 our 'Ombudsman' concluded that the Dutch embassy was not transparent about witnesses, that the ministry of Foreign Affairs did not check if sources and information was complete. Also the Immigration Service was accused of being biased and one-sided.
When I was in Kigali, last may, I talked to a person who had done research for the Dutch embassy. He told me positive reports on a person were put in a drawer. Negative reports, made by another researcher were instead sent to The Netherlands. He was shocked something like that could happen.