RWANDA-POLITICS: NEW GOVERNMENT IN EXILE FORMED

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

CHARLES WACHIRA

NAIROBI, Nov 16 1994 (IPS) - OUSTED RWANDAN HUTU POLITICIANS IN EASTERN ZAIRE SAY THEY HAVE RESTRUCTURED WHAT THEY TERM THEIR GOVERNMENT IN EXILE, CUTTING THE NUMBER OF MINISTERIAL POSTS.

A STATEMENT, FAXED TO IPS IN NAIROBI NAMED THEIR “PRESIDENT IN EXILE” AS THEODORE SINDIKUBWABO — THE MAN WHO TOOK OVER FROM SLAIN RWANDAN PRESIDENT JUVENAL HABYARIMANA IN APRIL.

SINDIKUBWABO AND THE FORMER RWANDAN HUTU ADMINISTRATION WERE OVERTHROWN BY THE TUTSI-DOMINATED RWANDESE PATRIOTIC FRONT (RPF) AFTER HUTU MILITIA AND TROOPS HAD MASSACRED CLOSE TO A MILLION MAINLY TUTSI CIVILIANS FOLLOWING HABYARIMANA’S DEATH.

“THE MISSION OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS PRINCIPALLY TO ENSURE THE RETURN OF ALL RWANDAN REFUGEES TO THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR PROPERTY,” SAID THE STATEMENT, SIGNED BY JEROME BICAMUMPAKA, RWANDA’S FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER, AND DATED NOV 1.

THE STATEMENT NAMED JEAN KABANDA AS PRIME MINISTER AND LISTED SEVEN MINISTERS, COMPARED WITH THE 19 PREVIOUSLY.

IT SAID THE CHANGES WERE MADE AFTER CONSULTATIONS IN OCTOBER BETWEEN RWANDA’S OUSTED POLITICIANS ABROAD AND REPRESENTATIVES OF RWANDANS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

AID AGENCIES SAY THE HUTU POLITICIANS AND MEMBERS OF THE FORMER GOVERNMENT ARMY AND HUTU MILITIA IN EASTERN ZAIRE, HAVE PREVENTED REFUGEES RETURNING HOME.

THE AID WORKERS ACCUSE THE HUTU LEADERS OF ORGANISING A CAMPAIGN OF TERROR IN THE CAMPS.

MORE THAN A MILLION RWANDANS, MOSTLY MEMBERS OF THE HUTU MAJORITY, FLED TO ZAIRE IN JULY AFTER THREE MONTHS OF CIVIL WAR. THE RPF HAS FORMED AN ETHNICALLY MIXED GOVERNMENT AND HAS APPEALED TO THE REFUGEES TO RETURN.

THE MEDICAL AID AGENCY MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES HALTED OPERATIONS IN CAMPS FOR AN ESTIMATED 250,000 REFUGEES AROUND BUKAVU ON MONDAY, SAYING KILLERS LINKED TO THE FORMER GOVERNMENT HELD SWAY.

MSF SAID ITS WORKERS HAD WITNESSED THE CREATION OF A CAMP POLICING SYSTEM BARRING FREE MOVEMENT OF REFUGEES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TRIBUNALS AND PRISONS. THEY CLAIMED INTIMIDATION, ARRESTS AND ASSASSINATIONS OF PEOPLE SEEN AS OPPONENTS WAS RIFE.