August 2,
2008: For the last two weeks Rwanda has been telling the UN it will withdraw
its peacekeeping contingent from Darfur if the UN insists that Rwanda replace
Rwandan General Emmanuel Karake Karenzi. Rwanda, however is emphasizing that it
is not issuing an "ultimatum." Still, this is a touchy subject. Karenzi is
currently the deputy commander of the UNAMID force in Darfur. This is a
prestigious position and Rwanda is proud of Karenzi's senior status. Karenzi,
however, has also been indicted in Spain for war crimes (specifically "reprisal
killings in Rwanda") he allegedly committed during the 1990s. A UN group had
been investigating Karenzi's actions in a major battle in 2000 in the Congolese
town of Kisangani, but that incident was not involved in the Spanish
indictment. The Spanish indictment mentions two towns (Mukingo and Nyakinama) in
Rwanda where Karenzi was allegedly involved in the murder of ethnic Rwandan
Hutus. Rwanda has 2600 soldiers and police in Darfur with UNAMID. A Rwandan
withdrawal would put the entire UNAMID peacekeeping effort in jeopardy. On July
31, Rwanda's president Paul Kagame took on more than the Spanish indictment.
Kagame accused the UN's International Criminal Court (ICC) of practicing
"imperialism." Kagame contends the ICC targets African countries, specifically
"poor countries."
July 22,
2008: A young woman was killed in a hand grenade attack in Bujumbura. The
attacker was allegedly a Burundian soldier. Interestingly enough, the soldier
was arrested and charged with murder -a possible sign of change in Burundi.
July 20,
2008: The UN Security Council extended
the mandate for judges serving with the UN war crimes tribunal tasked with
investigating the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The International Criminal Tribunal
for Rwanda (ICTR) is headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania. It was created in
November 1994.
July 18,
2008: Sweden took over as chair of the Burundi Peacebuilding Commission. The
commissions is a "country specific" operation designed to monitor and forward
Burundi's peace and reconciliation process.
July 10,
2008: The UN Security Council voted to end the arms embargo on Rwanda. The
embargo had been in effect since the 1994 genocide.
July 9,
2008: The Burundian government accused the FNL-PALIPEHUTU of "halting
demobilization" and recruiting new rebel fighters. The FNL faction denied the
accusation.