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Netherlands intends to apprehend and prosecute Genocide fugitives that have sought asylum in the country, a visiting Dutch minister has said. The country’s Minister for Development Cooperation, Bert Koenders, said yesterday that the European nation has an obligation to arrest and try Genocide suspects, just like any other country.

He was addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

“There is no reason why we should not bring these fugitives to book; everybody has to be prosecuted with fair justice,” said Koenders.

He said that there was also a possibility of extraditing the fugitives to Rwanda.

The Dutch government has previously extradited a Genocide suspect, Ephraim Setako, a former army officer, to the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Detention Facility in Arusha, Tanzania.

Netherlands also arrested another Genocide suspect Joseph Mbambara and is in the process of trying him itself. Several other Genocide suspects are believed to be living in Netherlands.

Meanwhile, minister Koenders expressed optimism that the recent election of Nicholas Sarkozy as new French President will help mend the strained relations between Rwanda and France.

“I have hope in Nicholas Sarkozy’s government; I am sure this issue will be solved in a democratic way,” he said but refrained from giving his position on the Rwanda-France relations.

He also promised his government’s support to Rwanda’s media.

“We intend to support the media in Rwanda in terms of improving journalistic ethics and capacity,” he said.

During his visit, Koenders among other things visited the offices of Rwanda Independent Media Group (RIMEG), which publishes Umuseso, The Newsline and Champion newspapers.

27 May 2007
Posted to the web 28 May 2007
E. Musoni and G. Agaba
Kigali