Rwanda: US aid up by more than 40 percent but with strings attached

By RNA Reporter
June 10, 2010


Kigali: A bill has been introduced in the United States Congress asking Rwanda to “immediately release” embattled American lawyer Peter Erlinder – with that demand being linked to US aid to Rwanda, RNA reports.

The two members, Congresswoman Betty McCollum and Congressman Keith Ellison, both from Mr. Erlinder’s home state of Minnesota, are calling for the controversial lawyer to be allowed to return home.

The Bill introduced Wednesday makes the point that since Rwanda is getting significant aid from the United States, then its national Mr. Erlinder must be released. The two members of Congress also claim the prosecution of Erlinder is “based in part upon legal arguments made during his work as a defense attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda”.

According to the Bill, Rwanda has received some US$1,034,000,000 since the year 2000, and is scheduled to get US$240,200,000 for 2011 – up from about US$167million in the ongoing financial year. The United States does not give budget support to Rwanda.

If the Obama financial request for Rwanda is passed by the lawmakers, then the package could rise by more than 43 percent.

Based on six grounds detailed in the resolution, the two Congress members want House of Representatives to urge the “Government of the Republic of Rwanda and President Paul Kagame to immediately release Professor Peter Erlinder from jail and allow him to return to the United States”.

By press time, the Bill had been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration.

Meanwhile, former British PM Tony Blair arrived in the country Wednesday for a three day trip. As senior aide to President Kagame, with who he is planned to meet, Mr. Blair has already met several officials including PM Bernard Makuza.