UK: MPs to probe Mitchell's £16m aid handout to Rwandan dictator accused of human rights abuse
By JASON GROVES
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Controversy: Andrew Mitchell
MPs are expected to hold an inquiry into Andrew Mitchell’s decision to hand £16million in aid to an African dictator accused of human rights abuses.
Sir Malcolm Bruce, who chairs the Commons international development committee, said there were ‘questions to answer’ over the decision to unlock aid to Rwanda last month.
The grant – made on Mr Mitchell’s final day in office as International Development Secretary last month before he became Tory Chief Whip – flew in the face of international opinion.
Donor nations are becoming increasingly alarmed by the conduct of Rwandan president Paul Kagame’s regime and the United States, Sweden and the Netherlands maintain aid bans.
Mr Kagame, who was re-elected in 2010 with 93 per cent of the vote, has been accused of suppressing opponents and journalists in the tiny east African state.
A United Nations report also accused his regime of sheltering a wanted war criminal and arming an uprising in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sir Malcolm, who visited Rwanda last year, said the country had a good track record of using foreign aid money.
But he said this was rapidly becoming overshadowed by concerns about the regime’s human rights record.
‘There are real worries about the lack of pluralism in Rwanda and the lack of a free press. Direct budget support was suspended because of allegations about Rwanda’s role in the uprising in the DRC,’ Sir Malcolm added.
‘Other donors have not been persuaded to lift that suspension, which raises questions about why we are so anxious to lift it, and to what extent we are able to influence events in Rwanda in political terms.
Final act: Andrew Mitchell, right, made the grant of aid to African dictator Paul Kagame, left, on his last day as International Development Secretary, last month
On parade: President Paul Kagame inspecting Rwandan troops in the capital Kigali
There is certainly not much evidence that President Kagame is responding to influence at the moment.
‘As before with the department, the fact that they are refusing to release the policy advice raises suspicions ministers may have been acting on subjective information.’
Sir Malcolm’s committee will meet next week to discuss the Rwanda issue and he said some form of inquiry was likely to follow.
In a separate move, Labour’s development spokesman has written to Mark Lowcock, permanent secretary at the Department for International Development, demanding the release of the policy advice behind Mr Mitchell’s decision.
Ivan Lewis said there was widespread concern about the ‘rushed’ nature of the decision on Mr Mitchell’s final day in office, particularly given his ‘close relations’ with President Kagame.
Probe: Andrew Mitchell, pictured centre left with dictator Paul Kagame, centre right, is facing mounting questions over his decision to grant aid to the African leader accused of human rights violations
He said the decision had ‘undermined the unity and collective voice of the international community’ on Rwanda. In a separate letter to William Hague, Mr Lewis asked for the release of Foreign Office policy on Rwanda.
A senior Foreign Office source told the Daily Mail that Mr Mitchell’s decision had been a ‘mistake’ which had undermined Britain’s reputation for standing up against human rights abuses.
DfID insists the Chief Whip’s move was ‘based on advice from policy officials within the department’, but refused to disclose details. Sources also insist that he maintained a ‘robust’ dialogue with Mr Kagame about the country’s deteriorating human rights record.
But concerns have been raised about Mr Mitchell’s close friendship with the leader, who played a key role in helping to ‘detoxify’ the Tory party’s uncaring image.
Mr Kagame helped Mr Mitchell establish a project for Tory volunteers in Rwanda. Mr Mitchell is thought to have visited the country at least eight times in the past six years.
Disturbing allegations about the Kagame regime are continuing to emerge with the president’s former bodyguard describing him as a killer. Joel Mutabazi, who served Mr Kagame for 20 years, told the Times: ‘Kagame has no mercy. He is a killer. He is a dictator. He can’t stand any opposition.
‘He sings to the West about reconciliation, but it’s a lie. Rwanda hasn’t learned the lessons of the genocide. It’s a volcano and it’s going to burst and it will be worse than before.’
posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 3:52 PM
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