Par John Philpot
President, RPPSN
May 19, 2022
I am writing to inform
you of the death today of Mr. Jérôme Bicamumpaka in Nairobi.
They were unjustly
deprived of their husband/father for 23 years. All members of his family are
Canadian citizens. I am attaching a family photograph obtained from Change.org.
Appointed Minister on
April 9, 1994, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr. Bicamumpaka was
largely absent from Rwanda during the April-July 1994 war.
The ICTR Prosecutor had
him arrested on April 6, 1999, for war crimes knowing that Mr. Bicamumpaka had
been a diplomat. Detained throughout his trial, he was acquitted on September
20, 2011. His absence (alibi) was a key factor in his acquittal. The prosecutor
did not even appeal. Shame on the Prosecutor for having maintained the charges
for 12 years.
Since his acquittal,
Canada has refused to allow Mr. Bicamumpaka, an acquitted man, to join his
family in Montreal. Canada presumes members of the Rwandan government guilty
despite the ICTR's acquittal. The ICTR was created with the support of Canada.
Double talk! Shame on Canada!
We all know that Mr.
Bicamumpaka could have lived peacefully in Montreal with his family who loved
him and probably would not have died today.
We know his wife, Mrs.
Jeannine Hakizimana, who is an exemplary woman with her work with the International
Women’s Network for Democracy and Peace – IWNDP.
I knew Mr. Bicamumpaka in
Arusha. His insight and the strength of his thinking were formidable. In
November 2021, he had the courage to refuse the transfer to Niger that the
Mechanism wanted to impose on him.
We will all remember these injustices.
Yours truly,
John Philpot, President, RPPSN
--
www.johnphilpot.com
Note: Article available in French
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