genocide - The African Mirror

Sep

2021

Rwandan genocide ‘kingpin’ Bagosora dies

A former Rwandan army colonel who was accused of masterminding the slaughter of 800,000 people during the 1994 genocide has died in prison in Mali, Malian officials have announced. Theoneste Bagosora was serving a 35-year sentence after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by the then International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). His sentence had been reduced from life in prison. "It is confirmed. He was over 80 years old, he was seriously ill, with heart troubles. He was hospitalised several times and had three surgeries. He died today in a clinic," a source in Mali's prison administration who…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

No genocide case against Polisario Front leader

NEWS

SPAIN’S High Court has dropped an investigation into alleged war crimes and genocide against Western Sahara independence leader Brahim Ghali, whose hospitalization in Spain caused a diplomatic row with Morocco. Ghali and other Polisario Front leaders were accused by human rights groups and Western Sahara individuals of genocide, murder, terrorism, torture and disappearances, a court document said. Ghali had appeared remotely in a court hearing last month as part of the investigation. His lawyer said he denied any wrongdoing. The High Court ruled that most of the alleged facts brought against Ghali were covered by the status of limitation. It…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Namibian genocide: why Germany’s bid to make amends isn’t enough

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE recent “joint declaration” of the Namibian and German governments on dealing with the 1904-08 genocide marks the first time a former colonial power has officially offered an apology to another country for state sponsored mass crimes. REINHART KÖSSLER, Professor in Political Science, University of Freiburg HENNING MELBER, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria The agreement stipulates that Germany will pay €1.1bn for development projects in Namibia over the next 30 years. Some pundits consider the accord a potential template for efforts towards post-colonial reconciliation for other former colonies and colonial powers. We recognise that this is…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Hand over Bashir ally – ICC

NEWS

THE International Criminal Court has asked Sudan to hand over one of the key people accused of war crimes and genocide in Darfur and an ally of ousted President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the visiting chief ICC prosecutor has said. The accused, Ahmed Haroun, asked in May to be sent to The Hague, the court's headquarters, complaining that he would not receive a fair trial in Sudan. Chief ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told a news conference that Bashir, in prison in Khartoum, was still wanted by the ICC and that the court was willing to negotiate with the Sudanese government on…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Rwanda genocide: Macron forgiveness plea resets historic ties

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

FRENCH president Emmanuel Macron has just paid his first state visit to Rwanda. While many world leaders have visited the central African nation of 13 million, including past French presidents, such as President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010, this trip was going to be different. JONATHAN BELOFF SOAS, University of London Sure enough president Macron would come the closest to apologising for France’s involvement during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. At the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Macron asked for forgiveness for France’s involvement in the genocide. He also expressed his desire to combat genocide ideology and denial in order to foster…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Genocide in Ethiopia? Why answering the question will be a challenge

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE head of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Church, Abune Mathias, recently condemned the ongoing armed conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and the suffering it’s causing the civilian population. In a video message, he was seen saying “genocide is being committed now”. FIREW TIBA, Senior Lecturer, Deakin University Abune Mathias may be the highest-profile figure to label the alleged criminal acts against Tigrayans as genocide, but he’s not the first. In January, the leader of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and former president of Tigray – Debretsion Gebremichael – accused the Ethiopian and Eritrean forces of waging a “devastating and genocidal war” in…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Genocide is taking place in Tigray’

NEWS

THE head of Ethiopia's Orthodox Church has said that atrocities amounting to genocide are being committed in Tigray, in his first comments on the conflict in the region that broke out in November and has killed thousands. Abune Mathias, who has been head of the church since 2013, did not say who was responsible for this. He spoke in a video message that was posted on Twitter by an American religious charity worker. Dennis Wadley, who heads a U.S.-based church group called Bridge of Hope International, said Abune Mathias had asked him to post the video. "He wanted the world…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Bashir ally would prefer ICC to Sudan court for Darfur trial

NEWS

ONE of the key people accused of war crimes and genocide in Darfur in the early 2000s said yesterday he would prefer to be tried in front of the International Criminal Court (ICC) rather than what he said were biased Sudanese courts. Ousted President Omar al-Bashir has for years resisted the ICC warrants against him and four close allies over the conflict in Sudan's western region that killed an estimated 300,000 people and drove 2.5 million from their homes. They face charges at The Hague of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed by pro-government forces in…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

Belgium arrests three Rwandans in connection with 1994 genocide

NEWS

MARINE STRAUSS BELGIUM’S federal prosecutor's office has announced the arrest of three people of Rwandan origin who were charged with serious violations of international law linked to the 1994 genocide. The arrests come as survivors of the genocide have demanded an acceleration in the pace of international justice, and Belgium, the former colonial power in Burundi and Congo as well as Rwanda, seeks to do more to come to terms with its past. Militants from Rwanda's Hutu ethnic majority killed about 800,000 minority Tutsis and Hutu moderates in 100 days during the genocide in 1994. Felicien Kabuga Belgium's prosecutor said…