Callixte Mbarushimana, a Rwandan national, passed away in France at the age of 63. He was a former top official at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Rwanda and a computer technician. Mbarushimana was wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for his alleged role in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis. He was accused of providing Interahamwe militia with UN equipment, including Motorola radios and vehicles, which were used to hunt down and kill Tutsis.
According to ICTR documents, Mbarushimana was accused of leading the killing of 32 Tutsis who worked with him at the UN. He had been on the run from justice since the genocide and was the subject of an international arrest warrant. Mbarushimana was also accused of working with the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group formed by those who perpetrated the genocide. He was said to have played a key role in the group's leadership and was its Secretary-General in 2007.
Mbarushimana was born in 1963 in what is now the Gakenke district of Rwanda. He studied computer science and communication. In 2009, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on him, citing his alleged role in the FDLR and the threat he posed to peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) had also issued an arrest warrant for Mbarushimana in 2010, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by FDLR rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was arrested in Paris in 2010 and transferred to The Hague in 2011. However, in 2011, the ICC declined to confirm the charges against him and ordered his release.
Mbarushimana's case was closely followed by the UN, which had placed him on its sanctions list in 2009. The UN had also expressed concern about his alleged role in the FDLR and the threat he posed to peace and security in the region. A team of UN experts had recommended that countries take action to track down and prosecute FDLR leaders, including Mbarushimana.
Mbarushimana's death brings an end to a long and complex chapter in the pursuit of justice for the 1994 genocide. While he was not brought to justice during his lifetime, his case serves as a reminder of the international community's efforts to hold those responsible for atrocities accountable.
The FDLR, which Mbarushimana was accused of leading, was a rebel group that continued to operate in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The group was formed by those who perpetrated the genocide and has been accused of numerous human rights abuses.
Key points
- Callixte Mbarushimana, a former top UN official, died in France at the age of 63.
- He was wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for his alleged role in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
- Mbarushimana was also accused of working with the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda, a rebel group formed by those who perpetrated the genocide.
