At an event to mark the 28th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda’s newly arrived High Commissioner to the UK Johnston Busingye used his first public address in the UK to call for the suspected genocidaires living freely in the UK to face justice.

At St Marylebone, central London, the venue was packed with members of the Rwandan community abroad from across the UK, members of London’s diplomatic corps and UK Government and Commonwealth officials. 

High Commissioner Busingye, who served as Rwanda’s Minister of Justice from 2013 to 2021, said of the five suspected genocidaires, who continue to evade justice for the sixteenth year: 
“We know these men’s names, the UK knows their names, the world ought to know their names. They continue to live freely in the cities we share. All we ask is that they have their day in court in the UK, be put to their defence and let justice prevail.
Last year, an all-party-parliamentary group was established to lobby the UK Government to ensure these individuals face justice. We are grateful for this effort. The relevant institutions in Rwanda are cooperating fully with the ongoing process to see justice served.
We should not and we will not rest until the perpetrators of genocide face justice.
For Genocide survivors, the delay of justice is justice denied.”

Expert speaker Mr Andrew Wallis, researcher and author of Stepp'd in Blood: Akazu and the Architects of the Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi also used his address to call for the genocide suspects in the UK to stand trial and emphasized the importance of trials. “Trials give much needed solace to victims and survivors, some sense of closure, some sense of right finally being done. Trials silence denial.” Mr Wallis also called out the names of the suspects who must face justice: “Vincent Bajinya, Célestin Ugirashebuja, Charles Munyaneza, Emmanuel Nteziryayo and Célestin Mutabaruka. ”

Mr Wallis and the High Commissioner implored the audience to fight against the scourge of genocide denial. High Commissioner Busingye referenced the twenty-five European countries with laws that address Holocaust denial, and encouraged countries to enact laws to tackle denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi, and offered them Rwanda’s support in this endeavor. 

The Deputy Commonwealth Secretary-General Dr Arjoon Suddhoo provided an address and commended the great strides Rwanda has made on its development journey and looked ahead with great excitement to the upcoming CHOGM2022 summit, to be held in Kigali in June.

Dignitaries, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps took to Twitter to share messages of solidarity with the people of Rwanda. Among them was the UK’s Minister for Africa Vicky Ford MP who on 7th April said “Today marks the 28th anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi. My thoughts are with all the people of Rwanda at this time of commemoration.” A moving video message of solidarity was also shared by players of Arsenal Football Club. 

Commemoration events will continue across the United Kingdom over the coming weeks with community services set to take place up and down the country.