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U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether Kagame has immunity in U.S. courts
--
March 16, 2013
by Professor Peter Erlinder, International Humanitarian Law Institute
"The assassination of (Rwandan President) Juvénal Habyarimana and (Burudian President) Cyprien Ntaryamira on the evening of April 6, 1994," when their plane was shot down as it prepared to land in Kigali, Rwanda, "was the catalyst for the Rwandan Genocide. … The assassination set in motion some of the bloodiest events of the late 20th century, the Rwandan Genocide and the First Congo War," according to Wikipedia. Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundi President Cyprien Ntaryamira died when their French-piloted plane was hit by missiles and crashed in the presidential compound in Kigali on April 6, 1994. The widows of the slain presidents filed a civil suit for money damages against Rwanda's current President Paul Kagame on May 1, 2010, for these intentional "extra-judicial killings," charging that Kagame intended to trigger the mass violence now known as the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
The 'imperial presidency' is the real issue
The Obama administration issued a "suggestion of immunity" from federal court jurisdiction for Kagame, even though the assassinations of the two presidents occurred before the present government of Rwanda existed and before Kagame was an official in any government, much less head of state. The 10th Circuit and 4th Circuit ruled differently on whether a "suggestion of head-of-state immunity" must be obeyed by the Supreme Court and the other federal courts.
Plaintiffs' complaint in Habyarimana vs. Kagame promises to prove that then Gen. Paul Kagame, now president of Rwanda, ordered the assassination of Rwandan President Habyarimana and Burundian President Ntaryamira on April 6, 1994.
Unofficial acts not entitled to immunity: Supreme Court 2010
Presidential immunity from federal jurisdiction by decree is contrary to Samantar v. Yousuf, the Court's 20101ruling that held head-of-state immunity is "derivative of" the "sovereign immunity" of nations which Congress defined in FSIA (Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act of 1976) and limited to "official acts." The president cannot create, or ignore, federal jurisdiction properly established and interpreted by the other branches.
'Suggesting immunity' for Kagame aligns U.S. with known war criminals – why?
Whether now-President Kagame should be protected by Obama administration-invoked immunity from federal jurisdiction is a separate policy question that was widely discussed during the congressional vetting process of Susan Rice' candidacy for Secretary of State in late 2012,2 in light of:
Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana
- Rwanda's responsibility for the mass violence perpetrated by M23 in the Congo, reported by U.N. Experts in November 2012;3
- Rwanda's responsibility for the mass violence in Congo 1993-2003, including genocide and war crimes in yjr U.N. Mapping Report of Oct. 1, 2010;4
- Rwanda's responsibility for resource rape of the Congo, reported by UNSC Experts 2001-08;5) and,
- Kagame's responsibility for the assassination of the two presidents, which was well known within the ruling RPF party, according to the Oct. 1, 2011, confession of President Kagame's former Chief of Staff Dr. Theogene Rudisingwa, MD;6
In Habyarimana v. Kagame, the Supreme Court will have the opportunity to determine whether Mr. Obama, or any chief executive, has the power to ignore federal jurisdiction established by Congress (FSIA and TVPA, Trafficking Victims Protection Act) as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Samantar v. Yousuf.
Professor Peter Erlinder, past president of the National Lawyers Guild, president of ADAD, the UN-ICTR defense lawyers associations, Arusha, Tanzania, a founding member of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms and the Minnesota Bill of Rights Defense Coalition, is director of the International Humanitarian Law Institute of St. Paul, Minn. He can be reached at proferlinder@gmail.com.
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Why Africa Realities Media Is Different
Africa Realities Media speaks to Africa and to the developed world. Many abuses facing African people are committed by African states and ruling elites, but they are often protected by international silence, lobbying, public relations, trade interests, migration deals and unequal global accountability. While governments pay lobbyists to present a good image abroad, ordinary African people continue to face violence, hunger, disease, poverty, repression and exclusion. We challenge the normalisation of African suffering and demand equal truth, equal justice and equal protection.
Pourquoi Africa Realities Media est différent?
Africa Realities Media s’adresse à l’Afrique et au monde développé. De nombreux abus subis par les peuples africains sont commis par des États africains et des élites dirigeantes, mais ils sont souvent protégés par le silence international, le lobbying, les relations publiques, les intérêts commerciaux, les accords migratoires et une responsabilité mondiale inégale. Tandis que des gouvernements paient des lobbyistes pour présenter une bonne image à l’étranger, des Africains ordinaires continuent de faire face à la violence, à la faim, aux maladies, à la pauvreté, à la répression et à l’exclusion. Nous contestons la normalisation de la souffrance africaine et exigeons une vérité égale, une justice égale et une protection égale.
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Africa Realities Media is an independent African accountability platform based in London. We report, analyse and challenge the systems that shape African suffering, silence African victims and protect abusive power.
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