Rwandans mobilise against extradition

Organisers say half a million people turned out in the Rwandan capital Kigali today to protest at the extradition to France by Germany of a presidential aide.

Crowds surrounded the German embassy and the German world service radio station. France accuses nine Rwandan officials of involvement in the assassination of Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana in 1994. One of them is Rose Kabuye, who was arrested at Frankfurt airport earlier this month while preparing a European tour for Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

“French leaders have no right to prevent us from building our nation. They have no right to prevent us from advancing. That’s why we are protesting here today,” said musician Beni Ngabo.

However, Kagame has long accused France of complicity in the Rwandan genocide that followed the assassination. He is dropping French in Rwandan schools, adopting English, and cut diplomatic relations two years ago when French anti-terrorist judges indicted his nine officials.

The shooting down of Habyarimana’s plane and its French crew triggered a genocide of Tutsis by Hutus that left 800,000 dead. Rwanda says Kabuye’s arrest was in violation of international law. She is now being questioned in Paris.

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