Rwandan ambassador flees post
Published: 19 March 2010 13:57 | Changed: 21 March 2010 14:39
The Rwandan ambassador to the Netherlands has left the country and applied for asylum in Ireland.
By Mark Schenkel
Sources have confirmed that the Rwandan ambassador to the Netherlands, Jean Pierre Bizimana, has requested political asylum in Ireland. His motives remain unclear for the time being. Bizimana was unavailable for comment at this time.
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On March 3, the Rwandan president Paul Kagame announced that Bizimana had tendered his resignation. Kagame denied any pressure had been put on his nation’s foreign representative. Sources claim that Bizimana had failed to provide Kagame with enough information regarding the president’s political enemies residing in the Netherlands. Western Europe is home to many Rwandans who left their native land following the genocide of 1994. Some are campaigning from abroad against Kagame and his supporters, who took power after the genocide. Rwanda’s presidential election is scheduled to take place in August.
Bizimana, who had been ambassador since December 2006, had been expected to return to the Rwandan capital of Kigali on February 17 for the Rwandan representatives’ annual ambassadors retreat. He failed to show, only to reappear in Ireland instead.
The Dutch foreign affairs ministry confirmed that Bizimana had “recently left the Netherlands.” A spokesperson said the ministry was not aware Bizimana had requested asylum elsewhere. Why Bizimana chose to do so in Ireland cannot be ascertained, but it has become clear he has relatives living there.
The Rwandan embassy confirmed Bizimana had left his post but did not mention why.
A temporary replacement has been appointed at the Rwandan embassy in The Hague. On Friday, however, the embassy’s website still listed Bizimana as the current ambassador.
European rules dictate that asylum requests can only be filed in the first EU country the asylum seeker enters, but exceptions to that rule are possible. Whether they would apply in Bizimana’s case, and whether he qualifies for asylum in Ireland at all, is uncertain.
Little is known with certainty concerning his motives for leaving the Netherlands and Rwanda behind him for good. Bizimana tendered his resignation per email last month, President Kagame revealed at a press conference in Kigali on March 3. Bizimana then wrote that his job had been made “difficult” by his subordinate, Kagame said.
According to the state-controlled Rwandan News Agency, Kagame has called these allegations “laughable”. He dismissed rumours that pressure had been exerted on the ambassador to leave his post as “mere speculation”.
Opponents have accused Kagame of trying to silence the opposition for years. Kagame has always denied these accusations.
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