Félicien Kabuga: Difference between revisions

[[File:Felicien_Kabuga.jpg|thumb]]  

[[File:Rwanda_genocide_wanted_poster_2-20-03.jpg|thumb|300px|The Rwandan Genocide wanted poster from left to right (top row): Felicien Kabuga, [[Augustin Bizimana]], [[Jean-Baptiste Gatete]], [[Augustin Bizimungu]], [[Tharcisse Renzaho]]. (bottom row left to right): Idelphonse Hategekimana, [[Augustin Ngirabatware]], Idelphonse Nizeyimana, Protais Mpiranya, [[Callixte Nzabonimana]]]]

'''Felicien Kabuga '''is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwanda Rwandan] businessman, accused of bankrolling and participating in the [[Rwandan Genocide]]. He has always claimed he is innocent.

Kabuga was born in Muniga, in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commune_%28administrative_division%29 commune] of Mukarange, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefecture prefecture] of Byumba, Rwanda, roughly 30 kilometers off the Rwanda-Uganda Border. Kabuga amassed his wealth by owning tea farms in northern Rwanda, among other business ventures. A multimillionaire, he was closely connected to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juv%C3%A9nal_Habyarimana Juvénal Habyarimana]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouvement_r%C3%A9publicain_national_pour_la_d%C3%A9mocratie_et_le_d%C3%A9veloppement MRND] party and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akazu Akazu], an informal group of Hutu extremists from northern Rwanda that strongly contributed to the Rwandan Genocide.

Kabuga was also allegedly heavily involved in the founding and bankrolling of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTLM RTLM], as well as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangura Kangura] magazine. In 1993, at an RTLM fundraising meeting organized by the MRND, Felicien Kabuga allegedly publicly defined the purpose of RTLM as the defence of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutu_Power Hutu Power]. During the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICTR ICTR]'s so-called "media trial", former RTLM presenter George Ruggiu named Kabuga as the "Chairman Director-general" of the station, with duties such as "presiding over [[Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines|RTLM]]" and "representing RTLM."

From January 1993 to March 1994, a total of 500,000 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machetes machetes] were imported into Rwanda, statistically one for every three adult Hutus in the country. Kabuga has been named as one of the main importers of these machetes.

In June 1994, after Rwanda was conquered by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandese_Patriotic_Front RPF], Kabuga fled the country. He first attempted to enter [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland Switzerland], but was ordered to leave. He went to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinshasa Kinshasa] in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo], and was later believed to be residing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nairobi Nairobi], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya Kenya].

In a speech given on August 28, 2006 during his visit to Kenya, then U.S. Senator [[Barack Obama]] accused Kenya of "allowing him [Kabuga] to purchase safe haven." The Kenyan government denied these allegations and described Obama's allegation regarding Kabuga as "an insult to the people of this country."

KTN news network in Kenya reported on June 14, 2008 that Kabuga had been arrested by Kenya Police the day before and is being held at Gigiri Police Station in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nairobi Nairobi]. Later, the suspect was found to be a local university lecturer, not Kabuga as previously thought, and released. It is suspected that Kabuga is in Kenya, and is believed to be running businesses and enjoying protection from either the Kenyan government or some influential figures within the country.

[[Category:Absolute Evil]]

[[Category:Mass Murderer]]

[[Category:Hatemongers]]