Rwandans protest Britain's arrest of intelligence chief

Hundreds of Rwandans protested in front of the British Embassy in Kigali on Wednesday over the arrest of the country's intelligence chief, General Karenzi Karake, by British law enforcement officials last week.

The demonstrators chanted slogans denouncing Britain's "contempt," and also waved portraits of the arrested Rwandan senior military officer, who has been dubbed the country's "Freedom hero."

Several shops and offices were closed for the afternoon for the latest in a string of government-sanctioned demonstrations since General Karake's arrest after he was prevented from boarding a flight to Kigali from London last Saturday.

The demonstration was organized after Rwandan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Louise Mushikiwabo Tuesday said the abuse of justice by Western powers should end following the arrest of her country's intelligence chief.

The Rwandan senior officer was under a arrest warrant issued by a Spanish judge, and the British High Commission in Kigali issued a statement confirming the arrest by Britain's Metropolitan Police on June 20 on behalf of the authorities in Spain.

"This was a legal obligation, following the issue of a valid European arrest warrant," the statement read in part while Mushikiwabo condemned the arrest, stressing that Western solidarity in demeaning Africans was unacceptable.

"It is an outrage to arrest a Rwandan official based on pro- genocides lunacy," Mushikiwabo stated, apparently referring to leaked UN reports released in 2009.

In a message posted on her twitter account, the Rwandan foreign minister questioned the credibility of pseudo-indictment issued by the Spanish judge and stressed that "from where Africa stands, Europe is not a model of fairness."

Mushikiwabo stated: "Western solidarity in demeaning Africans is unacceptable," adding that the abuse of justice by Western powers should end as there was no contradiction whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the Rwandan lower chamber of parliament Tuesday resolved to summon British High Commissioner William Gelling to brief members of the House on measures taken after the head of the National Intelligence and Security Services was arrested by British police in London.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Rwandan Parliament Vice President Abbas Mukama on the decision by British officials that was regarded as Britain's treacherous politics towards Rwanda.

Speaker of Rwandan Parliament Donatille Mukabalisa wondered why British officials had decided to arrest the Rwandan official while there were thousands of people responsible for genocide against Tutsis who continue to benefit from protection in European countries, including Britain.

Meanwhile, the government has contacted British authorities and asked for clarification on what it termed "the abduction of the senior security official."

"Rwanda is handling the matter with the UK government. They have better details on this evolving situation," Rwanda's Minister of Justice Johnston Busingye said. Endi