16^th November, 1995

The UNHCR Representative

in KENYA

ATT : Mr Peter Kessler

Dear Sir,

During an interview with the Daily Nation newspaper, in its issue of November 16, 1995, your office is quoted as having a list of "rwandese suspect killers". It is also quoted that those found on those lists are denied registration as refugees.

Assuming that you were not misquoted, this assertion would be tantamount to sentencing people before they are found guilty by the relevant jurisdictions.

Indeed, in one of his correspondence with our lawyer, the Prosecutor of the international Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda, Justice Richard Goldstone, declared unequivocally, that " at no time, (has he) or (his) staff issued a list of named suspects, nor (has he) associated(himself) with my such list available in the public domain".

He went on to any that"no accused will be therefore named by(him) before the formal stage of indictment, and (that) no indictments have been yet issued.

Accordingly, your unfortunate statement about a "list suspects killers" at your disposal, is a clear evidence of some foul play somewhere in your screening process and this is all along what we had been denouncing, although so far you had denied it.

RDR is aware of the existence of at least three bogus lists, which form the basis of your screening exercise. One of such lists emanate from RPF, while the other one was compiled by RAKIYA OMAR of African Rights, whose support to RPF is of public knowledge.

While the Tribunal is disowning such wild lists,isn't it damaging and unfair for UNHCR to give them credit ?

Your statement went on to exhort african countries not to allow such people (i.e rwandese refugees who refused to be accommodated at Kakuma) to live among populations of host countries ...as if they are outcast!

While the UNHCR had so far alleged that it was under pressure to confine all rwandese refugees at Kakuma, despite the climatic conditions that have proved very difficult for rwandese nationals, it is now obvious that it is rather the UNHCR that is pressurizing host countries to kick them out.

This statement coming at a time when the issue of rwandese refugees in Kenya is so hot, amounts to nothing but adding fuel to fire and this is the least one could expect from UNHCR, whose mandate is to protect refugees.

RDR strongly believe that such utterances are very damaging to rwandese refugees and should stop, if UNHCR is to preserve its integrity and its"raison d'être".

Yours faithfully.

For RDR

CHRIS NZABANDORA

Director of Information

C.C. : Her Excellency the UN

High Commissioner for Refugees

GENEVA