End of tribunal's mandate spells gloomy future for Arusha
by Nicodemus Ikonko writing for Hirondelle
There are only five years to go before the International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (ICTR) shuts its doors in Arusha.
The United Nations Security Council, which set up the Tribunal in 1995 to try
those responsible for the Rwanda genocide in 1994, has set the Tribunal's end
date for 2008.
The Tribunal has prepared an 'exit strategy' for the year 2008. A six-man
committee has already been put in place to find out how some cases could be
transferred to national courts, including those of Rwanda. This would provide an
alternative means of prosecuting those suspects whose cases have not been dealt
with before the deadline.
Even though recent events may have proved a set back, with a presiding judge,
Andresia Vaz, resigning from one trial and thereby throwing its timetable into
confusion, the current speed at which the trials are generally being handled is
encouraging. Three trials can run concurrently each day in the three chambers,
and sometimes there are double sessions where the judges deal with one case in
the morning and another in the afternoon.
Six trials involving 20 suspects are in progress, and two more verdicts are
expected by June this year. Earlier this month the European Union agreed to fund
eight projects at the Tribunal worth 1.5 million Euros to help it fulfil its
mandate.
Everything seems set for the closure of the Tribunal in 2008.
But one important question remains: Do the local population understand what the
end of the Tribunal will mean in social and economic terms? According to the
ICTR staff association, the UN court has a work force of 668 people from 87
different nations. A total of 231, more than thirty per cent are Tanzanian. In
total the staff own more than 600 personal cars, and
each employ between one and four people in the form of house helps, gardeners,
drivers and security guards. The staff association also runs a coffee shop which
employs another 25 Tanzanians.
"We wouldn't like to blow our own trumpet, but each of us makes a huge
difference in the lives of the people around here," says Phillis Grobl,
ex-President of ICTR staff association.
She says that apart from Tanzanians getting direct benefits, business in Arusha
has also been boosted. The companies concerned range from petrol stations,
insurance companies, post and telecommunication services, mobile phone
companies, the tourism and travel industry, local and foreign super markets,
banks, schools - especially international and tones that use
English as their main language - and public utility companies, to mention but a
few.
But of more concern, Grobl points to the problems that will the housing market
will face, predicting that it "will crash come the year 2008." About 75 per cent
of the senior staff pay house rental fees of between 800 and 1,500 US dollars
per month. On top of that, the ICTR occupies over 70 per cent of the office
space of the Arusha International Conference Centre
(AICC).
"Property rates will definitely go down because no Tanzanian can afford to pay
rent between 500 and 1,200 US dollars per month," AICC Estate Manager, Francis
Kulwa told Hirondelle.
Apart from office accommodation, the AICC also leases some few houses to ICTR
staff. In total Kulwa says the Tribunal pays the AICC around 1.2 million US
dollars annually for its services.
Asked how AICC would cope with the situation in future, Kulwa was quick to say,
"about 30 per cent of our former clients would come back, especially
those who care about quality. Others still with us, like Pride Tanzania and
Serena Hotels are guaranteed to stay."
When the Tribunal was starting up in Arusha in late 1995 more than 100 local
clients were obliged to vacate their offices to make way for the Tribunal. Simon
Mapolu, a local management consultant is also concerned. "The future of real
estate business in Arusha is bleak", he says. He points to the housing estates
in Arusha owned by the Parastatal Pension Fund (PPF), which are 70 per cent
occupied by ICTR staff. "If they can not plan for alternative projects, PPF
houses will be a white elephant," he says.
Mapolu is also worried about the young men and women who left government service
at around 30 and 40 years old to join the UN. He says their monthly salaries
shot from a mere 80 dollars to more than 300 or 400 dollars per month. "What
will they do after the ICTR mandate?" he asks rhetorically, adding "I do not
think they will be ready to go back to government employment." He says they need
to be prepared psychologically to venture into small
businesses or to study further.
"The residents of Arusha and business community should know that ICTR is not a
permanent organization in Tanzania and whatever gains or benefits arises from
the organization should be sustained, " cautions Niarira Magunda, the Arusha
Municipal Council Trade Officer. Magunda says ICTR has stimulated a lot of
positive changes in trade and services around the municipality. Purchasing power
has risen, demand for houses for rent increased considerably, and employment
opportunities
widened.
He said all this, combined with the high purchasing power of the employees of
the ICTR, will definitely affect trade and businesses when the Tribunal
ultimately closes down.
"We are already incorporating a transition policy into the completion strategy
aimed at preparing local staff for the external market,"says Grobl of the ICTR
staff association.
She recalls that everyone always knew, including the local population, that the
Tribunal's work was always expected to end. However, on the positive side, she
stresses that "the ICTR's departure will leave behind a trained and skilled
population of which many will be able to integrate into other areas of economic
activity for the benefit of the community as well as the country."
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