For some,Rwanda remains a country of contradictions. The 1994 genocide, for which the general is accused of being one of the masterminds, is the episode many still associate with the country. And yet, the east African country has made significant strides in turning itself around. It is now lauded as an example of Africa’s potential, but the specters of its past still haunt it.

The arrest of Karake comes after an ill-fated attempt by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to have Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, arrested in South Africa. Bashir denies allegations that he engineered mass atrocities in Sudan’s troubled western Darfur region. South Africa has now threatened to leave ICC after being accused of playing a part in Bashir’s dramatic escape. These attempted arrests or arrests (as in this case) have put the West in collision with African states who feel their sovereignty is being threatened. Both sides are trading rhetorical barbs.

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