{UAH} ICC CLOSES ITS RWANDA SHOP TODAY

30th November 15

ICTR closes shop after twenty years

Edward Qorro

 The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) comes to an end today   after two decades of   bringing  justice to those who bore responsibility for the crimes committed during the Rwanda genocide.

 

The ICTR closes shop having indicted 93 individuals whom it considered responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda in 1994. 

 

This includes 55 first-instance judgments involving 75 accused out of which 61 had been convicted of genocide and 14 have been acquitted or were on appeal.

 

In an interview with The Guardian at the weekend, the tribunal’s information officer Danford Mpumilwa said those who had been indicted included high-ranking military and government officials, politicians, businessmen, as well as religious, militia, and media leaders. 

 

According to Mpumilwa, at the moment, ten cases had been referred to national jurisdictions for further trials adding that cases of three top fugitives have been referred to the residual mechanism for criminal tribunals which takes over from the ICTR.

 

“The court is closing shop after twenty years of delivering justice and bringing to book the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide,” he explained.

 

However, according to the information officer, the tribunal will in mid next month still deliver the judgment of the appeal case in the trial against Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, a first woman to be convicted of genocide by the tribunal.

 

Nyiramasuhuko, a former minister of women’s development in Rwanda is accused of having incited troops and militia to carry out rape during the Genocide.

 

She was tried for genocide and incitement to rape as part of the ‘Butare Group’ at the ICTR.

 

So far, six accused persons have died during the course of the trial while nine indicted by the ICTR for their participation in the crimes against humanity war against humanity were still at large.

 

One of the inductees still at large is Félicien Kabuga, a former Rwandan businessman accused of bankrolling and participating in the Genocide, with a $5million price tag placed on his head.

 

 “Though the tribunal is coming to an end another mechanism has been put in place to cater for the impending cases…previously completed preservation of evidence proceedings will help ensure smooth trials of the three inductees,” Mpumilwa added.

 

According to the information officer, most judicial and prosecutorial functions have already been handed over to the mechanism.

 

Nonetheless, even as the tribunal expires today, Mpumilwa noted that it was still facing challenges in regard to acquitted and released persons.

 

“Indeed without the enhanced cooperation of member states in certain areas it will be extremely difficult for the ICTR to successfully complete its mandate,” he clarified.

 

According to Mpumilwa, in addition to focusing on going cases, cooperation also included requests for assistance in the relocation of acquitted and released persons still residing in Tanzania. “Cooperation in this aspect has been minimal in spite of the two security council resolutions calling upon member states to assist,” he said.

 

The ICTR was established by the United Nations Security Council in 1994 as a response to tragic events that took place in Rwanda in the same year which led to unprecedented Genocide. 

THE GUARDIAN

 

 

EM

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