Habari series last one

Witness shortage adds plot to military 'killing time softly' script

BY GEORGE KAGAME

In The Matter of Honour, by British politician Jaffrey Archer, there's a story about a German general who is facing charges for his role in the 1945 second world war which to a large extend set many precedents for the term Genocide as it is widely understood today.


The military man aware that his chances of survival were minimal, he let the lawyers in the military tribunal have a field day. He schemed his way and acquired a chemical weapon which would ensure that he is not sent to his death by the law mongers.

The German administered his chosen and timed it such that he died just one day before he was due to be hanged by the lawyers. That script is similar and familiar with many a military man facing tribunals, they are people of daily battles. The ICTR has two cases it dubbed Military one and two, were former officers in Rwanda's national army before and during 1994. As events in both cases unfold, military tactics are plenty.

And like the German general, the suspects in both cases know calculations very well. The lawyers, politicians and everyone involved in this drama of justice are equally fooled fooled by these soldiers-who it must be made clear here are always looking on with disinterest while their lawyers argue their cases.

Charged as a group or individuals, the different former soldiers of the EX-FAR standing trial at the ICTR can as well make episodes in in any thriller, take the example of one military case involving former top soldiers who were part of the technocrats during the Genocide, the case is comprised of General Bizimungu, 55, along with three others charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The trial resumed on 25 August after a two month break and then stopped bon the same day because as official court sources say: "lack of witnesses. This Military case features the other Tripartite of General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, Major François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Captain Innocent Sagahutu, thier case first came for the first in 2004 after each of the officers were arrested from different places on the continent.

Since thier initial appearance the push and pull tricks of the ICTR have gone on for four years because of such reasons as" witnesses could not arrive on time as scheduled and this led to suspension of proceedings after only two witnesses testified in the first session after a two month break.

At the time of adjournment , Major Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, former Commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion was still presenting his defence case. A total of 21 witnesses have already testified for him. He is the third in the group after General Augustin Bizimunngu who finished his defense in late 2007.

The statistics of how many cases the ICTR has handled in what time period and the averages of time, money cost and all other expenses are so comical that during the week one official found humour in calling the Arusha based UN Detention Facility a health facility.

The official was giving his views about another case involving a former mayor of Muganza Elie Ndayambaje, he was presenting a Roman Catholic priest in his area then Tiziano Pegorora who admitted to telling refugees seeking sanctuary in his church in 1994 to vacate his church and seek shelter elsewhere, about 300 people inside his church were killed.

The cleric was appearing as a defense witness for the politician! These an many other cases at the ICTR are what one humorous human rights activist used as he referred to the Arusha based UN Detention Facility as the leading health club in the region where members do not pay any fee