Yesterday I attended the handing down of the judgement on Augustin Bizimungu (fmr head of Rwandan Army), Augustin Ndindiliyimana, Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye & Innocent Sagahutu... key perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide.
Augustin Bizimungu - Former Head of the Rwandan Army
Many of us were puzzled by the apparent leniency of the sentencing, well-expressed by one of our church teenagers sitting with me who said, "They were lucky they weren't in Nuremberg!"
All were convicted on charges of crimes against humanity, among numerous other horrendous charges - the heaviest sentence being 30 years for Bizimungu (less his 9 years of time served). Two others received 20 years less time served, the fourth released for his 11 years in the trial process.
I had attended part of a trial previously but this was quite different - 40 press agencies invited, one of our own Vineyard leaders a key member on the trial team...
Security was understandably tight, with even a West African lawyer in full garb just behind me, refused entry because he had his cell-phone on him. He retreated protesting loudly (in jest), that he was victim of a ridiculous dictatorship!
Finally seated in the small gallery, the reading of all charges, the court's evaluation of the cases presented by the prosecution and defence, followed by the sentencing, took just under two hours - the culmination of a 10+ year trial process.
Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to many dear friends that are here with the UN. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has been winding up over the past year and will largely be finished in the next year or so. However, Mr. BIG (Felicien Kabuga), the genocide's main financier, Africa's most wanted criminal, is still on the loose. Should he be caught in the next few weeks, who knows, there may well be an extension.
If you spot him, let us know!
Many of us were puzzled by the apparent leniency of the sentencing, well-expressed by one of our church teenagers sitting with me who said, "They were lucky they weren't in Nuremberg!"
All were convicted on charges of crimes against humanity, among numerous other horrendous charges - the heaviest sentence being 30 years for Bizimungu (less his 9 years of time served). Two others received 20 years less time served, the fourth released for his 11 years in the trial process.
I had attended part of a trial previously but this was quite different - 40 press agencies invited, one of our own Vineyard leaders a key member on the trial team...
Security was understandably tight, with even a West African lawyer in full garb just behind me, refused entry because he had his cell-phone on him. He retreated protesting loudly (in jest), that he was victim of a ridiculous dictatorship!
Finally seated in the small gallery, the reading of all charges, the court's evaluation of the cases presented by the prosecution and defence, followed by the sentencing, took just under two hours - the culmination of a 10+ year trial process.
Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to many dear friends that are here with the UN. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has been winding up over the past year and will largely be finished in the next year or so. However, Mr. BIG (Felicien Kabuga), the genocide's main financier, Africa's most wanted criminal, is still on the loose. Should he be caught in the next few weeks, who knows, there may well be an extension.
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