EX-MAYOR HOSTED CELEBRATIONS FOR TUTSI KILLINGS, SAYS WITNESS

Arusha, December 5, 2001 (FH) - Former Rwandan mayor Juvénal Kajelijeli hosted a party for militia celebrating the killings of Tutsi during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, a detainee witness told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Wednesday. "The Interahamwe (extremist militia branch of the then ruling party MRND) organised a party to congratulate themselves for a victory over the enemy," protected witness "GDQ" told the court.

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"It was held at Kajelijeli's bar. He was there himself. "Witness GDQ is detained in Rwanda awaiting trial for genocide crimes allegedly committed in Mukingo commune, northern Rwanda. Kajelijeli was mayor of Mukingo during the genocide. During the party, "they (Interahamwe) were singing a song called "Tubatsembatsembe" (let us exterminate them)," GDQ told the court. Kajelijeli's defence counsel Lennox Hinds suggested that GDQ was lying since there were inconsistencies between his written testimony to prosecution investigators and testimony in court. GDQ said that his statements to investigators were mere guidelines to his oral testimony. GDQ further said that Kajelijeli had presided over the killings of one Rukara and his brother. He also said that Kajelijeli had been present at the killings of a Tutsi woman and her daughter during the genocide. GDQ continued his testimony in closed session. He is the 12th prosecution witness. The case is before Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR, composed of judges William Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Arlette Ramaroson of Madagascar and Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu of Lesotho. GG/JC/DO/FH(KJ1203e)