NDINDABAHIZI SAYS HE STOPPED KILLINGS OF TUTSIS

Arusha, November 25, 2003 (FH) – Former Rwandan Minister for FinanceEmmanuel Ndindabahizi told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda(ICTR) on Tuesday that he stopped massacres of Tutsis at Gacharu cellule inKibuye prefecture during the 1994 genocide. Ndindabahizi 53, is charged with three counts including genocide andcrimes against humanity (extermination and murder).

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He allegedly perpetratedmassacres of civilians in his home prefecture of Kibuye, western Rwanda. Ndindabahizi is testifying in his defence for the second day. He told thechamber he went to Gacharu to visit his sister on June 26th 1994 on his wayto Kibuye. He then left for Gitaka centre where he found people who talkedto him about the massacres at Gacharu. The suspect said he directed the crowd to stop the killings of Tutsi. “Itold them, you should not kill innocent people”. Ndindabahizi added that thecrowd informed him that people from cellules neighbouring Gacharu werebehind the massacres. He added that one elderly man approached him and asked him if he should killa woman who was hiding somewhere but he ordered him to leave the womanalone. Ndindabahizi further said he demanded to know from one Augustine Karara whypeople were being killed. According to him, he thought Karara was in chargeof the cellule. He then arrested Karara because he did not answer hisquestion and took him to Gitesi communal jail. The accused also said he never made any inciting speech to the crowd . “Itold them: please do not kill”. Prosecution witnesses have testified that Ndindabahizi visited Gacharucellule where he incited Hutus to kill Tutsis. Asked by his lead counsel Pascal Besnier (France) if he went to Gitwa Hilland Bisesero between April and June 1994, he answered that he only went toGacharu and Kibuye town. Ndindabahizi further denied that he visited roadblocks on his way to Kibuye. The roadblocks were mounted in Gaseke, Nyabahenge and Faye. “I did not comeacross a roadblock,” he said. The prosecution accuses him of leading and perpetrating attacks againstTutsis at Gitwa and Bisesero hills between April and June 1994. He alsoallegedly encouraged those who were manning the roadblocks to kill Tutsisand distributed weapons to them. The prosecutor, Charles Adegoun-Phillips, began cross-examining Ndindabahizibefore the trial adjourned to Thursday afternoon. Ndindabahizi's trial is before Trial Chamber One composed of Judge Erik Mose(Norway) presiding, Judge Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan) and Solomy BalungiBossa (Uganda). PJ/CE/FH (NB'1125e)