TUTSIS ATTACKED AFTER A POLITICAL RALLY ADRESSED BY MUGIRANEZA

Arusha, March 11, 2004 (FH) – A prosecution witness in the trial of four former Rwandan ministers on Thursday told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) that Hutus attacked Tutsis at her secteur after a political rally addressed by one of the accused in the case, Prosper Mugiraneza. The witness identified as GJT said Mugiraneza, former minister for public service, took the floor after the former head of gendarmerie, Pierre-Celestin Rwagafilita, had finished addressing the crowd.

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GJT, the twenty-third prosecution witness in this trial, said that Mugarineza's speech was meant to sensitize Hutus, that “a Hutu was a very powerful person”. The witness continued that after the rally, held next to her home, the crowd went around attacking Tutsis by beating them. ”Those people went down to the secteur and attacked Tutsis who lived nearby,” GJT said. According to the witness, the attackers, who were Hutus, were singing saying that they did not want to be despised by Tutsis. When the prosecutor asked the witness to name some of the attackers, she declined to do so in open court. The chamber then went into closed session to allow her to name them. Most of the evidence of GJT was taken in closed session. The witness also did not state in open session the place and date where the rally took place for security reasons. Mugiraneza is jointly accused with the former minister of Foreign Affairs Jerome Bicamumpaka former minister of Health Casimir Bizimungu, and the former minister for Commerce Justin Mugenzi. Government II Trial is before Trial Chamber Two where Judge Asoka de Zoyza Gunawardana (Sri Lanka) is presiding assisted by judges Lee Muthoga (Kenya) and Khalida Rashid Khan (Pakistan)PJ/CE/FH (GVII''0311e)