\nArusha, August 25, 2011 (FH) - President of the then ruling party in Rwanda during 1994 genocide, Matthieu Ngirumpatse told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Thursday that his dream for Rwandan reconciliation was still on.\n<\/p>\n
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\n‘'My dream for the people of Rwanda to reconcile among themselves is still on. My determination to contribute to this process is still firm regardless of my current situation,'' Ngirumpatse told the Chamber presided by Judge Dennis Byron when addressing it on the last day of his trial.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nHe went on saying ‘I do not think that the situation is completely bleak. Rwandan people should be encouraged to rebuild their nation for the better future and prosperity.''\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nNgirumpatse who is a lawyer by training insisted that what had been done in his country had been done and that what was necessary now was to move forward, putting humanity in front rather than personal interests.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n‘'I have always been a man encouraging dialogue, peace and democracy which should also be the language of the future of Rwanda,'' he said. \n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nSpeaking at the same occasion, Co-accused, Vice President of MRND, Edourd Karemera called upon the Chamber to acquit him claiming that the prosecution had failed to prove allegations against him beyond reasonable doubts.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n‘'I call upon you to acquit me not because others were acquitted but you know the principles of law and nothing but the law,'' he said.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nThe duo is charged with genocide, complicity in genocide, incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity committed by members of their party and, in particular, the MRND's youth wing, the Interahamwe.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nAll along their defence, Karemera and Ngirumpatsitse denied strongly that they and the MRND party had powers to control Interahamwe militias, allegedly participated actively in the killing spree in the Rwandan 1994 genocide which left about 800,000 people dead, mostly Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 100 days.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nNI\/FK\/ER\/GF\n<\/p>\n
\n© Hirondelle News Agency\n<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arusha, August 25, 2011 (FH) - President of the then ruling party in Rwanda during 1994 genocide, Matthieu Ngirumpatse told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Thursday that his dream for Rwandan reconciliation was still on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[555],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-23664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hirondellenews"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n