The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) recently opened a documentation centre at the Gasabo Judicial Palace, the seat for the Gasabo Tribunal of Higher Instance.

The centre, which includes television equipment that will enable area residents to follow live telecasts of court sessions in Arusha, Tanzania where the tribunal is based, also has books and computers that will help the residents to access information on the Internet.

Nine more centres are soon to be opened countrywide, according to Adama Dieng, the Registrar of the UN-backed court.

"The main objective of the ICTR Centres was to bridge the information gap between the ICTR and the people of Rwanda…having catered for the Kigali population, ICTR decided to expand its outreach coverage to ten Districts,” said Dieng.

Other centres slated to be opened soon are in Muhanga and Nyamagabe (Southern Province), Nyagatare and Ngoma (Eastern Province), Musanze and Gicumbi in the Northern Province, while in the Western Province they will be opened in Rusizi, Karongi and Rubavu.

All the centres will be established at the Judicial Palaces based in different parts of the country.

 These will come following the already existing centre in Kigali commonly known as ‘Umusanzu mu bwiyunge’ which translates as a contribution to reconciliation.

Dieng, during the ceremony called upon Rwandans to take up ownership of the centre saying that it will help them learn the basics of human rights.

"This centre will facilitate access to the jurisprudence of the ICTR and other legal materials for members of the Rwandan judiciary who are working in the courts outside the capital,” said Dieng.

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