US students on justice, reconciliation study tour

A delegation of students from New York University is in Rwanda for a three-day study tour, to learn about the country’s recovery after the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, specificallt the justice and the reconciliation process. The students yesterday met with the Minister for Justice, Johnston Busingye, who briefed them on the role of Gacaca courts in trying Genocide cases. Gacaca courts tried more than 1.9 million cases, mostly invoving suspects accused of crimes of relatively lesser magnitude, with a budget of about Rwf30 billion. A delegation of students from New York University during their meet with Justice minister Johnston Busingye yesterday. “The dividends and benefits are enormous. Rwandans resolved cases in communities and are now the ones who can tell you where the country is heading politically and economically,” Busingye said. Later, the students also met with the Chief Justice, Sam Rugege, who briefed them about Rwanda’s justice system over the past 21 years. There is a lot of progress on unity and reconciliation although not yet at the level we want, he said, adding that the country is also doing its best to fight Genocide denial. Jennifer Trahan, the head of the delegation, praised the way the country managed to deal with Genocide fugitives, locally and internationally, through Gacaca, and the International Court Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). “Undoubtedly, in all approaches, it is obvious that Rwandan justice and reconciliation is good and comparing to other countries that we visited during our study (tour), Rwanda is an exceptional country that has coped with such horrible legacies of the 1994 Genocide,” she told The New Times. A delegation of students from New York University listen to Justice minister Busingye yesterday. (Photos by T. Kisambira) The students praised the state of justice and reconciliation in Rwanda and promised to tell the true story about the country’s justice system. “This is an accomplishment worth emulating. I think it has cost Rwandans a lot of efforts to see them living in a refreshed, united and reconciled community. It is very amazing to see people united as if nothing happened 21-years ago,” said Marina Mansour, one of the students. The delegation also visited the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG)and IBUKA, the umbrella of Genocide survivors. They are also expected to visit the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, Kigali Memorial Centre, among others. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

US students on justice, reconciliation study tour