ICTR – Bravo on Kalimanzira, more to go

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), this week, found Callixte Kalimanzira, guilty of Genocide and direct and public incitement to commit Genocide. He was slapped with a reduced 30 year jail sentence, after consideration was made, of the time he spent in detention since 2005. The prosecution has not made a decision on an appeal.One can only give a pat on the back to presiding Judge Dennis Charles Michael Byron, and judges Gberdao Gustave Kam, Vagn Joensen. The shortest trial ever that lasted a historic 38 days; heard the gruesome details of how the blood-thirsty, Kalimanzira, had knowingly followed up on innocent Tutsi refugees, seeking sanctuary on Kabuye hill, with armed reinforcements to ensure they were all killed. The human tragedy that followed the Kabuye atrocities is well etched on the memories of survivors’, relatives and friends. What is significance about this trial is the speed with which it was carried out, laying to rest once and for all the souls of those whose lives were taken on the unfortunate day. Survivors, relatives and friends, can also now move on and start the much needed healing process. This is the human component and significance of the ICTR process, it is about real people and their lives. A long trial is excruciatingly painful, as it comes with reliving events, which those who survived wish to deal with and bury. If we take the above case as signifying the political will in Arusha to ensure justice for Rwandans then one warmly welcomes the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), extension of the ICTR mandate, to one year. However, the road to justice is still long, in bringing to book 13 key Genocide masterminds on the run, as well as wrapping up the remaining cases. The resolve and speed at which the Kalimanzira trial has been carried out, brings the real possibility, that working together we can lay the ghosts of Genocide to rest. Ends

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ICTR – Bravo on Kalimanzira, more to go