Former Habyarimana advisor charged with Genocide

HUYE- The foreign affairs advisor to former President Juvenal Habyarimana, on Tuesday, appeared before the Huye Intermediate Court on charges of Genocide. Dr Runyinya Barabwiriza, is accused of masterminding the Genocide, forming a criminal gang as well as distributing arms to Interahamwe militia well before the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The court heard that between 1993 and 1994, he organised various meetings and demonstrations in Huye town to mobilize Interahamwe to exterminate Tutsis. According to prosecution, the meetings, which were held at Huye football stadium, the National University of Rwanda’s Guest House, in front of the University’s main campus and in Tumba Sector and Gishamvu, were also attended by some high profile individuals at the time, including former Minister of Gender, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko. Nyiramasuhuko is currently on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania. “Runyinya also founded a group comprised of so called intellectuals, back in 1992, which he called ‘Groupe de reflexion’, which was in fact a group of people dedicated to planning how the Genocide would be executed,” the prosecutor told court. “As the head of the former ruling party MRND in the former Butare Prefecture, he spearheaded and coordinated all activities intended to exterminate the Tutsi.” The prosecution also referred to letters Dr Barabwiriza allegedly wrote to former president Habyarimana which contain evidence of the Runyinya’s involvement in the preparation of the Genocide. He was denied bail. The judge ruled that the accused is accused of serious crimes and will stay in custody until the trial ends. The hearing was adjourned to April 21. Ends