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The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment two former top Rwandan politicians, Matthieu Ngirumpatse and Edouard Karemera, for their role in the execution of the 1994 Tutsi genocide.

The two were held responsible as senior officials for crimes committed by members of their party, notably its Interahamwe youth wing.

Mathieu Ngirumpatse(above) and Edouard Karemera, who were president and vice-president of the ruling MRND party at the time of the genocide, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“The chamber unanimously condemns Ngirumpatse to life in jail,” said presiding Judge Dennis Byron, before pronouncing the same sentence for Karemera.

Hirondelle News Agency report that according to the judgment, Karemera and Ngirumpatse had authority and effective control over Interahamwe, who participated in attacks on Tutsi civilians throughout the genocide, and failed to punish them.

They also had authority over personnel such as Colonel Théoneste Bagosora in ministries controlled by the MRND, such as the Ministry of Defence, the court said.

The Chamber found that the two convicts conspired with the interim government to adopt a policy of genocide, which they executed primarily through their Civil Defence Plan, a thinly veiled strategy for extermination of Tutsis.

Furthermore, it said that as of May 25, 1994, Karemera had authority and effective control over civilians who participated in the Civil Defence Programme and local officials who were part of the territorial administration.

Ngirumpatse was born in 1939 in Ntare commune, Kigali Rural prefecture, and trained as a lawyer. He was President of the MRND party in 1994 and had been a member of its steering committee since 1993.
Ngirumpatse was arrested in Mali on June 11, 1998, and transferred to the ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania, a month later.

Karemera was born in Mwendo commune, Kibuye prefecture, in 1951 and also trained as a lawyer. Like his co-accused, he held various senior positions, including Minister of Interior in the interim government in place during the genocide.
He was arrested in Togo on June 5, 1998 and transferred to the UN Tribunal on July 10, 1998.

Their trial began in November 2003. The prosecution fielded 46 witnesses, of whom 30 appeared in court and 16 gave written evidence. The defence called a total of 74 witnesses, of whom 35 for Karemera and 39 for Ngirumpatse, including the defendants themselves.

additional reporting: Hirondelle

Police in Nyamagabe district have arrested a group of four men suspected of selling illicit brew popularly known as ibikwangari. 11young men were also captured in connection with involvement in drug abuse and gambling.

During the arrest police captured 640 liters of the crude liquor know to have negative side effects when consumed.

One of the victims narrated, “After taking a couple of bottles, I immediately got blind and my legs got swollen, this isn’t wine but rather poison” admitted Angelina Nyirangendahimana.

Joseph Ndayambaje agreed with the old blind woman that, “drunkards often lose their senses and start fighting; indeed the wine is made from a cocktail of various substances including; pineapples and some chemicals used to preserve human corpses”.

Joseph Kanuni the executive secretary of Kabirizi sector admitted that the center is known for cases of prostitution, drug abuse, sexual assaults towards women.

“They’re drinking harmful substances. We even seized NPK-17 fertilizer suspected to be used as a catalyst in the processing of the dangerous liquor,” he remarked.

However, suspects arrested blame distributors whom they claim lie to them that the substance is traditional banana wine ‘Urwarwa’.

“Trust us we’re innocent because we normally buy the wine from people who persuade us that it’s legitimate and has no effects on our health,” claimed one of the suspects.

According to a communiqué from the police, measures will be enhanced to verify health standards of those processing traditional brew.

15 Rwandan refugees living in Zambia on Tuesday have arrived in Kigali by bus.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDMAR) received those refugees and argued that the Rwandan Government will continue to help refugees to return by helping them to get transport facilities.

Antoine Ruvebana the Permanent Secretary in MIDMAR, said that the Government will continue to support and reintegrate them. Returnees in their first days in the country will stay in the Hotel located in Kigali City.

Speaking to IGIHE.com returnees disclosed that they’re very glad to come back to Rwanda; they said that the time is over to continue living like refugees in foreign countries.

“We’re very happy to come back in our country, for more than ten years we’re living abroad, we left this country during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi,” said one of the returnees.

They commended Rwandan government for helping them return their country and its sensitization aimed at helping people to return home.

Chantal Ushizimpumu, said that they delayed to come back in the country due to misinformation alleging that there’s no peace and security in Rwanda.

Ruvebana from MIDMAR told media that Rwanda is ready to help anyone willing to return in the country by helping them to get transportation.

He confirmed that Rwandan government has an agreement with different cross boarder Transport Company to help refugees to come back in their native country.

He added that now MIDMAR has accord with RwandAir to bring back home refugees who flew in different African Countries like Malawi and Cameroon.

Rwanda has repatriated more than 3.3 million of its citizens since 1994, with just about 70,000 still regarding themselves refugees in various countries.

The United Nations Agency for Refugees has extended the implementation of the cessation clause to June 30 next year. The clause was supposed to be implemented on December 31, this year.

The Mother to Dr. Ntawukuriryayo Jean Damascene, President of Senate passed away on Monday 19 December 2011. Late Kanziga will be buried this Wednesday 21 December.

Verediana Kanziga was born in 1941 at Rwimbogo, Nyaruguru district. She got married to Kazungu Claver on 27th August 1960 and had three children. She is survived with two children, eight grand children and three great grandchildren.

Rwanda Media High Council intends to carry out a media gender audit as one of the line other projects that will re-orient gender mainstreaming in the country.

This has been announced by Patrice Murama the executive secretary of Rwanda Media High Media Council(MHC) shortly before signing a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Gender Monitoring Office to join efforts in gender mainstreaming.

“It has been discovered that despite all efforts which has been done to sensitize public on gender issues, gender equality is largely inadequately understood,” Murama said while pointing out that media alone seems to have emancipated only men in journalism than women yet it is fourth pillar of government that would play a bigger role in educating the public about gender issues.

Murama gave an example of four elections monitoring MHC has carried out discovering that very few women were covered by different media houses yet bigger percentage of women is represented in the parliament.

He also went ahead to say that he has observed that all media houses are headed by men who probably are simply not gender sensitive hence resulting to little and sided coverage rendered to women.

Chief Gender Monitor Oda Gasinzigwa said that all institutions need to stand up for gender mainstreaming admitting that they have not done enough.

In one day meeting which also attracted different public and private media houses conclude that there is still a challenge based on culture that have brought almost immovable perception that men are superiors and women must remain inferior despite their emerging abilities to challenge men.

ENDS

The first lady Jeannette Kagame has led a nationwide campaign against alcohol and drugs of which she noted that a big number of youth have been addicted to, notwithstanding the side effects.

The first lady said parents should come up to take fore front step to fight these addictions among Rwanda children.

“For parents and guardians who are here, therefore, it is paramount that we put much attention on our job of bringing up and protecting those under our guardianship”. The first lady said while addressing a high level meeting on drugs and alcohol abuse which is also been followed by a number of promos running on different media houses.

She said parents should assume responsibilities of talking to the youth about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.

The meeting was convened to highlight the increasing drugs and alcohol abuse among the youth in the country today and how to address the problem.

She called upon hotels; night clubs and bars owners who had turned up for the meeting to also get involved in the fight to cub the vice.

This follows the recent warning of the Youth Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana that there are laws which prohibit giving under age alcohol and other related vices that lure youth into such vices.

“We are not here to stop you from making profits, but you should also consider the future of these young people,” First Lady also chairperson of Imbuto Foundation said.

She also requested lawmakers to come out with clear legislative guidelines on alcohol and drug abuse.

Joseph Uwagaga, a 24 year old testified his alcohol and drug addiction since he was 11 years of age showing the dangers of alcohol and drugs abuse.

By October 2011, 2,090 kilogrammes of cannabis and 7,056 litres of illicit brew had been seized and destroyed.

According to police statistics alcohol and drugs abuse tops crime list causing threat to development and security and that between the ages of 18 and 35 years have been arrested involved in the trade.

While illicit brew is produced in the country, most drugs consumed like cannabis, brown sugar, heroin and others, are smuggled from neighboring countries.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Vianney Nshimiyimana, says the problem is a complex than available statistics because some of the cases are not recorded, especially those involving underage children.

ENDS

50 Police Officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), yesterday completed a three-month investigation skills course aimed at improving the force’s investigation techniques.

According to a police statement, the training held in Bugesera District was funded by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). Officers covered topics such as laws that govern arrests and sentences, corruption and Gender Based Violence (GBV).

They also acquired practical skills on how to secure crime scenes as a way of protecting evidences, which aid in the investigation process.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel K. Gasana, noted that training police officers in investigation skills is the force’s priority.

Police investigation courses have been going on for the past years, and Gasana explained that the force will continue conducting similar exercises to further enhance its investigation techniques.

IGP Gasana also said, “Skills shall facilitate in the fight against both internal and trans-national cross boarder crimes.”

Representing trainees, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Solange Bihoyiki, said that the skills they acquired from the training will help them perform their job in a more professional manner.

The Ministry of Defence yesterday organized a dinner to welcome the Rwanda Diaspora. The event held at Senior Officers mess at Kimihurura was attended by different dignitaries among whom the Minister of Foreign Affairs,Hon. Louise Mushikiwabo, the Minister of Defence Gen. James Kabarebe and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.Gen Charles Kayonga.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Louise Mushikiwabo said that after much effort to reconstruct the country, Rwanda has achieved a lot in terms of development and unity among the people of Rwanda and can never step down on this.

The Minister urged the Diaspora to protect the good image of the country and promised that the government of Rwanda is ready to support their initiatives both inside and outside the country.

Speaking on behalf of Diaspora from Malawi and others, Gasana Claude said they are happy to see how Rwanda is progressing on right path and promised their contribution to build the country.

At the occasion Malawi Diaspora contributed 6 million Rwanda francs to help in the bye-bye-Nyakatsi, a program aimed at eradicating thatch houses in the country.