Genocide survivors in Huye district are willing to plan a protest against the recent acquittal of genocide charges towards Runyinya Barabwiriza a former adviser to late president Juvénal Habyarimana.
Laura Gatera a survivor in Butare town disclosed that Barabwiriza was a close a friend and he had no doubt that he took part in preparing the genocide since he was also the Huye head of National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND) the ruling political party by then which organaized the massacres.
“I saw him chairing several meetings with militias , he also went to an extent of advocating for more weapon distribution in our area, really I wonder why the court set him free,” he argued.
Recently the Huye based intermediary court highlighted that evidence against the alleged genocider had been contradictory yet prosecutors said they would appeal. “We have appealed but the exact date hasn’t been communicated yet,” Gatera remarked.
The prosecutor in charge of the case refused to disclose any information citing that only the prosecutor spokesman was allowed to communicate to press. Efforts to reach the spokesman were fruitless as his phone wouldn’t go through.
Janvier Forongo the executive secretary of IBUKA (association of genocide survivors) condemned the court’s ruling adding that it was disrespect to those affected by the war. “It’s so discouraging to find that some of the witnesses like Jean Pierre Rutagengwa who was last night stoned because of giving his testimony,” he said adding,” we urge all witnesses to be strong and give out the truth.”
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