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The Gacaca grassroots courts will wrap up operations in December, justice minister Tharcisse Karugarama said Friday.

“A final report will be completed by December and this chapter of Gacaca will be officially declared closed,” Karugarama said in a statement.

The Gacaca court is part of a system of community justice inspired by tradition and established in [2001|2001->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001] in [Rwanda|Rwanda->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwanda], in the wake of the [1994|1994->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994] [Genocide|Rwandan Genocide->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocide], against the Tutsi claimed over 1 million lives. The Gacaca courts are a method of [transitional justice|Transitional justice->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transitional_justice], designed to promote healing and moving on from the crisis.

“Through Gacaca we have been able to judge and resolve up to 1.4 million dossiers,” the minister said — “a great achievement that would have been impossible otherwise.”

“There have been prison sentences ranging from five to ten years, life sentences that make up five to eight percent of the verdicts and acquittals that make up 20 to 30 percent,” said Karugarama.

The Gacaca, which started functioning in 2005, were initially due to wind down by the end of 2007, but the date has been postponed several times due to the complexity of some of the cases before them.

According to the National Service of Gacaca Jurisdiction, a body that coordinates the grassroots courts’ activities, the 97 remaining cases will be closed by July.

The courts have the jurisdiction to try those who took part in the killings, but not those suspected of planning the genocide on a national or regional level.

“All in all we are happy that we have a unique system that caters to our people needs, it may not be perfect for other nations but it serves us very well,” said Karugarama.

After the Genocide, the new [Rwandan Patriotic Front|Rwandan Patriotic Front->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Patriotic_Front]’s government struggled with developing just means for the humane [detention|Detention (Imprisonment)->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detention_(Imprisonment)] and [prosecution|Prosecution->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecution] of the more than 100,000 people accused of [genocide|Genocide->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide], [war crimes|War crimes->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes], and related [crimes against humanity|Crimes against humanity->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity]. By [2000|2000->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000], approximately 120,000 alleged genocidaires were crammed into Rwanda’s prisons and communal jails. From December [1996|1996->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996] to December [2006|2006->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006], the courts managed to try about 10,000 suspects at that rate it would take another 110 years to prosecute all the prisoners.

To speed things up, some prisoners were released : In two rounds, in [2004|2004->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004] and [2005|2005->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005], about 50 prisoners were released. In January, 2007, another 8,000 prisoners were scheduled for release.

However, the courts needed a more expeditious means of delivering justice. In response, Rwanda implemented the Gacaca [court|Court->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court] system, which has evolved from traditional cultural communal law enforcement procedures. Rwanda has especially focused on criminal prosecutions in the Gacaca courts, putting justice partially into the hands of the victims.

The Gacaca courts are meant to provide smaller courts to relieve the burden of the larger courts. Criminals are charged with acts against humanity, such as murder and serious assault. These courts are not allowed to try accused rapists, however.[[8]->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gacaca_court#cite_note-guardian.co.uk-7] The idea is to let the village courts resolve these issues and hopefully provide some reconciliation. The trials are meant to promote reconciliation and justice. The defendant is accused and brought to trial. The trial is held in public, where survivors and the victims’ families can confront the accused. The accused confess to their crimes or maintain their innocence. The villagers can either speak for or against the defendant.

The United States said Thursday the genocide conviction and sentence of ex-Rwandan army chief Augustin Bizimungu shows that even top military officers are not immune from prosecution.

The four sentenced are Bizimungu, Augustin Ndindiliyimana, a former Rwandan General Francois Xavier Nzuwonemeye, and Innocent Sagahutu.

Bizimungu was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment. A general of the Rwandan Armed forces, he held the post of Lieutenant colonel before being promoted to Major General subsequently after the death of the late President Juvenal Habyarimana. 

“The United States welcomes the ruling as an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a press release.

“The conviction of Mr. Bizimungu, in particular, shows that even those at the highest levels of military leadership are not immune from prosecution in the face of such grave atrocities,” it said.

“There are still 10 ICTR fugitives at-large and the United States urges all countries to continue their cooperation with the ICTR so that these fugitives can be expeditiously arrested and brought to justice,” the statement said.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda based in Arusha was established in late 1994 to try the Hutu perpetrators of Rwanda’s genocide which claimed some 800,000 lives, mainly minority Tutsis, in a span of 100 days.

During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, Augustin Ndindiliyimana held the position of Chief of Staff of the Gendarmerie Nationale. Ndindiliyimana is alleged to have conspired with his co-accused (Francois Xavier Nzuwonemeye Innocent Sagahutu, Augustin Bizimungu) in the plan to exterminate Tutsis in Rwanda.

He is also accused for his responsibility for the atrocities committed by forces under his control, including the deaths of ten Belgian peacekeepers in April 1994 which sparked the withdrawal of all Belgian troops from the UN mission in Rwanda. However, ICTR on Tuesday ordered his immediate release, after finding his justifying factors reasonable. Ndindiliyimana,later on expressed his happiness for being released after remaining in detention for 11 years. 

Nzuwonemeye, a member the Rwandan Armed Forces in 1994, held the rank of major. In 1993, he was commander of a battalion in the FAR ; he was subsequently promoted to commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion.

The ICTR indictment alleges that between 1990 and 1994, Nzuwonemeye and other officers conspired to exterminate the Tutsi civilians and political opponents, and helped to train interahamwe and militia groups who committed the genocide

After Habyarimana’s death and the start of the genocide, members of the Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Nzuwonemeye’s subordinate, Innocent Sagahutu “tracked down, arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed” Rwandan Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. They also took into custody ten Belgian peacekeepers from UNAMIR who had been guarding her house, who were later killed.

Sagahutu a member of the Rwandan Armed forces, in 1994 held the rank of captain. He was second-in-command of the Reconnaissance Battalion (RECCE), serving under battalion commander Major François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye.

According to the indictment, between 1990 and 1994, Sagahutu and other officers conspired to exterminate Tutsi civilians. They distributed weapons and prepared lists of people to be eliminated. 

The indictment accused Sagahutu and the four other defendants of conspiring to perpetrate genocide, mass rape, sexual assault, and murder of giving the orders that led to these crimes and of doing nothing to stop the crimes when they took place.

Sagahutu , after fleeing the country after the RPF victory, was arrested on February 15, 2000. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Youth drawn from a number of African countries including Rwanda yesterday interviewed President Paul Kagame courtesy of the MTV Base’s “MTV Base Meets…with MTN” programme at Village Urugwiro.

The President responded to questions from a diverse panel of African youth from Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and South Africa.

Khaled Mikkawi, the CEO MTN Rwanda described the initiative as a great way to reach out, inspire and connect with the youth across the continent.

“We are extremely honoured to have President Paul Kagame involved in MTV Base Meets…with MTN,” Mikkawi pointed out.

Interview recordings of the MTV base meets…With MTN with the President Kagame will be aired across Africa from 18 July this year as part of an eight-series show.

 Recordings will be aired on MTV base (DStv Channel 322), and on terrestrial, DTT and CATV channels including STV (Nigeria), HiTV (Nigeria), WBS (Uganda), NTV (Kenya), Canal2 (Cameroon), Muvi TV (Zambia), Zuku (Kenya), ZAP (Angola), Smart TV (Kenya) and Star Times (Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi).

MTV Base Meets…With MTN is a joint initiative between MTV Networks Africa and MTN Group. It is designed to inspire African youth by connecting them with some of the world’s most influential personalities.

It is intended to provide greater understanding between the African youth and the political, business and cultural leaders who shape today’s world.

Other eminent personalities to feature in the series later include Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only elected female head of state and Julius Malema, the President of the ANC Youth League.

The show has also featured other prominent personalities including Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Morgan Tsvangirai and Wyclef Jean.

African youth are encouraged to nominate shakers and movers in society and submit their proposed questions for the programme via a dedicated MTV base Meets…with MTN website or via their mobile handset.

To register go to [www.mtvmeets.com->http://www.mtvmeets.com/] or http://mtvmeets.mobi or follow the campaign on Twitter at #MTVMeets@MTVbaseAfrica.

Rwanda has introduced new business reforms to make company start-ups and cross border trade easier as it strives to be among the world’s top 30 places to do business by 2017, Clare Akamanzi, chief operating officer of Rwanda’s Development Board announced this week.

Akamanzi said the new reforms were meant to make it easier for businesses to start, deal with construction permits, register property and trade across borders.

“We have introduced free online registration and reduced registration fees from 25,000 to 15,000 francs. We have also eliminated certain requirements like the notarising of sale agreement,” Akamanzi told Reuters.

The World Bank’s 2011 Doing Business report ranked Rwanda the second most pro-business reformer globally, and 58th in terms of ease of doing business, up from 70th a year earlier.

The Helsinki Court of Appeal is to travel to Rwanda and Zambia
to hear witnesses in the appeal of a man convicted of involvement in the Rwanda
genocide. Francois Bazaramba, a Rwandan-born Finnish citizen, was sentenced last
summer to life in prison for mass murder.

The court plans to be in session in Rwanda for 18 days in September and October
to hear testimony from 39 prosecution witnesses. The court also hopes to visit
places where killings took place.

The court will also go to Zambia in October to hear testimony from 15 defence
witnesses. Most of the witnesses live in Zambia and other countries in the
region.

The arrangement still requires the approval of the Rwandan and Zambian
governments.

The defendant will follow the events via video link from Finland, as was done
in the first trial.

The case is being handled in Finland because the Ministry of Justice refused to
extradite Bazaramba to Rwanda for fear that he might not get a fair trial
there.

The
lower court found that Bazaramba, a resident of Porvoo, had led attacks against
Tutsis in the south of Rwanda in 1994 and gave orders that led to their deaths.

Bazaramba
sought asylum in Finland, in 2003.

He was
convicted on two charges ; intent to destroy the Tutsi population in Maraba, and
spreading malicious propaganda calling for their extermination, crimes for
which he was handed a life sentence.

He is
said to have masterminded the killing of over 5,000 people in Nyakizu, Southern
Province.

Bazaramba
allegedly organised and maintained night patrols and road blocks, forcing the
Tutsi to leave their homes. He organised the setting on fire and destruction of
their homes and property.