Rwandan interim government was set up to restore peace, says
Nyiramasuhuko
By Hirondelle News Agency
Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, former Rwandan minister of Family and Women Affairs in
the 1994 interim government, Monday told the International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (ICTR) that her government was not appointed to commit crimes but rather
restore peace and stability in the country.
Nyiramasuhuko, who is testifying on her own defence for the 11th day, is jointly
charged for genocide and crimes against humanity with five other accused from
Butare prefecture, South Rwanda, including her son and alleged Interahamwe
militia leader, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali.
"We were not appointed to commit crimes but we were appointed to restore peace,"
said Nyiramasuhuko in response to questions by Nicole Bergevin, her Canadian
lawyer, leading her in her evidence.
Bergevin wanted to know if the interim government, sworn in on April 9, 1994,
had the objective of planning and execution of Tutsi genocide. It was set up
three days after the death of the former President Juvenal Habyarimana. He was
killed after his plane was shot down by unidentified assailants.
According to Nyiramasuhuko, the government under interim President Theodore
Sindikubwabo had among others objectives to restore peace, resume peace
negotiations with the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), now in power in Kigali,
with a view to establish a broad based transitional government and deal with
famine then hitting the country.
On why she joined the government while knowing for sure that it was already in
trouble with hunger and war, Nyiramasuhuko simply said, "when a country calls
you to serve it, you cannot say no."
The defendant also denied the assertion made by the prosecution witness,
Professor Andre Guichaoua from France that the interim government was selected
by soldiers of the crisis committee set up immediately after the death of
President Habyarimana.
Members of the crisis committee among others were Colonel Theoneste Bagosora,
former cabinet director in the ministry of Defence and General Augustin
Ndindiliyimana, chief of staff of gendarmerie, both of whom are on trial at ICTR
and the current minister of Defence in Rwanda, General Marcel Gatsinzi.
Other co-accused are two former prefects of Butare, Sylvain Nsabimana and
Alphonse Nteziryayo and two former mayors; Joseph Kanyabashi of Ngoma commune
and Elie Ndayambaje of Muganza.
They pleaded not guilty to charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The
trial opened on June 12, 2001.
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