Скачать или смотреть RWANDA: KIGALI: MASSACRE TRIAL PROCEEDINGS BEGIN

(6 Apr 1995) English/Nat

A year after the bloody Rwandan civil war started, the justice process has begun.

The first trial arising from the massacres during the war- started today (Thursday)- after delays.

The proceedings, in the capital, Kigali , were delayed by what officials called "security concerns".

One of the first suspects said he expects the death penalty.

After a six-hour delay a pick-up truck arrived with these prisoners in pink uniforms.

The prisoners were led into a bullet pocked tribunal building- still showing signs of the war- and seated on wooden benches.

An international tribunal has been set up by the U-N to try alleged perpetrators of last year's genocide in Rwanda. The international tribunal will hold its trials in Tanzania. Rwanda's new government had pressed for the trials to be held in their country and, last weekend, Rwanda's Justice Minister announced that Rwanda would hold its own trials in the country's capital, Kigali.

Today's delays and problems was to be expected according to this aid worker.

SOUNDBITE:

"I think the main criticism is that have not been prepared mainly by the international community. There was very high interest in the reconstruction of the judicial system. All the words, all the budget was prepared by the international community. What we see today is a justice place which is completely devastated.

SUPER CAPTION: Francoise Bouchet Saulnier, Medecins Sans Frontieres Legal Advisor

Those who will come to trial are kept in this crowded prison.

Rwandan jails are overcrowded with people suspected of participating in massacres. Last month U-N officials said conditions were so bad that as many as three hundred inmates are dying every month.

This prisoner begs for international intervention.

SOUNDBITE:

"I think the international community must take responsibility for this condition of Rwanda. Especially the U-N. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali himself, the general secretariat of the U-N, is an African man who knows exactly why Africans...power, had to make their administration."

SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Desire Muhiganbe, Prisoner

The international tribunal, set up by the U-N Security Council last November, has identified four hundred suspects and expects to issue its first indictments as early as this summer.

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