Genocide masterminds in court: hope for late justice

Almost 30 years after the genocide in Rwanda, one of the masterminds is now before the court in The Hague. Felicien Kabuga is said to have specifically encouraged the murders of the Tutsi. The bereaved hope for justice later.

In the spring of 1994, Monique Mukaminega was ripped from under her feet out of nowhere. It’s the end of the world as Monique knows it. She lost her parents and four siblings during the Rwandan genocide. Only she and her sister survive. The genocide lasted 100 days, killing an estimated 800,000 Tutsis, but also moderate Hutus, and which has shaped the country to this day.

From September 29, 2022, one of the masterminds and the alleged financier of the genocide, Felicien Kabuga, will be on trial in The Hague. For a long time, Kabuga was one of the most wanted men in the world, for 26 years he could not be found. He lived unrecognized in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, among other places. In May 2020, he was arrested by French police in Asnières-sur-Seine, a suburb northeast of Paris, as part of the so-called “Operation 955”.

She was happy when she heard about Kabuga’s arrest, says Monique. “We will now see if justice is done.” Kabuga, who was born the son of humble farmers and worked his way up to become one of Rwanda’s wealthiest and most influential businessmen, did not use his wealth to protect the people, Monique said.

Public incitement to genocide

On the contrary: Kabuga, who maintained very close contact with the ruling Hutu elite and the governing party MRND, is said to have started preparations for the genocide as early as 1993. In the indictment, the 87-year-old is accused of, among other things, genocide, public incitement to genocide and crimes against humanity.

As the founder of the radio and TV station RTLM, Kabuga spread hatred and incited violence with the aim of wiping out the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda, according to the indictment. RTLM identified individuals as Tutsi, announced their whereabouts and called for murder in broadcasts. On the radio, Tutsi were repeatedly referred to as “cockroaches” and “snakes”. “To all the cockroaches who are listening to us. Rwanda belongs to those who defend it. And you cockroaches are not Rwandans,” is just a radio hate message against the Tutsi.

Kabuga is also said to have set up the Interahamwe militia, responsible for much of the killing in the genocide. Between January 1, 1994 and July 17, 1994, the senior cadre reportedly met at Kabuga’s property. There he supplied the Interhamwe with weapons, ammunition, uniforms, food and vehicles, according to the indictment. He supported the militia financially and distributed rewards. Before the French examining magistrate, Kabuga categorically rejected the allegations as “lies” in 2020, insisting on his innocence.

Milestone of the judiciary?

The International Criminal Court for Rwanda was created on November 8, 1994 to prosecute the genocide. A total of 93 people were indicted by the tribunal. So far, 82 people have been tried in Arusha in Tanzania and since 2015 in The Hague. In June 1998, for the first time since the Nuremberg trials, a former head of state, former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda, was found guilty. Other high-level convictions, including those of the then army chief, followed.

For many human rights experts, the tribunal is a legal milestone, but there has also been criticism. For example, the tribunal was unwilling to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the ruling party. The RPF, founded in exile by current President Paul Kagame, invaded Rwanda in July 1994, ending the genocide.

justice for the victims

Nevertheless, one should not underestimate the importance of the trial against Kabuga, says Joseph, Monique’s husband. It is important for the victims to know that there are institutions that protect their rights. “It’s good. It’s important to show that there is justice. Nobody is above the law.”