Rwanda survivors claim govt interference in genocide trials: group

KIGALI (AFP) - Rwandan officials are interfering in the trial of the country's 1994 genocide suspects and even intimidating witnesses, the country's main genocide survivors' group said Wednesday.

The Ibuka group of genocide survivors criticised "the grave interference by officials of the national government in the jurisdiction of the gacacas (traditional courts) conducting the trials."

Judges are elected from within the community to sit on nine-member panels in gacaca sessions to hear and record testimonies from community members who saw and witnessed what happened during the genocide.

They then preside over trials of genocide suspects in their own villages.

Ibuka, which means "Remember" in the local language, said official interference was aimed at shielding "intellectuals, the rich or officials being sought over their role in the genocide."

"There have been acts of intimidation against witnesses and some have even been incarcerated," it said.

The Rwandan genocide saw the slaughter of 800,000 minority Tutsis by the Hutu majority. The UN estimates some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus were killed at this time.

Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama immediately rejected the allegations, telling Radio Rwanda that the gacaca courts had achieved formidable results "which all Rwandans should rejoice in.

"Those who say otherwise are people who are never satisfied," he said.

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