By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

KIGALI, Rwanda – Today, Francois Karera, a former Rwandan regional official, was found guilty on three counts of genocide by the Tanzania-based International Criminal Court and sentenced to life imprisonment. Karera, now 63-years old, was arrested in Kenya in October 20, 2001 and immediately extradited to Tanzania. There he was charged with four counts of genocide and crimes against humanity for ordering and/or encouraging attacks on Tutsis in villages on April 1994.

Karere was a perfect or provincial governor in the capital of Kigali. According to court records and witnesses, Karera ordered the attacks of Tutsis in Ruhashi commune and in Nyarugenge commune, mainly at roadblocks. In considering his sentence after 33 days of trial, the tribunal judge, Erik Mose, took into account Karare’s authority, role, and the number of victims killed in the Ntamara Church. According to records, 5000 people were massacred.

Prior to his arrest and the establishment of the Tanzania-based court, Karera was quoted as saying, “If the reasons are just, the massacres are justified…In war you don’t consider the consequences, you consider the causes.” For this reason Karera said he was not worried that the United Nations would establish a tribunal to investigate the massacres and try suspects.

The UN court has been attempting to hold masterminds of Rwanda´s 1994 genocide responsible for their actions and the actions they ordered since its creation in 1997. The sentencing of Karera brings the number of people convicted to 30. Five defendants have been acquitted. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has until 2008 to complete its task in trying genocide suspects.

More than 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed Hutu extremists in 100 days.

For more information please see:

BBC- Life for Rwanda Church Killing – 7 December 2007

Reuters: Africa- Rwanda Genocide Court: Life Sentence on Ex-Governor – 7 December 2007

AllAfrica.com- Rwanda: Former Governor Jailed for Life on Genocide – 7 December 2007