UN Employee is Genocide Criminal

Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
17 January 2008
Posted to the web 17 January 2008

Kigali

The UN Tribunal for Rwanda has not acted to reprimand one of its employees Mr. Ephrem Gasasira despite a Genocide trial due to start in which he is also accused by witnesses, African Rights said on Thursday in a new report.

On January 18, the trail of Father Hormisdas Nsengimana, a Roman Catholic priest resumes at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), but interestingly, his alleged key ally during the Genocide Mr. Gasasira works with documentation department at the ICTR in Arusha - Tanzania.


African Rights claims Mr. Gasasira was president of the Court of Appeal in Nyanza (now part of Southern Province) in 1994. The campaign organization says Mr. Gasasira is accused by the same witnesses of working closely with Father Nsengimana to ensure a successful Genocide in Nyanza.

The trail of Father Nsengimana began on June 22 last year but was adjourned six days later.

Before the trial for the cleric began, African Rights apparently informed the tribunal about the allegations against Mr. Gasasira, with respect to both the intimidation of witnesses, and the charges that he took an active part in the Genocide.

However, Gasasira remains at the ICTR in Arusha, and in mid-January 2008, the witnesses remain fearful for their lives, as they prepare to leave for Arusha, the organization says in its report: 'Undermining Justice From Within Ephraim Gasasira and Father Hormisdas Nsengimana's Trail at the ICTR'.

It is not the first time Rwandan employees of the costly UN court have come under scrutiny for their past in Rwanda.

Genocide suspect Joseph Kanyabashi posed as ICTR investigator in Rwanda in order to gain access to information about several protected witnesses, and tried to discourage them from going to testify at the tribunal.

Mr. Simon Nshamihigo, a former prosecutor with a provincial court in Rwanda managed to get a posting with the same tribunal. He would later be put to book. Others are Mr. Joseph Nzabirinda and Mr. Callixte Gakwaya.


In another very controversial twist in the history of the United Nations in Rwanda, Mr. Callixte Mbarushimana, a former United Nations employee linked to the Genocide was awarded thousands of dollars in compensation by the same organisation.

African Rights says the tribunal needs to do more to protect the identities of witnesses in the trail of the catholic priest whose family and former followers in Butare (now part of Southern Province) - are threatening them. In some cases, as the organization alleges, witnesses have been bribed not to testify.

The protection of witnesses invited by the Tribunal for its trails remains a thorny issue and some have alleged that court officials deliberately reveal their identities. Government of Rwanda and Genocide survivors have also angrily complained about the treatment they receive from examining attorneys.