Genocide convicts repay Rwf650m to victims
The Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi speaking at Umushyikirano 2015
The people convicted of involvement in the 1994 genocide have begun compensating the survivors following a decision of Umushyikirano 2014 – a national dialogue platform in Rwanda held annually.
Delegates demanded in resolution 17 at the 2014 event in December to expedite the execution of judgements rendered by Gacaca traditional Courts on assets/property damaged during the Genocide against the Tutsi. According a report presented today at the ongoing two-day event by Premier Anastase Murekezi, 17,718 cases were solved and 657,271,051 francs was paid.
Delegates at the 12th umushyikirano were taken aback with continued reports of survivors who continue to live in worrying conditions yet some of their tormenters enjoy freedom. Many of the tens of thousands of cases handled by Gacaca concerned destroyed or looted property. However, compensations had been slow.
The PM Murekezi said as of end of June 2015, 17,718 compensation cases were solved. 3,416 cases of were solved by mediation. In total, some 534,454 Gacaca judgment cases had been executed countrywide.
Meanwhile, with regard to the final resolution 20 concerning the speedy establishment of a mechanism to preserve large trove of genocide data, the government says it is making good progress. The prime minister told delegates today that the digitization of the archives on the Gacaca as evidence of the genocide will be complete within two years.
The umushyikirano of 2015 taking place December 21-22, is bringing together more than 3000 delegates including locals, diaspora and foreigners. The event is chaired by President Paul Kagame. For the first time, the event is not taking place at parliamentary buildings, but a new facility in Kigali where the African Development Bank Group summit took place in 2014.
