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5 Miskolc J. Int'l L. 28 (2008)
Challenges in the Post-Genocide Rwanda regarding Criminal Accountability

handle is hein.journals/miskolc5 and id is 101 raw text is: Eszter Kirs': Challenges in the post-genocide Rwanda regarding criminal accountability Rwanda gained its independence in 1962 as a consequence of an uprising organized by the majority ethnic group of hutus. Following this event hutu people obtained political leadership and tutsis became the objects of persecution. As a result, thousands of them fled Rwanda and in the 1960's ethnic atrocities became frequent. The ethnic differences could have been pushed into the background only by the common aim of economic development, after Commander Habyarimana who supported more moderate ideas, gained presidential power in the way of a coup d'6tat. Calm years did not last too long, since the consolidating factor of economic development disappeared in the 1980's with the drastic decrease of the prize of coffee which was one of the most important export goods of the country. While the economic depression and reappearance of democratic movements occurred, the country was attacked from outside the boundaries. The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) organized by tutsi refugees occupied a part of Rwandan territories in order to create proper circumstances for the return of tutsi people. On the other side, members of the hutu political elite organized around Habyarimana (the so-called AILTZU) were considering the possibility of achieving exclusive political power by massacres. Under these circumstances the conclusion of a peace treaty, the Arusha Accords with the support of the UN in 1993 did not ensure a long-lasting consolidation. None of the parties was satisfied with its content, especially certain hutu groups who did not accept the long enlistment of rights ensured to the RPF. These unsatisfied circles created a coalition called ,,Hutu Power. In order to serve the aims of the coalition in the media, a radio channel was established (Radio Television Libre Mille Collines, hereinafter RTLM) at the end of 1993 which immediately started to broadcast its anti-tutsi propaganda. At the same time the coalition began a military organizing activity as well and a special force was born out of young hutus, the Interahamwe. Eszter Kirs is university assistant at the Department of International Law of the Faculty of Law of the Miskolc University 2 The administration of the Rwandan territories was obtained by Belgian colonizers during World War I. In this era a new artificially created preference system was created which ensured a privileged position to the ethnic group of tutsis against the hutus. The question is debatable whether any real ethnic difference existed between the two major local social groups as they share a common language, the Kinvarwanda, a common culture, traditions and religion and theyT belong to the same major ethnic group, the BanyTarwanda. The Belgian authority handled them already as two entirely separated groups and new identity cards were issued already according to this distinctive approach: tutsis having thinner phyTsical appearance received tutsi-stamps and hutu stamps were put into the identity cards of hutus. Political leader positions, good job and education opportunities were available for tutsi people. The expression ,,ethnic atrocities is used in the present study in the meaning of hostilities between tutsis and hutus. www.mjil.hu Miskolc Journal of International Law VOLUME 5. (2008) No. 2. pp. 28-34. 28

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