James Munyaneza
9 March 2005
Kigali — Justice delayed is justice denied, so goes the English adage. This seems to be irrelevant in Rwanda's present judicial practice as after nearly eleven years, the Gacaca process is set to start Thursday.
Eventually, government has given a green light for the jurisdictions courts to dispense the reconciliatory form of justice that involves over three quarters of the 12,000 genocide cases.
Officials at the National Gacaca Secretariat told this reporter that full-scale Gacaca trials across the country will underway after a three-year hectic preparation period.
"As we talk, it has just been recommended that the trials start effective March 10. It has been observed that a number of Gacaca courts are ready for trials, and there is no need for more delays," Augustine Nkusi, the Communications Officer at the Secretariat disclosed.
He said a total of 118 sectors are ready for the trials, while many others will soon finalize with the pre-trial phases.
"We cannot afford to go beyond this time. It is the appropriate time," he told The New Times on Tuesday in a telephone interview.
Crimes falling under Category II, which will be handled by the Sector Gacaca courts, are the ones to be dealt with first. This category includes a big number of the suspects, as it covers all murder crimes committed by non-masterminds.
Those constituting Category I offences will be handled by the classical courts of law, while Category III, which will be handled by Cell Gacaca courts, constitutes persons who committed other 'lighter' offences such as pillaging property. Nkusi said there will be no official ceremony to kick-start the process at the national level.
The news came at a time when several people were questioning the delay of the trials, in which the suspects are expected to reveal the truth. The revelations are expected to end impunity, reconcile members of the society and deliver expedited justice.
The Secretariat said logistical and financial resources were available for the exercise. With the government shouldering the biggest budget, donor countries such as Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Greece, have thrown support behind the community-based trials.
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