Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne)
22 October 2008
Arusha — Johann Swinnen, former Belgium Ambassador to Rwanda during 1994 genocide, testified Wednesday before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), in favour of former Chief of Staff of Rwandan Gendarmerie, General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, whom he described as "a positive person".
Accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, the General has claimed his innocence.
"I regard General Ndindiliyimana as a positive person. I never noted from his part any statements which allowed me to doubt his engagement for reconciliation, peace and maintenance of law and order", testified the diplomat, who is now posted to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"I believe that General Ndindiliyimana had always pleaded that the gendarmerie plays its part for the maintenance of law and order", stated the Belgian diplomat, while wondering about the capacity of this force to contain the massacres after the assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana and the resumption of fighting in which the gendarmerie took part on the side of the army. These hostilities opposed government's forces and rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), currently in power.
"What were the possibilities of action of the gendarmerie after 6 April (1994)? What materials means, what manpower did it have? What were its means of action within the framework of this news?" asked Swinnen.
He disclosed that Ndindiliyimana had telephoned him late in the night of 7 April 1994 to request that Belgium, whose ten soldiers had just been killed by elements of the Rwandan army, not to withdraw its contingent of the UN force then deployed in Rwanda.
"The conversation was long. It was especially the General who spoke, who explained the distress. He said to me that if the Belgians left, it will rather worsen the situation. I especially retained his very strong insistence that we (Belgians) understand that the (peace) process needed a reassuring presence", stated the diplomat.
Swinnen also stated that Belgian officers on mission in Rwanda had reported to him that Ndindiliyimana, before the start of the genocide, pleaded for a reinforcement of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) mandate.
Ndindiliyimana is on trial with the former Chief of Staff of Army, General Augustin Bizimungu, former Commander of Reconnaissance Battalion, Major François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye and Captain Innocent Sagahutu, who commanded a squadron of this elite unit.
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