MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED AFTER NDAYAMBAJE'S SPEECH, SAYS WITNESS

Arusha, February 25, 2004 (FH) – The 33rd prosecution witness in the so-called “Butare trial” told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Wednesday that her husband was killed along with other Tutsis after a meeting addressed by one of the accused in this trial, Elie Ndayambaje, former mayor of Muganza commune. “You understood what I told you…your enemies are Tutsis, you should identify them,” the witness, code-named QAL, recalled some of the sentences allegedly spoken by Ndayambaje at Lemera meeting, which was also attended by former prefect of Butare, Colonel Alphonse Nteziryayo, another accused in this trial which groups six people.

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Led by ICTR prosecuting counsel Jonathan Moses she said that shortly after, Nteziryayo took over the floor and told the people to carry out the instructions previously given by Ndayambaje. According to the witness, the prefect who spoke for about 30 minutes, asked the population present at the meeting to raise up the weapons in their possessions - spears, machetes and clubs - to hunt and kill Tutsis. However, the witness insisted that it was due to Ndayambaje's speech that her husband and ther Tutsis were killed. She recounted first how her five-year old daughter was snatched away from her right after the meeting by the assailants (the people attending the meeting) and how her brother managed to get her back after giving the attackers 50,000 Rwandan Francs. She went on saying that her husband, however, was killed the following day along with other Tutsis. QAL had earlier testified that one day at 2 in the afternoon (without specifying the date) when she went to the market in Muganza sector she saw Ndayambaje in a white Toyota vehicle full of guns and grenades driving slowly towards Kabuye hill. She said another vehicle, a green Toyota driven by a black man in military gear followed that of Ndayambaje. She discovered later that the driver of the green Toyota was the prefect of Butare, Colonel Nteziryayo. Asked if she knew why they were going to Kabuye, the witness responded that “ Tutsis took refuge there and they were the ones they wanted to kill. ”Ndayambaje and Nteziryayo are jointly charged with the former minister of women and family affairs, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, her son and former militia leader in Butare,Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, another former prefect of Butare, Sylvain Nsabimana, and former mayor of Ngoma commune Joseph Kanyabashi. All have pleaded not guilty to genocide and crimes against humanity. About 20 minutes after the beginning of the cross examination the chamber went into closed session. When it came back in open session the crossexamination had been concluded and the 34th prosecution witness dubbed EV had been called. The trial is expected to continue on Thursday in Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR, composed of Judge William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Judge Arlette Ramaroson from Madagascar and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda. NI/CE/FH (BT''0225e)