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French Soldiers Trained Interahamwe Militia in 1992 (Witness)

Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne)
NEWS
January 13, 2005
Posted to the web January 13, 2005
Arusha
A prosecution witness Thursday claimed before the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), that French soldiers took part in training
Interahamwe militia. The witness code-named DA for protective reasons, was a
member of the elite Reconnaissance battalion in 1994.
"Towards the end of 1992, Interahamwe were receiving military training in a
forest near Gabiro (Mutara region in the East) military camp", stated the
witness. "They were mainly trained by Rwandan soldiers but French instructors
drilled them on survival techniques", said DA.
"The Interahamwe came in groups of 500 to 600 people", continued the witness
who added that he had been posted at Gabiro camp for two months during that
time. DA also claimed that similar training took place at Kimihurura camp, home
to the Presidential Guards (GP) unit. "Towards the end of May 1993, I saw
militia train at the camp on at least three or four occasions. The instructors
were mostly Rwandan soldiers but the French were also present", asserted DA.
According to the witness, most of those undergoing training at the camp were
militia leaders who were being trained in handling of firearms.The witness
claimed, after the training, the "Interahamwe were given special names like
Zulu and Kuwait and returned to their homes."
DA testified further that during the genocide, the militia who had also
received special uniforms made of kitenge cloth manned roadblocks, inspected
identification papers and killed those identified as Tutsis.
The ICTR prosecutor maintains that the Interahamwe militia were responsible for
the extermination of an estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus through
out Rwanda in the 1994 genocide.
This so-called Military II trial groups together former commander of the
Reconnaissance battalion Major Fran�ois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, his deputy,
Captain Innocent Sagahutu, the former chief of staff of the Gendarmerie (Para-
military police), General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, and the former army chief-
of-staff of the Rwandan army, General Augustin Bizimungu. All have pleaded not
guilty to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
DA's testimony continues Monday. Military II trial started on September 20,
2004.
The trial is taking part in Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR composed of Judge
Joseph Asoka de Silva of Sri Lanka (presiding), assisted by Judges Taghrid
Hikmet of Jordan and Seon Ki Park of South Korea.

   

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