Romeo Dallaire testifies in Rwandan war crimes trial.
Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian general who led a U.N. peacekeeping mission during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, testified in Canadian court Tuesday for the war crimes trial of Desire Munyaneza. Munyaneza is charged with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in relation to attacks at the National University of Rwanda against the Tutsi ethnic minority. Witnesses have testified that Munyaneza, 40, was a role player in the Interhamwe militia that raped and murdered scores of civilians. He is the first person, and only person thus far, to be charged under Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act permitting the prosecution of suspects for crimes committed in other countries. The law went into force in 2000.
Dallaire, now a Canadian senator, did not testify specifically to Munyaneza’s actions, but did highlight actions committed by the Interhamwe and other militias. Dallaire testified how the genocide began after a April 6, 1994, plane crash killed the Rwandan president, Juvenal Habrarimana. Dallaire said he had tried to mediate the ensuing ethnic conflict targeting Tutsi and moderate Hutus. In the days following the April 6 crash, militiamen circulated with lists of who to target. “There were no prisoners. They were killed on the spot,” Canada’s National Post said.
Dallaire also described how peacekeeping forces were ill equipped as the conflict spiraled out of control. Belgian troops were overrun in the initial phases of the conflict, and others arrived without equipment. As the conflict gained momentum, U.N. peacekeeping forces ran out of ammunition. Belgian troops were later withdrawn after several of its members were killed by roving militias.
In 100 days, it is estimated that 800,000 people had been slaughtered by the Hutu government in Rwanda.