RWANDA RETURN TO VIOLENCE WARNING !
The gacaca courts were supposed to bring reconciliation. The Rwandan authorities must deal with the killings of survivors of the 1994 genocide, says Human Rights Watch.
A significant number of witnesses in the traditional judicial process, known as gacaca, have been killed in recent years, says the US-based lobby group.
Prompt and effective law enforcement is needed, or the deaths could trigger a new cycle of violence, HRW warns.
Some 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 1994 by the Hutu-led government of the time.
The report said 16 genocide survivors were killed in 2005 and seven in 2006.
In one case, the murder of a genocide survivor sparked the reprisal killings of eight adults and children.
"Reprisal killings have been rare in the past, but if they become more frequent, they could spur a new cycle of violence," warned Human Rights Watch spokesperson Alison Des Forges.
HRW also raised concerns about the deaths of three suspects in police custody, who had been arrested over the killing of a gacaca judge.
"In any society, deaths in custody at the hands of law enforcement must be subject to the highest scrutiny," said Ms Des Forges.
Last week, Rwanda's cabinet approved the scrapping of the death penalty for genocide suspects abroad, including the UN court in Tanzania.
The Arusha tribunal has convicted just 27 people and is due to wind up in 2008, when most cases are likely to be transferred to Kigali.
A significant number of witnesses in the traditional judicial process, known as gacaca, have been killed in recent years, says the US-based lobby group.
Prompt and effective law enforcement is needed, or the deaths could trigger a new cycle of violence, HRW warns.
Some 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 1994 by the Hutu-led government of the time.
The report said 16 genocide survivors were killed in 2005 and seven in 2006.
In one case, the murder of a genocide survivor sparked the reprisal killings of eight adults and children.
"Reprisal killings have been rare in the past, but if they become more frequent, they could spur a new cycle of violence," warned Human Rights Watch spokesperson Alison Des Forges.
HRW also raised concerns about the deaths of three suspects in police custody, who had been arrested over the killing of a gacaca judge.
"In any society, deaths in custody at the hands of law enforcement must be subject to the highest scrutiny," said Ms Des Forges.
Last week, Rwanda's cabinet approved the scrapping of the death penalty for genocide suspects abroad, including the UN court in Tanzania.
The Arusha tribunal has convicted just 27 people and is due to wind up in 2008, when most cases are likely to be transferred to Kigali.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
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