Rwanda singer on trial over genocide

ARUSHA, Monday 

A renowned Rwandan singer went on trial today before a UN tribunal, to face charges of writing lyrics that incited the 1994 genocide that killed more than 500,000 people in just 100 days.

Mr Simon Bikindi, 52, "chose to use his fame to incite hatred," prosecutor Hassan Jallow said during opening statements before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The sight of a singer in the dock was unusual, but the role of propaganda – compared by some to Nazi propaganda – in the Rwandan genocide has been well documented. In 2003, the UN tribunal convicted two broadcasters and a newspaper editor of genocide, incitement to genocide, crimes against humanity and extermination and persecution because of information that was broadcast and printed.

The organisers of the genocide used the radio to order Hutu civilians to kill their Tutsi neighbours and direct the slaughter.

"Between 1990 and 1994, Mr Bikindi composed, sang, recorded or distributed musical works extolling Hutu solidarity and accusing Tutsis of enslaving Hutus," the ICTR indictment says.

Mr Bikindi has said he is innocent of the six counts of genocide and related charges.

The genocide started hours after the President’s plane was mysteriously shot down over Kigali on April 6, 1994. Militants from the Hutu ethnic majority, known as interahamwe, set up roadblocks across Kigali and on April 7 began killing Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The ICTR, which does not impose the death penalty, has convicted 26 suspects and acquitted four. Trials are under way for 28 others.

Hutu extremists accused of masterminding the genocide and then fleeing to Congo cannot expect forgiveness, Rwanda’s president said in an interview in London.

President Paul Kagame also offered advice to Congo’s next president, expected to emerge from an October 29 run-off.

He said the run-off’s loser should be invited into the government to ensure peace after years of war in that country. (AP)