Four Rwandans, including two Roman Catholic nuns, have gone on trial in Belgium accused of aiding genocide in Rwanda in 1994. A university professor and a former clergyman are suspected of inciting and organising the slaying of Tutsis. The two Benedictine nuns, Sister Gertrude and Sister Maria Kisito, are suspected of handing over to Hutu killers more than 5,000 Tutsis who had sought refuge at a convent. The trial, in Brussels, marks the first time a civil court outside the former Belgian colony has tried suspects of the genocide.
The presiding judge postponed the reading of the charges until tomorrow. The four accused are expected to plead not guilty, but if convicted, they could face life in prison. "What should be pointed out is that the two nuns reject the allegations that they took part in the genocide directly," their lawyer said. "They, of course, are pleading not guilty. That is self-evident."
But lawyers for the civil plaintiffs say that there is a strong case against the defendants. However, the success of the case, expected to last until the end of May, hinges on how many of the 180 Rwandan witnesses are prepared to come forward. The suspects are the first to be charged under a relatively new Belgian law that allows individuals, including non-Belgians, to be tried in Belgium for war crimes committed elsewhere. Human Rights workers say that the new law could help prosecute "people who fall through the cracks" – those overlooked by international tribunals which focus on more high profile cases.
