Genocide survivors demonstrate against ICTR chief

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Carla del Ponte, returned from the Rwandan capital, Kigali, to Arusha, Tanzania, on Friday, a day after some 3,500 genocide survivors marched through the streets of Kigali, in a demonstration against her office and the alleged harassment of witnesses at the court.

The demonstrators, some carrying placards inscribed "No justice from ICTR" and "No justice without compensation", had marched from central Kigali to the ICTR's office in the suburbs, the Rwanda News Agency reported.

Officials of the ICTR prosecutor's office in Kigali declined to disclose the objective of del Ponte's mission to Rwanda, but told IRIN that she had met several government representatives, and the presidents of the country's two genocide survivor associations, Ibuka and Avega.

Participants in Thursday's demonstration, which was organised by the associations, called on del Ponte and the ICTR's registrar, Adama Dieng, to resign. News organisations reported that the demonstrators had also been protesting against the ICTR for, as they claimed, its practice of hiring genocide suspects.

Critics have also complained about the slow pace of the trials in Arusha. "How can such a tribunal, with all the resources at its disposal, handle eight cases in eight years?" Antoine Mugesera, a representative of Ibuka, said.

Another accusation directed against the ICTR is that some of its lawyers are guilty of fee-splitting, whereby some defence counsels share their earnings with their clients.

For its part, the ICTR has cricitised new travel requirements imposed by the Rwandan government, which have served to delay the arrival of witnesses for cases being heard by the tribunal. This has caused judges to adjourn the trials of some prominent genocide suspects.

The new travel regulations require witnesses due to attend the trials to obtain clearance documents giving birth details, certificates of good conduct, and have their identity cards verified before being issued with passports. The same regulations apply to all Rwandans wishing to travel out of the country.