Radio Netherlands Worldwide<\/a><\/p>\nInternational Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Mathieu Ngirumpatse and Edouard Karemera, the president and vice-president of the notorious MRND party, respectively, were sentenced to life in prison after they were found guilty of playing a major role in the Genocide.<\/p>\n
The life sentence is the highest punishment that can be handed by the Tanzania-based UN tribunal.<\/p>\n
The same court, just a fortnight ago, ruled to reduce, on appeal, the life sentence of Col Theoneste Bagosora, to 35 years in prison.<\/p>\n
One is tempted to question whether it is not double standards at play, because reducing the sentence of a man of Bagosora’s status and role, at least at the height of the Genocide, and levy the heaviest sentence on his colleagues, simply does not make sense.<\/p>\n
The top MRND leaders, despite their positions within the party, were subordinate to Bagosora, who played a central role in appointing the interim government that carried out the Genocide.<\/p>\n
Never the less, the tribunal maintains the responsibility to ensure that justice is effectively delivered and with more cases in the pipeline, nothing less is expected.<\/p>\n
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