The period from 1990 to 1994 saw a serious decline and eventual - TopicsExpress



          

The period from 1990 to 1994 saw a serious decline and eventual collapse of institutions of justice, law and order. The context of war provided a convenient environment for the government to persecute its perceived enemies: the political opposition and the Tutsi community, both of which were judged to be guilty, respectively, of opposing the ruling party and being agents (ibyitso) of the Rwanda Patriotic Front rebels. Following the RPF attack, some fusion occurred between the gendarmerie and the army. Soldiers started performing roles hitherto reserved for gendarmes. For instance, it became increasingly common for soldiers to go into people’s houses to search for guns. Tutsi households were particularly targeted during such operations because they were suspected of either hiding guns intended to reach the RPF or its fighters. A respondent with personal experience recounts what happened to him after an event to celebrate the death of the RPF’s military commander, Major-General Fred Rwigema soon after the attack: “At the event were prefecture, army and gendarmerie leaders. The official speech was about searching for all ‘traitors’ and ‘spies’ who ‘hide inyenzi and the knives that kill the Hutu. newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15821&a=79412
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 11:43:56 +0000

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