Former Rwandan colonel wanted for war crimes arrested at request of UN tribunal

A former colonel in the Rwandan Armed Forces wanted on charges of genocide and other crimes allegedly committed in 1994 was arrested today in Belgium at the request of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Léonidas Rusatira, who was also Commander of the Ecole Supérieure Militaire (ESM), is accused of leading an attack against thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus who had sought refuge in a technical college (Ecole Technique Officielle-ETO) in Kigali, killing hundreds of them.

He faces five counts of genocide, crimes against humanity for murder and extermination, and violations of the Geneva Conventions.

According to the Tribunal, widespread killings in and around the Rwandan capital of Kigali began on 7 April 1994 and forced thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus to seek refuge at the ETO, which was protected by forces from the UN Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR).

However, following assurances by Col. Rusatira that the Rwanda army would protect the refugees and after the killing of 10 Belgian soldiers who had been guarding the Prime Minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, the UNAMIR forces left the ETO.

Shortly after their departure, on 11 April 1994, Col. Rusatira allegedly led soldiers, along with Interahamwe militia led by George Rutaganda, on an attack against the refugees, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Tutsis and moderate Hutus at the ETO.

Those who survived the ETO attack were led to Nyanza, where they were attacked and killed by soldiers under the supervision of Col. Rusatira and the Interahamwe. According to the indictment, some days after the massacre the accused was promoted to the rank of General in the Rwanda Armed Forces.