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Prosecuting International Crimes in Africa - PULP - University of ...

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8 Reparations<br />

Genocide as prosecuted by the ICTR and Gacaca Courts <strong>in</strong> Rwanda 231<br />

Reparations may be def<strong>in</strong>ed as the embodiment <strong>of</strong> a society’s recognition,<br />

remorse and atonement for harm <strong>in</strong>flicted. 21 Genocide victims, like any<br />

other victims <strong>of</strong> human rights violations, need reparation to repair actual<br />

damage suffered by a human rights violation. 22 Reparation may be either<br />

moral or material or both. 23 In the case <strong>of</strong> genocide, it is regrettable that<br />

neither the ICTR nor gacaca courts provide material reparation for the<br />

victims.<br />

However, some may argue that the restitution <strong>of</strong> property is a form <strong>of</strong><br />

reparation and that, therefore, gacaca courts have been provid<strong>in</strong>g material<br />

reparation because they provide for the restitution <strong>of</strong> property stolen or<br />

destroyed dur<strong>in</strong>g the genocide. 24<br />

9 Conclusion<br />

The chapter has analysed the prosecution <strong>of</strong> the crime <strong>of</strong> genocide <strong>in</strong> the<br />

ICTR and <strong>in</strong> gacaca courts. The ICTR and gacaca courts both have<br />

jurisdiction over genocide; the ma<strong>in</strong> difference lies <strong>in</strong> the lack <strong>of</strong> a<br />

def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>of</strong> the crime <strong>in</strong> the gacaca law. Other differences between the<br />

two <strong>in</strong>stitutions are: judges from the ICTR are highly tra<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> law,<br />

whereas gacaca judges do not have any formal legal tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. The gacaca<br />

judges’ understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> genocide rema<strong>in</strong>s limited to case law and<br />

therefore they are unlikely to develop jurisprudence on the matter. In<br />

addition, sentences <strong>in</strong> gacaca courts relate to convictions based on<br />

categories <strong>of</strong> crim<strong>in</strong>al responsibility. Furthermore, gacaca courts are able<br />

to impose community service as a sentence for certa<strong>in</strong> catgories <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong>fenders, while the ICTR Statute does not provide for such a sanction.<br />

21 See N Roht-Ariaza ’Reparations decisions and dilemma’ (2004) 27 Hast<strong>in</strong>gs<br />

<strong>International</strong> and Comparative Law Review 157.<br />

22 See LJ Laplante ‘On the <strong>in</strong>divisibility <strong>of</strong> rights: Truth commissions, reparations and the<br />

right to development’ (2007) 10 Yale Human Rights and Development Law Journal 147; art<br />

2 ICCPR.<br />

23 n 19 above.<br />

24 S Vandeg<strong>in</strong>ste ‘Réparation pour les victimes de génocide, de crimes contre l’humanité<br />

et des crimes de guerre au Rwanda’ http://www.ier.ma/IMG/pdf/<br />

reparationRwanda.pdf (accessed 1 April 2010).

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