Froduald Karamira
Encyclopedia
Froduald Karamira was a Rwanda
n politician who was found guilty of crimes in organising the implementation of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
. He was sentenced to death by a Rwandan court and was one of the last 24 individuals executed
by Rwanda.
family. As an adult, Karamira was accepted as a Hutu
by following certain Rwandan traditions that allow "conversions" from one group to the other.
Karamira became vice president of the MDR party and was a leader in the extremist wing of the party, nicknamed "Hutu Power".
On 23 October 1993, Karamira gave a public speech during which he coined the concept of "Hutu Power". He called on Hutus “to rise [and] take the necessary measures”, and to “look within ourselves for the enemy which is amongst us”.
of Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana
when his plane was shot down, Karamira participated in the creation of the interim government. During the genocide, Karamira gave daily speeches that were broadcast on the Mille Collines
radio station. After the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front
defeated the government in July 1994 and the genocide ended, Karamira disappeared from Rwanda. He was indicted by the government of Rwanda for genocide
, murder
, conspiracy
, and non-assistance to people in danger.
n officials in Mumbai
and was extradited
to Rwanda. His trial began on 13 January 1997 in Kigali
. In addition to his daily speeches that incited genocide, it was claimed that he was instrumental in creating and arming the Interahamwe
militias; he was also accused of being personally responsible for the killing of hundreds of Tutsis, including 13 members of his own family.
On 14 February 1997, Karamira was convicted on all counts and was sentenced to death. He appealed to the Kigali Appeals Court, but the appeal was rejected and his sentence confirmed on 12 September 1997. On 24 April 1998, in a public event at the Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali, Karamira was executed by firing squad along with 21 other people convicted of involvement in the Rwandan Genocide. The same day, at least two other individuals were also executed at other locations in Rwanda.
Rwanda abolished the death penalty in 2007. The 24 people executed in 1997, including Karamira, were the last to have been executed in Rwanda.
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
n politician who was found guilty of crimes in organising the implementation of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
. He was sentenced to death by a Rwandan court and was one of the last 24 individuals executed
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
by Rwanda.
Political career
Karamira was born in Mushubati, Rwanda into a TutsiTutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
family. As an adult, Karamira was accepted as a Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
by following certain Rwandan traditions that allow "conversions" from one group to the other.
Karamira became vice president of the MDR party and was a leader in the extremist wing of the party, nicknamed "Hutu Power".
On 23 October 1993, Karamira gave a public speech during which he coined the concept of "Hutu Power". He called on Hutus “to rise [and] take the necessary measures”, and to “look within ourselves for the enemy which is amongst us”.
Rwandan Genocide
On 8 April 1994, after the deathAssassination of Habyarimana and Ntaryamira
The assassination of Juvénal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira on the evening of April 6, 1994, was the catalyst for the Rwandan Genocide. The airplane carrying Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down as it prepared to land in Kigali, Rwanda....
of Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana was the third President of the Republic of Rwanda, the post he held longer than any other president to date, from 1973 until 1994. During his 20-year rule he favored his own ethnic group, the Hutus, and supported the Hutu majority in neighboring Burundi against the Tutsi...
when his plane was shot down, Karamira participated in the creation of the interim government. During the genocide, Karamira gave daily speeches that were broadcast on the Mille Collines
Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines
Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines was a Rwandan radio station which broadcast from July 8, 1993 to July 31, 1994. It played a significant role during the April–July 1994 Rwandan Genocide....
radio station. After the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front
Rwandan Patriotic Front
The Rwandan Patriotic Front abbreviated as RPF is the current ruling political party of Rwanda, led by President Paul Kagame. It governs in a coalition with other parties...
defeated the government in July 1994 and the genocide ended, Karamira disappeared from Rwanda. He was indicted by the government of Rwanda for genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, and non-assistance to people in danger.
Arrest, trial, and execution
In June 1996, Karamira was arrested by IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n officials in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and was extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to Rwanda. His trial began on 13 January 1997 in Kigali
Kigali
Kigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
. In addition to his daily speeches that incited genocide, it was claimed that he was instrumental in creating and arming the Interahamwe
Interahamwe
The Interahamwe is a Hutu paramilitary organization. The militia enjoyed the backing of the Hutu-led government leading up to, during, and after the Rwandan Genocide. Since the genocide, they have been forced out of Rwanda, and have sought asylum in Congo...
militias; he was also accused of being personally responsible for the killing of hundreds of Tutsis, including 13 members of his own family.
On 14 February 1997, Karamira was convicted on all counts and was sentenced to death. He appealed to the Kigali Appeals Court, but the appeal was rejected and his sentence confirmed on 12 September 1997. On 24 April 1998, in a public event at the Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali, Karamira was executed by firing squad along with 21 other people convicted of involvement in the Rwandan Genocide. The same day, at least two other individuals were also executed at other locations in Rwanda.
Rwanda abolished the death penalty in 2007. The 24 people executed in 1997, including Karamira, were the last to have been executed in Rwanda.
External links
- Ministère Public c. Karamira : trial judgment of Karamira's case (FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - Ministère Public c. Karamira : appeal judgment of Karamira's case (FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
)