RWANDAN PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME ADDRESSES THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, 2002-06-18 (photo)

Rwandan President Paul Kagame addresses the national assembly at the official launch of a new court system intended to deal with thousands of Rwandans accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide, June 18, 2002. In "gacaca" courts, suspects will be judged by their peers, returning to the villages where their crimes were allegedly committed to be tried by those who witnessed what happened. More than 100,000 Rwandans are currently behind bars, accused of murdering and inciting genocide in 1994, when Hutu extremists massacred an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the space of three months. It is hoped gacaca will clear the backlog of unheard cases, and also sponsor reconciliation by emphasising forgiveness and encouraging Rwandans to talk about what took place. REUTERS/Antony Njuguna REUTERS