During the trial of Félicien Kabuga, a witness testified that before the genocide against the Tutsi, young people were deeply captivated by ‘Radio Télévision des Mille Collines’ (RTLM). This fascination, the witness explained, played a significant role in their massive participation in the atrocities of the genocide. Identified by the code name ‘KAB066,’ the witness described RTLM as the radio station for young people, the only one they listened to at the time. He recounted how he would listen to it incessantly, even carrying his radio to bars.
The witness particularly enjoyed the broadcasts of Kantano, a prominent RTLM presenter, and shared how the station portrayed Tutsi individuals as evil and dangerous. This messaging instilled hatred in the listeners. He further explained that RTLM broadcasts claimed that Tutsis had historically oppressed Hutus and warned that Tutsis would return to kill them, urging Hutus to strike first.
When asked by the Prosecution how these broadcasts made him feel, the witness admitted that they excited him and made it impossible for him to even look at a Tutsi. The radio’s constant incitement to hate Tutsis had a profound effect on him, leading to his participation in the genocide. He confessed that listening to RTLM significantly influenced his actions, despite having previously coexisted peacefully with Tutsi individuals.
The witness also reflected on the widespread belief among listeners that RTLM was a source of truth. He concluded his testimony with an emotional plea for forgiveness: “I ask for forgiveness from all the Tutsi families, the government, and all Rwandans for the terrible acts I committed due to RTLM and the political parties that convinced us Tutsis were evil and had to be killed.”
The trial of Félicien Kabuga began on September 29, 2022, in The Hague, under the jurisdiction of the Residual Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals. Kabuga faces six charges, including genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity, specifically persecution on political grounds, extermination, and murder.
