Rwanda takes France to UN court

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Rwanda has asked the International Court of Justice to quash French arrest warrants issued against nine associates of President Paul Kagame.

The government cannot function properly, as officials like the army chief-of-staff are unable to travel abroad, says Rwanda's justice minister.

The warrants were issued in November after a French judge implicated Mr Kagame in his predecessor's killing.

Former President Juvenal Habyarimana's death sparked the 1994 genocide.

More than 800,000 people died in the 100-day massacres of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED James Kabarebe, military chief-of-staffCharles Kayonga, army chief-of-staffFaustin Nyamwasa-Kayumba, ambassador to IndiaJackson Nkurunziza, working for presidential guardSamuel Kanyamera, RPF deputyJacob Tumwime, army officerFranck Nziza, presidential guard officerEric Hakizimana, intelligence officerRose Kabuye, director general of state protocol <a class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/3170451.stm">Profile: Paul Kagame</a> <a class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6181988.stm">Decades of tension</a>

Mr Kagame, who under French law has immunity as head of state, has denied involvement in the shooting down of Habyarimana's plane, but has said he does not regret the death.

Rwanda broke off diplomatic relations with France after the accusation.

French Judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere is investigating the case because the crew of the plane were French and their families filed a case in France in 1998.

Those he wants to arrest include armed forces chief James Kabarebe and army chief-of-staff Charles Kayonga.

Judge Bruguiere has said that only Mr Kagame's Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) forces had missiles capable of downing President Habyarimana's plane.

He said the attack was carefully planned by the RPF.

The genocide came to an end when Mr Kagame's then rebel RPF seized power 100 days after the killing began.