Welcoming the recent conviction and sentencing of two former Rwandan politicians for the 1994 genocide, the US State Department described the ruling as an "important step in providing justice and accountability", not just to the victims, but to the international community.

The comments, made in a state by the Deputy Spokesperson, Mark Toner, in a press statement released Tuesday highlighted the responsibility the former president and vice president held, not only for crimes they themselves had directly committed, but for the crimes committed by those under their command.

See here for statement in full, extracts reproduced below:

"Due to their role in a joint criminal enterprise “to destroy the Tutsi population,” the Trial Chamber found Ngirumpatse and Karemera responsible not only for their own criminal acts, but also for the criminal acts committed by others as part of that enterprise, including widespread rape and sexual assault against Tutsi women and girls." 

"The United States welcomes this ruling as an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community. The defendants were among the leadership of the dominant party in the interim government, the same party that established the Interahamwe militia, which played a leading role in the 1994 genocide."

"There are still nine ICTR fugitives at-large, and the United States urges all countries to redouble their cooperation with the ICTR so that these fugitives can be expeditiously arrested and brought to justice."