Three former Rwandan cabinet ministers have made an initial appearance at the United Nations international tribunal for Rwanda in connection with the 1994 genocide.

Two of the ministers pleaded not guilty to charges of genocide and crimes against humanity and one had his plea of not guilty entered for him.

The two men who pleaded not guilty before the tribunal were Justin Mugenzi, the former Minister of Trade and Industry, and Prosper Mugiraneza, the former Minister of the Civil Service.

The third man, Jerome Bicamumpaka, was the Rwandan Minister of Foreign affairs at the time of the genocide, in which extremist Hutus killed up to 750,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Allegations

The prosecution at the tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania, alleges that the men participated in the planning, preparation or execution of a plan to commit atrocities against the Tutsi and moderate Hutu populations.

Their crimes are alleged to have resulted in massacres in several towns and institutions, including the capital, Kigali, and a university hospital in Butare.

Also murdered in Butare was the former Queen of Rwanda, an historical symbol for the Tutsis.

The three former ministers were arrested in Cameroon earlier this year.

The international tribunal has been operating for four years but so far only four trials have been completed.

Criticised for the slow pace of its work, it has now decided to organise joint trials.