There is a saying that the wheels of justice turn slow, but grind exceedingly fine. And justice has finally caught up with three of those who plotted and instigated the Rwandan genocide.

On April 6, 1994, only minutes after the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi died in a plane crash, extremist Hutu army officers began to launch a campaign of mass murder on the minority Tutsis, and any moderate Hutus who did not agree with their policy of ethnic cleansing. About 800,000 people died between April and June 1994, in what is called the 100 days of genocide.

Last week and nearly 15 years later, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda found Theoneste Bagosora, then the top defense ministry official, and former military commanders Anatole Nsengiyumva and Alloys Ntabakuze guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

The Tribunal found them to be responsible for multiple killings perpetrated by soldiers and militiamen at sites throughout the Rwandan cities of Kigali and Gisenyi between April 6 and 9, and sentenced them to life in prison.

The United States welcomes the conviction of these 3 senior Rwandan army officials for their role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. This ruling was an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community.