Informed sources told Hirondelle it was not abnormal that unprotected witnesses be paid their daily living allowances on the last day of their stay in Arusha, as the sum must be approved by the ICTR finance department. They said Witness Protection applies for an advance as soon as it knows that a witness is coming, but that there can be unforeseen delays because of the need for clearance by the Tribunal bureaucracy. When asked, they said they would be looking into the possibility of providing unprotected witnesses with mobile 'phones or radios, but that this would have to be done carefully, as it involved financial costs. Between January 1997 and July 2000, the Tribunal brought 223 witnesses to Arusha, of whom 150 testified for prosecution and 73 for defence. Since September 2000 when the pace of trials began to speed up, it has brought 120 prosecution witnesses.
Prosecutors also complain, however, that they are overworked and understaffed.
The loneliness of the long-distance witness. Witnesses may face not only practical problems but also the psychological strain of testifying to the court. They are not allowed to speak about their testimony whilst it is in progress. Witness Protection told Hirondelle it gives each witness a full briefing about their rights and duties, as well as a visit to a courtroom and an explanation of how procedures will be conducted. The witnesses are also briefed by prosecution or defence, depending on which party has brought them to Arusha.