IGIHE

Category: News

  • TOP FDRL commander returns home

    Having spent over 17 years serving the D.R. Congo based Rwandan Hutu rebel group- Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, Jean Batiste Barangariye a.k.a Major Mongo Smith has voluntarily surrendered and returned home.

    Major Mongo Smith, a top commander of FDLR on Thursday 19, said that he has been working as the operations commander and urged other rebels languishing in Congolese jungles to follow suit and surrender.

     “I appeal to the rest of my colleagues to also come back home because the rebel group is no longer all that powerful and it will never win the battle,” he said, adding that FDRL was no longer powerful.

     He said that though it was not as simple, he made a decision to return to his homeland since time had reached for him to come and take part in the development his nation other than destroy the nation’s stability.

    He disclosed that his operations were based in Walikare zone of Intoto in the D.R.C.

     Barandangariye joined the rebel group in 1998 from Congo Brazzaville where he was previously stationed since 1994. He is presently residing in Gisenyi in the Western Province.

  • Gacaca courts draw to a close

    The Gacaca grassroots courts will wrap up operations in December, justice minister Tharcisse Karugarama said Friday.

    “A final report will be completed by December and this chapter of Gacaca will be officially declared closed,” Karugarama said in a statement.

    The Gacaca court is part of a system of community justice inspired by tradition and established in 2001|2001 in Rwanda|Rwanda, in the wake of the 1994|1994 Genocide|Rwandan Genocide, against the Tutsi claimed over 1 million lives. The Gacaca courts are a method of transitional justice|Transitional justice, designed to promote healing and moving on from the crisis.

    “Through Gacaca we have been able to judge and resolve up to 1.4 million dossiers,” the minister said — “a great achievement that would have been impossible otherwise.”

    “There have been prison sentences ranging from five to ten years, life sentences that make up five to eight percent of the verdicts and acquittals that make up 20 to 30 percent,” said Karugarama.

    The Gacaca, which started functioning in 2005, were initially due to wind down by the end of 2007, but the date has been postponed several times due to the complexity of some of the cases before them.

    According to the National Service of Gacaca Jurisdiction, a body that coordinates the grassroots courts’ activities, the 97 remaining cases will be closed by July.

    The courts have the jurisdiction to try those who took part in the killings, but not those suspected of planning the genocide on a national or regional level.

    “All in all we are happy that we have a unique system that caters to our people needs, it may not be perfect for other nations but it serves us very well,” said Karugarama.

    After the Genocide, the new Rwandan Patriotic Front|Rwandan Patriotic Front’s government struggled with developing just means for the humane detention|Detention (Imprisonment) and prosecution|Prosecution of the more than 100,000 people accused of genocide|Genocide, war crimes|War crimes, and related crimes against humanity|Crimes against humanity. By 2000|2000, approximately 120,000 alleged genocidaires were crammed into Rwanda’s prisons and communal jails. From December 1996|1996 to December 2006|2006, the courts managed to try about 10,000 suspects at that rate it would take another 110 years to prosecute all the prisoners.

    To speed things up, some prisoners were released : In two rounds, in 2004|2004 and 2005|2005, about 50 prisoners were released. In January, 2007, another 8,000 prisoners were scheduled for release.

    However, the courts needed a more expeditious means of delivering justice. In response, Rwanda implemented the Gacaca court|Court system, which has evolved from traditional cultural communal law enforcement procedures. Rwanda has especially focused on criminal prosecutions in the Gacaca courts, putting justice partially into the hands of the victims.

    The Gacaca courts are meant to provide smaller courts to relieve the burden of the larger courts. Criminals are charged with acts against humanity, such as murder and serious assault. These courts are not allowed to try accused rapists, however.[8] The idea is to let the village courts resolve these issues and hopefully provide some reconciliation. The trials are meant to promote reconciliation and justice. The defendant is accused and brought to trial. The trial is held in public, where survivors and the victims’ families can confront the accused. The accused confess to their crimes or maintain their innocence. The villagers can either speak for or against the defendant.

  • Rwandan envoy discusses country’s health progress at WHO meet

    Rwanda’s Ambassador to Paris, Jacques Kabale yesterday delivered a key note speech on the country’s health progress at the 64th World Health Organisation (WHO) summit currently taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

    In his speech, Kabale said that despite Rwanda’s history which saw many professionals and structures destroyed, the country has achieved tremendous progress in the health sector.

    These include the introduction of health community workers program, the expansion of the community health insurance (mutuelles de santé), and increasing maternal health services to the entire population.

    According to his speech, the health insurance promoted Rwanda’s health from a lowest coverage of 3 percent in 2002 to 92 percent in 2010.

    Ambassador Kabale added that under the committed leadership of the government of Rwanda,
    the nation has geared progress in maternal and child health as well as in non communicable diseases has been attained.

    As regards Rwanda’s health progress in the developing world, the official said that the decentralsation policy which is being implemented in Rwanda’s community has significantly promoted the ownership and effective participation of the population in decision making which has enabled efficient use of funds and increased service demand.

    Rwanda’s Ambassador in Paris also said that the government has put emphasis on the integration of maternal and child health with other health services such as immunisation services, family planning, nutrition and HIV / AIDS care.

    Kabale also pointed out that Rwanda since November 2010, provides ARV triple therapy prophylaxis to all HIV-infected pregnant women starting at 14 weeks of pregnancy.

    Further, the summit’s theme which focuses on combating non communicable diseases, Kabale also said that Rwanda has taken a major step of vaccinating girls aged 10 to 14 years against HPV, the virus that
    causes cervical cancer.

     “It is also planned that from September 2011, Rwanda will conduct the cervical cancer screening in all women aged 35-45 years,” he added.

    Part of the summit health officials from Rwanda are ; Coordinator of Maternal and Child health Dr Fidele Ngabo, Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi from the Ministry of Health and Alphonse Kayitare from the
    Embassy of Rwanda in Geneva-Switzerland. 

  • US welcomes sentencing of ex-Rwandan army chiefs

    The United States said Thursday the genocide conviction and sentence of ex-Rwandan army chief Augustin Bizimungu shows that even top military officers are not immune from prosecution.

    The four sentenced are Bizimungu, Augustin Ndindiliyimana, a former Rwandan General Francois Xavier Nzuwonemeye, and Innocent Sagahutu.

    Bizimungu was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment. A general of the Rwandan Armed forces, he held the post of Lieutenant colonel before being promoted to Major General subsequently after the death of the late President Juvenal Habyarimana. 

    “The United States welcomes the ruling as an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a press release.

    “The conviction of Mr. Bizimungu, in particular, shows that even those at the highest levels of military leadership are not immune from prosecution in the face of such grave atrocities,” it said.

    “There are still 10 ICTR fugitives at-large and the United States urges all countries to continue their cooperation with the ICTR so that these fugitives can be expeditiously arrested and brought to justice,” the statement said.

    The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda based in Arusha was established in late 1994 to try the Hutu perpetrators of Rwanda’s genocide which claimed some 800,000 lives, mainly minority Tutsis, in a span of 100 days.

    During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, Augustin Ndindiliyimana held the position of Chief of Staff of the Gendarmerie Nationale. Ndindiliyimana is alleged to have conspired with his co-accused (Francois Xavier Nzuwonemeye Innocent Sagahutu, Augustin Bizimungu) in the plan to exterminate Tutsis in Rwanda.

    He is also accused for his responsibility for the atrocities committed by forces under his control, including the deaths of ten Belgian peacekeepers in April 1994 which sparked the withdrawal of all Belgian troops from the UN mission in Rwanda. However, ICTR on Tuesday ordered his immediate release, after finding his justifying factors reasonable. Ndindiliyimana,later on expressed his happiness for being released after remaining in detention for 11 years. 

    Nzuwonemeye, a member the Rwandan Armed Forces in 1994, held the rank of major. In 1993, he was commander of a battalion in the FAR ; he was subsequently promoted to commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion.

    The ICTR indictment alleges that between 1990 and 1994, Nzuwonemeye and other officers conspired to exterminate the Tutsi civilians and political opponents, and helped to train interahamwe and militia groups who committed the genocide

    After Habyarimana’s death and the start of the genocide, members of the Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Nzuwonemeye’s subordinate, Innocent Sagahutu “tracked down, arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed” Rwandan Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. They also took into custody ten Belgian peacekeepers from UNAMIR who had been guarding her house, who were later killed.

    Sagahutu a member of the Rwandan Armed forces, in 1994 held the rank of captain. He was second-in-command of the Reconnaissance Battalion (RECCE), serving under battalion commander Major François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye.

    According to the indictment, between 1990 and 1994, Sagahutu and other officers conspired to exterminate Tutsi civilians. They distributed weapons and prepared lists of people to be eliminated. 

    The indictment accused Sagahutu and the four other defendants of conspiring to perpetrate genocide, mass rape, sexual assault, and murder of giving the orders that led to these crimes and of doing nothing to stop the crimes when they took place.

    Sagahutu , after fleeing the country after the RPF victory, was arrested on February 15, 2000. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

  • MTV youth show hosts President Kagame

    Youth drawn from a number of African countries including Rwanda yesterday interviewed President Paul Kagame courtesy of the MTV Base’s “MTV Base Meets…with MTN” programme at Village Urugwiro.

    The President responded to questions from a diverse panel of African youth from Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and South Africa.

    Khaled Mikkawi, the CEO MTN Rwanda described the initiative as a great way to reach out, inspire and connect with the youth across the continent.

    “We are extremely honoured to have President Paul Kagame involved in MTV Base Meets…with MTN,” Mikkawi pointed out.

    Interview recordings of the MTV base meets…With MTN with the President Kagame will be aired across Africa from 18 July this year as part of an eight-series show.

     Recordings will be aired on MTV base (DStv Channel 322), and on terrestrial, DTT and CATV channels including STV (Nigeria), HiTV (Nigeria), WBS (Uganda), NTV (Kenya), Canal2 (Cameroon), Muvi TV (Zambia), Zuku (Kenya), ZAP (Angola), Smart TV (Kenya) and Star Times (Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi).

    MTV Base Meets…With MTN is a joint initiative between MTV Networks Africa and MTN Group. It is designed to inspire African youth by connecting them with some of the world’s most influential personalities.

    It is intended to provide greater understanding between the African youth and the political, business and cultural leaders who shape today’s world.

    Other eminent personalities to feature in the series later include Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only elected female head of state and Julius Malema, the President of the ANC Youth League.

    The show has also featured other prominent personalities including Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Morgan Tsvangirai and Wyclef Jean.

    African youth are encouraged to nominate shakers and movers in society and submit their proposed questions for the programme via a dedicated MTV base Meets…with MTN website or via their mobile handset.

    To register go to www.mtvmeets.com or http://mtvmeets.mobi or follow the campaign on Twitter at #MTVMeets@MTVbaseAfrica.

  • Rwanda makes more reforms to ease doing business

    Rwanda has introduced new business reforms to make company start-ups and cross border trade easier as it strives to be among the world’s top 30 places to do business by 2017, Clare Akamanzi, chief operating officer of Rwanda’s Development Board announced this week.

    Akamanzi said the new reforms were meant to make it easier for businesses to start, deal with construction permits, register property and trade across borders.

    “We have introduced free online registration and reduced registration fees from 25,000 to 15,000 francs. We have also eliminated certain requirements like the notarising of sale agreement,” Akamanzi told Reuters.

    The World Bank’s 2011 Doing Business report ranked Rwanda the second most pro-business reformer globally, and 58th in terms of ease of doing business, up from 70th a year earlier.

  • Rwandan genocide: Finnish appeal to be heard in Rwanda, Zambia

    The Helsinki Court of Appeal is to travel to Rwanda and Zambia
    to hear witnesses in the appeal of a man convicted of involvement in the Rwanda
    genocide. Francois Bazaramba, a Rwandan-born Finnish citizen, was sentenced last
    summer to life in prison for mass murder.

    The court plans to be in session in Rwanda for 18 days in September and October
    to hear testimony from 39 prosecution witnesses. The court also hopes to visit
    places where killings took place.

    The court will also go to Zambia in October to hear testimony from 15 defence
    witnesses. Most of the witnesses live in Zambia and other countries in the
    region.

    The arrangement still requires the approval of the Rwandan and Zambian
    governments.

    The defendant will follow the events via video link from Finland, as was done
    in the first trial.

    The case is being handled in Finland because the Ministry of Justice refused to
    extradite Bazaramba to Rwanda for fear that he might not get a fair trial
    there.

    The
    lower court found that Bazaramba, a resident of Porvoo, had led attacks against
    Tutsis in the south of Rwanda in 1994 and gave orders that led to their deaths.

    Bazaramba
    sought asylum in Finland, in 2003.

    He was
    convicted on two charges ; intent to destroy the Tutsi population in Maraba, and
    spreading malicious propaganda calling for their extermination, crimes for
    which he was handed a life sentence.

    He is
    said to have masterminded the killing of over 5,000 people in Nyakizu, Southern
    Province.

    Bazaramba
    allegedly organised and maintained night patrols and road blocks, forcing the
    Tutsi to leave their homes. He organised the setting on fire and destruction of
    their homes and property.

  • Interview with award winning Rwandan filmmaker Gahizi Ganza

    Rwandan filmmaker Dieu Donne Gahizi Ganza won the BIOMOVIE award which is organised annually in London by United Kingdom’s TV1 and based on environmental themes. The third born in a family of five, Ganza, 26, spared time from his busy schedule to talk to our entertainment writer Diana Mutimura. Below are the excerpts.

    Diana : Tell us much about your award ?

    Ganza : At first, I was not confident that I would win since for the last 26 years, the award has been won by foreign film producers. But at the back of my mind, I knew that my work was worth it, I’m really overwhelmed to have put my country (Rwanda) and Africa at large on the world map and I intend to sustain the success. 

     A lot of people must be wondering how you climbed all the way up to even compete with renowned filmmakers. Can you share with us the secret or is it that you have long experience in the industry ?

    I started my career four years ago after taking a six month course in Kenya and so far, I’ve worked with Jean Claude Uwiringiyimana, a renowned local film producer. I must say that hard work matters a lot, yet creativity is also important for a successful film.

     This is interesting. You are only four years in the profession ; yet you emerge a winner at a global competition. What encouraged you take part in the competition which has in the past disregarded African filmmakers ?

    I understand your concern but as I had said earlier, hard-work and creativity are the two most important things for one to thrive in the industry. It is due to this attitude that one of my two films ‘One Day of the Blind Student’ emerged the best in last year’s film festival held at the National University of Rwanda (NUR). This film brought me to the limelight and I started to interact with renowned film producers who have been taking part in the award. Ezeyi was among the filmmakers who effortlessly persuaded me to apply for the BIOMOVIE award. 

     Wow, it seems your work has been yielding success all along. So tell us more about your award winning film which has been recognised for promoting authentic Rwandan practices ?

    Creativity matters a lot, look at the title of the film, for instance, Change I Mean It. I had to find a unique aspect that was relevant to the competition’s theme which was environmental conservation and Umuganda ( a monthly communal cleaning) was my favourite since it involves every citizen in cleaning their neighbourhoods as well as planting more trees. At some point, I wished that the same practice should be replicated in other countries too, because if we want to save the world from global warming, we should double our efforts to change the situation.

     What would be your advice to upcoming filmmakers ?

    I would like to encourage my fellow producers to always aim higher and they shouldn’t be discouraged by the so called international awards or even big film festivals. I urge them to always take part in the competitions and strive to show their work to the world.

     I imagine entering the competition might have cost you a fortune given the poor returns from films in Rwanda.

    What you say is true. The film industry has not yet grown to make us millionaires like our colleagues in the neighbouring countries. I should really thank my sponsors including the National Youth Council which intervened and paid both my air ticket and accommodation in the UK after Nokia pulled out. I also can’t end without thanking the Minister of Lands and Environment together with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) who facilitated in shooting the award winning film. Surf Survivors, an association of genocide led orphans also supported me financially. I also thank all those who voted for my film especially Rwandans in the Diaspora. 

     

  • Rwanda ex-paramilitary chief jailed for genocide

    The UN court for Rwanda handed a 30-year prison sentence to former army chief Augustin Bizimungu for his role in the 1994 genocide in which around 800,000 people were killed.

    The court on Tuesday also convicted Augustin Ndindiliyimana, the former head of the paramilitary police, of genocide crimes but ordered his release as he had already spent 11 years behind bars since his arrest.

    The court ruled that while Bizimungu had complete control over the men he commanded, Ndindiliyimana had only “limited control” over his men after the start of the massacres on April 6, 1994 and was opposed to the killing.

    Two senior officers tried alongside the generals were also sentenced on Tuesday.

    Major Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, the former commander of the reconnaissance battalion, was handed 20 years in jail for killing as a crime against humanity and murder as a war crime.

    His subordinate, captain Innocent Sagahutu, was also sentenced to 20 years.

    Bizimungu and Ndindiliyimana are two of the most senior figures to be tried by the Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in connection with the genocide.

    Ndindiliyimana was arrested in January 2000 in Belgium and Nzuwonemeye the following month in France. Sagahutu was detained in Denmark and Bizimungu in 2002 in Angola.

    The case had been effectively adjourned since June 2009 when prosecutors requested life sentences for all four defendants while their defence lawyers asked for their acquittal.

    The long-running case is known as the Military II trial.

    In the Military I trial, Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, presented by the prosecutor as the brains behind the genocide, was sentenced to life in prison in December 2008, along with two other senior military figures.

    Bagosora appealed and the hearing ran from March 30 to April 1, but the appeal verdict has yet to be handed down.

  • Belgian mayor extols Rwanda’s achievements in reconciliation

    A Belgian mayor has lauded the country’s unity and reconciliation efforts since the 1994 genocide.

    Rik Soens, the Waregem District Mayor made the remarks, Sunday, May 15, when he led a delegation from his district to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial site, Gisozi.

    Soens expressed shock and disappointment by the events of the 1994 genocide. “I am shocked and disappointed by the massive killings that took place in Rwanda. This is beyond human nature,” Soens regretted.

    Soens observed that the unity and reconciliation in Rwanda would bring about sustainable development.

    A member of the delegation, Rita Kestier, said that the memorial site not only exhibits massive inhuman acts that occurred in Rwanda in 1994, but also demonstrates that Rwandans are rebuilding their nation and striving for a better future.

    The delegation was in the country as part of a partnership between Waregem District in Belgium with Gatsibo District of the Eastern province.

    The cooperation that began in 1987 and is intended to promote professionalism in different sectors between the two districts especially education.