BY GEORGE KAGAME
The government of Rwanda will not deter from normalizing diplomatic relations with DR Congo despite the highly controversial and criticized report released earlier in the week by a group of UN Experts on DR Congo.
Speaking to Journalists in Kigali on Tuesday the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosemary Museminari said Rwanda would not be disrupted by the report from discussions with DR Congo regarding resuming diplomatic relations between the two neighbours after ten years of hostility. Museminari however stated that although the report would have an impact on the discussions it will not determine the direction of the discussions which are currently on going. The report accused Rwanda of recruiting children among other things which the government has insisted are false.
"It may have an effect but for us in Rwanda, we are determined to continue with the talks without any interruptions," said Museminari, she added that even if the report was very biased against Rwanda the meetings would continue.
The negotiations between Rwanda and Congo have in recent months been in full gear after being in a state of hostility since 1998. Since then the two countries have accused each other of supporting proxy wars against their respective governments. Opponents of Rwanda's government who are believed to have been the militias and forces interconnected with the Genocide in 1994 are suspected to be supported by the DR Congo government in massacring Congolese ethnic Tutsi tribesmen, these groups are now classified as negative forces and are mainly operating in Eastern Congo.
The negative forces are a combination of the Interahamwe, EX-Far, and mainly Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda-FDLR are believed to have camps based in Eastern Congo where Congolese minority Tutsi ethnic Tutsi are settled. The negotiations to renew relations between Rwanda and Congo come months after these ethnic Tutsi resumed their rebellion in Eastern Congo against the Kinshasa government in late August.
In mid November, DR Congo Foreign Minister Thambwe Muamba visiting Kigali said that his country was set to send an ambassador to Rwanda soon and was also evacuating people that were residing in the Rwandan Embassy in Kinshasa so as to welcome the Rwandan ambassador there. Museminari said that to underliner Rwanda's commitment to good relations with Congo, "we appointed our ambassador to Congo" but the deployment waits for formal agreements to be endorsed between the two countries.
She added that DR Congo has promised to send their ambassador to Kigali early next before the end of April. Commenting on the rejuvenated efforts to revive the diplomatic relations DR Congo President Joseph Kabila said in a televised state address last Saturday that; "we are increasing political and diplomatic actions to end war and misery."
The talks between the two countries are now in due process and are code-named as "four plus four" high level bilateral framework in which Rwandan officials are meeting with their Congolese counterparts to resolve the problem of the FDLR-Interahamwe. The framework is also handling a comprehensive operational plan against the negative forces.
The efforts also comes at a time when DR Congo is currently negotiating a peace deal with the minority tribes political party in Eastern Congo under the leadership of renegade General Laurent Nkunda in Nairobi under the mediation of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. The also come when both Rwanda Burundi and DR Congo are trying to rejuvenate the economic community of the Great Lakes states-CEPEGL.
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Media crucial in preventing genocide ideology; Mucyo
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission charged with preventing genocide ideology in Rwanda Jean de Dieu Mucyo has called for increasing the capacity of the media in the country so as to eliminate the "still prevalent" genocide ideoelogy in Rwanda 14 years after over one million people were killed in what experts say is Africa's worst human catastrophe.
Speaking to the press in his Kacyiru based office Mucyo said; "the media is crucial. It was used by the Genocidal regime prior to 1994 in a campgain to promote genocide ideology. We need to increase its capacity today to fight the ideology."
Mucyo's appeal comes exactly a year after a parliamentary investigation found alarming cases in the country's formative education system where students were divided according to their ethnic groupings. The report released by a six man commission headed by Donatille Mukabalisa in December 2007 found schools especially in the Northern Province allegedly promoting genocide ideology "registering 97 percent cases of the ideology."
In Gakenke one secondary school was said to have lists of Tutsi students to be killed drawn up. However school administrators say no one has so far been killed on the said lists. In this same school students were made to wear different uniforms according to their ethnic group, books and poems inciting hatred. The headmaster of the school then said the uniforms were supplied by the Fund for Genocide Survivors'-FARG a charge that students at the school denied.
At the release of the report, members of Parliament in the previous term put the then minister of Education Dr. Jean D'arc Mujawamariya under alot of pressure, she was questioned by the house along with her deputy Joseph Murekeraho. Both were accused for doing little to stop the spread of the ideology. The report disclosed that" genocide ideology" was detected in 84 of the 637 secondary schools in Rwanda IN 2007.
Mucyo said today the media was essential in promoting an open and frank society were citizens discussed freely issues relating to the Genocide; "we need to promote an open society culture among Rwandans where people talk freely instead of going to their homes to indoctrinate their children with the evil ideologies of genocide."
He said that government has since set up a national framework covering all layers of the local government structure to help in sensitizing Rwandans against the ideology saying that all institutions in the country were responsible for fighting genocide ideology; "its our duty but all institutions in the country must work hard. There's a national advisory council to fight genocide ideology in the country headed by the President Paul Kagame, the council has a wide outreach to the grassroots administrations."
Mucyo said that it was now important to sensitize local administrations to advise the citizens so that they can tour local Genocide memorials as the current norm of coming to Gisozi was not necessary; "there should be literature written by locals about hat happened in their localities. This way children will be discouraged from the ideology at an early age if they knew that he genocide was organized even in their (children) areas." He added that places of social interaction were the leading centres for the dissemination of Genocide ideology and only the media could contribute to ending this hate propaganda.
Stephen Rangira a veteran teacher in Kigali said; "Most journalists in the country are young, they are not very familiar with the country's geopolitical and socio-econmic history. Many need much training in covering issues such as genocide ideology and its multi faceted manifestations,"
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission charged with preventing genocide ideology in Rwanda Jean de Dieu Mucyo has called for increasing the capacity of the media in the country so as to eliminate the "still prevalent" genocide ideoelogy in Rwanda 14 years after over one million people were killed in what experts say is Africa's worst human catastrophe.
Speaking to the press in his Kacyiru based office Mucyo said; "the media is crucial. It was used by the Genocidal regime prior to 1994 in a campgain to promote genocide ideology. We need to increase its capacity today to fight the ideology."
Mucyo's appeal comes exactly a year after a parliamentary investigation found alarming cases in the country's formative education system where students were divided according to their ethnic groupings. The report released by a six man commission headed by Donatille Mukabalisa in December 2007 found schools especially in the Northern Province allegedly promoting genocide ideology "registering 97 percent cases of the ideology."
In Gakenke one secondary school was said to have lists of Tutsi students to be killed drawn up. However school administrators say no one has so far been killed on the said lists. In this same school students were made to wear different uniforms according to their ethnic group, books and poems inciting hatred. The headmaster of the school then said the uniforms were supplied by the Fund for Genocide Survivors'-FARG a charge that students at the school denied.
At the release of the report, members of Parliament in the previous term put the then minister of Education Dr. Jean D'arc Mujawamariya under alot of pressure, she was questioned by the house along with her deputy Joseph Murekeraho. Both were accused for doing little to stop the spread of the ideology. The report disclosed that" genocide ideology" was detected in 84 of the 637 secondary schools in Rwanda IN 2007.
Mucyo said today the media was essential in promoting an open and frank society were citizens discussed freely issues relating to the Genocide; "we need to promote an open society culture among Rwandans where people talk freely instead of going to their homes to indoctrinate their children with the evil ideologies of genocide."
He said that government has since set up a national framework covering all layers of the local government structure to help in sensitizing Rwandans against the ideology saying that all institutions in the country were responsible for fighting genocide ideology; "its our duty but all institutions in the country must work hard. There's a national advisory council to fight genocide ideology in the country headed by the President Paul Kagame, the council has a wide outreach to the grassroots administrations."
Mucyo said that it was now important to sensitize local administrations to advise the citizens so that they can tour local Genocide memorials as the current norm of coming to Gisozi was not necessary; "there should be literature written by locals about hat happened in their localities. This way children will be discouraged from the ideology at an early age if they knew that he genocide was organized even in their (children) areas." He added that places of social interaction were the leading centres for the dissemination of Genocide ideology and only the media could contribute to ending this hate propaganda.
Stephen Rangira a veteran teacher in Kigali said; "Most journalists in the country are young, they are not very familiar with the country's geopolitical and socio-econmic history. Many need much training in covering issues such as genocide ideology and its multi faceted manifestations,"
KCC comes good on its promise to reward top performing schools
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Kigali City Council on Friday rewarded six top primary and secondary schools in the city with brand new HP computers for their exceptional performance in last year's national examinations released at the beginning of 2008.
Speaking at the awarding of the gifts at KCC offices in the city centre Ms Martha Yakurije the city's Education Officer said that the computers were part of KCC's response to government Information and Information Technology policy. "this KCC's way of supporting school going children to boost their performance, we have also rewarded the best performing students every year with cash, tuition and other scholastic materials."
Yakurije said KCC has embarked on a vigorous campgain to raise education standards in the city, "we continue to monitor the performance of schools by constantly inspecting their facilities." Back in May, KCC rewarded students that came top of their peer in national exams in Kigali, the gifts included tuition subsidies for top students proceeding to tertiary institutions and other materials." She revealed that KCC was in the final stages of organizing academic competition for students in Kigali, the students would sit similar exam tests organized by KCC.
With Kenya recently scrapping working permits for Rwandans seeking employment there, Yakurije said KCC was set to introduce a "rigorous" campaign to teach school going children regional languages like Swahili and English such that they can compete for jobs regionally. "Early next year we are organizing an oral competition for pupils and we will reward the winners handsomely."
She added that Kigali was also set to begin start the acclaimed One Lap Top per child programme launched recently by President Paul Kagame. The programme seeks to introduce ICT and its related functionaries to school children while they are in their early education career so as to grow and master the information age. So 50,000 laptops have been supplied in the three district pilot project reaching Kigali y January 2009. Yakurije said KCC is currently sensitizing parents on how they help the success of the laptop project.
Among the schools that benefitted from the KCC gifts include ApeperCyahafi, Petit Seminaire Ndera, Fawe Girls School and Notre Dame. Reverand Jean Bosco Ntagungira the Headmaster of Petit Seminaire said his school would use the computer to boost its ICT department, " we are happy that in our endeavors to raise the standard of education in the country we have the support of KCC. This culture will encourage other schools to increase their performance and the school going children will benefit more from the competition among schools."
Kigali City Council on Friday rewarded six top primary and secondary schools in the city with brand new HP computers for their exceptional performance in last year's national examinations released at the beginning of 2008.
Speaking at the awarding of the gifts at KCC offices in the city centre Ms Martha Yakurije the city's Education Officer said that the computers were part of KCC's response to government Information and Information Technology policy. "this KCC's way of supporting school going children to boost their performance, we have also rewarded the best performing students every year with cash, tuition and other scholastic materials."
Yakurije said KCC has embarked on a vigorous campgain to raise education standards in the city, "we continue to monitor the performance of schools by constantly inspecting their facilities." Back in May, KCC rewarded students that came top of their peer in national exams in Kigali, the gifts included tuition subsidies for top students proceeding to tertiary institutions and other materials." She revealed that KCC was in the final stages of organizing academic competition for students in Kigali, the students would sit similar exam tests organized by KCC.
With Kenya recently scrapping working permits for Rwandans seeking employment there, Yakurije said KCC was set to introduce a "rigorous" campaign to teach school going children regional languages like Swahili and English such that they can compete for jobs regionally. "Early next year we are organizing an oral competition for pupils and we will reward the winners handsomely."
She added that Kigali was also set to begin start the acclaimed One Lap Top per child programme launched recently by President Paul Kagame. The programme seeks to introduce ICT and its related functionaries to school children while they are in their early education career so as to grow and master the information age. So 50,000 laptops have been supplied in the three district pilot project reaching Kigali y January 2009. Yakurije said KCC is currently sensitizing parents on how they help the success of the laptop project.
Among the schools that benefitted from the KCC gifts include ApeperCyahafi, Petit Seminaire Ndera, Fawe Girls School and Notre Dame. Reverand Jean Bosco Ntagungira the Headmaster of Petit Seminaire said his school would use the computer to boost its ICT department, " we are happy that in our endeavors to raise the standard of education in the country we have the support of KCC. This culture will encourage other schools to increase their performance and the school going children will benefit more from the competition among schools."
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