Repercussions of hate media on today’s Rwandan media 115

15 out of 15 respondents who answered the question regarding whether the experience of hate media had consequences on press freedom and speech freedom confirm that consequences of the hate media are obvious and tangible on the current Rwandan media, particularly private media. R10 states there have been cases where the government categorized some local independent media in the range of hate media. Among those cases, the respondent along with a number of other respondents mentioned Umuseso and Umuvugizi, local papers that have been ordered to permanently close. “Independent media houses mainly those that try to criticize the current regime are sometimes compared to RTLM and Kangura Newspaper. Thus, many media houses fear to negatively write about the government even when they have tangible facts,” reveals R5.

Apart from temporary or permanent closure of media houses suspected of spreading hate messages, respondents also pointed out some cases of imprisonment of journalists, cases of murders and some cases of journalists who fled the country due to their stories that have been qualified hatred catalyzes. R15, both a journalist and human rights activist, recalls the murder of Jean Léonard Rugambage, a journalist for Umuvugizi Newspaper, who was assassinated few weeks before the 2010 presidential elections trying to investigate the murder of a dissident Rwandan General, Kayumba Nyamwasa. He also gave a long list of journalists including Charles Kabonero, Chief Editor of Umuseso; Jean Bosco Gasasira, Chief Editor of Umuvugizi, Nelson

Gatsimbazi, owner of Umusingi Newspaper, etc who fled the country due to threats by the government because of their editorial lines criticizing government officials. For the cases of imprisonment he mentioned the example of Agnes Uwimana owner and Chief Editor of Umurabyo Newspaper and Saidate Mukakibibi, a journalist of Umurabyo Newspaper who were put in jail because of their stories that criticized the president and that were proven divisionism motivated, by local courts.

Besides physical punishment and threats from the government, respondents find difficult to do journalism in Rwanda after its implication in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. R20 says, for instance, that media did not commit the genocide but some of them helped in spreading the genocide ideology, which consequently helped in preparing and speeding up its perpetration. For that reason, Rwandans no longer trust any media. R19, in this regard, says it is important for the GoR to acknowledge that media’s roles in the Genocide against Tutsi were due to the fact that they were serving the government and certain individuals of influence instead of serving the Rwandans’ interests. The latter says the current GoR should back up the role media plays in the reconstruction of Rwanda and in the unity and reconciliation of Rwandans and initiate media literacy to help media regain people’s trust.

IV.6. Lessons learnt by the current Government of Rwanda

from the relationship between hate media and the genocidal

government

All respondents approached by the researcher did acknowledge Rwanda media played a significant role in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. However, the researcher’s curiosity pushed him to ask them if the genocide could not have taken place if there were no hate media.

Surprisingly, 14 out 15 who agreed to answer this question said, no matter what, the genocide could have taken place. “Because there were many other channels to teach hate between Tutsi and Hutu such as parents-children conversations around the fire place,” replied R5 also invoking history course materials that contained hate messages.

The researcher pushed further to delve deep into the role of media in the Genocide against Tutsi and asked whether hate media could have perpetrated the genocide alone and all respondents said there was no way this could happen without the governments’ influence. “Impossible because media do not use machetes or guns,” one of the respondents said. Nonetheless, a number of respondents doubt whether the current GoR might have taken a lesson from the relationship between the genocidal government and hate media. “My answer is “ it somehow could” because, even if the Government has jailed some journalists who were accused of denying the genocide or spreading the double genocide theory, there are some other media (government sponsored ones) that publish hate messages,” says R14 who however says such hate messages are conveyed in the opposite direction. “But for how long will things go up side down?,” wonder respondents who also say enough is enough Rwandans need a rest. “We need harmony and live in peace,” said R14, a journalist trained by Pax Press.

Despite those who despise the lesson the GoR might have taken from sad experiences of the relationship between the genocidal government and hate media, R6 identifies such a lesson in the government’s behavior. “The government is conscientious because it supported media regulations, media law and other legal framework that prevent journalists from abusing the profession.” He mentions other laws including the Genocide Ideology Law stating that they help

the whole community and they are at the same time favorable to the media, because they help to keep away from bad practice and thinking, as far as reporting is concerned.

Those who acknowledge the GoR learnt a lesson from such a negative solidarity between hate media and the genocidal government state that that is the reason why the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) which serves as the gatekeeper of the profession has been established. The latter makes sure there are no such big mistakes that would again send the country into chaos. RMC is an institution run by journalists themselves and has the responsibility to watch the respect of journalism principles and to protect individuals’ rights. However, among the managing team of this organization that is also in charge of watching people’s common interests, there are also representatives of the civil society, lawyers, academicians, government officials, and media managers.

Fred Muvunyi, Chairman of RMC, says that including other sectors in this media self regulatory institution is to insure not only the journalists get their due protection but also the public stay safe from some journalism abuses. In fact RMC mediate the general public with journalists protecting each side in case of the abuse of laws. Though RMC helps journalists to get justice in case of persecution, a big eye is put on media to avoid any kind of malpractice that may occur.

IV.7. Building Media and Journalists’ Capacity would