Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
29 February 2008
Kigali — On February 29, RNA ran a story 'Genocide victims over 1.7 million - New figures show'. There were some inacuracies in the story.
We have since established that the actual figure is NOT 'over 1,740,000' as reported BUT 'over 1.074.000'. There is a very noticeable difference.
Hotel Rwanda film was first premiered in December 2004 not 2000.
It was not HBO Studios that released Hotel Rwanda film but it was co-produced in 2004 by US, British, Italian and South African companies, and the first ever co-production between the rival independent film studios Lions Gates Films and United Artists.
RNA expresses sincere appology to the authors of the book 'HOTEL RWANDA OR THE TUTSI GENOCIDE AS SEEN BY HOLLYWOOD', from whose material the information was retrieved.
Editor
During the 100-day killing frenzy in 1994, over 1,740,000 persons were massacred in horifying conditions as an indifferent international community stood by and watched, figures in a new book indicate.
The figures are contained in the just published book 'HOTEL RWANDA OR THE TUTSI GENOCIDE AS SEEN BY HOLLYWOOD' by Senior Presidential Aide Dr. Alfred Ndahiro and Mr. Privat Rutazibwa - a reknowned local Researcher.
For 14 years now, both local and international media, and numerous authors that have written on the Genocide, report victims as "about 800.000" or "over 500.000", based commonly on estimates by the United Nations.
Mr. Rutazibwa told RNA on Friday that their findings are from a Rwanda Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) research done in the year 2000 but has yet to be made public.
"I was not part of the research team but considering the approach and diversity of the team that was used to collect information from across the country, I believe the MINALOC findings are more credible", said Rutazibwa.
The Ministry of Local Government research findings were also at the centre of a workshop this week organised by a local think-tank the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP). Delegates were of the view that the research should be made public to end the use of unfounded estimates being thrown around.
The 103-page new book, in both french and English pokes at Hollywood acclaimed figure Rwandan Mr. Paul Rusesabagina, whose story was based on to shoot the film 'Hotel Rwanda' in South Africa by HBO Studios.
The story goes that as the Genocide militias rampaged in Kigali beginning April 1994, Mr. Rusesabagina, as Manager of the up-scale Hotel des Mille Colline, invited and protected over 1200 people from death.
After the film hit the box-office in 2000, it put the spotlight onto a man who had been a taxi driver in Belgium since he fled Rwanda. 'Hotel Rwanda' received numerous nominations of prestgious awards but got none. Mr. Rusesabagina is also a proud reciepient of top U.S. government honors.
The film brought Mr. Rusesabagina fame and money that he has used to establish a foundation that he claims is supporting orphans and widows of the Genocide, a suggestion bitterly contested by the new book.
In a recent interview with BBC Great Lakes Service, Mr. Rusesabagina himself could not name or even give any numbers of the beneficiaries from his foundation's support. The book suggests the huge sums of dollars from generous donors are instead channeled to fund rebel activities to topple the establishment in Kigali
The international spotlight, according to some commentators has framed Mr. Rusesabagina to believe he can be a formidable political force back home. He is also believed to be behind PDR-IHUMURE group of exiled politicians.
Researchers Dr. Alfred Ndahiro and Mr. Privat Rutazibwa say Mr. Rusesabagina has claimed false credit for saving people - most of who dispute he did anything to help them. Mr. Rusesabagina has said on various fora that he housed and fed all the people freely, but survivors from the Hotel report in the book that they paid for their up-keep even when the food was provided by the Red Cross.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
The revised figure (1.7 millions) of the victims of the '94 genocide in Rwanda is more realistic if the authors are taking into account all the retaliatory mass killings which the RPF carried out in its killing fields prior to, and in the wake of, its '94 military victory - no harm intended; facts are facts.
As concerns P. Rusesabagina, he may have drummed up his philanthropy, but at least he can be placed at the Hotel des Milles Collines during the genocide, and hundreds of people came out of that place alive. After all nobody accuses him of any atrocity against any of the folks who had taken refuge at the hotel. He probably is a real hero, and failing that, at least a conscientious patriot, humanist, etc.
It seems to me that anyone who criticizes current Rwandan authorities is accused of some serious crime or intention.
May God bless Rwanda and Rwandan people.
RNA has issued a correction to this story. The text follows below:
On February 29, RNA ran a story 'Genocide victims over 1.7 million - New figures show'. There were some inacuracies in the story.
We have since established that the actual figure is NOT 'over 1,740,000' as reported BUT 'over 1.074.000'. There is a very noticeable difference.
Hotel Rwanda film was first premiered in December 2004 not 2000.
It was not HBO Studios that released Hotel Rwanda film but it was co-produced in 2004 by US, British, Italian and South African companies, and the first ever co-production between the rival independent film studios Lions Gates Films and United Artists.
RNA expresses sincere appology to the authors of the book 'HOTEL RWANDA OR THE TUTSI GENOCIDE AS SEEN BY HOLLYWOOD', from whose material the information was retrieved.
Editor
Hi all,
I am reall disappointed by this book on The Rwanda genocide". I was hoping, still hope that this will give us more understanding elements of what happened to the Rwandan people. Most of rwandans have become voiceless and speechless because all those greedy and selfish and evil political stuff!!!. It seems to me the book is only about destroying one person whom is Paul Rusesabagina. How destroy him will help Rwandans?? How is the book will help other people to understand more what happenned in Rwanda. We need the truth, before people give us on you. All the best
NiyoSibo