Godfrey Ntagungira
21 April 2008
Kigali — About 60 teachers of Jehovah Witnesses' religious attachment who refused to attend Ingando for both primary and secondary schools across the country may face the axe, the State Minister for primary and secondary education, Théoneste Mutsindashyaka has said.
Over 40,000 teachers in both primary and
secondary schools countrywide last week completed a seventeen-day solidarity camp organised under the auspices of Itorero ry'Igihugu, a national informal education programme.
"Teachers who willingly refused to attend will be dismissed if investigations reveal they shunned on grounds that Ingando was contrary to their religious beliefs," said Mutsindashyaka. Ingando is a Rwandan initiative to promote unity and reconciliation and discuss national development issues.
Mutsindashyaka noted that he has deployed people to investigate the matter and vowed that if it emerges that their refusal to attend was based on their religious attachment, tough measures would be taken.
For those who failed to attend due to different family or individual problems, the minister said: their case is well understood and the ministry has no problem with them.
When contacted, a senior official at Jehovah Witnesses' offices in Remera distanced their sect from teachings which discourage members from abiding by government policies.
He referred this reporter to the book of Mathew 22: 21 which states that "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God".
"I believe it was their individual decisions based on conscience and their level of maturity regarding spiritual matters," the official, who was found at the main headquarters of the religion said, although he declined to reveal his identity. He said that the people who have authority to speak on behalf of the religion do not live in Rwanda.
Jehovah witnesses are a religious grouping with several million of members around the world. They do not have churches, but have what is known as Kingdom Halls. Their congregations are grouped in small communities, usually numbering less than two hundred.
Several cases have come up over followers of the religion who shun government initiatives. Last year some Jehovah witnesses refused to have their homes sprayed during the anti-malaria campaign.
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Hi everyone this is about the comment board. I have ever seen that People are most likely, like myself tired of seeing all this hatred for people. I don't care to see all of others hateful opinions...It's funny how people blame God when bad things happen. They accuse him of taking loved ones when they die, saying it was meant to be. Yet, if they truly believed what they said that god takes people when he wants why do they go for medical procedures to try to extend their lives?
Not all surgeries need blood... Has anyone been reading about stored blood losing it's life saving effects after being stored a certain length of time and the dangers that it can pose?
When I read about what went on in Rwanda during the "genocide" period it made me sick that a human could inflict such horror on another human. If anyone has ever looked into the actions of Jehovah's Witnesses during this time you would have found some very loving and peace promoting people. They willingly put their own lives at risk to save the life of another human. There no doubt countless acts of humanity that went on during this time, but as a group Jehovah's Witnesses did not get involved in the shedding of innocent blood. We have a program in place that promotes peace, we go to meetings and conventions and are always encouraged to be peacable and show love toward all. So please when you talk about Jehovah's Witnesses with regard to Rwanda you should do so with respect and not comdemnation.
At the end of the article is written: "Last year some Jehovah witnesses refused to have their homes sprayed during the anti-malaria campaign".
THIS IS FALSE, as per your own article here dated 18/9/07: http://allafrica.com/stories/200709190170.html
These kind of coarse and unprofessional mistakes feeds prejudices and intolerance.
The Jehovah's Witnesses have caused similar problems in many other countries because they are taught that the WatchTower Society is the only "government" that they really have to obey.
HERE ARE SUMMARIES OF OVER 1000 JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES LAWSUITS & COURT CASES IN THE UNITED STATES The following website summarizes over 550 U.S. court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah's Witness Parents, including 375 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children: DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com The following website summarizes over 500 lawsuits filed by Jehovah's Witnesses against their Employers, incidents involving problem JW Employees, and other secret JW "history" court cases: EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH'S WITNESS EMPLOYEES http://jwemployees.bravehost.com
what you have said is totally right. i think none of Jehovah's whiteness that can dare to do a such big mistake as it has been revealed that they take care about life. they consinder life as a God-given gift the reason why they cherish as much as they can. for this reason i personally believe that JWs are not stupid to close eyes regarding this terrible pendemic.
I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses writing from the U.S. We believe that God's Kingdom in the heavens is the government that will bring about true and lasting peace and prosperity to mankind. That is the kingdom Jesus taught his followers to pray in the Lord's Prayer - "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Jehovah's Witnesses around the world never involve themselves in the political, ethnic, racial or tribal struggles and conflicts in any nation. Although we are law abiding citizens we do not work to promote the aims of any national government or political party as our allegiance is to Jehovah God and his Kingdom with Christ as King. There is no reason for any nation to feel threatened or impeded by the peaceful and quiet lifestyle of Jehovah's Witnesses. One thing everyone knows quite well is that Jehovah's Witnesses did not take any sides in the tribal genocide in Rwanda. Would it not be better to applaud their stand instead of punishing some for not attending a government sponsored retreat?
The side of the reporter is clearly stated when treating the witnesses as 'sect' what does it mean that someone belongs to a sect? that a person has no rights? no conscience?
I won't comment the spammer's message (everytime the Jehovah's witnesses are mentioned he promotes his site).
Anyway the minimum a reporter can do is be impartial...
regards from Chile
We all are commanded to love even our enemies. As one of Jehovah's witnesses I do. I, like Jesus pity them. Jesus warned us, that we would be hated because we try our best to follow in his footsteps. I pity people who do not know the wonderful truth from God's word in the Bible. We as part of a world wide group of volunteers, endeavoring to share the good news referred to in Matthew 24:14 to our neighbors which is a positive view of the future. However, today we are living in the times foretold in 2nd Tim.3: 1-5. It realistically describes the conditions that exist in our day. We find many people want to know the real truth from our creator's word (from their personal copy of the Bible) and answers to what this good news really is. If you do, just ask a Jehovah's witnesses. We try to be sweet, and kill people with kindness? Jesus never let the negative remarks from others stop him from tell the good news neither do we. Hope you are having a great day. Eve