Kigali — Agnes Uwimana, the publisher and editorial director of Umurabyo, a Kinyarwanda bi-weekly was summoned by the Media High Council (MHC).
She was warned that her paper faces unspecified sanctions if she continued publishing "defamatory articles and falsehoods that violate the professional ethics of journalism".
The MHC board chairman, Arthur Asiimwe, said the body had carefully scrutinized a series of reports by the Umurabyo bi-weekly and had decided to summon its editor.
"After assessing the explanations given by the management of Umurabyo, the MHC finds the newspaper guilty of publishing falsehoods," Asiimwe said.
He added: "Fortunately, we had positive talks with Uwimana where she apologized and accepted her mistakes and is willing to report professionally and respect the valid editorial line that Umurabyo is bound to follow."
The tabloid is also accused of promoting the double genocide ideology by stating in one of its editions that "all Rwandans slaughtered each other during the (1994) genocide."
"These false allegations are meant to cause worry and panic amongst the public. Umurabyo has been given the last warning. If they report unprofessionally again, we won't be left with any other option but to punish them," Asiimwe added.
But Uwimana said she had conceded to the fact that Umurabyo was not respecting its editorial line and that she was willing to respect ethical standards.
Comments Post a comment
Oh Rwanda Oh Rwanda so misguided!I will not comment on this article but with all this going on I would like to give an insight into a topic that I know a bit about.THE INTERAHAMWE.The so much talked about militia that actually did some killing!!Not as much as they say it did but it did. I wont talk about the heirachy or the lies spread about the people in prison Arusha but the boys and girls who were they and what was their back ground? Different regions had different groups but the toughest were from Kigali even RPF will be inclined to agree.So who were they?MRND did not have a campaign drive to recruit most of them, they just joined,after four years of war with RPF most youths in the city with no jobs no schools and no motherly love care or guidance were just itching to give RPF a fight,most of them wanted it so badly that they had failed the army test.But they were united by one thing, their love for President Habyarimana which was enhanced by what they received back for LOVING HIM.First cloths then money and as things intensified and RPF continued to attack they got advanced fight training and weapons,grenades at first and later guns, they liked beer and weed which made their actions allways out of proportion and uncontrollable by anyone other than the President himself, him being there them dancing for him was all they lived for in the party.Individually they included some of the well known Kigali bad boys of the time.Hard tough and ruthless,one in particular even stole my bike when we were seven I got it back damaged but never did anything about it such were the Interahamwes at their quitest they were local bullies best avoided of cause there were few soldiers and elements from the government who provided the funding and the training but the core of that force was tough kids between ages 13-30 one MUGABO is said to have the RPF to the very last minute when everybody had left KIGALI he was 15!!!He ruled the road block before giti cy'inyoni if any one should be in Arusha it should be him not those suit wearing, french speaking intellectuals,when the plane fell most of the men in ARUSHA just saved their belongings and their families.They really had no time to kill tustis even their broadcasts were ignored.The president was dead,The RPF was shooting,whatever the INTERAHAMWE were doing it that time was justified in their own eyes. They were just doing what they have allways wanted to do they did not need orders or conspiracy genocide theories to do that,they wanted the blood of anybody who had opposed the President at that point in time because of RPF it meant all Tustis but as it will be said again and again more peace loving hutus died why they are called Moderate I cant understand is there any moderate caucasian? Either you are or you are not!Anyway the Interahamwe had their killing spree.How easy they went first for the known opponents those who wore badges and had flags or anyone they thought of then for the rest they just waited at road blocks,if you stayed with people who know you which is how I able to write this you were likely to survive.People moved from their homes because of the RPF gun fights(which is very loud by the way) or because they ran out of food,People who tried to hide and were found had no excuse hutu or tutsi.They would ask only one question. What are you hiding from? The answer was not I am afraid of war...You had to show what you were doing to help the war effort.Any one with no clear answer died so it was not about HUTUS or TUTSIS it is just that with the RPF TUTSIS had to justify themselves more,INTERAHAMWE had lots of TUTSIS and they were better killers ex:Mimi a beauty who had known Robert Kajuga for a long time,through clubs and parties asked him if he could help her where she had been removed from a car at Nyabarongo bridge "She said "Robe wanfashije?" which was like to speak for me tell them you know me do you know what Robert did "He shot her at point blank range with a pistol with out coming out of the vehicle just like that.His body guard mentioned to the interahamwes to have it opened and they moved on no body said Kajuga was a very well known TUTSI and President of INTERAHAMWES.The point is 1994 was not about tribes or GENOCIDE it was about something else,Money,greed,power just like the Current Rwandan Government is now!Which makes you wonder what liberation they talk about.
I feel pity of you,you still don't understand characterises Genocide.I suggest you read more on what it means and hit back the whole history of Rwanda just after collonial power. What a shame of you,if you don't understand what happened in Rwanda,i think you better keep you mind close than spilling them off without enough knowledge on this issue of Genocide. To conclude,open up you mind and always be realistic b'se the truth will always prevail.\