October 20 - 26, 2014

Contents

Compiled by Berta Fürstová, MIGS Desk Officer for Rwanda

BBC in Rwanda banned

Private but pro-government newspapers

New Times, 25th October 2014
“‘Rura bans BBC Kinyarwanda” by Edwin Musoni

• Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura) suspended BBC transmission in Kinyarwanda over a series of programmes by the British broadcaster which Genocide survivors and activists say minimise the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The latest was a recent documentary titled “Rwanda’ Untold Story.”
• Rura accused the BBC of attempting to “rewrite Rwandan history and promoting the agenda of Genocide deniers.”
• The decision was announced after many protests had taken place in Kigali last week. Earlier in the week, Parliament as well as youth associations urged authorities to revoke BBC license. 
• “After reviewing the complaints, Rura has assessed that these accusations are serious enough to warrant the temporary suspension of all BBC Kinyarwanda language programmes.” said Beata Mukangabo, the Head of Corporate, Legal and Industry Affairs at Rura.
• Mukango told that Rura would also investigate allegations of Genocide denial by BBC. “The findings of the investigation will determine what further actions to take,” she said.
• Prof. Anastase Shyaka, the CEO of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) a body charged with media oversight, said the documentary disrespects an article of the bilateral agreement which forbids “to broadcast any material which is likely to incite hatred, violence and division.”
• Despite the fact that the controversial documentary was first televised on BBC Two in English, Prof. Shyaka said suspending the Kinyarwanda radio programmes was a way of protesting and sanctioning the corporation. He added that, the very same documentary had been translated to Kinyarwanda by BBC.