How IBYISHIMO’s Journalist plunged into the suspicious trap of spreading Divisionism
A Journalist shall refrain from using any sensational message or misleading information
It started the days before the Miss Rwanda 2019 final competition which took place on Saturday 26th January 2019.
An Evangelist Niyibizi Steven was heard in a video shared through the social media saying that “If Mwiseneza Josiane does not win the Miss Rwanda crown, then the one who will win will be called” Miss Rusyo “(Urusyo: A heavy stone used as a grinder in the traditional Rwandan Society).
The Evangelist was being interviewed by Jean Paul Niyitanga, a journalist from an online Youtube Channel called IBYISHIMO TV.”
Evangelist Steven said “When you look at those girls who are competing for the crown you will find that only Mwiseneza Josiane is the real Rwandan.”
Steven was trying to point out that other girls came from elsewhere not in Rwanda, according to content analysts.
“How can you represent me while I don’t feel you are representing me?” Evangelist Steven asked.
“Now I have a real Rwandan (Mwiseneza) to represent me…
“Have you seen that the Miss Rwanda we had had in past when they are participating in an International competition, Judges fail to recognize whether they are Rwandans? Do you know why? There physical appearances are not for Rwandans…
“When they are participating, Judges asked where did she come from? Others respond “She is Rwandan”. And later you find that she has similarities with Ethiopians.
“Being an African is Ok, but is she an African from Ethiopia, from Egypt…So you find she has no connection with Rwandans.” Steven said in a video of 30 minutes available on Youtube.
But he later explained that body lotions may be blamed to the loss of their originality as Africans.
He repeated that “Only Josiane deserves the Miss Rwanda Crown because she fulfills the characteristics and requirements of being Rwandan…
Allusion terms of Dr. Leon Mugesera and the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi
After those comments made by Evangelist Steven via IBYISHIMO Youtube Channel, the owner and founder of Ibyishimo News media House was arrested by Rwanda Investigation Bureau, but the law enforcement body didn’t announce the charges against him.
Only, Modeste Mbabazi, the Spokesperson of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) told media that “Journalist Nsengiyumva René Hubert, owner of IBYISHIMO was arrested and further details on his case will be communicated later.”
However days before, the Rwanda’s Commission of Fighting against Genocide (CNLG) condemned in its strongest term the ethnocentrism that erupted as Rwanda was seeking its Miss Rwanda 2019.
Since the start of the Miss Rwanda Competition at the early stage of selection, it was emerged some said supporters were having other hidden agenda while campaigning for Miss Rwanda.
CNLG on Friday 25 January 2019 condemned those individuals saying “We, at CNLG, strongly condemn the use of such discriminatory language which intends to generate a Hutu/Tutsi ethnic divide and promotes the superiority of one ethnic group.”
The statement added that “We in Rwanda are no longer a nation divided by ethnicity. We should support one another including Miss Rwanda based on her identity as a Rwandan not as a Hutu or Tutsi.”
“It is such defamatory language which promoted divisionism and the genocide ideology which contributed to the perpetration of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994” The statement added.
The condemnation was released after someone called Nkulikiyimana Alan Hubert posted on social media that “The time has come for Hutus to be crowned Miss Rwanda too….”
It is obvious that Nkulikiyimana has already concluded that Mwiseneza Josiane is a Hutu Ethnic.
Analysts
Speaking to media practitioners on Wednesday, 6th February 2019, Rev Jean Pierre Uwimana, of Jesus Reigns Ministries International and a lecturer at the University of Rwanda in the school of journalism also Vice Chair of Rwanda Media Commission said “With the Example of a Journalist who have posted the social media message which explains that those other Miss pageants will be Miss Ethiopia, he was using allusion term of Mugesera,
“When you take the context of the Rwandan Society, you will see that he (Steven) was using Mugesera terms.”
On November 22, 1992, Leon Mugesera made what has come to be considered the rally call for genocide against Tutsis.
In a speech given on November 22, 1992 in Rwanda, Mugesera allegedly told 1000 party members that “we the people are obliged to take responsibility ourselves and wipe out this scum” and that they should kill Tutsis and “dump their bodies into the rivers of Rwanda.”
According to Testimonies Mugesera went on saying that “We will make them (Tutsis) return to their homeland (Ethiopia) via Nyabarongo River.”
“In this case of IBYISHIMO Journalist, the divisionism was not originating from him( Nsengiyumva René Hubert ). It originates from the one IBYISHIMO gave a communication platform to spread those words,” said Emmanuel MUGISHA Executive Secretary of Rwanda Media Commission.
This website is yet to establish whether the Evangelist and the other Journalist (Interviewer) were also arrested for such message.
Mugisha weighted on the role media played in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and calls for cautiousness while publishing and giving communication platforms to people.
Rwanda Media Commission calls for the professionalism among journalists, accept mindset change, act based on ethics and bear in minds the Society’s needs and the situation of the Rwandan Society.
Back on the Journalist, he was later released on provisional basis and he will be returning to the court until the matter is sorted out.
“We are coming from the difficult times of the Genocide, that’s why whatever we give public as journalists should be verified and do it with cautiousness.” Uwimana said.
Journalists emphasized that “Efforts should be put on Self-Regulation among media practitioners rather than letting them in the hands of the prosecution.”
RMC (Rwanda Media Commission) Is the Media Self Regulatory Body in Rwanda instructed by Law N0. 02/2013 of 08/02/2013 Regulating Media most especially in its Article 2 (para 20) and established by all Rwandan journalists in their General Assembly of 27/8/2013.
The self regulatory body is mandated to Protect journalists, regulate their conduct and the daily functioning of media and advocate for media freedom in Rwanda.
