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The whole world may hate Kagame, but he is the choice of Rwandans
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame speaks at the launch of his re-election campaign on July 20, 2010 at a rally in the capital Kigali. Photo/AFP
Posted Monday, August 16 2010 at 00:00
Media freedom neither empowers journalists to be above the law of the land where they operate, nor provides liberty to publish or make utterances that incite ethnic hatred or cause public insecurity.
Incidentally, I did not hear any loud voices from media watchdogs in 1994 condemning hate media that was state-sponsored.
Secondly, I have not heard their voices on the Media Trial, which is going on at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha.
Does the silence probably suggest that Hassan Ngeze, the Editor of Kangura, Ferdinand Nahimana, founder of the hate radio station RTLM, and Jean Bosco Barayagwiza who are facing charges at the ICTR of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide are falsely accused journalists who were exercising press freedom?
Should we make our own choices or listen and humbly obey what outsiders want?
Gerald Mbanda is First Secretary at the Rwanda High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya. E-mail: mbandagerald@hotmail.com
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