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RWANDA: ARTICLE 19 publishes book titled "Broadcasting Genocide:
Censorship, Propaganda & State-Sponsored Violence in Rwanda (1990-
1994)"

ORIGINATOR: ARTICLE 19, London

What was the role of the radio, the most influential medium in
Africa, during the Rwandan genocide of 1994? In its latest book,
titled "Broadcasting Genocide: Censorship, Propaganda & State-
Sponsored Violence in Rwanda (1990-1994)", ARTICLE 19 refutes
commonly-held notions about how to prevent "another Rwanda."

ARTICLE 19 argues that despite its apparently central role in
fostering ethnic hatred, the Rwandan media did not "provoke" the
genocide, but rather was one element in a pre-meditated plan for
mass slaughter by the self-proclaimed interim government which
seized power on 8 April 1994.

"Broadcasting Genocide" documents the use of censorship and
propaganda by the Rwandan authorities from 1990-1994. It finds
that the rise of hate speech against Tutsis was not a symptom of
"too much freedom," but was systematically propagated by the media
with covert government sponsorship. In a detailed examination of
Rwanda's notorious Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines
(RTLM), from its creation in 1993, ARTICLE 19 reveals that RTLM
did not call for killings before 6 April 1994.

RTLM did, however, have inside knowledge of the coming genocide.
An extraordinary RTLM broadcast from 3 April warned that massacres
would soon sweep the country and hinted that the President would
not be in power for much longer.

"Broadcasting Genocide" documents RTLM's links with the interim
government which organized the genocide. Its founding shareholders
included the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and top militia
leaders. According to Frances D'Souza, ARTICLE 19's Executive
Director, "Although often described as having caused the general
population to suddenly commit atrocities, in reality RTLM's role
was to convey orders to groups already involved in the slaughter."

During the genocide itself, the role of RTLM was unambiguous. It
frequently broadcast names and whereabouts of individuals targeted
for elimination. "Broadcasting Genocide" documents dozens of cases
where people were tracked down by militias and killed within hours
of such broadcasts. ARTICLE 19's position on the policy
implications of this finding is clear. Frances D'Souza comments:
"There is no freedom of expression issue involved here; giving
orders to carry out human rights abuses is not legally protected
whether this is done in writing, orally, by two-way radio or by
public broadcast. International law clearly permits external
intervention to jam the broadcasts at this stage, and it should
have been undertaken by the international community."

Since the genocide, some freedom of expression groups have
advocated bans on "hate media" in other countries, such as
Burundi, where there is recurrent violence. However, ARTICLE 19
refutes the notion that banning newspapers and jamming radios will
prevent "another Rwanda." The genocide in Rwanda, which was
organized by the government and state-sponsored militias, would
have gone ahead with or without RTLM, says ARTICLE 19.

ARTICLE 19 advocates that censorship is not a solution but on the
contrary there needs to be a plurality of voices, which is vital
to the democratic process. In this book, ARTICLE 19 calls for
independent broadcasting systems to be established in the region
so that propaganda cannot again be used to reinforce politically-
motivated ethnic violence.

As world attention focuses on the International Criminal Tribunal
for Rwanda, which has opened trials in Arusha, Tanzania,
"Broadcasting Genocide" provides a crucial background to the
issues surrounding the build-up to this decade's worst
catastrophe.

For further information, contact Africa Program Coordinator Linda
Kirschke or Press Officer Habie Schwarz, ARTICLE 19, 33 Islington
High St., London N1 9LH, U.K., tel:+44 1 71 278 9292, fax:+44 1 71
713 1356, e-mail: article19@gn.apc.org

The information contained in this press release is the sole
responsibility of its originator.
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___________________________________________________
Bruce Girard
Pulsar - AMARC
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
http://www.web.net/amarc/pulsar.html
Tel: +593-2-525521    Fax: +593-2-542818
Av. America 3584, Casilla 17-08-8489, Quito, Ecuador