TIG Post

Tag: Genocide

  • A self-inflicted environmental genocide awaiting Ghana – Ato Forson

    A self-inflicted environmental genocide awaiting Ghana – Ato Forson

    The Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has raised alarms over the devastating environmental destruction caused by illegal and unregulated mining activities, warning that Ghana is on the verge of an impending environmental catastrophe.

    Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, October 15, Dr. Forson described the menace of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, as a severe threat to the nation’s future. He stressed that the scale of environmental degradation from galamsey poses an existential crisis for the country.

    The Minority Leader pointed to the harmful impact of galamsey on Ghana’s water bodies, with the illegal discharge of toxic heavy metals already affecting the health of citizens. He emphasized that if left unchecked, the environmental damage could lead to long-term consequences that may be impossible to reverse.

    “Ghana is on the brink of self-inflicted environmental genocide and destruction,” Dr. Forson warned, calling for immediate and decisive action to curb the menace.

    He expressed concern over the rapid depletion of natural resources, highlighting the alarming loss of biodiversity and the widespread land degradation caused by illegal mining activities across the country.

    “Let me be quick to say that all is not well with our country. Mr. Speaker, our country is under attack. Ghana is under a threat of an unprecedented spate of illegal, illicit, uncontrolled, and unregulated mining activities,” he lamented, describing the situation as a national crisis.

    Dr. Forson also criticized the government, accusing the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration of lacking the political will to combat the menace. He blamed leadership failure and official complicity for allowing the illegal mining activities to spiral out of control, calling it a betrayal of the nation’s future.

    “At the heart of this crisis, there is leadership failure, official complicity, and lack of political will by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and the NPP. Mr. Speaker, to do nothing is no longer an option,” Dr. Forson stressed.

    He further urged Parliament to take swift and decisive action, urging lawmakers to pressure the President and Vice President to act immediately before the situation worsens.

    As the galamsey issue continues to ravage the environment, Ato Forson’s plea signals a desperate call for intervention before the damage becomes irreparable.

  • Sanremo Italian Song Festival under fire over rapper Ghali’s appeals to “stop genocide”

    Sanremo Italian Song Festival under fire over rapper Ghali’s appeals to “stop genocide”

    Italy’s Sanremo Italian song festival, renowned as the country’s premier showbiz event, faced criticism from Israel following a controversial statement made by a rapper during the contest’s final.

    Alon Bar, Israel’s ambassador to Italy, expressed disapproval of the festival, which garners millions of TV viewers and determines Italy’s representative for the Eurovision song contest.

    He accused the event of being exploited to “spread hatred and provocation in a superficial, irresponsible way” after rapper Ghali appealed to “stop genocide” during his stage performance.

    Despite the festival’s widespread popularity, the incident sparked debate and raised questions about the appropriate platform for political statements within entertainment events.

    “In the October 7 massacre, among the 1,200 victims were over 360 young people slaughtered and raped during the Nova music festival,” Bar posted to social media. “Another 40 of them were kidnapped and are still in the hands of the terrorists. The Sanremo festival could have expressed solidarity with them. It is a shame this didn’t happen.”

    Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, expressed disappointment that the platform wasn’t used to appeal for the release of the hostages, stating, “They too have the right to their music and to return to their homes.”

    Amid the controversy, Roberto Sergio, CEO of the state-owned broadcaster Rai, which airs the festival, expressed solidarity “with the people of Israel and the Jewish community.” He affirmed that the network’s programs regularly cover the plight of the hostages held by Hamas and would continue to do so, while also commemorating the October 7 “massacre.”

    In response to Alon Bar’s criticism, Ghali, whose parents immigrated to Italy from Tunisia, stated on the Rai talk show Domenica In: “I have always spoken about these issues, since I was a child, not since October 7 … the fact that the ambassador speaks like this is not good. The policy of terror continues, people are afraid to say stop the war, stop the genocide, we are living in a moment in which people feel that they are losing something if they say long live peace.”

    Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, expressed disappointment that the platform wasn’t used to appeal for the release of the hostages, stating, “They too have the right to their music and to return to their homes.”

    Amid the controversy, Roberto Sergio, CEO of the state-owned broadcaster Rai, which airs the festival, expressed solidarity “with the people of Israel and the Jewish community.” He affirmed that the network’s programs regularly cover the plight of the hostages held by Hamas and would continue to do so, while also commemorating the October 7 “massacre.”

    In response to Alon Bar’s criticism, Ghali, whose parents immigrated to Italy from Tunisia, stated on the Rai talk show Domenica In: “I have always spoken about these issues, since I was a child, not since October 7 … the fact that the ambassador speaks like this is not good. The policy of terror continues, people are afraid to say stop the war, stop the genocide, we are living in a moment in which people feel that they are losing something if they say long live peace.”

    Other performers at the event spoke out against war. Singer Eros Ramazzotti urged for an end to bloodshed and conflicts, while rapper and singer Dargen D’Amico highlighted the plight of children living under bombardment, emphasizing that our silence makes us partly responsible.

  • WWI cemeteries, Rwandan genocide sites added to list of the World’s Heritage

    WWI cemeteries, Rwandan genocide sites added to list of the World’s Heritage

    The final resting place of the over 800,000 individuals who tragically lost their lives in the 1994 Rwanda genocide has been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list, marking a significant development as the United Nations cultural body lifts its moratorium on considering memorial sites associated with human suffering.

    UNESCO officially confirmed the inclusion of the sites at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero in Rwanda, which serve as poignant commemorations of the mass killings, primarily of Tutsi victims, during the period of April to July 1994. The genocide also claimed the lives of moderate Hutus who were subjected to brutal violence, including shootings, beatings, and machete attacks, at the hands of Hutu rebels.

    This recognition underscores the importance of preserving and acknowledging the historical and cultural significance of these sites, ensuring that the memory of the tragic events that unfolded during the genocide is perpetuated for future generations.

    “This historic decision will help safeguard memory, counter denial, and strengthen genocide prevention efforts globally. #NeverAgain,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    “This will make the genocide that was committed in Rwanda against the Tutsi more known across the world,” he told AFP news agency in Kigali.

    The list of new additions also encompassed the World War I cemeteries situated in Belgium and France, in addition to a former torture facility in Argentina.

    Up until now, the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Japan were the sole memorial sites to have earned a place on the prestigious World Heritage list maintained by the United Nations’ cultural agency.

    During a gathering of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a consensus among UNESCO member states was reached to include the Rwanda genocide and World War I sites in the list, following the addition of the Argentina torture memorial on the previous day.

    Back in 2018, during a UNESCO meeting, the agency refrained from adding memorial sites to the list, pondering whether the heritage list was an appropriate tool for recognizing sites associated with atrocities and conflicts.

    However, early in 2023, member states came to an agreement that these sites hold significant potential in contributing to peacebuilding, which aligns with UNESCO’s primary mission. Consequently, the committee resolved to consider the nominations of these three sites.

  • Ex- Rwandan Police officer sentenced to life for genocide

    Ex- Rwandan Police officer sentenced to life for genocide

    A former Rwandan police officer, Philippe Hategekimana, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in France.

    He was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where Hutu militias massacred hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

    Prosecutors presented evidence showing Hategekimana’s significant involvement in the killings, both through direct acts of murder and by inciting others to commit atrocities.

    After the genocide, Hategekimana, who held a senior position as a gendarme in Nyanza, a town in southern Rwanda, fled to France. He obtained refugee status and later acquired French nationality under the name Philippe Manier.

    He worked as a security guard at a university in France until 2017 when he fled to Cameroon upon learning that a complaint had been filed against him. He was arrested in Yaoundé and extradited to France the following year to face trial.

    This trial marked the fifth instance in France where an alleged participant in the Rwandan genocide was prosecuted.

    The genocide, which lasted for 100 days in 1994, resulted in the killings of approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

  • Rwandan genocide defendant Kabuga incapable to stand trial

    Rwandan genocide defendant Kabuga incapable to stand trial

    A United Nations court has ruled that 88-year-old Rwandan genocide suspect, Félicien Kabuga is unfit to stand trial.

    The Hague-based International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals said it finds him unfit to participate meaningfully in his trial and is very unlikely to regain fitness in the future”.

    It has called for an “alternative” legal procedure that “resembles a trial as closely as possible, but without the possibility of a conviction”.

    Félicien Kabuga is accused of being the primary financier of the militia and political groups that perpetrated the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

    He denied the charges of setting up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to kill rival Tutsis and supplying death squads with machetes.

    The trial of Mr Kabuga, was put on hold in March over health concerns after his arrest in Paris in the year 2020 after evading capture for 26 years.

  • Félicien Kabuga unfit to stand trial for Rwanda genocide case, UN Court says

    Félicien Kabuga unfit to stand trial for Rwanda genocide case, UN Court says

    A United Nations court has declared that an 88-year-old Félicien Kabuga, accused of being a significant financier of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, is not fit to stand trial.

    Félicien Kabuga’s defense lawyers had presented arguments stating that he suffers from dementia.

    After evading capture for 26 years, Kabuga was apprehended in Paris in 2020, reportedly having moved around various locations in East Africa during that time. He stands accused of providing financial support to ethnic Hutu militias responsible for the brutal killings of approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Kabuga has consistently denied these charges.

    This ruling marks the first instance where a court has made such a decision in the long-standing effort to hold Rwandan genocide suspects accountable for their actions.

    The judges presiding over the UN war crimes court in The Hague have ruled that Mr. Félicien Kabuga is incapable of actively participating in his trial and is highly unlikely to regain fitness in the future. In light of this, they have proposed an alternative legal procedure that closely resembles a trial but does not allow for a conviction.

    In March, the court had temporarily halted Mr. Kabuga’s trial to facilitate a thorough assessment of his health. While his age is subject to some dispute, court documents state that he is 88 years old.

    It is alleged that Mr. Kabuga utilized his significant fortune amassed from the tea trade in the 1970s to purchase machetes, which were subsequently distributed to Hutu death squads. Additionally, as a wealthy businessman, he stands accused of using his radio station to broadcast inflammatory hate speech, urging Hutus to carry out acts of violence against Tutsis and exacerbating the genocide.

    After years of evading capture, French investigators eventually located Mr. Kabuga residing in an apartment in Paris under a false identity. The United States had previously offered a reward of $5 million (£4.1 million) for information leading to his arrest.

  • Rwandan genocide suspect apprehended in South Africa after two decades

    Rwandan genocide suspect apprehended in South Africa after two decades

    After years on the run, authorities say the most sought fugitive suspected of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide has been captured in Paarl, South Africa.

    According to a statement, Fulgence Kayishema was apprehended on Wednesday in a combined operation involving South African law enforcement and a UN team tasked with tracking down the remaining fugitives.

    Kayishema initially disputed his identification when he was apprehended in the late afternoon, according to detectives. But by the end of the evening he told them: “I have been waiting a long time to be arrested.”

    Investigators said he used multiple identities and forged documents to evade detection.

    Kayishema allegedly orchestrated the killing of more than 2,000 Tutsi refugees – women, men, children and the elderly – at Nyange Catholic Church during the genocide. He has been on the run since 2001.

    “Fulgence Kayishema was a fugitive for more than 20 years. His arrest ensures that he will finally face justice for his alleged crimes,” said Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz of the United Nations’ International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).

    “Genocide is the most serious crime known to humankind. The international community has committed to ensure that its perpetrators will be prosecuted and punished.

    This arrest is a tangible demonstration that this commitment does not fade and that justice will be done, no matter how long it takes,” Brammertz said.

    Huge reward offered

    In recent years, the IRMCT prosecutor has complained about the lack of cooperation from South African authorities and there have been a series of near misses capturing Kayishema. But on Thursday, Brammertz lauded the cooperation and support of the South African government.

    The events in Nyanga, Rwanda, were one of the most brutal of the genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed over the period of 90 days.

    The tribunal alleges that Kayishema directly participated in the “planning and execution of this massacre.” The indictment says he bought and distributed petrol to burn down the church while refugees were inside. Kayishema and others are also accused of using a bulldozer to collapse the church following the fire, while refugees were still inside.

    The office of the IRMCT says the investigation spanned multiple countries across Africa and in other regions.

    A reward of up to $5,000,000 was offered by the US War Crimes Rewards Program for information on Kayishema and the other fugitives wanted for perpetrating the Rwandan genocide.

    Kayishema is due to be arraigned on Friday in a Cape Town court.

    The Rwandan genocide saw Hutu militias and civilians alike murder vast numbers of members of the Tutsi ethnic minority: men, women and children, many of whom had been their neighbors before the conflict began.

    The killings finally came to an end 100 days later, when Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) troops, led by Paul Kagame, defeated the Hutu rebels and took control of the country.

  • 6 quick facts about the 1994 genocide attack

    6 quick facts about the 1994 genocide attack

    On April 6, 1994, a plane carrying Habyarimana and Burundi’s president Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down over the capital city of Kigali, leaving no survivors. (It has never been conclusively determined who the culprits were. Some have blamed Hutu extremists, while others blamed leaders of the RPF.)

    The Rwandan Genocide was a mass slaughter of Tutsi people and moderate Hutus that occurred between April and July 1994, resulting in an estimated 800,000 deaths.

    The genocide was sparked by the death of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, whose plane was shot down on April 6, 1994, leading to widespread violence and killings.

    The genocide was carried out by the Hutu-led government and militias, who targeted Tutsis, moderate Hutus, and anyone who opposed their agenda.

    The violence was fuelled by propaganda and hate speech disseminated through government-controlled media, which portrayed Tutsis as enemies of the state.

    The international community failed to intervene, despite warnings of impending genocide, and many Rwandans were left to fend for themselves.

    The aftermath of the genocide saw the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to prosecute those responsible, as well as efforts to promote reconciliation and rebuild the country.

  • Pastor jailed for life after planning coup and black genocide

    A white supremacist who was plotting the genocide of black South Africans and a coup in the country has been jailed for life.

    Harry Knoesen, 64, was the leader of a far-right terrorist group and had led plans to overthrow the government on 28 November 2019 using AK-47 rifles, hand grenades and rocket launchers.

    Knoesen even wanted to use biological weapons to wipe out black people, the Mpumalanga High Court heard.

    “He sought to justify his beliefs on religious grounds, claiming that God had ordained that he should reclaim South Africa for white people,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Monica Nyuswa.

    In total, Knoesen has been handed two life sentences plus 21 years behind bars for terrorism-related offences.

    Source: BBC

  • Rwanda marks 28 years since the 1994 genocide

    Rwanda is holding a subdued memorial at the Kigali genocide memorial, for the 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu moderates dead in just 100 days.

    Similar events are being held at sites across districts – but they have been restricted to not more than two hours.

    Rwanda has been holding low-key memorials of the genocide following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

    Previously the government held weeklong events to commemorate the genocide.

    This year the famous ‘Walk to Remember’ and night vigil at the Kigali main stadium have been suspended “to limit the spread of Covid”, the government said.

    The genocide was sparked by the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, when his plane was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994.

    Source:  bbc.com 

  • Rwanda arrest warrant for genocide suspect in France

    Rwanda has issued an international arrest warrant for a former senior Rwandan military official, Aloys Ntiwiragabo, who is under investigation in France for his alleged role in the country’s 1994 genocide.

    France opened a probe after a French publication, Mediapart, found Mr Ntiwiragabo in the city of Orleans.

    He had been identified by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as one of the architects of the genocide.

    Neither the ICTR, Interpol, France nor Rwanda were actively seeking him, having dropped arrest warrants years earlier.

    The revelation of Mr Ntiwiragabo’s whereabouts came barely two months after another suspected genocide architect, Felicien Kabuga, was arrested on the fringes of Paris.

    Source: bbc.com