A protester holding a placard in Kigali recently
The independent commission of inquiry investigating accusations of genocide denial and revisionism against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has recommended that public protests be upheld in order to allow the commission to do its job.
The commission said that before it comes up with conclusive report findings the citizens must not conduct any protests so as to give the commission time come up with conclusive findings from witnesses.
The commission of inquiry was set up by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura) to investigate accusations of Genocide denial and revisionism against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
At the commencement of its investigations, the commission summoned the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC). RMC appeared before the team as a witness on the documentary.
Though RMC has already given its stand on the documentary, RMC says that they have ground to give testimony because the institution believes that the BBC documentary, ‘Rwanda’s Untold Story’ violated both media ethics and media principles.
Last month, Rura suspended BBC Gahuza, the Kinyarwanda service, following complaints from individuals and organisations in the wake of a controversial documentary titled, Rwanda’s Untold Story, aired on BBC2 channel on October 1.
“Our position on the documentary is different from our position on the suspension of the BBC Gahuzamiryango transmissions,” the RMC chairperson, Fred Muvunyi said.
In the meantime, hundreds of Motorcyclists from 12 cooperatives operating in Kigali have did a peaceful demonstration aimed to expressing their anger at the BBC’s genocide denial film.
The march departed from former ETO Kicukiro to Kicukiro Memorial site where Tutsi were massacred by Interahamwe militia during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis.
“The BBC documentary Rwanda’s untold story is an attempt to revise the history and the facts of 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and disrespected the memory of our Mothers, fathers, sisters and Brothers killed in Genocide against Tutsi.” said Daniel Ngarambe, the Chairman of Motorcycle cooperatives.
