PARLIAMENT - The prevailing genocide ideology in secondary schools has raised concern among the country’s lawmakers.

Subsequent to Monday’s presentation of a report which contains disturbing findings on how genocide ideology is prevalent in many secondary schools across the country, members of Chamber of Deputies called for stringent measures to stamp out the vice.

"Genocide ideology is a national cancer which when left to grow can destroy the entire society,” MP Ezechias Rwabuhihi said.

Rwabuhihi observed that the ideology has no place in modern Rwanda and that leaders at all levels must play a leading role fighting it.

The report presented on Monday, by the ad hoc committee indicated that some anonymous pamphlets were circulated in some schools, among them ACEDI de Mataba, with some carrying such writings as "Abatutsi ni inzoka, baraturambiye kandi tuzabica”, loosely translated to mean "Tutsis are snakes, we are fed up with them and we will kill them.”
According to the report, ACEDI de Mataba of Gakenke District, Northern Province and Ecole Secondaire de Gaseke in Gicumbi District, Northern Province, are the schools with most genocide cases, tying at 97 percent cases,
The probe into the genocide ideology in Schools was launched in August after similar cases were found in Groupe Scolaire de Muhura-Gatsibo District in Eastern Province.

The report is still under intense debate in the lower chamber of Deputies, and MPs have put up various suggestions to help in curbing the problem, among which was pushing through Parliament a law punishing Genocide ideology.

Testimonies needed
MP Abbas Mukama expressed the need to have testimonies of the violent events that occurred in schools in 1973 saying it would help the young generation in understanding how those ideologies led to the 1994 Genocide.

"We have some members of the House who were beaten up and some who participated in the beating in that period.

We want them to start giving us their experiences and the end results” Mukama noted.

Jacqueline Mukangira explained that in 1973, children used to kill their fellow students and torture their elders basing on ethnic differences, which is similar to what has been revealed by the report.

mp Espérance Mwiza added that the punishment meted out to people who participated in the Genocide does not seem to have served its purpose because they continue spreading the ideology.

Parents, leaders plant the ideology
Mwiza said that the problem of genocide ideology in schools originate from bad school administration.

MP Specioza Mukandutiye suggested that school administrators found to be spreading the ideology should be punished severely.

She added that children who are involved in the spread of anonymous letters conveying genocidal ideas should be suspended from school and join disciplinary training centres.

She added that suspended students should not be allowed to join other schools before passing through such trainings.
Mukangira noted that administrative sectors with bad leadership well-known for spreading the genocide ideology, had schools with the highest percentage in the recent survey.

She cited Muhura sector in Gatsibo District, Eastern Province, as an example.

"I once went there to give public lectures against ethnic hatred and people shockingly told me I was wasting my time,” Mukangira said.

MP Francis Kaboneka suggested that school administrators found guilty of preaching genocide ideology should be stopped from teaching, and if possible, have their academic papers revoked.

He suggested a special commission under the Ministry of Education be put in place to continue probing all schools practicing the genocide ideology.

Call for Media intervention
Mwiza said that the media can play a role in sensitization campaigns to fight the ideology at national and local levels.
"As we have campaigns to fight against HIV/Aids, we should also have similar campaigns directed towards fighting the ideologies of genocide and divisionism among Rwandans” Mukandutiye said. The probe was conducted by MPs Donatilla Mukabalisa, Alfred Kayiranga Rwasa and Francoise Mukayisenga, and their former colleagues Abdul Karim Harelimana, Jacqueline Muhongayire and Claire Kayirangwa.

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