Clerics clash over role of church in genocide

SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — Monsignor Phillip Rukamba; the Bishop of Butare Diocese has clashed with Father Jean Ndorimana over the latter’s recent publication in which he challenged the Vatican to establish the truth about the church’s role in 1994 Tutsi Genocide in Rwanda and continued abuse of office by some bishops. The two men of God clashed during a debate held at the National University of Rwanda’s main auditorium last Friday. A catholic priest and a former Vicar General of Cyangugu Diocese, Reverend Father Ndorimana, recently published a book entitled, “De la region des grands lacs au Vatican, Intrigues, scandales et ideologie du genocide sien de la hierarchie catholique.” In this book, Father Ndorimana accuses the church leadership of playing an active role in Rwanda’s politics until 1994 when over one million people were killed in 100 days. According to the book, the church was active in Rwandan politics right from the colonial times and during independence. In his presentation organised by the Association of University Dons at the NUR, Father Ndorimana slammed the Catholic Church for failing in its leadership role by not speaking out against the Genocide. “The Catholic Church, by choosing to remain silent condoned Genocide. The situation would have been surely different if the Church leadership had spoken against it,” he said. “Rwanda boasts of over 50 percent Catholics. But why then did the killings take place in Churches and why has the Church remained silent to date?” wondered Ndorimana, adding that Rwandans were baptised but were never taught the gospel. However, Bishop Rukamba shot back dispelling the authenticity of the book and queried why the organisers of the event had chosen Ndorimana to speak at the event. He pointed out that Ndorimana’s book was heavily contested and that it contained a lot of inaccuracies. Rukamba explained that while it is indeed true that some Catholics played a big role during the Genocide, there are many more good Catholics who were taught the gospel well. In the ensuing dramatic exchange supported by a cheering crowd, Father Ndorimana tasked Bishop Rukamba to explain why the Catholic Church has not barred people who committed Genocide from receiving some sacraments as is the case with other sins. “People who commit adultery are denied sacraments but why has this not been the case with people who committed Genocide- an act of hatred? At least the former did it as an act of love,” said Ndorimana, attracting deafening cheers from the crowd. He claimed that Rwandan Churches withheld the truth from the Vatican and that Churches in Rome have continued to send money to their counterparts in Rwanda to facilitate the fleeing of priests suspected of involvement in the Genocide. Ndorimana challenged the Catholic Church to apologise for what he called its moral irresponsibility and for having abdicated its leadership role then. Ends