22/04/2006 22:00 - (SA)
MEDIA SHRUGS OFF RWANDA
Fourth Estate fails to provide coverage of events related to the genocide
KHATHU MAMAILA
THIRD EYE
IT OUGHT to be, but journalism is not always the objective, accurate and fair reporting of news. Some events, which on the surface are supposed to get equal media coverage, make more news than others. It is a question of power.
Last week, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sentenced Paul Bisingimana to 15 years for his role in the massacre in a church in which about 1 000 people were murdered.
Given that the sentence was imposed on the week that was supposed to mark the 12th anniversary for the genocide in Rwanda, one would have thought that it would make news. Not a chance.
Not only that. This particular massacre happened in a church. Hundreds of people had fled their homes to seek refuge at the church, the ultimate sanctuary, but they were mowed down in cold blood. If news meant reporting the extra-ordinary, one would have assumed that the tragedy was newsworthy. Again, no chance.
In fact, there was hardly any real media coverage on the anniversary of the genocide, arguably one of the biggest human tragedies in recent history. It is esti mated that 800 000 people lost their lives in a spate of killing within a period of three months. The catastrophe happened in 1994, yet it seems to be a distant memory as the mainstream media has been consistently lethargic, at best and at worst uninterested, in covering the trials of those accused of the Rwanda genocide.
According to a statement issued by the UN Tribunal press unit based in Arusha, Bisingimana was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment after he was found guilty of extermination as a crime against humanity. The chamber ruled that the accused was entitled to credit for the time ser ved since the start of his detention on December 4, 2002.
The tribunal's press unit issues statements virtually every week, in a desperate attempt to keep the world informed about the developments in the tribunal. However, there is little interest from the media. Equally, human rights bodies who are more than ready to highlight the Zimbabwean crisis, are silent on promoting awareness about the genocide in Rwanda and the lessons that should be learnt.
The international media is fascinated by the trial of Saddam Hussein. It is interested in Zacarias Moussaoui, the terror accused of the September 11 attacks in New York. Slobodan Milosovic was another magnet of international reporters. And Rwanda? Well, who cares? The attitude seems to be "let these barbarians slaughter each other".
Rwanda was yesteryear. But Darfur is today. Thousands of people have been killed and continue to die at the hands of militia backed by the Sudanese government. The world has simply looked the other way.
There are lessons to be learnt. Nobody owes Africans a favour. People will always act in their best interest. It makes sense for the West to be concerned about Hussein and the outcome of his trial. The reason has little to do with their love for the Iraqi people or the desire to stop the gross human rights violations. So what is the real reason? Oil.
This means that African leaders and organisations should make peace with the reality that the future of their continent is in their hands. If they mess up, they will stew in their mess.
This is why the resolution of the Darfur conflict should essentially be an African initiative. So should be the resolution of the Congo issue, where an estimated three million people are reported to have died due to the effects of the war.
Independence from colonialism cannot be reduced to simply changing the colours of the national flag. It cannot only be a new national anthem. It has to be a process of Africans leading themselves not only out of conflict but towards prosperity.
The African media should help people not only to remember what happened but also assist them to to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Rwanda is enough proof that Africans should be under no illusion that other people will do that which they themselves ought to do for themselves.
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