Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KIGALI323
2008-05-06 08:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:  

RWANDA UNDERCUTS WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY BY

Tags:  PREL PHUM PGOV KPAO RW 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0323/01 1270818
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 060818Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5288
INFO RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0302
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 1117
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1885
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0437
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0221
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1208
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0477
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000323 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAO RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA UNDERCUTS WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY BY
EXPELLING 3 JOURNALISTS FROM FESTIVITIES

REF: KIGALI 225

Classified By: Amb. Arietti for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000323

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAO RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA UNDERCUTS WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY BY
EXPELLING 3 JOURNALISTS FROM FESTIVITIES

REF: KIGALI 225

Classified By: Amb. Arietti for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary. The Rwandan Ministry of Information hosted
a widely attended program of lectures in honor of World Press
Freedom Day on May 2. The government expelled three
independent journalists midway through the proceedings,
claiming they had not been invited. Following the
expulsions, the Minister of Information announced in radio
interviews and remarks to local newspapers that she was
"blacklisting" four journalists for articles hostile to the
government. The expulsions and later announcement by the
Minister signify the Government of Rwanda's (GOR) limited
understanding of press issues and external perceptions of
press freedom in Rwanda. End summary.


2. (C) The Rwandan Ministry of Information hosted a series
of lectures in honor of World Press Freedom Day on May 2, on
topics including journalists' access to government
information, the relationship between the Rwandan National
Police and the media, and the draft media law currently in
Parliament. The event was widely attended, with the
recently-appointed Minister of Information Louise
Mushikiwabo, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mary Gahonzire,
and High Council of the Press executive secretary Patrice
Mulama present among the journalists and other attendees.


3. (C) At the opening of the afternoon session, a question
and answer exchange, three journalists heading independent
publications in Rwanda - Jean Bosco Gasasira of Umuvugizi,
Charles Kabonero of Umuseso, and Jean Gualbert Burasa of
Rushyashya - who had registered and been present for the
morning sessions, were expelled from the event. The personal
assistant to Mushikiwabo told the journalists (and, later,
our Pol Assistant, who was present) that the Information
Minister, the Deputy Police Commissioner and the President's
Press Secretary had jointly decided they should be expelled.
The pro-government New Times quoted Mushikiwabo to the effect
that the journalists "had not been invited to participate."
However, in subsequent conversation Gasasira told Emboffs the
Information Ministry had sent a mass e-mail invitation, and
he and the other two expelled journalists had received it.
He also produced the badges he and Burasa had received after
registering on the day of the event.


4. (C) In later radio comments, Mushikiwabo justified the
expulsion of the three by comparing them to "wedding
crashers" and expressed criticism of their professionalism,
saying they were working with outside forces to "blackmail"
the government. She further said they and a fourth
journalist, Bonaventure Bizumuremyi, editor-in-chief of
independent publication Umuco (still sought by the GOR for
his article comparing President Kagame to Hitler - reftel),
would be blacklisted from future functions hosted by the
Ministry, including press conferences.


5. (C) After the expulsion, other journalists present briefly
discussed boycotting the rest of the event, but ultimately
remained. Two of them, however, registered their
disappointment with the expulsion during the question and
answer session. One called the action "sad" on a day meant
to promote press freedom. A more vociferous critic, a
journalist working with Daily Business, demanded an
explanation from Mushikiwabo, especially given the day's
explanation from Mushikiwabo, especially given the day's
theme. Ministry technical staff pulled the microphone from
him during his remarks.


6. (C) Comment: These expulsions and "blacklists" are, at
best, awful public relations gaffes by the government. Do
they also reflect a hardening of the GOR's attitude toward
the local Rwandan media? Only slightly less troubling is the
sense that the Minister of Information and her colleagues
appear entirely unaware of the consequence of their actions
in the eyes of the international community. Professional
deficiencies, especially among local independent journalists,
are often cited by the GOR as reasons to continue government
oversight of the media. We do not find this very persuasive,
given their own obvious lack of expertise on media issues.
Ambassador Arietti will meet with Mushikiwabo and Minister of
Finance James Musoni (GOR lead on its Millennium Challenge
Corporation Threshold Country Plan, devoted to governance
issues) to register Post's displeasure with the expulsions
and blacklists and to counsel a more enlightened approach.
End comment.


ARIETTI