Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

Rwanda: RPF regime in mass vasectomy bid targeting the poor

By Sylvain Sibomana
Interim Secretary General
FDU-INKINGI
February 5, 2011

Press Release

Since yesterday, Rwanda is engaged in a countrywide local election process that is parading only the ruling party's followers as the opposition leaders are in maximum security prison for politically motivated charges. But many Rwandans plunged in chock and awe when the information about the governmental mass vasectomy bid targeting 700,000 people unfolded.

Millions of lives perished during the Tutsi genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Rwanda and in the Congolese bushes; in the country more than 500,000 people are enslaved in Community services known as “TIG” far away from their families; over 100,000 Rwandans are detained in notorious overcrowded prisons; thousands of victims yield to death from Aids related deficiency and Malaria; and Hon. Richard Sezibera, Health Minister revealed to the Senate (31.01) that his department expected 700,000 men to undergo vasectomy in a bid to curb the rapid growth of the population.

This is a shame indeed. About 50% of married men will “voluntarily” enrol for this non reversal process. This mass emasculation policy should stop with no further debates. The idea that those who can't afford to pay for their family needs must enrol in a draconian birth control system is nothing but pure discrimination against the poor.

Birth control is an individual decision. In many countries economic development plays a major function in population reduction. We first need competitive economic policies and sound resource-management practices instead of mass vasectomy. Rwanda is now part of a wider economic market. In order to shift paradigms, we have to think wider enough.

FDU-INKINGI condemns this arrogant campaign of the ruling RPF. We call upon Rwandans, Human rights groups, non-governmental organisations and the free civil society to stand up and say NO to this discrimination against the poor segments of the population.

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 12:04 AM