Gahima: Inyenyeri News will never apologize for being a voice of everybody
Noble Marara
Editor -in -Chief
After the recent Article that appeared in the Inyenyeri news under
the heading “ Is Gahima haunted by his Role in the Rwanda Genocide?”
Theogene Rudasingwa a brother to Gahima responded on his facebook page
by demanding an apology from inyenyeri news, in his words Rudasingwa
stated that.
Theogene Rudasingwa defending his brother Gahima Gerald
”We
are yet to reach a stage where we can disagree with civility. Instead
of challenging Gahima’s arguments, the Inyenyeri News article said he is
a thief. Now, being a thief and having ideas are different things. I
say this not because Gahima is my brother, or a colleague leader in the
RNC, but because I sense unfairness in the Inyenyeri attack. As for
debate on BBC documentary, that is precisely its utility. To encourage
debate. That means listening first, even if you do not agree.
Inyenyeri
News has simply disgraced itself by parading the usual shameful
Kigali-like hatred against Gahima. The honorable thing to do would be to
apologise to Gahima, but as it often said, only those morally
responsible can rise to that revolutionary challenge”.
Gahima Gerald who questioned untold story credibility
We have received different comments against and in support of the
above article. However, the most astonishing behaviour by some people as
those telling the Inyenyeri news to apologize for allowing the article
to be published. This is like telling the African Chiefs that they
should not apologize for allowing slavery of their Citizens a hundred
years ago.
In unprecedented demand for accountability by some African civil
rights defenders the Traditional African rulers were encouraged to
apologize for the role they played in the slave trade.”We cannot
continue to blame the white men, as Africans particularly the
traditional rulers, are not blameless,” said the Civil Rights Congress.
Could we say that this human rights organization was not civilized
because it demanded the accountability of the African Chiefs who helped,
aided, assisted, the white man to capture many of their fellow
countrymen and take them as slaves?
Should we tell the BBC that allowed this article to appear in its
publications on 12, November 2009, to apologize? Who has the monopoly of
civilizations when it comes to facts or opinions? The best way of
showing civility when it comes to responding to issues in the free
speech world forum, is to write and counter argue what you think is
incorrect or biased as you might think.
What the Inyenyeri news did was to publish what the writer of the
above article thought was a responsibility for the opposition figures to
have the moral standing, indeed, to be part of any future
constitutional arrangement in Rwanda; there are some historical issues
for them to address.
As any prominent public figure, for instance Celebrities,
politicians, high-ranking or powerful government officials, and others
with power in society will always have a problem in drawing a line
between what is personal or private or public. Why should a public
figure that is suspected of theft, become private or vendetta if it
comes to accountability? Unless he/she comes with the facts that are
contrary to what has been said against him or her. The scales of
accountability when it comes to the Rwandan government and the
opposition figures should be of the same standard.
As regards, the Inyenyeri news position, we shall never apologize for
being fair, impartial, doing our job without fear or favor. Individuals
who are considered to be limited-purpose public figures remain so as
long as the public has an “independent” interest in the underlying
controversy against them.
Unlike all-purpose public figures, it is
relatively easy for a limited-purpose public figure to lose his status
if the controversy in which he is involved has been largely forgotten.
But most will still maintain their status even after they leave the
public office. Therefore, those who have been in public eyes remain a
target as long as there is reason by anyone to bring to life the old
memories.
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posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 4:47 PM
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