Justice4Survivors

Making survivors’ voices count

Tag: SURF

  • Global migration experts to assess reparations for Genocide survivors

    The Ministry of Justice has signed a deal with the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) that will see the global agency conduct a study on how reparations to survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi will be carried out.

    GoR

    IOM-Logo-IOM-OIM-IOM-Blue

    The comprehensive report, expected to be out in August, will assess and identify in detail options that could be developed, established and implemented, in the Rwandan context.

    The report will also include how the reparation will be funded, while suggesting strategies operationalise the proposed compensation option.

    After the signing, the Minister for Justice, Johnston Busingye, told journalists that the government’s priority with regards to survivors has been to ensure that they access all the basic needs to better their livelihood.

    “After miraculously surviving Genocide, it was, and is impossible to restore all that was lost and nothing really can. However, government has had to ensure that survivors do not need another miracle to get education, healthcare, shelter and some social-economic progress,” said Busingye.

    The government annually commits 5 per cent of the State revenues toward the fund for support to Genocide survivors (Farg).

    The Ministry of Justice clarified that the priority for the Farg Fund was education, healthcare, shelter and social economic boost for the section of the population whose survival would be at risk if the government spent time debating the tagging of the funds.

    The issue of reparation for survivors is one of the long-awaited justice issues in the aftermath of the Genocide, mainly because most of those that were convicted either do not genuinely have capacity to pay, or have lied about their ability to pay.

    Others are fugitives who have never been brought to book.

    The survivors have believed that government should be responsible for establishing a compensation fund.

    Proud progress

    However, Minister Busingye said the country is proud of how it has provided for the survivors, as the government continue to seek other possible mechanisms for reparations.

    “Today, we stand tall and proud as a country, that within meagre means we have provided a shoulder (for the Genocide survivors) to lean on. We are proud that child survivors, many of them orphans, are now fine young men and women, educated and able to engage in issues concerning them, including reparations,” said Busingye.

    The minister added that the recommendations on survivors’ reparation will be made based to the final report produced by the research.

    Of the 599,025 Gacaca judgements related to property, 158,095 were not executed by mid-2013, according to a special taskforce commissioned by Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi to analyse injustice faced by Genocide survivors.

    In another report, the Justice ministry established that in 2013 alone, 200,000 Gacaca cases that involves reparation out of which around 300,000 were enforced. End

    Read the full Press Release HERE  as issued by the Rwanda’s Ministry of Justice. End

    First Appeared in the New Times Rwanda, slightly edited here by Al.G

  • PRESS RELEASE: Remembering Rwanda’s Survivors 20 Years On

    Kwibuka20

    London and Kigali, 7th January 2014: On the international launch today of Kwibuka20, Rwanda’s official campaign to mark the 20th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Survivors Fund (SURF) and its partner organisations called on the international community to continue to address the ongoing needs of survivors of the genocide in Rwanda. “This is a special time to remember survivors who still live with the devastating effects of genocide today”, commented Alphonsine Kabagabo, Vice-Chair of Survivors Fund (SURF) who is a genocide survivor herself and will be speaking at the launch of the commemoration theme in the UK at the Commonwealth Secretariat.   Download the full press Release here Here

  • GAERG irasaba ko abajenosideri bidegembya batabwa muri yombi

    GAERG , umwe mu miryango cumi n’itanu (15) igize ‘’Collectif’’ IBUKA  kuri uyu wa gatanu  taliki 13/12/2013 wandikiye ubushijacyaha bukuru usaba guta muri yombi bidatinze ba ruharwa babiri (2) bahamwe n’icyaha cya jenoside yakorewe abatutsi baje mu Rwanda bitabiriye inama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano.

    Mu ibaruwa yashyizweho umukono  na Perezida wuwo muryango Bwana Charles Habonimana,  GAERG ivuga ko uwitwa MURAHONEZA LEWIS mwene Bavakure Pierre na Veronique , uzwi ku izina rya ‘’KIGURUBE’’ yakatiwe imyaka mirongo itatu (30) y’igifungo kubera uruhare yagize mu kwica no gufata abagore n’abakobwa b’abatutsikazi ku ngufu mu gihe cya jenoside nyamara akaba akidegembya.

    Iyo baruwa  isaba itabwa muri yombi ry’uwitwa MULAMBA HAMISSI mwene MUSAFIRI MADJALIWA wo mu Biryogo mu karere ka Nyarugenge nawe wakatiwe adahari imyaka cumi nicyenda (19) n’urukiko  Gacaca rwa Biryogo bose bakaba bakomeje kwidegembya nyuma yo kwitabira inama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano.

    GAERG igaragaza ko abarokotse jenoside ivuganira batewe cyane impungenge no kuba abo bicanyi babahohoteye badafatwa ngo baryozwe ibyo bakoze. GAERG isanga   igihe icyo ari cyo cyose abo bajenosideri bashobora gutoroka bagasubira mu Bubiligi, igihugu kibacumbikiye imyaka irenga icumi (10).  Muri icyi gihe hamaze iminsi havugwa inkuru z’abarokotse jenoside bicwa Abarokotse jenoside baho icyaha cyabereye cyane cyane abatangabuhamya mu manza zabo ba ruharwa, ngo bahangayikishijwe n’umutekano wabo bityo bakaba bikanga guterwa ubwoba  cyangwa guhohoterwa mu rwego rwo gusibanganya ibimenyetso.

    Kuri ubu, biravugwa ko  nyuma y’inama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano ruharwa KIGURUBE  na mugenzi we MULAMBA  nka bamwe mu bagize itsinda rya diaspora baba bacumbikiwe muri imwe muri Hoteli nziza muri Kigali, kandi ikaba irinzwe cyane.  Abandi bakekwaho jenoside baje munama y’umushyikirano muri iryo tsinda rya Diaspora yo mu bubiligi bivugwa ko harimo uwitwa NTAKABURIMVANO Andre mwene Ntakaburimvano, uvuka Remera ya Kigali ahitwa mu Bibare.  Aba bajenosideri bose kimwe n’abandi bagize itsinda rya Diaspora bari gutemberezwa mu bice bitandukanye by’igihugu.

    Ku wa kabiri w’icyumweru gishize bamwe mu bagize iryo tsinda basuye u rwibutso  rwa Jenoside rwa Nyamata baherekejwe na Perezida wa Sena. Icyokora abakozi ba commission y’igihugu yo kurwanya jenoside( CNLG) bashinzwe inzibutso twavuganye badutangarije ko abagize itsinda rya Diaspora bitabiriye icyo gikorwa cyo gusura urwibutso rwa Nyamata atari benshi nkuko byari biteganyijwe.

    Nubwo itegeko ngenga rikuraho inkiko Gacaca riha amahirwe yo gusubirishamo urubanza abakatiwe nizo nkiko badahari igihe bagaragaje ko batari baratorotse ubutabera, GAERG ivuga ko hari impamvu nyinshi zigaragaza ko abo bakatiwe badahari baba bari baratorotse babigambiriye.

    Ubutabera bw’u Rwanda buramutse butaye muri yombi aba bajenosideri bari bitabiriye inama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano ntibyaba ari ubwambere.  Ku itariki 25/10/2002 uwitwa NYAGASAZA Mathias wari ku rutonde rwa ba ruharwa rwasohowe n’ubushinjacyaha mu igazeti ya Leta,  yatawe muri yombi nyuma yo kwitabira inama y’umushyikirano.  Ruharwa NYAGASAZA wamamaye mu iyicwa ry’Abagogwe yaje gukatirwa igihano cyo gufungwa burundu n’urukiko gacaca rwa Muhanda mu karere ka Ngororero aza no kugwa muri gereza ya Rubavu azize uburwayi mu mwaka wa 2011.

    GAERG ni umuryango washinzwe mu mwaka wa 2003 uhuje abarokotse jenoside  barenga igihumbi (1000) barangije za kaminuza. Kuri ubu, uwo muryango uharanira uburenganzira bw’abarokotse no guca umuco wo kudahana, ufite  imiryango iwushamikiyeho ku mugabane w’Uburayi na Leta zunze ubumwe za Amerika.

     End.

    Inkuru yanditswe na A .G

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    PhotoI: Kigurube na Gen. Fred Ibingira / Photo 2, 3, 4 : Kigurube mu nama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano

  • Psychological and social problems continue to affect youth survivors 19 years on

    The National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG) has recently released an important piece of research on the psychosocial situation of orphaned youth survivors. 19 years on from the genocide against the Tutsi, many survivors continue to face challenges in life as a consequence of the devastation and loss that the genocide caused.  A particularly vulnerable group of survivors are those who were very young during the genocide, often orphaned and made homeless.

    The research draws on interviews with 122 orphaned youth survivors from each district in Rwanda as well as focus groups with organisations supporting survivors. The results of the research revealed that psychological and social problems continue to affect youth survivors 19 years on. This is often related to continued traumatic memories and reminders of the genocide, social isolation and lack of family. They face complex issues connected to rural isolation, property, compensation and lack of educational resources. A third of participants expressed a negative or unclear outlook on their future.

    Importantly, the results also revealed that the participants found the emotional and material support of survivor’s organisations very helpful. Many talked about the relief they got from sharing their experiences with others and the positive relationships with friends and other members of the community. Nearly half of the participants reported having plans or motivation for the future that guided their lives, giving them hope and emotional stability.

    Participants highlighted the impact of the Government Assistance Fund for Vulnerable Survivors (FARG) in supporting the associated costs for orphaned survivors to access education. However, despite this valuable contribution, as well as the good work of survivor’s organisations, nearly 70% of participants expressed a belief that the material support they received did not meet their needs. They also highlighted gaps in services and it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that all young survivors can access resources, on time when they are needed and that information about sources of support is readily available.

    AERG

    President Kagame addresses a meeting of AERG members

    This research has major implications on how support to young survivors needs to be developed in the years ahead. At present, Survivors Fund (SURF) supports the work of the National Student’s Association of Genocide Survivors (AERG) to deliver access to education, and legal aid to document and follow-up on unresolved cases affecting young survivors in membership of the organisation, pertaining to disputed issues of property, land and property in particular.

    As well, a new trauma and legal aid helpline, made possible through funding from inspire!africa, has recently been launched to provide access to emotional and professional support for young survivors that otherwise are isolated. This work is complemented by a youth entrepreneurship training programme, developed by AERG in partnership with SURF, which is providing business opportunities for young survivors, and real hope for a better future

    First appeared at http://www.survivors-fund.org.uk

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