[Rwanda Forum] Rwandan state airline rejected UK proposal to fly asylum seekers to Kigali



https://www.ft.com/content/1251e4f2-91b5-4cd7-b716-f9507b3c72b6?s=08

Rwandan state airline rejected UK proposal to fly asylum seekers to Kigali

RwandAir was concerned about reputational risk associated with British government's contentious scheme

RwandAir declined a removal flights offer from the UK because of concerns about reputational risk © Avpics/Alamy

Rwanda's state-owned airline turned down a UK government proposal to transport asylum seekers to Kigali as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's migrant offshoring plan because it feared damaging its brand.

RwandAir was approached by the UK government late last year about running removal flights from Britain to Rwanda but declined the offer because of concerns about reputational risk, according to two people briefed on the situation.

The airline, which is wholly owned by the Rwandan government, has expanded its UK operations over the past year and will start daily commercial flights from London Heathrow airport to Kigali from the end of this month.

"RwandAir said 'No' because of the potential damage to their brand," said a Home Office insider, noting the "irony" of the flag carrier distancing itself from a scheme that Rwanda's government has said it is "proud" to be involved in.

They also cast doubt on the idea of contracting a Royal Air Force plane to transport asylum seekers, saying it would be "very expensive".

Sunak has made "stopping the boats" crossing the English Channel one of five pre-election pledges to voters, and the plan to remove migrants to Rwanda is the linchpin of his strategy.

The Supreme Court ruled against the policy last year and no one has yet been sent to Rwanda, but government officials say the scheme will act as a deterrent to other people hoping to make the journey from France to the UK.

Sunak met Paul Kagame, Rwanda's president, in Downing Street on Tuesday. Number 10 said afterwards that "both leaders looked forward to flights departing to Rwanda in the spring".

Their meeting came as NGO Freedom from Torture launched a campaign to dissuade other airlines from participating in removals to Rwanda, describing the policy as "cruel and wrong".

Some commercial carriers and charter companies previously used by the UK and other European governments for deportation flights have ruled themselves out.

Thousands of people emailed AirTanker, a UK charter airline with Ministry of Defence and RAF contracts, within hours of Freedom from Torture's campaign launch, seeking to persuade the company to rule itself out of the Rwanda scheme, as it did in 2022. AirTanker was contacted for comment.

Privilege Style was contracted in 2022 to operate flights to Kigali but pulled out under pressure from campaigners © Justine Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Privilege Style, the Mallorca-based carrier originally contracted by the Home Office to operate flights to Kigali in 2022, pulled out following a mass mail campaign run by the same charity.

The campaign came after a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights grounded the first flight, setting off legal challenges that have held the removals up until now. Privilege Style said at the time it would "not operate flights to Rwanda in the future".

The Rwandan government declined to comment. RwandAir was contacted for comment.

Ministers are rapidly working behind the scenes to make the Rwanda scheme workable before legislation returns to parliament next week for its final rounds of "ping pong" between the House of Commons and House of Lords. Peers in the upper house inflicted a series of defeats on the Rwanda asylum bill last month.

Rishi Sunak greets Rwandan president Paul Kagame ahead of a bilateral meeting at Downing Street on Tuesday © Tolga Akmen/EPA/Shutterstock

One person briefed on the government's plans — which are subject to change — said officials were currently targeting mid to late-May for the first flights, and that the Home Office was casting a wide net to identify people who could be sent in the first tranche.

This could include people who had exhausted all of their appeals processes and those who had signed up to relocate to Rwanda voluntarily.

"It's proof of concept," the person said, adding that the optics of a flight in the air would be the same irrespective of who was in it.

Under a deal signed by London and Kigali this year, unsuccessful asylum seekers who cannot be returned to their own country are being offered £3,000 to move to Rwanda instead of remaining in the UK.

But people briefed on the scheme said no one had yet officially signed up. Although a handful of asylum seekers had come forward with expressions of interest and spoken to Home Office representatives they had later changed their minds, the people said.

The Home Office said: "We have robust operational plans in place to get flights off the ground to Rwanda in spring."

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] Rwanda's President Paul Kagame attends the UEFA Champions League... News Photo - Getty Images

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame attends the UEFA Champions League... News Photo - Getty Images

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/rwandas-president-paul-kagame-attends-the-uefa-champions-news-photo/2144475437

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] Rwanda 1994 - Thirty Years On : An Ode to Memory, Justice, and Peace | Jambo asbl



https://www.jamboasbl.com/article/rwanda-1994-thirty-years-ode-memory-justice-and-peace

Rwanda 1994 - Thirty Years On : An Ode to Memory, Justice, and Peace

Three decades have passed since the dark days of 1994, a time that forever changed Rwanda and echoed around the globe. Today, with these words, we weave a tribute to the lost souls and shattered spirits, to the wounded bodies and bleeding hearts. This homage is made without rank or distinction, honoring each victim uniquely, whether they are known or anonymous, remembered or forgotten. We do this in the hope that memory and justice will walk hand in hand, lighting the path towards peace and reconciliation.

The Prelude to Chaos: Political Assassinations Before 1994:

The road to the tragic year of 1994 was paved with pain and loss, marked by a series of political assassinations that sowed the seeds of discord and mistrust. These acts shook the foundations of Rwanda, leaving behind grieving families, torn communities, and a nation on the brink. The assassination of President Habyarimana in April 1994 was the culmination of this dark series, a point of no return that plunged the country into a spiral of violence. Today, the voices of those early victims still echo, calling for peace, justice, and truth in a world that sometimes seems to prefer forgetfulness to facing reality.

The Hidden War: War Crimes

The northern provinces, Byumba, Ruhengeri, and beyond, bore silent witness to a war that spared no man, woman, or child. On a grim day, October 1st, the APR ignited the region with its war flame, throwing populations into the abyss of fear and danger. The people of Bigogwe, the displaced of Nyacyonga, endured the unspeakable, caught in the storm of a conflict they did not choose. For four years, these populations were caught in the crossfire of a war they hadn't sought. These years of conflict left indelible scars on the land and in the hearts of those who survived, inscribing tales of fear, loss, and despair that deserve to be heard and honored in the ceaseless quest for justice.

The Eclipse of Humanity: The Genocide Against the Tutsis

In April 1994, the world witnessed one of humanity's darkest chapters, a genocide that systematically targeted Tutsis, marking them as objects of blind hatred. Through the veils of time, we discern a somber truth: these innocent souls, these Tutsi victims, have been and continue to be used as stepping stones by those seeking power, turned into tools for consolidating reigns, rather than beings to be honored with dignity. The tales of survival, courage, and pain from the survivors must be told and acknowledged, not to fuel bitterness, but to forge a common understanding of peace's fragility and the value of every human life. The memory of these dark days, pure and unmanipulated, must be preserved as a catalyst for empathy, solidarity, and reconciliation, not as a lever in power games.

The Forgotten Voices: The Genocide Against the Hutus

Within our complex past, the suffering of Hutus emerges not as a ghostly whisper but as a poignant cry of truth. The Hutu genocide, with episodes like Kibeho, Nyakinama, and the tragedies in Congo camps, reveals the extent and depth of inflicted pain. These moments of brutality, far from isolated anecdotes, are links in a chain of atrocities that testify to the severity of what unfolded in Rwanda and against Rwandans. Recognizing these stories is not to diminish other sufferings but to add to our collective memory mosaic. Survivors and descendants of Hutu victims have an inalienable right to share their stories, to demand the light of truth in the darkness of forgetfulness. In this context, solidarity among all genocide victims stands as a bulwark against denialism. Acknowledging the reality of the Hutu genocide is an essential step towards justice and reconciliation, a step towards a future where every voice matters, where every tear weighs, and where every wounded heart finds a path to healing.

Beyond Borders: The Congolese Victims

The contagion of hate and violence did not respect national borders, also affecting our Congolese neighbors. Their suffering speaks to our destinies' interconnectedness and the destructive impact of ambitions and schemes that sought to exploit and destabilize the region for fleeting gains. The tears shed on Congolese soil call for regional solidarity and a shared commitment to justice and peace.

The Commitment of Jambo ASBL and the Mpore Memory and Justice Project

Faced with this tapestry of pain and memory, Jambo ASBL and the Mpore Memory and Justice Project stand as beacons of hope and resilience, with an unwavering commitment centered on the victim. Our primary mission is to place the victim at the heart of our actions, offering a sanctuary where their memory is preserved, their truth-bearing voice is heard, and their call for justice is amplified. We pledge to embrace all victims without exception, to acknowledge every individual story, to heal visible and invisible wounds. Our goal is to transcend divides, to transform walls of division into bridges of understanding and compassion. By placing the victim at the center of our commitment, we reaffirm our determination to weave a future where justice and memory form the foundation of peace and reconciliation.

A call to memory, justice, and humanity

On this thirtieth anniversary, we are called to deep introspection, reminded that Rwanda endured immeasurable suffering in 1994. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that our nation's pain roots deep before that dark year, starting in 1990 and alarmingly continuing to permeate our present for unresolved reasons.

We must be clear-eyed: the elements leading to past tragedies are still present, palpable in our society's fabric. Victims remain forgotten, unacknowledged, refugees still denied their right to return, and many citizens voiceless. Hate, stubbornly, continues to haunt our interactions, threatening to reignite the flames of a past we hoped was behind us.

This call to memory, justice, and humanity is not only commemorative but also preventative. It is a cry for the lessons of the past not to be in vain, but to illuminate our path towards a future where every human being's dignity is an unshakeable reality, where peace transcends aspiration to become our everyday reality, and where justice forms the bedrock of our community, our nation, and our world.

Let this call resonate, not as an echo of the past but as an active commitment for today and tomorrow, inspiring concrete actions and changes. It is our collective duty to ensure that future generations inherit not only the stories of our history but also a solid legacy of reconciliation, respect, and universal love, so that never again will we endure what we have suffered.

 

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] Rwanda 1994 - Trente Ans Après : Une Ode à la Mémoire, à la Justice et à la paix | Jambo asbl

https://www.jamboasbl.com/article/rwanda-1994-trente-ans-apres-une-ode-la-memoire-la-justice-et-la-paix

Rwanda 1994 - Trente Ans Après : Une Ode à la Mémoire, à la Justice et à la paix

Trois décennies se sont écoulées depuis les jours sombres de 1994, une période qui a marqué le Rwanda et résonné à travers le monde entier. Aujourd'hui, à travers ces mots, nous tissons un hommage aux âmes perdues et aux esprits brisés, aux corps meurtris et aux cœurs saignants. Cet hommage se veut sans hiérarchie ni distinction, honorant chaque victime dans la particularité du crime dont elle a été victime, qu'elle soit connue ou inconnue, reconnue ou oubliée. Nous le faisons dans l'espoir que la mémoire et la justice se tiennent main dans la main pour éclairer le chemin vers la paix et la réconciliation.

Les prémices du chaos : Assassinats politiques avant 1994

La route vers le tragique 1994 a été pavée de douleurs et de pertes, marquée par une série d'assassinats politiques qui ont semé les graines de la discorde et de la méfiance. Ces actes ont non seulement ébranlé les fondations du Rwanda mais ont aussi laissé des familles endeuillées, des communautés déchirées, et une nation au bord de l'abîme. L'assassinat du président Habyarimana en avril 1994 n'a été que l'apogée de cette série macabre, un point de non-retour qui a plongé le pays dans une spirale de violence. Aujourd'hui, les voix des victimes de ces préludes de l'apocalypse résonnent encore, réclamant Paix, justice et vérité, dans un monde qui semble parfois préférer l'oubli à la confrontation avec la réalité.

La guerre à huis clos : Les crimes de guerre

Les provinces du nord, Byumba, Ruhengeri, et les autres territoires, ont été les témoins muets et les victimes impuissantes d'une guerre qui n'a épargné ni homme, ni femme, ni enfant. En un jour sombre, le 1er octobre, l'APR, brisant la fragile chrysalide de paix durement acquise, a embrasé la région de sa flamme guerrière, plongeant les populations dans l'abîme de la peur et du danger. Les habitants de Bigogwe, les déplacés de Nyacyonga, ont enduré l'indicible, pris dans la tourmente d'un conflit où l'avenir se noyait sous le fracas des armes. Pendant 4 ans ces populations ont été pris entre les feux croisés d'une guerre qu'elles n'avaient pas voulu. Ces années de conflit ont laissé des cicatrices indélébiles sur la terre et dans les cœurs de ceux qui y ont survécu, gravant dans leur mémoire des récits de peur, de perte et de désespoir qui méritent d'être entendus et honorés dans la quête incessante de justice.

L'éclipse de l'humanité : Le génocide contre les Tutsis

En avril 1994, le monde a assisté à l'un des chapitres les plus sombres de l'histoire de l'humanité, un génocide qui a systématiquement visé les Tutsis, les réduisant à des cibles d'une haine aveugle. À travers les voiles du temps, nous discernons aujourd'hui une triste vérité : ces âmes innocentes, ces victimes tutsies, ont été et sont encore utilisées comme des marches-pieds par ceux en quête de pouvoir, transformées en outils pour consolider des règnes, plutôt qu'en êtres à commémorer avec honneur. Les récits de survie, de courage et de douleur des rescapés doivent être racontés et reconnus, non pas pour alimenter la rancœur, mais pour forger une compréhension commune de la fragilité de la paix et de la valeur de chaque vie humaine. La mémoire de ces jours noirs, pure et non instrumentalisée, doit être préservée comme un catalyseur pour l'empathie, la solidarité et la réconciliation, et non comme un levier dans les jeux du pouvoir.

Les voix oubliées : Le génocide contre les Hutus

Dans la trame complexe de notre passé, la souffrance des Hutus émerge, non comme un murmure fantomatique, mais comme un cri poignant de vérité. Le génocide hutu, avec ses nombreux épisodes tels que Kibeho, Nyakinama, et les tragédies des camps au Congo, révèle l'ampleur et la profondeur de la douleur infligée. Ces moments de brutalité, loin d'être des anecdotes isolées, sont des maillons d'une chaîne d'atrocités qui témoigne de la gravité de ce qui s'est déroulé au Rwanda et contre les Rwandais. Il est impératif de reconnaître ces récits non pas pour atténuer d'autres souffrances, mais pour ajouter à la mosaïque de notre mémoire collective. Les survivants et les descendants des victimes hutues ont le droit inaliénable de partager leur histoire, de réclamer la lumière de la vérité dans l'obscurité de l'oubli. Dans ce contexte, la solidarité entre toutes les victimes de génocide se dresse comme un rempart contre le négationnisme. Accepter et reconnaître la réalité du génocide hutu est un pas essentiel vers la justice et la réconciliation, un pas vers un avenir où chaque voix compte, où chaque larme a du poids, et où chaque cœur meurtri trouve un chemin vers la guérison.

Au-delà des frontières : Les victimes congolaises

La contagion de la haine et de la violence n'a pas respecté les frontières nationales, affectant également nos voisins congolais. Leurs souffrances témoignent de l'interconnexion denos destins et de l'impact destructeur des ambitions et des intrigues qui ont cherché à exploiter et à déstabiliser la région pour des gains éphémères. Les larmes versées sur la terre congolaise appellent à une solidarité régionale et à un e engagement partagé pour la justice et la paix.

L'engagement de Jambo ASBL et du projet Mpore Mémoire et Justice

Face à cette mosaïque de douleurs et de souvenirs, Jambo ASBL et le projet Mpore Mémoire et Justice se dressent comme des bastions de l'espoir et de la résilience, avec un engagement inébranlable centré sur la victime. Notre mission première est de mettre la victime au cœur de nos actions, de lui offrir un sanctuaire où sa mémoire est préservée, où sa voix portant la vérité est entendue, et où son appel à la justice est amplifié. Nous nous engageons à embrasser toutes les victimes sans exception, à reconnaître chaque histoire individuelle, à guérir les blessures visibles et invisibles. Notre objectif est de transcender les clivages, de transformer les murs de division en ponts de compréhension et de compassion. En plaçant la victime au centre de notre engagement, nous réaffirmons notre détermination à tisser un futur où la justice et la mémoire forment le socle de la paix et de la réconciliation.

Un Appel à la mémoire, à la justice et à l'humanité 

En ce trentième anniversaire, nous sommes appelés à une introspection profonde, rappelant que le Rwanda a enduré une souffrance incommensurable en 1994. Pourtant, il est crucial de reconnaître que la douleur de notre nation plonge ses racines bien avant cette année noire, dès 1990, et continue, de manière alarmante, à imprégner notre présent pour des raisons qui demeurent irrésolues.

Nous devons être lucides : les éléments qui ont conduit aux tragédies passées sont toujours là, palpables dans le tissu de notre société. Des victimes demeurent oubliées, non reconnues, des réfugiés se voient encore refuser leur droit au retour, et de nombreux citoyens restent privés de voix. La haine, tenace, continue de hanter nos interactions, menaçant de raviver les flammes d'un passé que nous espérions révolu.

Cet appel à la mémoire, à la justice et à l'humanité ne se veut pas seulement commémoratif, mais aussi préventif. Il s'agit d'un cri pour que les leçons du passé ne soient pas vaines, mais qu'elles éclairent notre chemin vers un avenir où la dignité de chaque être humain est une réalité inébranlable, où la paix transcende l'aspiration pour devenir notre quotidien, et où la justice constitue le socle de notre communauté, de notre nation, et de notre monde.

Laissons résonner cet appel, non comme un écho du passé, mais comme un engagement actif pour aujourd'hui et demain, inspirant des actions et des changements concrets. Il est de notre devoir collectif de veiller à ce que les générations futures héritent non seulement des récits de notre histoire, mais également d'un héritage solide de réconciliation, de respect et d'amour universel, pour que jamais ne se répète ce que nous avons enduré.

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] Kagame yagiye kureba umupira mu cyunamo....!





Shocking reports from @Arsenal fans: #Rwanda's President, @PaulKagame, was spotted enjoying the game in the opulent VIP boxes at Emirates Stadium in London with his sons during the Champions League quarter-final match against @FCBayern, yesterday. Meanwhile, back in Rwanda, the…

Norman Ishimwe 🤝 (@NormanIshimwe) on X x.com

	Norman Ishimwe 🤝 ⁦‪@NormanIshimwe‬⁩ Shocking reports from ⁦‪@Arsenal‬⁩ fans: #Rwanda's President, ⁦‪@PaulKagame‬⁩, was spotted enjoying the game in the opulent VIP boxes at Emirates Stadium in London with his sons during the Champions League quarter-final match against ⁦‪@FCBayern‬⁩, yesterday. Meanwhile, back in Rwanda, the… pic.twitter.com/TLWrXyIMER   4/10/24, 1:14 AM

Ku batari babizi, hari ibintu bibujijwe mu cyunamo cya mata cya buri mwaka - Le blog de INGOBOKA
http://rwandatekaiteka.over-blog.com/2016/04/ku-batari-babizi-hari-ibintu-bibujijwe-mu-cyunamo-cya-mata-cya-buri-mwaka.html

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] FPR YASANZE GUKORESHA INDAYA GUSA BIDAKWIYE, IRIKO ISHINGIZA ABAHIMAKAZI HIRYA NO HINO MU BATEGETSI.



FPR YASANZE GUKORESHA INDAYA GUSA BIDAKWIYE, IRIKO ISHINGIZA ABAHIMAKAZI HIRYA NO HINO MU BATEGETSI.

https://www.youtube.com/live/WeVTcxPZmHY?si=hflbnekp2EwCIQcf

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###

[Rwanda Forum] Rwanda: the Institut François-Mitterrand asks Emmanuel Macron to "lift the ambiguity" about his position



Rwanda: the Institut François-Mitterrand asks Emmanuel Macron to "lift the ambiguity" about his position

The Head of State considered that France "could have stopped the genocide", with its allies, but "did not have the will".

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/rwanda/genocide-au-rwanda/rwanda-l-institut-mitterrand-demande-a-emmanuel-macron-de-lever-l-ambiguite-sur-sa-position_6474506.html

### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###