At least 785 women widowed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide do not have proper housing, with 53 women in urgent need of shelter in the Eastern Province. The revelation was made during a fundraising drive organised to raise funds for shelter for women widowed during the genocide.
The Minister of Sports and Culture, Protais Mitali, has promised to help address the issue of vulnerable elderly widows in the country. Over 2,906 elderly widows in the five provinces of the country need moral and financial support, with those aged 70 and older particularly vulnerable.
Noam Schimmel calls for the United Nations to create a dedicated voluntary trust fund for survivors of the Rwandan genocide. This trust fund would provide a central address for aid agencies and governments to channel funds to address survivor needs and create programs that specifically address their unique circumstances.
In 1998, the government established the Fund for Genocide Survivors (FARG) to channel financial support and otherwise to survivors. Since 1998, the fund has spent over Rwf130 billion on survivors’ welfare with 75 per cent spent on education. It is now conducting an impact assessment study to determine how effective the FARG has been since its establishment.
Rwanda’s Prime Minister Bernard Makuza announces that, since the establishment of the Fund for Genocide Survivors, the government has spent Rwf 110.8 billion towards the welfare of survivors. The fund was established in 1998 to improve the welfare of genocide survivors by providing them with basic needs including shelter, healthcare, education and guidance towards self-sustainability.
Juergen Schurr reports that at a conference in Kigali last month, survivors stressed once again that they considered that justice without reparation is not justice. As of today, judgments awarding compensation to survivors have not been enforced and survivors have yet to receive reparation.
Ibuka, the main organization of Rwandan genocide survivors, brought the question of survivors’ murders before both houses of the Rwandan parliament. According to Ibuka, twenty-six genocide survivors were murdered in 2009 in Rwanda. Nine women and several children are said to be among the victims.
The Hirondelle News Agency reports that owning a house remains the main concern for the 1994 survivors of the worst slaughter in modern history. More than 30,000 survivors are without decent housing.
Michelle Faust of the Associated Press reports on how Congolese survivors of rape shatter local taboos around talking about violence against civilians.
Mike Blanchfield of Canwest News Service reports on Canada’s decision to cut Rwanda from its roster of countries receiving development assistance. Canada’s new roster features a renewed focus on Latin America, which the Conservative government has identified as a key foreign policy priority.
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