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The Interim Secretary General of FDU-Inkingi has strongly expressed the worries of Rwandans about the current Rwandan governement’s policy to practice male sterilisation of nearly one million people. He writes:

RPF regime in mass vasectomy bid targeting the poor

Many Rwandans were 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.

Sylvain Sibomana
FDU-INKINGI –�Interim Secretary General

Rwanda in vasectomy drive to stem population growth

Rwanda’s government has said it wants to encourage men to have vasectomies in a bid to stem the small landlocked country’s growing population.
It would be done along with its HIV prevention campaign to encourage all men to be circumcised.

Health officials would take the opportunity to talk to men about the birth-control method at the same time.

A BBC reporter in Rwanda says vasectomies are uncommon in the country and the move may meet resistance.

A vasectomy is often irreversible. The operation for a male sterilisation takes about 15 minutes and can be carried out in a clinic under local anaesthetic.
The Rwandan government has been encouraging male circumcision since 2008 as the UN World Health Organization says it reduces the risk of heterosexual HIV infection.
Health Minister Richard Sezibera said the government aimed to have 700,000 men circumcised in the next three years.

“Those who will be willing to join the programme of family planning will be allowed to have a vasectomy,” Dr Sezibera said.

But men interviewed on the streets of the capital, Kigali, were cautious about such a permanent method of contraception.

“I think I can’t go for it. You may plan to have two children and then unfortunately one dies,” one man told the BBC’s Network Africa programme.

“When this happens when you already have had vasectomy, you can’t have another child. Instead of going for vasectomy, you would rather practice other methods.”

“I can never go for it,” another added.

One man was a little more positive: “I personally wouldn’t prefer to. But perhaps if I had three children, I would go.”

The BBC’s Geoffrey Mutagoma in Kigali says apart from condom use, birth control is usually left to women to organise.

“Sometimes men are really in need of having birth control but they will not use condoms every day, every time,” Sam Kyaggambiddwa of Urunana, a local non-governmental organisation that promotes reproductive health through radio dramas, told the BBC.

He said that given the option and right advice, men might be more willing to consider having a vasectomy.

Experts say a slowdown in Rwanda’s fast-growing population, which the UN estimates was 10.2 million in 2010, would help improve living standards.

[BBC News]

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the pigheadedness and cruelty of the Rwandan judicial system, which has just passed extremely long jail sentences on two women journalists, Agnes Uwimana Nkusi, the editor of the privately-owned bimonthly Umurabyo, and Saidath Mukakibibi, one of her reporters.

A Kigali high court today imposed a 17-year sentence on Nkusi and a seven-year one on Mukakibibi on charges of inciting civil disobedience, causing divisions and denying the 1994 genocide.

Nkusi�s lawyer told Reporters Without Borders he was very disappointed by the verdict and intended to appeal to the supreme court.

�The high court went too far,� he said. �It took no account of our requests. Our view is that the court has no tangible evidence of their criminal guilt. This case should be tried as a disciplinary matter by the Media High Council. These two journalists should be released. Furthermore, the sentences they have been given are very severe.�

The two women have been detained since 8 July 2010. Last month, prosecutors requested a 33-year sentence for Nkusi and a 12-year one for Mukakibibi.

[Reporters Without Borders]