Metro

CHOGM kicks off in Rwanda amid rights concerns

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2022

As Rwanda prepares to welcome leaders of the 54 nations that make up the Commonwealth for the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which kicks off on Friday in Kigali, there are fears that the meeting will be mired in controversy following concerns over rights abuses in the East African country.

The summit which has been postponed twice since 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, is also being overshadowed by the disputes over Britain’s plans to send asylum seekers to the African nation for processing.

Civil society groups in Rwanda have also complained of a lack of media and political freedom under President Paul Kagame with a Rwandan journalist, Eleneus Akanga, who fled the country in 2007 after the government closed his newspaper, saying government agents arbitrarily arrest and torture journalists.

“My crime was reporting the truth. I had written a story, or I sought to write a story about journalists that were being beaten by unknown people.

“And it turned out that these journalists thought that the government was beating them up using state agents. I found out later that they were going to charge me with espionage.”

Akanga then fled to Britain and was granted political asylum in 2007.

Kagame has also been accused of clamping down on the opposition but his government has denied human rights abuses.

But shadows still linger especially with the controversial UK asylum deal which the two countries entered into in April which would see Britain send back asylum seekers arriving on its shores for processing in Rwanda.

The first flight was due to depart last Tuesday but was blocked minutes before take-off by the European Court of Human Rights.

Critics of the policy which would see Rwanda pocket £120 million from the deal, have said the policy breaches refugee law but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had argued that the policy is legal and will deter illegal migrants from crossing the English Channel.

Related Topics:CHOGM Featured Human Rights Rwanda

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Metro

Sign language interpreter, Kunda, seeks inclusivity in media rights agenda

Published

7 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

An inclusive society is crucial for a nation’s human and economic development in the modern era.

In this edition of Project Aliyense, we feature Paul Kunda, widely recognized as the face of sign language interpretation on national television, serving the deaf community.

Kunda, a dedicated sign language interpreter and educator with over four years of experience, sheds light on the significance of media freedom.

“As a sign language interpreter at Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and a teacher by profession, I advocate for media freedom,” he said.

Kunda emphasised the importance of the Access to Information (ATI) Act, recently assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema, which empowered citizens to demand information freely.

He stressed the need for unhindered access to information to foster a civil and prosperous society.

Regarding digital rights, Kunda highlighted their critical role for the deaf community, given the transformative impact of digital platforms, especially when mainstream media access is limited.

“As a representative of the deaf community, I believe digital rights should be inclusive. Everyone, including persons with disabilities, should enjoy these rights through various devices to express themselves and participate in national discourse,” he asserted.

He also called for the recognition of sign language as the eighth national language, aligning with United Nations conventions that mandate sign language interpreters at all events to promote inclusivity.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

Sign language interpreter, Kunda, seeks inclusivity in media rights agenda (video)

Published

8 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

An inclusive society is crucial for a nation’s human and economic development in the modern era.

In this edition of Project Aliyense, we feature Paul Kunda, widely recognized as the face of sign language interpretation on national television, serving the deaf community.

Kunda, a dedicated sign language interpreter and educator with over four years of experience, sheds light on the significance of media freedom.

“As a sign language interpreter at Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and a teacher by profession, I advocate for media freedom,” he said.

Kunda emphasised the importance of the Access to Information (ATI) Act, recently assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema, which empowered citizens to demand information freely.

He stressed the need for unhindered access to information to foster a civil and prosperous society.

Regarding digital rights, Kunda highlighted their critical role for the deaf community, given the transformative impact of digital platforms, especially when mainstream media access is limited.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.