Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has accused the BBC of “genocide denial” following the airing of a documentary regarding the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Speaking to the Rwandan parliament on Tuesday, Kagame stated that the BBC had chosen to "tarnish Rwandans, dehumanise them", reports AFP.
He went on to state that whilst other genocides such as the Holocaust were never challenged, "but to Africans and Rwandans they do it and then claim freedom of speech".
The documentary, “Rwanda's Untold Story”, contained allegations that Kagame and his then RPF armed organisation had shot down the Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, sparking the genocide which killed some 800,000 people.
Kagame's comments come after a group of 38 experts on Rwanda had written to the BBC, stating that they had been “recklessly irresponsible” in promoting “genocide denial”.
“The programme has fuelled genocide denial. It has further emboldened the génocidaires, all their supporters and those who collaborate with them,” said the letter. “It has provided them the legitimacy of the BBC.”
See the full text of the letter here.
Meanwhile a protest was held outside the BBC offices in London this weekend, by a group of Rwandan genocide survivors, who said the film is “blatant denial of the genocide against the Tutsi”.
The BBC said it "strongly refutes" the claims, with a spokesperson saying,
Speaking to the Rwandan parliament on Tuesday, Kagame stated that the BBC had chosen to "tarnish Rwandans, dehumanise them", reports AFP.
He went on to state that whilst other genocides such as the Holocaust were never challenged, "but to Africans and Rwandans they do it and then claim freedom of speech".
The documentary, “Rwanda's Untold Story”, contained allegations that Kagame and his then RPF armed organisation had shot down the Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, sparking the genocide which killed some 800,000 people.
Kagame's comments come after a group of 38 experts on Rwanda had written to the BBC, stating that they had been “recklessly irresponsible” in promoting “genocide denial”.
“The programme has fuelled genocide denial. It has further emboldened the génocidaires, all their supporters and those who collaborate with them,” said the letter. “It has provided them the legitimacy of the BBC.”
See the full text of the letter here.
Meanwhile a protest was held outside the BBC offices in London this weekend, by a group of Rwandan genocide survivors, who said the film is “blatant denial of the genocide against the Tutsi”.
The BBC said it "strongly refutes" the claims, with a spokesperson saying,
"The programme sought to handle this in a respectful and measured tone and in no way did it seek to downplay or conceal the horrifying events of 1994 and subsequently."