School in genocide idealogy scandal

NORTHERN PROVINCE GAKENKE — ACEDI-Mataba Secondry School has been closed following allegation of serious Genocide ideology in the school.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

NORTHERN PROVINCE GAKENKE — ACEDI-Mataba Secondry School has been closed following allegation of serious Genocide ideology in the school.

Rumours include both students and teachers.

Four teachers have been arrested in connection with fuelling Genocide ideology, growing between students since the beginning of first term of this year.

The arrested include Prefect Twagiramungu Theogen, school patron Hakizimana J Bosco, tutor Niyonkuru Severian.

Allegations began when students wrote discriminatory messages on walls that fellow Tutsi students ‘smell’ and that, with time, they would "finish them.”

Three students reported to be the ring leaders have also been arrested and are being detained by police in Gakenke.

The arrested students reveal that there was ‘misunderstanding’ of some students who were being referred to as ‘snakes’ and that caused tension at the beginning of the first term. Teachers later reconciled the two parties but that did not end as it later involved a big group of students.

Vice-mayor in charge of social affairs Nyirahirwa Winfred blamed school administration for failing to act in time and fuelling the ideology.

She said teachers should carry out surveillance of all the students and identify the problems they face and deal with them accordingly.

Police and the district authorities intervened after the headmaster called for support to stop a planned fight between two excited groups.

A large number of genocide-ideology cases have been reported in Gakenke district despite the effort being employed to eliminate Genocide ideology and its roots.Ends