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Bagosora ruling sparks fury Rwanda has protested a ruling by the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which quashed an earlier life sentence for Genocide mastermind, Col. Théoneste Bagosora, replacing it with 35 years in prison. Bagosora, a former director of cabinet in the Ministry of Defence, is widely regarded as the main brains behind the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, in which over a million people perished. He has spent 15 years in the ICTR custody, meaning he is remaining with just 20 years in jail.The Tanzanian-based UN court also reduced the sentence of Lt Col. Anatole Nsengiyumva, from life to 15 years, and ordered for his immediate release, putting into account the time he served during his trial. Speaking to The New Times after the ruling, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, described the court’s decision to lessen the sentences as ‘a shame’. Congolese to head ICGLR DRC’s Prof. Lumu Alphonse Ntumba Luaba is the new Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), replacing Tanzanian-born Liberata Mulamula, whose five-year term has ended. Luaba beat off competition from Kenya’s Philip Okanda Owade, a career diplomat working as the Secretary of Local Authorities Administration in the Ministry of Local Government and Sudan’s Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Abdelghaffar, also a seasoned diplomat and accomplished academic. Luaba, who has been deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Community for the Great Lakes (CEPGL), was unanimously endorsed by the ICGLR member states’ foreign ministers during an inter-ministerial committee meeting. He decried the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the region, saying his main task will be to deal with sexual gender-based violence and negative forces in the region. Over 36,000 students complete Itorero 36,115 students, who sat for their A’ Level national exams this year, on Wednesday completed a three-week civic education training at various camps across the country.The official closing of the training, locally known as Itorero ry’Igihugu, was held at Nyamirambo Regional Stadium, where over 2,200 students converged.Students now attend the training in their home districts, as opposed to the past when the programme used to be conducted at Nkumba Peace and Leadership Centre in Burera District. Sandra Uwingeri, one of the trainees, said Itorero helped them understand the country’s history, its achievements and aspirations. At the event, officiated by the Minister of Youth, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, students also signed performance contracts (Imihigo) with the ministry to form unity and reconciliation clubs, fight corruption and drug abuse and fight gender based violence, among other social vices. Malaria death toll down by 55 percent – WHO The death toll from malaria in Rwanda has fallen by 55 percent since 2000, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) malaria report, released on Tuesday. The report indicates that Rwanda is among only eight African countries with more than 50 percent reduction of malaria cases, admissions in hospitals and deaths over the past decade. The WHO impact assessment shows that Rwanda has reduced malaria cases by 65 percent. The WHO report referred to the Demographic Health Survey of 2008 to conclude that Rwanda’s long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) coverage stood at 56 perecent while by 2010, the coverage had increased to 82 percent of households, the official added. Rwanda, Uganda join hands to curb smuggling Regional tax bodies, in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), are set to roll-out a Joint Border Surveillance (JBS) team to curb smuggling at the border between Uganda and Rwanda This was disclosed during Phase Two of the fourth regional joint coordinating meeting, a JICA-funded one-stop border post project that brought together representatives from the five revenue authorities of the East African Community (EAC) partner states. The parties drew recommendations and discussed implementation of various activities to promote smooth and efficient customs clearance in the region with the aim of ensuring efficient trade facilitation. The project, which began in 2003, targeted Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – the three original members of EAC. During the launch of the second phase in 2009, which runs up to 2013, Burundi and Rwanda joined the initiative, soon after they became members of EAC bloc. JICA Expert/Project Coordinator, Yoko Konishi, said the project had registered remarkable progress since its launch in 2003. Heads of State push for concerted efforts against GBV Heads of State who attended the Fourth Ordinary Summit and Special Session on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), in Kampala, Uganda, called for resolute action to curb the continued high rate of gender based violence in the region.The summit was convened under the auspices of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).The meeting, held under the theme; “united to prevent, end impunity and provide support to victims of SGBV” was a climax of a series of earlier meetings. Zambia’s Micheal Chilufya Sata (outgoing chair), Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni (incoming chair), Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, and Mwai Kibaki of Kenya are attended the summit.Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, who represented President Paul Kagame at the summit, called on the ICGLR Secretariat to focus on its primary mission that is peace and security. Rwandans must shape their own destiny, says Kagame President Paul Kagame, this Thursday, said that Rwandans have all it takes to define their own destiny and to choose what is right for them without the influence of intruders. Officiating at the opening of the 9th National Dialogue (Umushyikirano) at the Parliament Buildings, Kimihurura, Kagame emphasized that no one has the authority to determine what is right or wrong for Rwandans, other than the Rwandan people themselves. The President pointed out that most of the critics, who usually argue that despite the economic progress, Rwandans lack freedoms of expression and political space, are from countries that don’t actually meet the same standards they want to impose on Rwandans. Addressing hundreds of delegates from the country and abroad, President Kagame called on Rwandans to reject whoever wants to undermine their dignity. He observed that the same critics ignore home-grown initiatives such as the Umushyikirano and instead advance baseless allegations, adding that such an attitude was not only insulting, but also undermining the integrity and achievements of Rwandans over the last 17 years. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com