16 novembre 2006
Friendship
On my way back to Congo.
I love this photo. Africa at its best.
15 novembre 2006
An encounter
On the way back from the sites where new comers have just settled, I encounter an Impala. There is so little space left in Rwanda, that people are being installed just by the Akagera National Park. Needless to say this will seriously impact on wild animals still living there.
This bird does not seem much concerned though....
13 novembre 2006
Children of Rwanda
Some photos of children in the transit camp.
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11 novembre 2006
Life in the camp
Here are some photos taken in the transit camp. A new life starting for the new comers.
A new born
Queuing at the health post
Food distribution
A Red Cross Volunteer
Children fetching water at a resettlement site
09 novembre 2006
Forced repatriation from Tanzania
Today we'd like to talk about the situation in Rwanda and Tanzania. A highly touristic country, little is known about the current forced repatriation of rwandophones and other refugees there. Jeremie was asked to have a look at the situation there, and here is what he's found.
A bit of background: Tanzania and refugees
The first three periods prior to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda were characterized by an open-door policy towards refugees. Once initiated by Tanzania’s first president Nyerere in line with his general pan-African ideology. Tanzania became known as a refugee friendly country hosting several hundreds of thousands of refugees.
This open-door policy experienced a radical change in face of the massive refugee influx caused by the 1994 genocide. The country once known for its hospitality became increasingly xenophobic resulting in the forced return of 475,000 Rwandan refugees out of a total of 540,000 in December 1996. The remaining Rwandans either re-entered refugee camps claiming to be Burundians or dispersed and integrated into the local community. After this massive expulsion operation Rwandan refugees were not allowed to enter the country until 1998.
The Government of Tanzania (GoT) adopted a policy of temporary refugee protection with the goal to repatriate them as soon as possible. However, this change of the political mindset did not only result in massive expulsions. Refugees’ movement was restricted and if a refugee was caught outside the camps’ 4-mile-radius the police would arrest him or her. The mid-90s also marked the beginning of rising tensions as GoT started to send refugees back to their country of origin upon arrival.
This trend has not stopped and continues to be a decisive factor in the GoT’s approach towards foreigners as a result of its new foreign policy.
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Expulsion to Rwanda
The people are primarily women, children and the elderly - with 1/3 of them not even speaking Kinyarwanda, the primary language of Rwanda. The expulsions have been characterized by beatings, sexual violence, massive expropriation of property and other violations of human rights. Families are separated; returnees are assembled during 2 or 3 days, prior to the transportation in closed trucks (up to 7 hours), all without food or water, thus leaving the victims dehydrated upon arrival. A transit camp has been put together by government of Rwanda officials, with the assistance of the Rwandan Red Cross, where food, shelter, health services and basic items are provided.
Though the majority of people have some family in Rwanda and a place to go back to, twenty per cent do not have any roots or family in Rwanda anymore. They have to resume their lives from scratch. They are being sent to the few plots of land available in the country. They currently lack everything: proper shelter, food, health facilities, schools, plot of land to cultivate. Some assistance is coming but it shall take some time before they resume a normal life.
15 mai 2006
Overlooking lake Kivu and the plantations - Vistas sur le lac Kivu et les plantations de thé
Just before reaching Kibuye, we turn right and head north towards Gisenyi. For a hundred kilometres we shall try finding our way in a muddy track full of holes. Looks like we're approaching Congo... The path becomes quite steep and after a while, fantastic vistas over lake Kivu and its small islands. For three hours, we pass through remote villages and people greet us as we pass by. This area is tea plantations' heaven. It's everywhere. All over the hills. All of a sudden, green is the colour.
Avant d'arriver à Kibuye, nous tournons à droite et prenons la direction du nord vers Gisenyi. Fini les routes goudronnées, nous voici pendant une centaine de kilomètres sur un chemin boueux, à tenter d'éviter ls multiples trous creusés par l'érosion. On sent qu'on approche du Congo... Nous prenons de la hauteur, et les vues sur le lac Kivu et ses nombreuses îles sont superbes. Durant ces trois heures de route, nous passons à travers des villages reculés et en chemin chacun nous regarde et nous salue, un peu étonnés de nous voir par ici. Nous arrivons bienôt au paradis du thé. Les plantations s'offrent à nous à perte de vue. Absolument partout. Sur chaque colline. Tout espace libre est mis à contribution. Soudainement, un vert éclantant domine le paysage.
Mountain of tea
14 mai 2006
On the road from Gitarama to Kibuye
On our way back from Butare to Gisenyi, we decide to avoid the Kigali-Ruhengeri road, but pass through Kibuye instead to discover a new region of Rwanda. On the way, superb vistas over the hills, and we can't resist posting some more photos of this great road.
Nous décidons d'éviter la route passant par Kigali et Ruhengeri pour notre retour de Butare vers Gisenyi, et passons par Kibuye, et découvrons une nouvelle région du Rwanda. En route, superbes vues sur les collines, et on ne résiste pas à l'envie de vous faire partager ceci par ces quelques photos.
13 mai 2006
Rwanda: precolonial times - Le Rwanda du début du siècle
Here are some photos of life in Rwanda, in early 20th century. All are on display at the national museum in Butare.
Voici quelques photos de la vie au Rwanda au siècle dernier. Celles-ci peuvent être admirées au musée national de Butare.
Early 20th century King
un roi du début du siècle
Members of the royal family, early 20th century
Membres de la famille royale, début 20è siècle
12 mai 2006
Butare's museum - Le musée de Butare
Traditional pipes
The National museum of Rwanda is located in the town of Butare approximately 135 km from the capital city of Kigali. (Butare is considered to be the intellectual centre of the country with its National Museum, arboretum, and several academic (university) and research institutions.) It is considered to be one of the best museum in East Africa. The structure of the museum was meant as an expression symbolizing the quality of life in Rwanda. Both the internal and external parts of the building have elements that were designed to reflect the Rwandan culture. The artefact collections are essentially historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological. Collections contain items inherited from the ancient museum of Rwandaand other artefacts which have been collected since 1990. 
These collections are divided in two categories: the first has artefacts used in exhibits located in 7 exhibition rooms. The first room has a counter and a shop where various handicraft items, photos, brochures, etc…are sold. The second room is for maps, photos and graphics which provide more information about the relief of the country, its ever growing demography, the linguistic inter-relationship between Rwandans and other tribes in the region. Rooms III and IV display items and tools used in various economic activities such as agriculture, cattle-breeding, bee-keeping, hunting, fishing, the making of the fire and transport. These objects are in wood, basketwork and ceramics. Room V presents the various aspects of the Rwandan architecture, the way of living and the social organisation. An entirely reconstituted traditional hut can be found in the centre of the room. Its upper part belonged to a former sous-chef in 1957. Room VI is essentially dedicated to traditional clothing and its description. The material, the techniques used to make them, samples of skins, barks of trees, wood fibres, clothes and a large variety of decorations in metal or plants …are displayed. Room VII reconstitutes some features of the Rwandan history. It presents the guidelines of the prehistory and shows the chronological succession of kings (Bami) based on oral tradition and written documents since the arrival of Europeans. It also provides some explanations about some traditional religious practices and marriage. Most of the sample copies are made in basketwork. The second category is kept in two store-rooms. Basketwork constitutes the most familiar artistic expression to foreigners. It expresses the fineness and aesthetic value of the whole assembly, that of elements combination and decorative motifs in particular. Basketwork is of an indeniable aesthetic beauty. It is often used in interior decoration and domestic work: in the kitchen, luggage and people transportation, fishing, building, wall partitions and enclosures.
Traditional protection against the rain
Butare est une ville ramassée, paisible parsemée d’avenues, d’une route principale et de petits hôtels restaurants. Elle se situe à 135 kms au sud de Kigali. L’une des principales autres attractions est l’arboretum de Ruhande avec ses grandes variétés d’espèces d’arbres indigènes et importés. A Butare se trouve également la plus grande cathédrale du Rwanda. Mais la principale attraction de Butare demeure le Musée national, qui abrite sans doute l’une des plus belles collections ethnologiques d’Afrique de l’Est. De fascinantes expositions d’ornements traditionnels sont magnifiquement illustrées par un choix de photographies du début du siècle. Elles offrent un point de vue sur les modes de vie précoloniaux et sur la transformation du Rwanda en un Etat africain moderne.
Essetial for storing then drinking beer
11 mai 2006
The Mwami palace in Nyanza
Mwami's traditional palace
Before the arrival of the Europeans, Rwanda was a centralised state complete with a monarchy. Traditionally, the royal court of the kings was mobile. By the arrival of the Europeans, the palace has shifted to Nyanza. It was at Nyanza that the first European met with the King Musunga. 
The complex comprises of the modern palace (actually it is simply a modern houseconstructed in 1932 for Mwami Rudahingwa Mutara III, a reconstructed traditional palace and in the vicinity ruins of other palaces. The recontructed palace contains the king's traditional bed made of animal skin stretched over a wooden frame. The 'Intore', one of the richest dances in Africa in terms of artistry and originality traces its origin to this palace. Originally a war dance, it has been perfected giving it a gracefulness and elegance of a modern dance but retaining its originality and cultural identity.
Avant l'arrivée des Européens, le Rwanda était un Etat monarchique centralisé. La cour royale était mobile. Depuis l'arrivée des Européens, le palais royal s'est définitivement installé à Nyanza. Le complexe actuel comprend un palais royal (en fait une maison moderne, la première du pays), un palais royal reconstitué, et quelques ruines d'anciens palais. Le palais royal reconstitué est un dôme construit uniquement avec des matériaux traditionnels. On y trouve entre autres le lit du roi, une peau d'animal étendue sur un cadre et la narration d'un Mutwa sur l'histoire du pays et de sa lignée royale.
traditional ways to keeping the milk and beer
