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September
2, 1999:
Noted Marianologist and theologian decries
treatment of Bishop Misago
The public trial of a Rwandan bishop has been
described as a scandal, and a direct assault on
the Catholic faith, by a noted theologian.
Father Rene Laurentin told
the FIDES news service that the trial of Bishop
Augustin Misago of Ginkongoro, Rwanda, is part of
"a campaign against the Catholic Church, to
make her appear as the cause of an evil which she
sought tin every possible way to prevent and to
stop."
Bishop Misago is facing
charges of genocide, in connection with the mass
killings that occurred in Rwanda in 1994. His
trial began on August 20, but has been recessed
until September 14 at the request of the defense.
Bishop Misago of Gikongoro
was arrested on April 14 in Kigali, a week after
Rwanda's President Pasteur Bizimungu accused the
bishop of complicity in the 1994 genocide. The
president made the accusation during an April 7
memorial celebration marking the 5th anniversary
of the genocide. Government circles accuse the
bishop of being directly involved in the
slaughtering of 150,000 Tutsi in his diocese, and
in particular the killing of 30 girl students who
were under his protection.
FIDES recently interviewed
Father Laurentin, a French theologian who has
developed a worldwide reputation as a Marian
scholar. Father Laurentin became acquainted with
Bishop Misago-- and with the overall situation in
Rwanda-- when he was called in for advice about
reported Marian apparitions in the town of Kibeho
in 1986.
The text of the FIDES
interview with Father Laurentin follows:
FIDES: How did you come to meet Bishop Misago?
FATHER LAURENTIN: I first met him in 1986 when
I visited Butare, his home diocese, at the
invitation of Bishop Gahamanyi, to express my
opinion, as a theologian, on the Kibeho
apparitions. I was there during the third-last
apparition, on November 28 of that year. At the
time Misago was rector of Butare's major
seminar,y which he directed in perfect harmony
with other members of the staff.
Misago is a Hutu and
Frederic-- the chairman of the Kibeho enquiry
commission-- is a Tutsi. I saw that there was a
good relationship between the two and also
between the bishops of both ethnic groups. They
were supported by the democratic government of
those times, which furthered the spread of
justice and reconciliation. This enabled them to
promote the faith, and peace and reconciliation.
I saw in Bishop Misago a
man of intelligence, culture, a good theologian
and historian. He was the leading member of the
Kibeho inquiry commission. He had written an
admirable report, representative of the best
African theology. Later, in Zaire, he published a
sizeable book on the apparitions. I appreciated
Misago above all as man of balance and a lover of
peace. He ran the seminary admirably despite the
scarcity of means. I was delighted when I heard,
in June 1992, that he had been appointed first
bishop of the newly established diocese of
Gikongoro, in which the Shrine of Kibeho is
situated.
FIDES: Then the genocide began. Did you see
him change in any way?
FATHER LAURENTIN: During the genocide a
thousand people, in flight, took refuge in the
church at Kibeho. The building was set on fire
and all those who had sought refuge inside the
church died. Then a second wave of refugees, less
numerous, was massacred on that holy ground--
which had been recognized as a place of worship
on August 15, 1988. I admired the lessons Bishop
Misago drew from those scandalous and terrifying
events: that the most important thing is prayer
and work for peace: to seek ever deeper
conversion of heart, and to have complete
confidence in God and constructive hope.
I met Misago last year. He
asked for the meeting. I noted a spiritual growth
produced by the deep suffering he had
experienced.
FIDES: What do you think about the tragedy of
the Rwandan people which began in 1994?
FATHER LAURENTIN: I was horrified to see
violence and death take hold in a people whom I
had encountered during a period of authentic
peace, in which-- slowly but surely-- justice was
making headway. The Hutu revolt provoked the
hardening of heart among the Tutsis and acts of
vengeance against the bishops and against the
Catholic Church, which the authorities are trying
to blame for the genocide, whereas the Church has
always been a promoter of peace. Those who have
orchestrated this activity criticize the Church
for being subject to Rome, to a foreign power.
They say, like all dictatorships, that the Church
should be under the state.
FIDES: How do you reckon with the fact the
Bishop Misago is to stand trial?
FATHER LAURENTIN: I think it is scandalous
from every point of view. A major French lawyer
told La Croix that the trial is "a deadly
mixture of justice and revenge." I find it
preposterous that the President of Rwanda should
say Bishop Misago is guilty, before any inquiry
or judgment was undertaken, and that, defiant of
justice, he should declare: "even if he were
proved innocent, I do not want him in the
country." Misago is condemned to exile even
before the trial.
FIDES: Why is this?
FATHER LAURENTIN: His personality, his
qualities, his influence overshadow those in
power.
Here is a significant fact.
In 1959 Bishop Perraudin [at that time the bishop
of Kabgayi: now retired and living in
Switzerland] called, unsuccessfully, for social
and democratic reforms to proceed despite the
privileges accorded to one ethnic group. On April
4, ten days before Misago was arrested, on the
occasion of the 60 anniversary of Bishop
Perraudin's ordination, Rwandan emigrants in
Switzerland staged a demonstration; they accused
the elderly bishop of genocide. In Switzerland,
as in Rwanda, there is a campaign against the
Catholic Church to make her appear as the cause
of the evil which she sought in every way
possible to prevent and to stop. The same scene
was repeated on April 18 against the bishop of
Kigali. How can this campaign be stopped?
fragmenten Fides
dossier e20000623
Dossier Fides - Bishop Misago acquitted: all
accusations dropped
RWANDA - A free man, Bishop Misago tells Fides: I
must come to Rome
Kigali (Fides) – "Please thank all
those who sustained me with their prayers and in
other ways during these months. I must come to
Rome, to thank Pope John Paul II for his
concern". Bishop Augustin Misago of
Gikongoro, Rwanda, was speaking to Fides this
morning, after his release yesterday evening when
Kigali Court found him not guilty, indeed totally
innocent of the charge of complicity in the 1994
genocide in Rwanda. But Bishop Misago is not
well, he is very tired: on the telephone he can
hardly speak, but he wanted to voice his
gratitude, his thoughts.
Bishop Misago, at last you are free. What are
your plans?
I am not well. Fourteen months in prison are
hard for an innocent man. I need medical
treatment to regain my strength. But I hope, in a
few weeks time, to return officially to my
diocese. My people are waiting for me and I want
to resume my ministry.
Do you plan to come to Rome?
I have to come to Rome. I must thank the Pope
for his closeness all during my suffering. And
then we have to speak of many things.
Are you satisfied with the verdict?
My case is a symbol of what is happening here.
It was a hard test, but I hope it will serve for
the cause of peace and reconciliation. I want to
thank the judges and praise their impartiality.
Their decision was an act of courage. (23/6/2000)
RWANDA - Misago acquitted: Nuncio overjoyed
"A day of justice and truth"
Kigali (Fides) – "This is the day of
justice and peace!": was the overjoyed
reaction from Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore
Pennacchio in Kigali, as he spoke to Fides with
obvious satisfaction, about the acquittal and
release of Bishop Augustin Misago, charged with
complicity in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
"The judges are to be congratulated: their
verdict is in conformity with the evidence
brought forward in court which demonstrated
without the slightest doubt Bishop Misago’s
absolute innocence", the Nuncio said.
The verdict was announced at 4.40pm, on 15
June 2000, after an hour and a half in which the
sentence was read . The immediate reaction was a
loud burst of applause "which shows the
people’s concern and feelings, full of
affection and solidarity for Bishop Misago",
the Nuncio said. "Everyone was hugging
everyone – the Bishops of every diocese in
Rwanda were in court, numerous priests and lay
Catholics from Mgr Misago's own diocese
Gikongoro. They all gathered round the Bishop to
clasp him in joy, and the Bishop with tears in
his eyes, responded amidst sobs of emotion."
"Let us thank the Lord for the conclusion
of this long and painful episode – the
Nuncio said - . It opens a new chapter on the
path for reconciliation in Rwanda."
(23/6/2000)
RWANDA - Why Mgr Misago is innocent
1) Massacres in Rwanda began on April 7, 1994,
when the aircraft on which the Presidents of
Rwanda and Burundi were travelling was shot down.
Since the evening of 6 April, Bishop Misago had
been in Kigali: he and three other Bishops were
about to travel to Rome for the African Synod (10
April – 8 May ). The news of the death of
the two presidents convinced the bishops to
cancel their departure. Misago was held up in
Kigali for a week and only returned to Gikongoro
late on 13 April.
2) One of the recurrent accusations against
the Bishop was that he refused to shelter
refugees. But the trial showed that the order not
to accept refugees was never given. It was shown
on the contrary that Bishop Misago order the
diocese to shelter refugees to the capacity of
diocesan premises. Before the trial began Bishop
Misago supplied lists of the names of those who
were given shelter. Many displaced persons who
came down from the hills seeking shelter in the
cathedral parish were sent to a school centre
nearby: the largest diocesan structure and the
only one with bathrooms and water. Diocesan
Caritas office supplied food and blankets until
11 April. On that date the civil authorities
ordered all refugees in Gikongoro to be
transferred to Murambi camp, where later a
massacre took place. But on April 11, Bishop
Misago was still detained in Kigali.
3) The Bishop was accused of being on of the
organizers of Murambi camp where during the night
20-21 April thousands were slaughtered. But the
camp was opened on April 11 and the Bishop, as we
said, was still in Kigali. Bishop Misago wrote in
his diary that the civil authorities preferred to
have all the refugees in Murambi camp since it
would be easier to defend than a lot of smaller
camps. They said. The Bishop did not know about
the massacre until 21 April: telephone lines were
out order since 12 April.
4) The Bishop was also charged with being
responsible for a massacre at Kibeho shrine where
on 14 and 15 April some 20 thousand Tutsi were
killed. But Bishop Misago who retunred on the
evening of 13 April, did not know that the shrine
had become a have for refugees.
5) One of the most serious charges was that
Bishop Misago was involved in the killing of 30
Tutsi girl pupils of the diocesan school at
Kibeho. The school made no distinction between
Hutu or Tutsi pupils. The headmaster, Rev
Emmanuel Uwayezu, in close contact with the
Bishop, tried to safeguard the unity of the
school. All the girls, Hutu and Tutsi, were told
not to leave the building and extra security
guards were called in. When the head of security
was changed, Rev Uwayezu went to Gikongoro to
discuss the situation with the Bishop and to ask
for certain security guards to be removed, since
he regarded them with suspicion. But while the
headmaster was still in Gikongoro a message
arrived: 30 Tutsi school girls had been killed.
During the trial a witness, Pascal Rwayitar said
Bishop Misago had done everything in his power to
maintain calm in the institute and increase
security.
6) The prosecution accused the Bishop of
taking a group of ten boys to Kigeme hospital so
they would be killed. The prosecution said none
survived. During the hearing on 1 December 1999,
one of the boys, Jerome Rugema, was present in
court. Bishop Misago was visibly moved and
overjoyed to see the boy again. Jerome said the
Bishop had helped to save his life and that of
others. The same day, two Benebikira Sisters also
said the Bishop had done everything in his power
to protect the boys, and the prosecution, visibly
angered, asked for their testimony to be
cancelled from the records.
7) An employee of Kigema hospital told the
Court she had been warned not to witness in
favour of the Bishop. Nevertheless she had the
courage to tell the Court that she had seen
Bishop Misago bring the group of boys who had
been injured to hospital for treatment, and they
were looked after by the Caritas until the
genocidal militia arrived.
8) The Bishop was also accused of ordering the
purchase 816 choppers, which were then sued for
the genocide. The prosecution produced the bill
to show they were bought in by the diocesan
Caritas office in 1993. But the choppers are
regularly used in the fields by the farm workers.
9) On March 20, during the final hearing, the
prosecution exhibited only three documents,
including a video-tape showing the Bishop talking
with journalists. The plaintiff produced nine
documents including slanderous newspaper articles
about the bishop and the Church. Whereas the
defense produced eighteen documents proving that
Mgr Misago always tried to prevent ethnic
clashes. The papers include a declaration by
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray.
10) None of the 38 witnesses (24 for the
prosecution and 14 for the defence) actually
accused the Bishop of genocide, or any other
crime. Most of the prosecution witnesses, 18 out
of 24, testified in favour of the defendant. Six
of them said the Bishop "had not used his
position to save more people than he did actually
save" and therefore the Bishop was tried for
his "intentions". Just before
delivering his last address, chief defence lawyer
Alfred Pognon spoke with Kinyamateka a Rwandan
periodical: "once the misunderstandings have
been clarified - he said - this trial, (which, as
all genocide trials revokes a terrible human
tragedy) will leave behind the image of a bishop,
a man, alone, materially without defense.
Overcome, like all those who cried for his help,
by the homicidal torment of the attacking hordes,
he struggled with heart and soul, armed only with
his faith and courage, to save and to
survive." In the interview, the lawyer
traced the campaign against Bishop Misago which
began with accusations launched by the African
Rights organization which spread "the poison
of hatred and revenge in hearts and minds."
N.B. African Rights, which broke away from
Human Rights Watch organization after the
West’s intervention in Somalia. Although it
works with other such organizations, African
Rights was the only one to accuse Bishop Misago.
According to Dialogue, a Belgian magazine African
Rights supports Paul Kagame leader of the FPR
Patriotic Front Rwanda. Reporters sans Frontiers
also says African Rights sides with the Kagame
regime. (23/6/2000)
Who is Augustin Misago?
Augustin Misago was born in 1943 at Ruvune, in
the diocese of Byumba. He attended Rwesero
seminary and studied philosophy and theology at
Nyakibanda national seminary. He was ordained on
July 15 1971 and held the following posts:
assistant parish priest, teacher and prefect of
studies at Rwesero minor seminary. In 1974 he was
sent to Rome for studies in Patristic Theology.
On returning the Rwanda he taught at Nyakibanda
major seminary from 1980 to 1985 and was then
appointed rector. He was also secretary of local
Episcopal Commissions for the clergy, for liturgy
and for catechesis. In 1992 Pope John Paul II
appointed him first bishop of the newly created
diocese of Gikongoro, consisting of territory
taken from the diocese of Butare.
RWANDA - Dates to remember
1885: Berlin Congress assigns Rwanda to
Germany which unites it with Burundi
(Rwanda-Urundi).
1919: After the First World War the territory
is put under Belgian trust administration. Rwanda
was a feudal monarchy with Tutsi aristocrat
sovereign.
1959: Belgium and some Church members start a
"social revolution" which leads the
Hutu majority to take power from the Tutsi
minority.
1961: On January 28, King Mwuami Kigeli V is
deposed and a little later the country declares
itself a Republic
1962: July 1st 1962 the country obtains
independence. The Hutu take power and there is a
massive exodus of Tutsi to neighbouring
countries.
1990:In October Tutsi refugees in Uganda try
to return to Rwanda starting a fratricidal war.
The country lives increasing violence which is
not stopped by the Arusha talks (begun 1992), or
appeals from Catholic and Protestant religious
leaders.
1993: the situation is not change by
presidential elections
1994: 6 April Gen. Juvénal Habyarimana,
Rwanda’s President since 1973, is
assassinated; the aircraft on which he is
travelling with Burundian President Cyprien
Ntaryamira, is shot down. The most recent
investigations by the United Nations say Paul
Kagame was behind the attack.
1994: On 7 April massacres begin. Prime
Minister, Aghate Uwilingiyiama is killed with a
body-guard of 10 Belgian soldiers who tried to
protect her.
1994: on 24 March the Church in Rwanda
denounces that arms are being distributed to the
people.
1994: on 10 April Church in Rwanda denounces
massacres calling the people to reconciliation.
1994: on 16 April the Catholic Bishops of
Rwanda beg "all Rwandans " to stop the
massacres.
1994: on 15 May, during the Angelus prayer,
John Paul II, is the first in the whole world to
describe the massacres in Rwanda, as
‘genocide’.
1994: on 16 May the United Nations agrees to
send 5.500 blue berets peace-keeping troops.
1994: between April and July the genocide
kills between 500/800 thousand, mostly Tutsi and
moderate Hutu. Some of the slaughtering even
takes place inside churches, where people seek
the protection of church personnel. Among the
dead there are three bishops (and fourth has been
missing since November 1996), 123 priests (109
diocesan and 14 religious), more 300 Sisters of
various congregations
1994: on 22 June the United Nations agrees to
a French operation "Turquoise"
consisting of 2.500 French troops and African
contingents.
1994: 4 July the Rwandan Patriotic Front, led
by Tutsi Paul Kagame, takes Kigali.
1994: 14 July hundreds of thousands of Rwandan
Hutu escape to Zaire.
1994: 19 July Hutu Pasteur Bizimungu is chosen
as President and Kagame as vice-president and
defence minister
1994: 8 November, the United Nations
established an International Penal Court in
Arusha for Rwanda. The first trial begins in
1997. To date the Court has issued seven
sentences, 5 of which were life imprisonment . No
investigations have been made regarding members
of the Church
1995: 22 April, Rwandan authorities say 300
are massacred in Kibeho refugee camp. The United
Nations says the victims are 2,000.
1996: 19 April, the UN contingent leaves
Rwanda.
1996: between the 15 and 19 October 500
thousand refugees from east Zaire return to
Rwanda, where an offensive with the support of
Kigali will lead to the fall of the Mobutu regime
and bring Laurent Desire Kabila to power.
1997: Amnesty International says at least 6
thousand civilians were killed between January
and August .
1998: 15 February general Kagame is made
president of Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
1998: 2 August, Rwanda, supported by Congo
rebel movements and Uganda, attacks Kabila, whom
a year earlier they had helped to take Kinshasa.
Kabila accuses Rwanda and Uganda of invading East
Congo. The conflict spreads to become a regional
war.
1999: 7 April, on the 5th anniversary of the
genocide, president Bizimungu accuses Bishop.
Misago, of Gikongoro, of being involved in the
planning of the genocide, delcaring: "even
if he is innocent I do not want him to be head of
a diocese."
1999: 4 April, in the midst of a ferocious
press-campaign Bishop Misago is arrested although
no investigation has been made into his case.
1999: 9 June, Kigali authorities decide to
delay the return to democracy extending for
another 4 years the "period of
transition".
1999: 20 August, Bishop’ Misago is called
to Court, he is denied house arrest on the
grounds he might escape.
1999: 1 December, a witness for the defence is
one of the boys the prosecutor said had been
murdered because of the Bishop. The boys says, on
the contrary, he owes his life to Bishop Misago
2000: 6 January, parliament chairman, Hutu
Joseph Sebarenzi Kabuye, is forced to resign.
Gradually all the Hutu who accepted to cooperate
with the RPF are eliminated.
2000: 28 February, Hutu prime minister Pierre
Celestin Rwigema, forced to resign, accused of
corruption
2000: 20 March,a new government completely
dominated by the RPF is set up
2000: 23 March, Hutu President Pasteur
Bizimungu, resigns and Paul Kagame, RPF leader
assumes interim government. Two weeks later
parliament elects him President. (23/6/2000)
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