Duniya yetu Arts Azimuts

27^th March 2008

Between the 25th of January and the 2nd of Feb 2008, the town of Butare, Rwanda, hosted its first International Arts Festival organized by the University Centre for Arts. Entitled ‘Arts Azimuts’, this festival focused on theatre, music and dance, bringing together artists from Rwanda, Western Africa, Belgium and the United States. ContactFM.

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Du 25 janvier au 2 fevrier 2008,la ville de Butare au Rwanda a abrite son premier Festival International des Arts organise par le Centre Universitaire des arts. Intitule "Arts Azimuts", le festival incluait theatre,musique et dance et a rassemble des artistes du Rwanda, de l'afrique de l'ouest de laBelgique et des USA. ContactFM.

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Ugandan Women Speak about Women’s Protocol

6^th March 2008

Marren Akatsa-Bukachi, executive director of the Eastern African sub Regional Support Initiative for Advancement of Women (EASSI), Solome Nakaweesi-Kimbugwe, executive director of Akina Mama wa Afrika and Patricia Munabi Babiiha, executive director of the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) speak to Firoze Manji about the challenges of persuading Uganda to ratify the AU Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.

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Interview with Peter Hallward

28^th February 2008

Peter Hallward talks over the phone with Jacques Depelchin from the Ota Benga Alliance for Peace Healing and Dignity, and visiting Professor at the Centre for Afro-Oriental Studies at the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil, and Firoze Manji, founder and co-editor of Pambazuka News, about his book and the lessons of Haiti.

Peter Hallward's book “Damming the Flood: Haiti, Aristide and the Politics of Containment”, published by Verso Press in 2007, is likely to become a classic reference on the most recent history of Haiti, thanks especially, to a fascinating and informative analysis of the clash between mass-based and elite driven politics. In the fierce battle over and around which ideological lens should one use to look at and make sense of Haiti's most recent history, including the overthrow and kidnapping of President Jean Bertrand Aristide, Peter Hallward's book is a welcome counterbalance to those offered by both mainstream journalism and books such as Alex Dupuy's “Prophet and Power: Jean-Bertrand Ariside, the International Community and Haiti” published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2007.

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Interviews with women in south Kivu

14^th February 2008

In this series of interviews, Rwanda's Contact FM radio talks to activists in south Kivu fighting for justice for the women of Congo.

Christine Schuler Descrivers works closely with Panzi hospital in Bukavu and a leading campaigner against the sexual terrorism of women.

Dr. Denis Mukwege is chief gyneacologist at Bukavu’s Panzi hospital and a specialist in reparative surgery for women mutilated by sexual terrorism.

Venancie Bisimanabintou is executive secretary of the womens’ network for the defence of human rights and peace also based in Bukavu.

Image courtesy of jahnaitka

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Dans cette série d’entretiens, Contact FM du Rwanda parle aux militants du Sud Kivu qui se battent pour que les femmes du Congo obtiennent justice.

Christine Schuler Descrivers travaille en étroite collaboration avc l’hopîtal Kanzi de Bukavu, et est l’une des militantes les plus actives contre le terrorisme sexuel commis contre les femmes.

Dr. Denis Mukwege est chef gynécologue à l’hopîtal Kanzi de Bukavu, et spécialiste en chirurgic reparative pour les femmes mutilées victimes de terrorisme sexuel.

Venancie Bisimanabintou est secrétaire principale du réseau de femmes pour la défense des droits de l’homme et de la paix aussi basé à Bukavu.

Image courtoisie de jahnaitka

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Interviews with women in north Kivu

7^th February 2008

The recent peace conference in Goma, north Kivu has raised hopes that a durable solution to the almost decade long conflict in eastern DRC will finally be found. But Congolese women of DRC are paying a huge price as each bout of fighting results in ever more women raped and mutilated. Rape is being used as a weapon of war in what increasingly looks like a no win situation for all parties concerned and Congolese women are upping the ante in the fight to break the silence about the atrocities committed against them for too many years. In this series of interviews, Rwanda’s Contact FM radio talks to women in north Kivu in the forefront of fighting what has been described as “femicide” in eastern DRC.

Justine Masika is president of ‘Synergy des Femmes pour les Victimes des violences Sexuelles SFVS’, based in Goma.

Salome Toubouba is a psychologist working for Christian Relief Network who lives in Goma.

Sylvie Vandenwildenberg is press attaché for the United Nations mission in Congo, based in Goma.

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