VATICAN NEWSPAPER ON "RWANDAN GENOCIDE: THE FINAL ACT"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 1999 (VIS) - Made public yesterday afternoon by the Holy See Press Office was an article which appears in today's edition of the Vatican newspaper, "L'Osservatore Romano," and which is entitled "Rwandan Genocide: The Final Act."

The article highlights the April 14 arrest of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, as well as of other prelates, priests and religious, and defends them from the accusations that they took part in the 1994 massacre in Rwanda or, at least did nothing to help the victims.

"In Rwanda," starts the article, "a real and true defamatory campaign is underway against the Catholic Church to make it appear responsible for the genocide of the ethnic Tutsis, which so devastated the country in 1994. The first public victim of this campaign was Bishop Augustin Misago, bishop of Gikongoro since 1992. ... He has been accused of having participated in the killing of 150,000 Tutsis in his diocese and, in particular, has been charged with the killing of 30 female students who allegedly asked for his protection."

The article goes on to point out that Bishop Misago's arrest, and those of other prelates, followed a "harsh" and "denigratory" campaign by the "pro-government media." "And yet," it adds, "among the victims of this genocide were 3 bishops, 123 priests and more than 300 Sisters."

"What is clear," states the article, "is the intention of linking, in the minds of Rwandan citizens, the two words 'genocide-Church'. The Holy See has already expressed its opposition to this pretext, noting that churches are places of worship and reconciliation for all communities (Tutsi and Hutu) and may not be controlled as tombs by one part of the populace."

It is also notes that "the (Rwandan) population is polarized on the 1994 genocide. In reality, it must continually be pointed out that there was a double genocide in Rwanda: that of the Tutsis (and several moderate Hutus) ... and that of the Hutus."

The piece concludes with observations on "unilateral justice" in Rwanda: "The unilateral way in which (justice) works risks increasing not only the divisions, but also the country's destruction. If ethnic polarization grows, after decades of ideological polarization, not only Rwanda but all of Africa risks being destroyed. Rather, the Africans (risk being destroyed). Because the continent, its riches, its raw materials, are all exploited by others, while the African peoples lose time and lives making war with arms furnished by the big powers and by people whose interests are extremely far from those of Africa."

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