Regional

Belgium knows about Jambo's genocide ideology; but for Brussels, the end justifies the means

2023-11-14 05:30:00

Some of Jambo Asbl members.

In June 2024, federal elections are scheduled to be held in Belgium.

Belgians will cast their ballot and decide who sits in the federal, regional and European Parliament for the next five years. Sadly, among the leaders to be elected, are Rwandan genocide deniers, precisely Jambo Asbl members.

It claims to be a human rights organisation but Jambo Asbl is a Belgium-based organization comprising descendants of the planners and perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. Behind their façade looms genocide ideology and denial, and hate, due to the influence of their parents.

With less than a year to the elections, Belgian political parties like the social-liberal party, DéFI, Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V), and Centre Démocrate Humaniste, (CDH), are expected to put forward members of Jambo Asbl, as candidates in the elections.

Despite rights activists unmasking Jambo's evil agenda, Belgian politicians still associate themselves with the individuals running the organisation.

Gustave Mbonyumutwa, Laure Uwase and Mugabe Nzeyimana, and others, are expected be fronted as candidates of DéFI CD&V, CDH, and other political parties. For all these Belgian political parties, introducing members of Jambo Asbl, as candidates in their parties is a political move aimed at gaining more votes from African communities in their regions.

The European country has made no secret of its close ties with Jambo Asbl, despite all the evidence of the group’s relationship with genocidal groups like the eastern DRC-based FDLR.

Since its formation in 2008, Jambo asbl has been a nursery-bed of illegal armed groups and parties against Rwanda, sponsoring genocidal and terrorist groups including FDLR, FLN, and FDU Inkingi.

After colonizing Rwanda, Belgium destroyed the unity of Rwandans and issued identity cards that divided the population into three ethnicities: Hutu, Tutsi and Twa. In order to control Rwanda, the Belgians sowed division, hate and discrimination among Rwandans, which later resulted in the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.

This burden is too heavy to carry for a country like Belgium. Therefore, the easiest way to evade accountability is to use the descendants of génocidaires to push its agenda of whitewashing its role in the massacres.

Belgium owes a debt to the Rwandan people and particularly to genocide survivors. Instead of regretting its role in the genocide and helping Rwanda in its unity and reconciliation journey, Belgian politicians resorted to using genocide ideologues in their politicking, and shielding them from being held accountable.

There are some disturbing questions. Are Belgians comfortable having genocide deniers as their leaders? Do Belgian voters know what these individuals from Jambo Asbl stand for? Is the Belgian government a platform to promote genocide ideology and hate?

Belgium has always used Jambo to push its ulterior agenda. In July, the Belgian government used Jambo Asbl to announce its decision to refuse the endorsement of Rwandan Ambassador Vincent Karega.

As indicated by its actions, past and present, Brussels will always protect its political interests, even if it means working with genocide ideologues and genocide deniers.

All this despite the fact that, in 2019, the federal parliament voted to adopt a directive making it illegal to deny or grossly minimise genocides recognised by UN tribunals, thereby making negation of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda illegal.

Belgium's federal parliament adopted a new law that broadened the repression of genocide denial to include the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Genocide denial is not a freedom of speech.

Genocide denial - the last stage of genocide - is the continuation and ultimate phase of genocide, as Gregory Stanton, a professor in Genocide studies and prevention at George Mason University in the United States, explained.

Stanton detailed the 10 stages of genocide which starts with classification of people.

The President of Genocide Watch listed the 10 stages as: Classification, symbolization, discrimination, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, persecution extermination and denial.