about rwanda
official name: Rwandese Republic (Repubulika y'u Rwanda)
capital: Kigali
head of state: President Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame
state: multi party
population: 8,440,820
independence: from belgium in 1962
languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili)
religion: Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 24%, Adventist 10.4%, Muslim 1.9%, indigenous beliefs and other 6.5%, none 4.5% (1996)
currency: Rwandan franc (RWF)
media: NA
legal wise
status of homosexuality: legal
age of consent: 18
laws covering homosexual activity: No specific regulations concerning homosexuality. Section 362 Penal Code prohibits sexual relations with a person under the age of 18 with a penalty of 2 months to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 10.000 F.Rw.
background information and government attitudes:
The year 2004 marked the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, in which more than half a million Tutsi and moderate Hutu were slaughtered and Rwanda was devastated in just three months. Rwanda has since made enormous progress in bringing stability and development to the country. Nevertheless, the regime remains repressive, allowing very little space for independent voices. [Because] � in practice, power remains concentrated in the hands of a small inner-circle of military and civilian elites known as the akazu. Critical voices in civil society and the media have been silenced.
From Freedom House's Countries at the Crossroads: 2005 A Survey of Democratic Governance www.freedomhouse.org/research/crossroads/2005/rwanda2005.pdf
communication
main lines in use: 600,000; note: 90% in Kigali (2002)
cellular telephones: 81,000 (2001); note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several prefecture capitals (2002).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program), shortwave 1 (2002).
Radios: 601,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997).
Televisions: n.a.; probably less than 1,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002).
Internet users: 20,000 (2002).
links and contacts
NA
Articles:
 sodomy, animal sex un-african
by Mask Admin 23/1/2006
January 23, 2006: African governments should wake up and flash out the increasing number and establishment of homosexuality on the continent just as the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo openly came out and supported the Country's Anglican leadership stance against practices of sodomy and related same-sex relationships. More...
rwandan gay and lesbian people are short-changed due to a repressive environment
by Mask Admin 27/6/2005
June 27, 2005: A Rwandan gay man visiting Johannesburg on business chats to a BtM reporter about the loneliness of using marriage to mask his true sexuality in his home country.
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Jessica Stern, researcher for Human Rights Watch Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program
