Rwanda, Africa

GlobalGayz interviews a young gay Rwandan, Alan Malege, about the strong anti-gay laws and religious and social attitudes in his country. As well, he reports candidly about same-sexual practices. Despite seemingly unchangeable and overwhelming circumstances he and his gay friends display remarkable resourcefulness in finding each other and finding profitable contacts with African and European businessmen and NGO personnel. Some relief is found in neighboring countries such as Ghana and Kenya where attitudes are less intolerant (although not pro-gay). Also see: Gay Rwanda Stories Gay Rwanda News & Reports 2003 to present Gay Rwanda Photo Galleries Gay Rwanda: Horizon Community Association of Rwanda (HOCA) reports By Richard Ammon Owner, GlobalGayz.com July 2005   Introduction Rwanda is a land locked country in east central Africa. It’s located between Uganda,Tanzania, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s a small country originally colonized by the Belgians then the French. During the 1990s it

Stigmatized and unwelcome, Rwanda’s leading lesbian ‘warriors’ battles uphill for small achievements against a rudely homophobic country–despite one of the century’s worst bloodbaths that resulted from tribal discrimination. The government does not appear to have learned its lesson from history. Also see: Gay Rwanda Stories Gay Rwanda News & Reports 2003 to present Gay Rwanda Photo Galleries Gay Rwanda: Horizon Community Association of Rwanda (HOCA) reports By Richard Ammon March 2008 I met one of Rwanda’s most outspoken activists, Ruzindana, outside Rwanda’s where she was keeping a low profile since she had become a persona non-gratis in her family home and native country. Her offense: being homosexual. Rwanda is not a good place to be LGBT. As this story was being written, another anti-gay crisis was unfolding as two other lesbian activists from Rwanda were arrested on false charges on their way to a lesbian conference in Mozambique. Despite having

Entering Rwanda overland from Uganda is fairly easy. The usual line of trucks wait for their customs clearance. The country is very rural and highly cultivated. Tea and coffee are grown everywhere. The capital of Kigali is set on several hills that allow panoramic views of the city and suburbs. The infamous ‘Hotel Rwanda’ (of cinematic fame), where hundreds of people were machine-gunned to death after the UN protectors departed, is the Hotel des Milles Collines (photos 36-40). It has been restored and is again a bustling five star hotel. Nearby, a memorial (photos 45-53) remembers the Belgian UN peacekeepers shot by marauding killer gangs at the start of the genocide. The most poignant place in Rwanda is the Genocide Memorial just outside the city center (photos 54-65). Here are mass graves of over 800.000 Hutus and Tutsis slaughtered during the dark days of April, May and June of 1994.

Kigali, the capital, is built on several hills that offer panoramic views of the city and suburbs. The parliament building is still under repair from bullet and rocket fire (photos 5 and 6) during the civil war carnage in 1994. Photos 10 to 15 show how the very few elite live in big houses on a golf course. Otherwise, life hustles on in the city for artesans and vendors selling phone service or motorcycle taxi rides. For children and peasants in the countryside life is quiet and slow. The final 13 photos show our ‘basic’ motel by the Kagera River between Uganda and Tanzania in the village of Rusumo.  Across the bridge and up the hill is Tanzania; there is no town there, just a small village and a customs station.