From the bush to the newsroom

Emmanuel Mungwarakarama
Date: Feb 7th, 2007

He no longer holds a gun but can fight with a pen. From the bush to the newsroom, Emmanuel begins to write for you this column.
Many of you can ask why do this kind of writings. Yes, the question has an answer.
I was born in suburbs of the town, a man who never enjoyed his young age as many of his peers.
I was almost 22, in 1994, I joined the rebellion after finishing the secondary school. Sometimes back in Rwanda, joining a secondary school means a key to fortune; the education is a key to success. Can any one ask how it looks to be a young soldier at the front? People die, get injured, there are no houses in the bush, no drinking water, no consistent medicine other than moral commitment. How many friends do you have at the front? People come from different corners of the world – neighboring countries, European countries, America even Asia. Your only friend is your comrade in war just next to you.

Exchanging ideas, stories can make your brain work. Imagine yourself and try to understand the situation: two people sitting at a hilly point named OP(observation post) waiting for an enemy platoon armed and ready to fight, with no binoculars, no walkie talkies enough by the time, distance to run is not less than 300 m. The only thing that supports this cross is the age. The average age is 20.
The youth have problems; in wars they are involved in such atrocities. Most of them lose their parents, friends, brothers and sisters. The writer is a victim and so he has a lot to share with the readers.

He now works independently after joining the university precisely the journalism branch.

4 years in the way building my career, I worked intensively in acquiring theories in the field of journalism and journalistic tools and wrote some articles in the school newspaper, the new butarean, Ibanga, and now work with the national television station.


The year 1994 remains in so many heads all over the world. I still have the pictures of violence, assassination, murderers, so many kinds of atrocities. But I am not the only one to live the event. Lots of people have in their memory a piece of 1994 image.

Your writer has an ambition to promote justice, fight against any form of violence, injustice and of course ignorance. He is engaged in so many anti violence clubs and he actively follows his motto "stand up for your rights without violence".
I have already produced so many documentaries in fields of human rights: Gender based violence, Towards a professional journalism, Maraba coffee-a hope for tomorrow,…
I have traveled in 4 African countries, 2 European countries and have visited Canada in 2004. I am planning my master's in film, cinema or in journalism.
Your columnist likes reading, watching movies, photojournalism, listening to music, sports and he likes traveling and discovering the world.


After all the life still goes on. People need justice, food, accommodation … in brief they need life. How can rebuild yourself after losing hope and confidence in you? After loosing your beloved ones? Keeping moving with violence? No. Let's say stop to all forms of violence. Youth, young leaders the ball is in our hand, it is our turn to drive the bus. By using ideas, good ideas, and education for all strengthened by our dreams. One day we will realize them into reality. So lets stand up and all together work for a better world.