This morning the NOS (Holland’s main public news broadcaster) coughed up an article that doesn’t only brilliantly state the current, tragic level of Dutch journalism and its stereotypical imagery but also stresses the need for us to keep developing our media literacy skills.

“Teeven: Rwandese need to go back”
State Secretary Teeven agreed with Rwanda that the Netherlands and Rwanda can force each other’s citizens to return. Teeven came to this agreement during a visit to the African country.

After the Rwandan genocide in 1994 many Rwandese fled to Europe to avoid their punishment. In 2010 the Netherlands and Rwanda already agreed to work together in the justice department and the court in The Hague recently decided that it’s allowed to deport a Rwandan man. He’s charged with complicity in genocide.

Impressive
In Rwanda, Teeven emphasized that the Netherlands is no safe haven for war criminals and this is why he values a good cooperation with the Rwandan authorities. He called it tremendously impressive to see with his own eyes how Rwanda is working on shaking off its past.

The Netherlands is one of the financers of a Rwandan prison where deported war criminals are serving their sentence.

(original “article”: http://nos.nl/artikel/594442-teeven-rwandezen-moeten-terug.html )

Let’s address the madness one paragraph at a time:
1. State Secretary Teeven agreed with Rwanda that the Netherlands and Rwanda can force each other’s citizens to return. Teeven came to this agreement during a visit to the African country.
Questions/ remarks: Since the Netherlands (or any country, for that matter) doesn’t just have one State Secretary, why not take an extra second to state the portfolio he’s in charge of. When was he in Rwanda and what was the reason of his visit? What’s the name of the Rwandan politician he sealed this deal with?

2. After the Rwandan genocide in 1994 many Rwandese fled to Europe to avoid their punishment. In 2010 the Netherlands and Rwanda already agreed to work together in the justice department and the court in The Hague recently decided that it’s allowed to deport a Rwandan man. He’s charged with complicity in genocide.
Questions/ remarks: What’s the total number of Rwandese who fled to Europe since the genocide? Of this number, what’s the percentage of people who did so to avoid their punishment as opposed to coming here for non-criminal, political reasons?
Also, does The Hague only have one court? If so, is it really just called ‘the court’?

3. In Rwanda, Teeven emphasized that the Netherlands is no safe haven for war criminals and this is why he values a good collaboration with the Rwandan authorities. He called it tremendously impressive to see with his own eyes how Rwanda is working on shaking off its past.
How is Rwanda ‘shaking off its past’? And please, tell us more about this ‘past’. No white owned Dutch media would ever do this by voluntarily dropping the C-word and mentioning Belgium’s role in the matter but at least mention the Hutu’s and the Tutsi’s so this ‘past’ can actually get connected to the present… to people.