Agenda

Disclosure by Members of “Disclosable Pecuniary Interests” (as defined by The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012), and Members’ “Personal Interests” in accordance with paragraph 12.1 of Salford City Council’s Code of Conduct for Members.  

To be moved by Councillor Wilson Nkurinziza and seconded by Councillor John Ferguson.

This Council notes:

·         The Banyamulenge people, are ethnic Tutsi people, many of whom live on the High Plateau of South Kivu, in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), close to the Burundi-Congo-Rwanda border.

·         Banyamulenge means “those from Mulenge”. Mulenge is a hill near Lemera in the east of DRC. 

·         The Banyamulenge have been a persecuted people. Since colonial times Banyamulenge have undergone discrimination and exclusion and over the last few decades thousands upon thousands have been murdered and massacred.

·         On 13 August 2004, there was a massacre at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi where 166 people were massacred. All victims were from a minority Banyamulenge tribe.

·         All were defenceless and slaughtered with machetes and burned alive with gasoline.

·         The attack was carried out by a force of armed combatants, many of them members of the Forces for National Liberation (FNL). The FNL is a predominantly Hutu rebel movement known for its hostility to Tutsi people.

·         Banyamulenge refugees are now settled around the world. 60 or so Banyamulenge refugees are now settled in Salford and many more across Britain.

·         We welcome them to the safety of our community and value the positive contribution they are making to the culture and life in our city.

·         The perpetrators of the massacre still haven’t been brought to justice, many still live free. The current Deputy Speaker of the Burundian Parliament Agathon Rwasa is widely suspected to have been one of the leading perpetrators of the massacre. Agathon Rwasa is the leader of the FNL.

·         The FNL is believed to have been behind a series of other attacks, including the December 28^th, 2000 Titanic Express massacre.

·         The Titanic Express massacre was an event in which 21 people were killed in an attack on a Titanic Express bus, close to the Burundian capital Bujumbura.

·         The passengers, who had travelled from Kigali in Rwanda, were robbed of their valuables and then separated according to their ethnicity. Hutus and most Congolese were released unharmed. The Tutsis on board, and one British woman, Charlotte Wilson, who was travelling with her Burundian fiancé, were forced to lie face down on the ground and then shot.

·         In May 2001, the International Crisis Group attributed the Titanic Express attack to "troops under the order of Agathon Rwasa".

·         In January 2004, the Sunday Times announced the discovery of a document which appears to be an FNL report, signed by a senior commander, detailing how the Titanic Express massacre was carried out.

·         In June 2006, detailed eyewitness accounts of the attack were published in the book Titanic Express: Finding Answers in the Aftermath of Terror, by Richard Wilson, the brother of Charlotte Wilson.

·         During the civil war, the FNL was linked to the killing of Monsignor Michael Courtney, the Catholic Church's chief representative in Burundi.

·         The Most Reverend Michael Courtney (5 February 1945 - 29 December 2003) was the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Please note in relation to items 14, 15 , 16, 17  and 18 below, it is requested that, wherever possible, any questions are submitted in writing and e-mailed to the Democratic Services Section at decisionmakingandscrutiny@salford.gov.uk

by no later than 48 hours before the meeting (i.e. by 9.30 am on Monday, 13 May 2019).

·         Cllr Paula Boshell - Statutory Deputy City Mayor 

·         Cllr John Merry - Deputy City Mayor

·         Cllr Bill Hinds - Lead Member for Finance and Support Services

·         Cllr Tracy Kelly - Lead Member for Housing and Neighbourhoods 

·         Cllr David Lancaster - Lead Member for Environment

            and Community Safety

·         Cllr Derek Antrobus - Lead Member for Planning

            and Sustainable Development

·         Cllr Gina Reynolds - Lead Member for Adult Services,

Health and Wellbeing

·         Cllr John Ferguson - Lead Member for Workforce

              and Industrial Relations

(above named Cabinet Members subject to any changes

 reported at Item 6)

·         Cllr David Jolley - Overview and Scrutiny Board

·         Cllr Adrian Brocklehurst - Children’s Scrutiny Panel

·         Cllr John Mullen - Community and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel

·         Cllr Margaret Morris - Health and Social Care Scrutiny Panel

·         Cllr Kate Lewis - Growth and Prosperity Scrutiny Panel

(above named Chairs subject to any changes reported at Item 7)

The following reports are submitted for information with the intention they be noted. Members who have any questions, or require further information on the contents of these reports, are in the first instance advised to contact the representatives respectively indicated. Alternatively if you wish to ask a question, if possible please advise the Democratic Services Section of this in advance of the meeting as detailed above:-

·         Salford Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) (Councillor Edwards and Councillor Linden)

·         Bridgewater Canal Trust (Councillor Mullen)

·         17 July 2019

·         18 September 2019

·         20 November 2019

·         15 January 2020

·         26 February 2020

·         18 March 2020

·         20 May 2020

Council Member Policy Forums will also be held on 19 June and 18 December 2019.