Seven Questions For President Kagame

On May 18, 2013 President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was invited to Oxford University by a student organization at the Business School.  Upon his arrival he was “greeted” with Rwandese and Congolese protestors throwing eggs and horse manure from the mounted police horses at his presidential caravan.  According to Inyenyeri News[1] who interviewed some of his European Ambassadors, Kagame was not only furious about this incident, he was surprised that this would even happen to such a person as himself.

That being the case, what follows is a list of statements and questions that I propose to President Kagame.  Do I expect an answer? No. In fact, I expect his minions to do his dirty work for him and follow the script of calling me a “hater,” a “liar,” a “genocide denier,” and possibly follow all that with veiled or even overt threats. This is nothing new. When one challenges President Kagame, it is as if one challenges God and all of God’s worshippers come out en masse to declare heresy.  However, the case is proven, the jury is out. Kagame is guilty as charged.[2]

Before I begin, let my intentions be clear. I do not wish to see President Kagame’s head on a platter.  I wish only peace in the Great Lakes Region. I do not wish violence upon Kagame, I only wish that he repent from his murderous ways and allow the rule of law to take its course.

FIRST: In Rwanda, tribal identity is now illegal.  It is illegal to be a Hutu, a Tutsi, or a Twa.  All are Rwandans.  If that is the case, President Kagame, I ask you, why do you call the Genocide of 1994, “The Genocide of the Tutsis?”  It is a known fact that all tribes suffered unspeakable horrors.  It is also true that the Tutsis suffered the most, but in such a shameful event, how can you single out one tribe and say that they are the sole victims?  In a Twitter conversation, your own First Advisor to the UN Oliver Nduhungirehe confirmed that even Hutus were killed in the Genocide. Why do you not allow ALL Rwandans to mourn and unite over this horrible event?

SECOND: President Kagame, why is dissention silenced in Rwanda? Why do you immediately charge opponents with a crime and lock them in prison? Why is Victore Ingabire in prison when the majority of charges against her have been proven to be lies? Why is she in prison when she only stated the truth about the Genocide of 1994 – that all Rwandans suffered? Are you so insecure with yourself that you must silence all dissent?

THIRD: President Kagame, do you have no regard for human life? In an interview with Time Magazine[3],  you mentioned dissident General Kayumba Nyamwasa who is in exile in South Africa who had two assassination attempts made against him.  In your words, you claim he wanted to carry out a coup.  While I cannot confirm nor deny that, I will accept your claim.  You then go on to say, “…and later on he is shot, maybe he deserves it?”  Are you implying that you have Hit Squads in foreign countries? Are you implying that you do not believe in trial before sentencing? Concerning the death of  former President Juvinal Habyarimana, you stated “I am not responsible for Habyarimana’s death and I don’t care (emphasis is my own).” However, your former Secretary General, Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa has claimed that you personally ordered the shooting down of Habyarimana’s airplane killing both him and the leader of Burundi.[4] 

FOURTH: As you know, the shooting down of Habyarimana’s plane set of the 1994 Genocide. There are reasons to believe that you did so intentionally so that you could come in as “hero.” You could cause the Hutus to rage, sacrifice your own people, and come in as Tutsi hero. But, since coming to power, you have twice invaded the Democratic Republic of the Congo in search of the Genocidaires (those who have committed Genocide).  Continuing on the same lines as question number three, if you, President Kagame, were searching for genocidaires, why did you order the killing of entire refugee camps (men, women, and children – elderly and young)? There is enough documented evidence to prove that this is true in the Mapping Report. 

FIFTH: I will now move away from the past and come to more present situations. Though you deny involvement with the M23 Militia, the Group of Experts report which has been accepted by the United Nations proves your Government’s responsibility.  Whether you personally knew or not is immaterial.  As the American saying goes, “the captain always goes down with the ship.” You are responsible for the actions of your ministers and members of your government.  It is true that the Congo has many more problems than just M23, and it would be unfair to say that you are the sole cause of Congo’s problems. However, it would not be unfair to say that you have exploited Congo’s problems.  Why would you not work to strengthen your neighbor? A strong Congo would mean a stronger Rwanda.

SIXTH: President Kagame, why do you insist on Rwanda Day being celebrated in a city in a foreign nation around the world each year?  Patriotism is not a bad thing. Rwandans should hopefully be proud of being Rwandan. But first, they must have a leader worth being proud of having. Your staged performances at Rwanda Day may look flawless to you, but to the educated, they only look silly. When a charismatic leader such as yourself comes on stage and is greeted by enthusiastic cheers, gives a flawless speech, and then is asked questions only to bolster his ego, my internal dictator alarm goes off.  I am reminded of Hitler’s Rallies where people were forced to participate or face certain death.  I am reminded of the recent death of Kim Jung Il of North Korea. The people openly wailed in the street, but how much was genuine? There was the obvious unspoken subtext that “if you don’t cry now, you’ll be crying later!”  Is that truly the legacy you want, President Kagame? 

SEVENTH: When the protestors on your way to Oxford threw eggs and horse manure at you, were you truly surprised? Think of the harm you have done to this world. Think of the chances for peace when you have chosen war. Think of the chances for mercy when you have chosen to kill.  Why, President Kagame, were you so furious with your European Ambassadors as was printed in the Inyenyeri News? Did they create this image? Or are you deeply disturbed by yourself and the monster you’ve become?

TO THE LEADERS OF THE WORLD: Knowing all of this, how can any of you continue to support this bloodthirsty dictator? To my own President Obama – How long will we live in denial? You and Ambassador Rice have left thousands of questions and letters unanswered (including my own).  You claim that America supports freedom, but each day that I see the news – Guantanamo Bay, Drones, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kagame, I question your integrity each day.

I will conclude here.  These are questions to which I would like serious answers.  These answers are not for myself, but they are for the beautiful people of the Great Lakes Region of Africa.  These people deserve lives of peace and respect. The do not deserve to live in fear and shame.  President Kagame, you can change all of this.  Your honesty can be a vehicle for serious change which will not hurt Rwanda one bit economically or socially.  President Kagame, the ball is in your court.

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[1] http://www.inyenyerinews.org/politiki/behind-the-presidential-curtains-the-strongest-man-of-africa-left-with-egg-on-his-face/

[2] See the following United Nations Documents for proof of Kagame’s murderous guilt:  The Mapping Report of the Democratic Repubilc of the Congo (http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/pdf/mapping_report_en.pdf), The Group of Experts Report to the United Nations (http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2012/843)

[3] http://world.time.com/2012/09/14/qa-rwandan-president-paul-kagame/6/

[4] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15165641

Paul Kagame - A False Definition of Success

On May 18 (2013), President Paul Kagame is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at an Oxford University Business Conference.  It is high time, however, that this image of international “success” is exposed for what he truly is. He is the very embodiment of evil and cruelty, and the world allows it because victors write the history books even if the history they write is a lie.  Kagame built his pseudo-history on guilt and shame and his “success” off of the blood and lives of at least 6 Million Rwandan and Congolese humans.

It is true that if you go to Rwanda, you will see a developed nation. You will experience order and if you keep to the “company line,” you will experience safety.  All credit is due to Kagame for this.  However, all blame is due to Kagame for this as well.

Rwanda as it exists today did not come without a price made of the blood of millions, lies, guilt, shame, and dictatorial rule.  While the United Nations has in theory acknowledged this fact, it lacks the backbone to do anything about it.  In fact, this organization has only empowered the Kagame machine. 

In 1994, Rwanda endured a bloody Genocide that killed more than half a million people.  This is where Kagame finds his power.  The world shamefully stood by and watched as helpless people were brutally massacred.  The world heard a cry for help on the news, said, “Those poor people…” and went on with their day.  Kagame capitalized on this and went on to become the image of African “success.”

Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, who at the time of the Genocide was Kagame’s most senior ally, claims that it was Kagame himself who actually started the Genocide by ordering the shooting down of then President Juvenal Habyarimana while Kagame and Rudasingwa were members of a Reblel group called the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).[1]  This allowed Kagame and his RPF to come in as the “heroes” and stop the Genocide [which they had started].

After a series of leadership changes, Kagame seized control of the Rwandan Presidency.  This is when his war crimes and use of guilt to maintain and fully realize his power come into full force.  After visiting the United States to discuss that the fleeing genocidaires (those who have committed Genocide) have gone into the Democratic Republic of Congo (then called Zaire), Kagame received no response.  He took that as a green light to invade the Congo.  He did not do this as a police action to capture the guilty.  He killed entire refugee camps of men, women, and children.  When this is questioned, it is first of all denied, and second of all justified by the fact that he was seeking justice for his nation’s suffering at the hands of the genocidaires.  With the full force of his RPF military (armed by the United States and other Western Nations), Kagame invaded the Congo two times killing an estimated 6 million or more people.

The United Nations issued a Mapping Report documenting Kagame’s War Crimes in the Congo, but when he holds the guilt of their inaction during the Rwandan Genocide, the UN has always backed down. 

Later, Kagame to exercise his power, Kagame would rename the horrific Genocide of 1994 the “Genocide of the Tutsis.” This implies that the other main tribe in Rwanda, the Hutus, either had no casualties or they were completely guilty.  It is true that the majority of those killed in the Genocide were Tutsis, but Hutus were also killed.  The majority of genodidaires were Hutus, but there were Tutsis who were genodidaires as well.  There are no clean hands as far as entire groups go.  Kagame’s rewrite of the history is a lie and it is criminal.  He has made it a crime to even question his narrative.  To do so would make one guilty of “Genocide Denial,” or “Double Genocide Ideology.”  No one but the depraved would deny that a Genocide happened, however no one but the depraved would deny that both Hutus and Tutsis were brutally killed in this Genocide.

Using his power of guilt over the world, Kagame to this day supports proxy militias (the latest being M23) that go into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and rape and pillage the land and its resources and destroy the people.  While the world is very aware of what Kagame is doing, he is still permitted to do so.  He is permitted to be the embodiment of evil that he is because he has shown what “success” can look like in Africa.  The rich and the strong nations do not care how he got there, they only care that he is there.  He can provide what the Congo cannot.  He can steal from the Congo the vast riches of minerals and resources that are found in the Congo and use the wealth from selling those riches to make his nation look “successful.”

On May 18, the students at Oxford University should be hearing a true success story.  They should not be hearing the ranting of a “lucky” war criminal.  Yes, the administration of Oxford had nothing to do with inviting Kagame – he was invited by a student organization.  This still leaves no excuse.  Oxford has a distinguished name and is known for its research.  A simple keyword search on your favorite internet search engine will find everything that I’ve just told you (and much more).  The students who invited Kagame should have known this and should have invited a truly successful person. 

Kagame is not a success to be admired.  He is a disgrace to humanity.  He is for this time, a leader to be feared by his own people and his neighbors.  Kagame should face the consequences of his actions.  There is an International Criminal Court in place for people such as him.  All that would have to happen is a recommendation for investigation from the UN Security Council.  I find it doubtful and shameful that this will not happen anytime soon, however, since Rwanda’s closest allies, the United States and the United Kingdom both hold veto power on the Security Council, and Rwanda itself is serving a term on the Security Council.  If the governments of the world will not seek justice, then it is time for the people of the world to remember that the governments work for us! We should demand that our leaders hold Kagame accountable. One person cannot accomplish this, but thousands upon thousands can! Choose which side of history you will stand upon.

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[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15165641