Paul Kagame - the Neo-Colonialist

When Westerners write on African issues, it is morally and ethically imperative that we remember the Colonial past that our ancestors wrought upon the African continent.  Explorers came, natural resources were discovered, and then all hell broke loose.  The power of the gun won over the power of peace.  The Colonizers claimed ownership of the African land and people.  Missionaries were sent to Africa. While some missionaries had very good intentions, they were still part of the oppressive system of enslaving the people and exploiting the land. This very brief introduction is an understatement of Colonialism and its horrors. I invite all readers to research Colonialism to see the depths of the evils it brought to the African Continent. 

In modern day, when Westerners write on African issues, we are often labeled as “Neo-Colonialists.”  That is, our detractors call us the new breed of Colonialists.  In some cases, that very well may be the case. I will not rule that out.  But in others, just because a Westerner discusses a fact on an African issue, that does not make him or her a Colonialist.  The Pro-Kagame faction of Rwanda is very good at throwing the term “Neo-Colonialist” at anyone who points out flaws within the Rwandan Governmental system and its Human Rights abuses both within and outside the Rwandan Borders.  However, if we closely examine the President Paul Kagame, we see that it is he, and not his detractors, who have sold out to Colonialism.  It is he who has made Rwanda a puppet state of the West. It is he, for the sheer pleasure of elevating his own ego that has made the façade that is Post-Genocide Rwanda.  Rather than bring reconciliation and doing the hard work, Kagame has come in as dictator and wrought fear among his citizens much as any Colonial power did curing the Colonial days of old.

Where did this once refugee get the power to lead a rebel army to overtake a nation?  Paul Kagame was a refugee in Uganda, and while forming his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), he was somehow brought to the United States and trained at Fort Leavenworth.  This is a military base where top United States Generals are trained.  The average soldier does NOT train at Fort Leavenworth.  Had Kagame not “sold out” to the West in the 1990’s, would he have been allowed to train there?  I would posit that this is where he officially became the puppet of the United States Government.  Despite all of his rhetoric against the West and against the United States and against Whites, Kagame owes his beginnings and all he has to the training he received to the United States.  Did he not see that the US was not interested in him, but rather in what he could accomplish for the US? I will leave that question and answer up to the reader.

When Kagame began his civil war against the Rwandan Government before the Rwandan Genocide, where did he get the weapons?  There are no weapons factories in Rwanda or Uganda.  He either had to obtain them illegally or he had to again make a deal with a more powerful nation, thus again making himself their puppet.  Nations do not just “give away” weapons to anyone who wants them.  There are stipulations involved.  Kagame would have had to pledge some sort of loyalty to whomever gave him the weapons.  Again, Kagame “sold out.”

Victors have the pleasure of writing the history books.  As it turns out, Kagame was able to overtake Rwanda after the Genocide of 1994.  He place all blame on the Hutu Tribe and eventually named the Genocide the “Genocide of the Tutsis.”  This implies that the Hutus were responsible for massacring the Tutsis.  Of course this is partially true.  But, Hutus were also massacred.  Since Kagame was the victor, he re-wrote the history and made Hutus into the evildoers and Tutsis into the victims.  This is a sad state of being because in reality, ALL tribes in Rwanda suffered, and all should be recognized.  However, Kagame, in his now Quasi-Colonial Leadership Role is able to dictate history because the West has other plans for him.

Kagame and his henchmen began two of the bloodiest wars that this planet has ever seen, and some of the least reported wars.  Again, this is a result of the Western Colonialism that Kagame brought into Africa.  Yes, in the West, we saw images of the Congo Wars as Kagame’s armies slaughtered entire refugee camps in the hopes that some of the genocidaires (those who committed Genocide) were there.  But, the Western governments did nothing to stop him.  Even after an official death toll of 6 Million, the West has yet to formally censure Kagame with even just words.  Their tacit support just shows who the Colonial power is in Africa.

Why would the West stay quiet while Kagame slaughters 6 million souls (and probably more – 10 million is probably a closer estimate)?  The answer comes down to money and greed.  The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (once called Zaire in the First Congo War) is hugely rich with mineral resources.  Kagame’s exploitation and incursions only allow the West cheaper access into these minerals which help to power computers, cell phones, and such.  Kagame, as puppet of the West, again, is acting as a Colonial power.

As the world became aware of overt military operations, and as they got more and more questionable, Kagame was forced to be more secretive.  He obviously cares nothing about suffering or loss of human life, and therefore he began to create militias to make incursions into the DRC – the latest being the M23 Militia.  The Group of Experts of the United Nations has provided a report that directly links M23 to Kagame’s government, though he denies this as an elaborate conspiracy theory.  While conspiracies do happen from time to time, I will just be blunt here and say that Rwanda is just not that large or important to international politics to have such a charge placed upon it for no reason.  Kagame will have to come up with a better “explanation.”

An anonymous source within Rwanda confirmed that active recruitment is happening for M23 within Rwandan borders from the Rwandan Government.  Some of the 16 Students who recently fled Rwanda and are seeking Asylum for fear of their lives included the fact that they were being forced to join M23. 

While the United Nations knows about M23 and Rwanda’s involvement, and more importantly Kagame’s involvement, why is nothing being done? Yes, small economic sanctions have happened here and there, but nothing of substance has happened.  I would posit that nothing of substance is happening because Kagame is a Colonial Power of the West! Yes, President Barack Obama is on record for having called President Kagame and telling him to stop supporting M23, but that is the most forceful action to date.

Western diplomats and celebrities and institutions continue to tout Kagame although there is no doubt about the horrors of his human rights record.  Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is an advisor to Kagame and one of Kagame’s biggest supporters.  Why would a former Prime Minister of one of the most powerful nations in the world defend the President of Rwanda (a tiny nation that on its own would have little significance)? The answer must be that the UK is supporting Rwanda to do its “dirty work” in Africa.  Rwanda is doing the work that the UK does not want to do.  In other words, Kagame has turned Rwanda into a Colonial outpost for the UK.

American Mega-Church Preacher Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, has become intimately involved in Rwanda and with Kagame.  While I can find no fault with his missionary work and work in helping to prevent disease, I find it disturbing that he thinks so highly of Kagame.  Does he not know of Kagame’s record? I find that doubtful! Is he receiving “blood diamonds” or some other pay off? As a pastor myself, I would hope to be able to say, “no” to that question.  I will refrain from trying to know Pastor Warren’s motives when it comes to Kagame, but I would call upon him to read the evidence against him and listen to those who have suffered Kagame’s tyranny.

The Pro-Kagame lobby is vicious in their attacks against those who disagree with them.  They blindly accept the “truth” as presented by Kagame.  No matter what evidence is placed before them, they will vehemently deny it and call the presenter a liar and worse.  Their main attack lately has been to call all non-Africans, “Neo-Colonialists.”  It is my hope that I have presented a case whereby the reader will see that it is not those who point out President Kagame’s faults who are the Neo-Colonialists, but rather it is Kagame himself who has sold out to Neo-Colonialism.

I should also be clear that while Kagame touts that the world is against Rwanda, nothing is further from the truth.  The world supports the Rwandan people! The world wants to see the Rwandan people thrive! The world wants the Rwandan people to TRULY come out of the shadow of the Genocide of 1994 and become a united people and a great nation.  Speaking for myself, I do not seek a violent end to Kagame.  I only seek that he turns to peaceful ways and the rule of law.  I seek that he stops this manipulation of his own people and of the world and begins to live as a citizen of the world in harmony with his neighbors.  I seek that he hold fair and free elections.  I seek that he stops ruling by fear and rules by good governance.  

Who Do You Follow? What Will You Do?

Psalm 146

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!

2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.

4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;

7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

*Definition:  In this sermon, I will use the term "world." By Wold, I am NOT using the Old Testament definition of God's good creation.  I Am using the New Testament definition of the sinful forces that take form in God's creation that act against the will of God.

When you read John 3:16 "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave his only begotten son..." That means that God EVEN loves the unlovable. That is why God sent Christ into the world! That ANYONE who comes to faith has a place in the Kingdom of God!

“Where is Your Trust? What will You Do?”

Much of what this sermon says is not easy to hear (or read), but it is a message that needs to be heard (or read).  It is a message about faithfulness...The faithfulness of God and our response to that faithfulness.

Some Christians cry that Christianity is being persecuted in the USA. They may have a point - I've never met a holiday that uses a "Holiday Tree" except for Christmas, in that case, why wouldn't we call it a Christmas tree.  This may not be the best example because it seems trivial in comparison to severe persecutions where people are chastised and even disowned for coming to the Christian faith.  That, however is not limited to America. That happens all over the world.  

    Compared to the sufferings of other areas of this world, the persecution of Christianity in America is little more than a flesh wound.

·    Few if any people in the US are killed for being Christian, and it is not done on a systematic basis.  In other nations, that is not the case.

o  In Saudi Arabia if you convert from Muslim to Christianity, you can be killed

§  I am NOT saying there are not Good and Peaceful Muslims in the world who recognize our common Abrahamic roots.  I AM saying that in Saudi Arabia that persecution is the case.

o  In Israel, Palestinian Christians are looked down upon.  The first Christians ever were the Palestinian Christians. In the Book of Acts, the first converts were inhabiting the land now called Israel and Palestine.

*  Not all Palestinians are Muslim and yet the land and lives of ALL Palestinians are always in danger by the Israeli Government.

§  That is not to say that all Jewish people or Israeli People are anti-Christian – just in that particular case, they lump Palestinians into 1 group for security risk case, and many well meaning and peaceful individuals get hurt in the process.

Instead, in the USA, we tend to focus on how our individual rights are violated and some people attribute it to a “War Against Christianity”

·     

     It may be that individual rights are violated, but Christianity was never about Individual Rights.

·      In God’s Eyes, we don’t have “rights.” According to God, we don't have the "right" to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Instead, we have abundant gifts that only God Gives.

·     

   Biblically, God’s promises are to communities of believers. In the Old Testament, God's promises are made to the community of Israel.  In the New Testament, the promises are made to all believers. Only in very specific cases does God make promises to individuals who carry out a special role, such as the prophets.

Americans are good at turning Christianity into a political party – Both Democrats and Republicans do this equally well – Not one party is innocent, nor is one party completely guilty.  The truth of the matter is that  God is NOT a Republican or a Democrat, and our Faith should always come before our Party affiliation.

As the Psalm says – Don’t put your trust in Mortals/Princes/Political Figures – When their breath departs (or when their term ends), so do their ideas – BUT, God’s plan will never die!  Look at all the presidents we've had - How many have kept all of their promises.  I can think of a whopping "0." But yet, people put their faith in politicians. And if actions speak for belief, one would think that many people have more faith in their earthly leaders than in God.

Faith in God is contrary to what the world tells us:

·      * God tells us to put self interest second to communal interest (What is best for God’s Reign vs. What is best for me?).  When we make decisions, we make decisions for the common good, not just what is individually good for "me."  We have to ask ourselves, "how does this choice advance or hinder God's plan?" 

·  *We may have to endure a hardship that we can bear so that others will benefit.  Feeding the homeless is not convenient.  We leave the comfort of our own homes, but yet we are answering a call from God. Ministering to prisoners can be scary, but some are called to that ministry.  Most prisoners will be released, and if we can get them to know Christ, when they become our literal neighbor, all of us benefit.

·   *We are charged to speak the truth in love to people who are unlovable. There are A LOT of unlovable people out there! We are to love everyone - even the unlovable.  That in itself is a task because we all know someone who is difficult if not impossible to love.  But as Christians, we are called to speak the truth IN LOVE to them.

·      Most of all, we are charged to get out of our church pews and DO SOMETHING. If we don’t, we are practical atheists - people who say we believe in God but do nothing about it - and a waste to God’s Kingdom.

o  To find what you are called to do, you MUST approach God in prayer and discernment. God will answer, but you must pray and be willing to listen.  God will lead you on paths you've never expected.  God may keep your call the same, or it may change. God works differently for different people.

Little of what I said is popular, but God is not popular. God is necessary.  But, how can we expect the world to know about God if we don’t tell them? We can’t approach 2013 problems with a 1950 attitude.  Things will not go back to the way they were…ever.

·      We can help others realize God’s necessity one person or one group at a time, but that only comes through engagement. So, do you go to church to be fed? Or are you going to be nourished so you can do something for God?

Come to the Victory Party - Sermon on the Magnificat - Liberation for the Oppressed of the World

Luke 1:46-55

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

“Come to the Victory Party”

Mary recited or sang this song after God revealed to her that she would give birth to Jesus.  This text is commonly known as “The Magnificat,” Latin for “My soul magnifies.”  This scripture, however, is not just the sweet song of a happy mother to be, it is a revolutionary section of scripture that speaks of liberation from tyranny. 

Notice that in “The Magnificat,” that Mary is not proclaiming what God will do, but she proclaims what God has done (and is doing).  God has freed the lowly, and God has brought down the powerful from their thrones.  God has conquered hunger. God has sent the rich away empty – most likely those who became rich in a dishonest and exploitive manner. God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.  In other words, they have become so consumed with their greed that their thoughts consume them.

God has done all of this.  But, it doesn’t take a genius to see that there is still tyranny in the world.  It doesn’t take a political expert to see that dictators rule in places like Syria, Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, North Korea, and other places.  Anyone can see that the political parties in the United States are sold out to corporations rather than to the lowly citizens who vote them into office.  With all of this being the case, we have to ask ourselves, “Has God done what Mary proclaimed?” If God hasn’t, was Mary lying? Was she uninformed? Will God do what she said?

We can look around the world and see evidence that is completely contradictory to what Mary said.  In Rwanda, while Kigali looks orderly and clean, the nation is ruled by bloodthirsty dictators who hold their citizens hostage by convincing them that only they can keep them from another Genocide. Anyone who disagrees with their leadership is accused of Genocide Ideology and promoting Genocide.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the majority of the people there have not known a long period of peace, and . If they were not being attacked by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF – the once militia, now Ruling Party/Army of Rwanda), they are attacked by Rwandan supported proxy militias such as the M23 militia.  They are also victims of a dictator, Joseph Kabila who is an inept ruler who does nothing to care for his people. The DRC is one of the richest nations in the world in terms of mineral wealth, but because of poor governance and international exploitation, the majority of citizens live in abject poverty.  They are constantly fleeing their homes because of wars and battles. The people of the DRC cannot even trust their own military because members of their own military rapes and subjugates the women of their own nation.

Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, is touted by the world as the savior of Rwanda who stopped the Genocide in 1994.  The truth, however, documented by the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, clearly show that Kagame most likely started the Genocide as a rebel militia general, but even if he did not do that, he took part in the further killing of refugees and starting the two Congo Wars which killed more than 6 Million people.  Why does the world say he is the hero? Victors write the history books. Kagame won the Rwandan Civil War and narrated his version of the Rwandan Genocide and renamed it the Genocide of the Tutsis, thus making it a crime to say that Hutus (another tribe within Rwanda) suffered in this horrific event. His version, of course, is a lie, but for the world to deal with it, would mean that the world would have to face their inaction during the Genocide.

So, what do we make of Mary’s words in the revolutionary “Magnificat?” What is liberating in this text? In the face of so much corruption across the world, is this text even relevant? Is the question, ‘is God still relevant?’ something we should consider?  Those are all fair questions and they all make sense!  In fact if we go by what we see now, we are led on a road of despair.  We see the elite destroying the weak. We see the system hurting the innocent.  We see starvation, murder, war. 

What we see, however, is not what we get.  There are forces at work that dominate our planet, no, our universe that we may not see, but are so personal that these forces know us by name.  These “forces” are God.  As I write this, God is at work reconciling the evil of the world to the way God intended it to be.  Look at South Africa.  Yes, they have a ways to go, but look at where they were approximately 25 years ago.  The majority African population was oppressed by the White minority population. That is a simplistic explanation of a complex issue because the division did not fall simply on racial lines. But, for our purposes, that example will work.  Rather than a long Genocidal civil wary, peace came through the vote and through the political process.  Yes, there were martyrs.  Yes, there was violence.  There was, however, a spirit that prevailed that is unexplainable.  There was a spirit that held the nation together as Nelson Mandela was elected the first ever African President.  This once 27 year prisoner was now the leader of a nation.  His movement defeated not only racist rule, but it also defeated the powers of racism, hatred, death, destruction, and ignorance.  Among themselves, the powers of revenge were defeated. While the world would have said that Mandela’s rule would have been justified in seeking revenge, instead, he held out the hand of peace.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu formed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  This group worked on reconciling the wrongs as well as serving justice.  Was it perfect? No. Did it work? Yes.

God is at work right now in other war torn areas.  As Mary sang of the proud being scattered in the thoughts of their hearts, it’s evident that the dictators of this world are beginning to crumble.  They are so consumed with their idolatry of power and might and control that they have ceased to realize that they lead real people. They have ceased to realize that there is real risk and benefit in ruling. 

As these dictators grab further to their “control,” and seek to create narratives that are not true, or seek to redefine history, we can see them fall from their thrones.  Yes, people are still suffering, but this suffering will not last forever.  Liberation is just around the corner.  These power grabs are the final screams of a dying demon. 

Rather than go down in history as Hitler, Idi Amin, Charles Taylor, and others, why don’t we Christians invite these dictators to renounce the powers that hold them captive just as Archbishop Desmond Tutu did when his church was stormed by the Apartheid Forces of South Africa during a sermon he was giving.  Rather than stop in fear, in his calm, and even humorous voice, he stopped, looked out at the crowd, and said, “Join us.  You’ve already lost. Come to the winning side.” 

Let’s invite these dictators and oppressors to give up their oppression and become one with the oppressed.  Let’s invite them to make right the things they have done wrong.  Let’s invite them to the Victory Party!

Refugees Rescue Mission: A Plea For Peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa

June 5, 2013

H.E. Barrack Obama

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

NW Washington, DC 20500

Object: Pleading with you to pressure President Paul Kagame to accept dialogue with his political foes that will bring peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Mr. President,

The Refugees Rescue Mission (RRM) is a Christian non-profit organization that was founded in North Carolina in January 2009 by the refugees from Rwanda and Americans who passionately sought to improve lives of refugees who came as strangers in this great nation.

What we had in common as refugees was the loss our loved ones, and fleeing our beloved nation for our own safety. Nevertheless, we never forgot other refugees we left behind on the African continent, which is why we founded the RRM.

Mr. President,

Since October 1, 1990, when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and its military wing Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) invaded the Rwanda from Uganda, people in the Great Lakes region have been suffering, and continue suffering today. The victory of the RPF/RPA did not bring peace and stability in Rwanda nor in our region, but it fueled endless wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Paul Kagame and his inner-circle believe that the barrel of the gun, demonizing their political foes, and killing and arresting their dissidents could achieve victory and political control in Rwanda and the whole region. For the last 19 years, these practices failed, but they caused more pain and loss of lives of innocent people in our region.

On May 26, 2013 during the African Union Summit, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete made historical remarks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that global dialogue was the only way to assure durable peace in our region. He called for the Rwanda government to start dialogues with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Ugandan government to have dialogue with the Ugandan rebels of the ADF who are based in the DRC.

Mr. President,

The government of Rwanda has vehemently opposed any language of political dialogue. The government used its voices such as IBUKA association and the pro-government newspapers to launch a smear campaign against H. E. Kikwete and his statement he made in good faith.

Mr. President,

We are pleading to you on behalf of millions of Rwandans, Congolese, and thousands of refugees in our region to use the United States’ leverage to pressure Paul Kagame and his regime to accept unconditional political dialogue with the FDLR and other political organizations that oppose the Rwandan government.   We believe that the balance of power between Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda will be the only way to end Rwanda’s intrusion into the DRC.

The Rwandan government had sown the seed of wars and terror in our whole region by using proxy forces in the DRC for the last 17 years, and this has caused humanitarian disaster.  All the Rwandan refugees live in fear because the regime of Paul Kagame has stretched its muscles beyond the Rwandan borders in killing anyone who oppose the regime. The UN Exercise Mapping report on the DRC (1993-2003), the attempted assassination of Lt. Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, and the hunting of refugees in London, England are few examples among many.

Mr. President,

We are asking you to support the paradigm President Kikwete laid down during the African Union Summit because it will be the only way to achieve peace in our region of Great Lakes of Africa.

We thank you so much Mr. President for your understanding and cooperation on this serious matter.

Sincerely,

The Reverend Innocent Ndagijimana Justice, Founder and President

CC

H.E. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Republic of Tanzania

H.E.  Jacobo Zuma, President of Republic of South Africa

H.E. Joseph Kabange Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Excellency Ban Ki-moon, The General Secretary of the United Nations

Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Parliament of Tanzania

Secretary General of the European Union

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