A child soldier in Bunia, Congo. A symbol of Paul Kagame's reign of terror in Eastern Congo. Photo from Mwamba Family Foundation
Lee Slater is a professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. She visited Rwanda for 10 days. Her work in Rwanda was focused on development of community-building skills. However, her article titled “Rwanda’s Obama” that claimed similarities between Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame and US President Barack Obama was a downright insult to president Obama and to the American people at best. The two men are like night and day next to each other as the differences between the two men and their personalities are major; even beyond measure. How do you begin to liken a tyrant who is a war criminal alleged to have a hand in the genocide of his people to the president of change and hope? How do you compare a peacemaker to warmonger?
Slate claims that “Both men are visionaries, forward-thinkers, striving for reconciliation (Obama in the politically fractured U.S. and Kagame in a post-genocide Rwanda) and both are calling for institutionalized dignity in governmental structures.” In Obama, the world has seen his vision of striving for an era of hope and peace where dialogue is used to resolve conflict and to mitigate future conflicts. Obama has reached out to those who are known as America’s adversaries and is willing to talk to them. In contrast, Kagame has mastered the use of violence and Intimidation to maintain his political power.
While Obama is striving for negotiated solutions; Kagame meanwhile invaded the Congo and caused a conflict that has claimed over 5 million innocent children, women and men and still counting since 1998. The Rwandan forces and their proxy militias and rebel groups have sent almost 2 million Congolese into refugee camps, amputated thousands, raped hundreds of thousands of women and used thousands of child soldiers. Obama sends message of take your destiny into your hands and earn an honest living. This is a far cry from Paul Kagame who has enriched himself, his friends and Rwanda through the plunder of Congo’s minerals. Kagame and his government in Kigali use Rwandan prisoners as slaves to work in the mines in the Congo as well as to clean Rwanda’s capital Kigali.
Rwanda's military dictator Paul Kagame
It is farfetched to compare Obama who deplores evil institutions such as slavery to General Paul Kagame whose government institutions in Kigali use slaves. On his recent trip to Ghana, President Obama said that:” history is on the side of the brave Africans and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.” By that account, history is not on Kagame’s side and neither is evidence. Kagame acquired power after fighting a four year guerrilla war that culminated in the Rwandan Genocide. He has since manipulated the genocide to maintain his grip on power and thwart and real opposition in the country. He runs a state under worse conditions than the former Soviet Union.
Contrasts between the leader of the world whose hopes for Americans is to reconcile the fractured U.S. political arena by focusing on what unites Americans rather than what divides Americans and Kagame who kills his own people can go on forever. Furthermore Obama’s hopes for Africa are for a continent with strong institutions that rule by the will of the people. This again is a major difference from the ever cynical Paul Kagame who claimed that “you cannot make an omelet without breaking the eggs” referring to Tutsis who were killed during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. A man who left a big mark in the region by taking part in massacres of millions of people, kills and imprisons opponents, uses prisoners as slave laborers, committed terrorism by shooting two former presidentshas no comparable qualities to President Obama. Any forward thinker knows that war is no longer a solution anywhere. It is true that college and university professors strive for creativity and thinking outside the box but comparing Paul Kagame to Barack Obama is thinking outside of the Universe.
Human Rights First 
Thank you for clarifying this analysis. There can’t be any comparison between Obama and Kagame. They only common thing is that both are human. One is a president chosen by people another is a king without kingdom, a killer, warrior, dictator,
Mr Lee Slater should apologise to the President Obama, to the democracy and to the American people who voted for Obama.
Mr Lee Slater should apologise to the people of Rwanda and genocide victims.
Finally, you can compare Hitler with Kagame, but not Obama and Kagame.
In 1994 over 100 days 1,000,000 Rwandans and moderate Hutus were slaughtered and the world did not care…!!!
If you want the phone numbers of victimd here in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and in Rwanda let me know, they will gladly give you a far different account!!!
Lee Slater, if you are a reasonable person, you owe apology to the American people and to the oppressed people of Rwanda and Congo. It is big insult to suggest any common characteristic between President Obama and the Tyrant Kagame, other than being of human race. Even if you had rooted hatred of Obama, by likening him to a tyrant who killed his own people to access to the power, who committed genocide, who has committed other mass atrocities including the killing of more than five millions people in neighboring Congo, rape of hundred thousands of women, sodomization of hundred thousands boys before they were hacked to death, etc., you should remember that President Obama was elected by the American people. Therefore likening him to Kagame amount to a hatred of America and a real insult to its people.
Arieh,
I met victims of the Rwandan genocide on everyone of my trips to the region and my heart goes out to them every day. I have also met victims of Kagame’s killing machine in Congo on several trips. Kigali is booming with money looted from the Congo. Congolese women live in constant fear of being raped.
5 millions have been killed and the numbers are still going up. The rest of the world is quiet. Shouldn’t we say something and urge Kagame to stop the massacres of Congolese people? Does 5 million sound like a small number? This is an urgent matter for anyone who cares about human beings. Should we meet 15 years from now, we will have no excuse and we will show nothing learned from the Rwandan genocide if all we say to each other is “let me give you the Congolese survivors/victims numbers”. We must do something about the CONGO NOW.
😦
Ms. Slater must be too cynical and holding a grudge against President Obama and the American people. How does she dare to liken President Obama to a fierce beast, a genocide and war criminal, the worst evil of? Why not compare Kagame to Hitler? Of course, a comparison would make Hitler a fraction of Kagame for their evil deeds. Is Ms. Slater intending to break President Obama like those in politic who are not happy with his success? After all, Kagame is a Tutsi. I am Tutsi too. I survived because I was not in Rwanda when genocide was being carried out with the blessing and under the supervision of General Paul Kagame. I have lost one hundred twenty two people in my family and its extension. Some of those few who survived were killed directly by RPF in 2000 for refusing to go to war against the Congolese people in Congo. The rest are living now in such conditions terrible that they wish to be living in poverty. Ms. Slater should notice that this is not an isolated case, but a symbol of living conditions for the majority of the people of Rwanda, that have developed since the last 15 years of Kagame regime. The looting of the Kagame regime from the people of Rwanda has set the country more than fifty years back. Kigali which many visitors consider to be the only Rwanda is where Kagame and his crony have concentrated the wealth they have stolen from the people and from Congo. That’s how Kigali serves as veil to the suffering and misery of the people of Rwanda. Does Ms. Slater see President Obama that way? Personally, I cannot imagine the motive of this lady painting President Obama like the most evil man of the human history.
Arieh,
I just went to the site you sent me. Thank you for what you are doing for the Congo. I am glad you posted this on my blog. My heart goes out to all of these women and all of the victims of violence. I have spent a lot of time in the great lakes region and know enough to say that all of this started 13 years ago when mainly Rwanda and Uganda invaded the Congo.
It is very ironic that a country recovering from genocide would engage in this type of terror campaign for so many years. I am also going to post this message on my blog. Thank you for making sure these stories are heard. Most of the world is standing by again as it was with the Rwandan genocide.
I think Rwandans with their Kagame should be consulted first before such non sense to create a bad name to this hero should appear in media,
I think rwandese can have a good comparison btn these two philosophers i.e Kagame & Obama
Marcus,
I am sorry but I just came from the Great Lakes, I visited Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, DR Congo, Kenya and Tanzania. The region is definitely tired of Kagame’s act. The sooner he goes, the better off the region will be. I visited Rural Rwanda and was surprised at the level of poverty there is compared to the cleanliness of Kigali. I also learned that some villages were wiped out. Though people were generaly affraid to say anything about the government, some indivituals shared their experiences and Kagame did not sound like OBAMA at all.
Really! This’s an outrightly biased article that i find very inaccurate to even begin commenting. I am Rwandan by roots, have followed the short-comings and progress of my country, however, what i find very irritating, if not arrogance, is the way foreigners like the author in question sum up an entire country in a few days visit.
It is absolutely arrogant for you to think that just because u’ve been there for those few days you know everything and that gives you the right to stamp someone as a dictator and what have you. Westerners are so quick to judge and so reluctant to act.
May i also remind you that some of the higly regarded leaders of today or even forgone, were once regarded as dictators, terrorists; Mandela comes to mind when he was regarded by Britain as a terrorist. Let the natives decide who’s good and who’s bad. For Rwanda to achieve development, it does not need to follow the contemporary development model of human rights first then the rest will follow… take a look at your own countries. Your histories are horrible, full of wars, massacres and oh, slavery.
So, please, let natives decide and dont judge a country just because u’ve been there for 10 days, and choreograhed your reports.
J.S,
I totally recognize our ugly history and human rights abuses of the past and also abuses of today. However, that is no reason to justify mass murderers as they carry out campaigns that take 6 million lives in their neighboring countries as Paul Kagame has done in Congo. The world is a better place without such people. To compare Nelson Mandela to Paul kagame is an insult to South Africans, the world, every human rights activist and any human being with an ounce of intelligence. Nelson Mandela fought for equality and justice in his country and achieved it through dialogue (though he used force to achieve dialogue). Paul Kagame invaded a neighboring country, does not engage in dialogue to solve his Rwandan issues, and is responsible for the death of 6 million Congolese innocent souls.
I agree with you when you say that let the natives decide. Obviously, Kagame does not agree with you because he is busy sending his forces to assault anyone who wants to oppose his government such as the group who were forming the green party recently, former president Pasteur Bizimungu, and many more. From what I have learned over time being in the region and visiting with Rwandans in particular, Paul Kagame has no chance of winning a free and fair election in Rwanda or anywhere in the region for that matter. Even the Banyamulenge whom he claimed to protect when he invaded Congo oppose him now. It would be great to see the natives decide instead of guns and force deciding for them.
As for your comment about me visiting for a few days, I spend more time in that part of the world and in Rwanda than you give me credit for. Either way, I have the honor of actually talking to Rwandans in the country and have an understanding of where Kagame’s leadership is taking Rwanda and the Region. The sooner he goes, the better for the whole region and Rwanda in particular.
Mr. Brown, i appreciate the troubles you’ve witnessed over the years you have been involved with africa and Rwanda in particular. My comment about Mandela, is no insult to south africans nor to any freedom enthusiast- actually i’m one of them! My ethesis is that during his struggles, Mr Mandela was regarded a s a terrorist and this was official on both British and American books. As a matter of fact, it is only recently in May 2008, that the US Congress chaired by Rep. Howard Berman, a California Democrat who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, corrected a long-standing injustice by voting to drop apartheid-era travel restrictions and terrorist designations given to Nelson Mandela and other African National Congress people. So, i was only stating the facts, because we both know Mandela was no terrorist.
Let’s put the honourable Mandela to the side. If you know your facts well, Kagame did not invade DRC by a mere one night resolution. Do you recall the recorded and unrecorded attacks on the Rwandan eastern boarder by the hutu militias from 1994 throught 1997? these attacks happened on regular occasions and some in fact on Rwanda soil. these included burning commuting buses full of students, burning schools and hospitals not to mention killing local civilians. Now, as a leader, Kagame had to make a decision to protect his own people, by entering a coalition with Uganda, to eliminate the enemy. This enemy resided in Congo, had support from the Kinshasa government. Now, you and i both know that the best form of defence is attack. Of course, not to mention that, thats the system the US government used when attacking Afghanistan in 2001. I commend Kagame for protecting his country and his people and will continue to do so. I do not believe that those allegations are true and in the end, the truth will shine. Just a thought, if it wasnt for Kagame’s efforts, i do not think that you would have had a secure, peacefull and pleasant trip to Rwanda.
JS,
Thanks again for your comments. I am familiar with the attacks on Rwanda in the mid 90’s. However, there have been no attacks on Rwanda since 1997/8?? Am I correct? I have always asked this question: If Kagame and Museveni went to Congo to find the Hutu militias, why do they always go after the Congolese people?
The whereabouts of the troublesome Hutu Militias are well known. Why do Rwanda’s attacks and Uganda’s attacks always head to the mining areas? Why do they go rob banks? Why do they go for the coffee storages? Why do they go after the timber? I have a hard time applauding the death of 6 million people including active fighting by Rwandan Vs. Ugandan troops inside the Congo (Remember Kisangani).
I have no problem with leaders protecting their people but leaders whose armies kill, loot, rape, and abuse other country’s civilians are not worthy leaders. Until Kagame stops the human rights abuse in neighboring countries and in Rwanda, I am sure the overwhelming majority people of the region will continue to long for a change. That is what I hear, see, and learn on each one of my trips to the region.
Hi,
Those who think Kagame is a dictator should come to Kigali to witness for themslves how far Rwandans have come. He has vitually tranformed all aspects of the Rwandan economy and you can easily conclude the country is headed for a better future. Look, how was this country 15 years ago? And how is it now. I don’t care about comparisons, all we care about is the future of this country and vision our President has for it.
Alex,
Thanks for your comment. The problem with your reasoning is basically like saying:
“go see a drug dealer’s house and see how nice his house is. His kids are enrolled in good schools and he is paying property taxes so everyone is benefiting.”
It is not a secret that a large chunk of the money flowing into Rwanda for the last 12 years comes from minerals LOOTED from the Congo. That my friend is a crime and not something to praise Kagame on. He led a war that caused the death of 6 million people in the Congo. Is Kigali’s wealth worth the innocent Congolese souls? I speak about human rights not economies of the capital cities of the Great Lakes.
Besides, looking at Kigali does not give an accurate picture of Rwanda. Rural Rwanda is one of the poorest areas of Africa. So Kigali is not representative of Rwanda’s economy. People are dying of hunger in rural areas and I have seen this first hand.
I just can’t believe people full of nonsense like the author of this article still exist. who are you to judge KAGAME. we rwandans know what he has done and is still doing, as for Eric, I really can’t have words for you, you should mind your business and stop that kind of idealism, such things are the things the led our country into 100 days of massacres, we very well know what we been through, what Kagame and his army has done for us and where he has taken our country up to now, so PLEASE SHUT YOUR BIG MOUTH and stop making your self a judge here. we are living in peace right now coz of what he has done, we have freedom to go to schools, regardless where u come from, we are free to go to any part of the country with no fear, no corruption, and when it does happen there is always someone to correct it… I really think people like you who have their own interest in whatever they say, have no place in our world. I just pray God bless our country and protector from people like y’all who don’t like to see what we have achieved.
Dear Ingabire Lambert,
The truth is that the absence of hostilities does not mean peace. Unfortunately as horrible as those 100 days of massacre were in Rwanda, Paul Kagame doesn’t seem to have learned anything from it. Rwanda lost a million people in 100 days and then Paul Kagame turned around a few years later and sent his troops to invade the Congo and the result is 6 million dead innocent civilians. Do you care about that number at all? Are they any different than the Rwandans who perished in 1994? I am sorry but I will not stand by and keep quiet as Kagame continues to spill innocent blood in the region. It is great that you have all those freedoms but unfortunately many Rwandans don’t have those freedoms. Worse yet, Kagame has taken those freedoms from the Congolese. Please use your freedom and cross the border to Goma and see for yourself the humanitarian catastrophe those refugee camps are. Please remember that all the Congolese women being raped daily also aspire to those same freedoms you claim to have. Use those freedoms to tell Kagame to stop meddling in Congo and also allow Rwandans to live freely and peacefully.
Listen, I live here, know exactly what the situation is like… the people committing those crimes are the same people who killed people in the 1994 genocide and all Rwanda did is to follow them up and bring them to justice. Just do your research well and talk to the right people before posting such articles, and by the way, which rwandan are you claiming has no freedom, you should know every rwandan citizen is free to live any where in the world, be it Rwanda or out of Rwanda, those who don’t want to come to Rwanda it’s coz they know what they did and are afraid of being put to justice. I normally don’t like discussing politics but I can’t stand such insults, and full of nonsense articles. and foreigners who claim to know our countries better!
Ingabire Lambert,
I appreciate you pointing out that you “live here” and I am assuming “here” means Rwanda. That does not make your opinion any more accurate than someone who doesn’t. For example, there are many people around the world who know that the US invasion of Iraq was wrong. Their opinion is correct as opposed to people in the US who think it was right and justified. So living “here” is not enough.
Many independent investigations have found Rwanda and Rwandan troops responsible for the majority of attrocities in the Congo. Are you saying now that the RPF/RDF are the ones who committed the attrocities in Rwanda in 1994? Give me a break.
When you tell me to do my research and talk to the “right” people, what exactly do you mean by the right people? Is there a wrong person to talk to when you are researching? Please let me know who the right people are.
You then talk about people who don’t want to come to Rwanda because they “are afraid of being put to justice.” What just justice are you referring to in a country where forming a political party is punishable by beatings and false improsonment? There are many Rwandans affraid to return to Rwanda because they fear their freedoms being taken away. I am sure Sebarenzi and Rwandan King Kigeri Ndahindurwa would have no problem returning to Rwanda if they felt they would be free in Rwanda.
To your question about Rwandans who don’t have their freedom, have you ever wondered why Rwandans speak in whisper? Ever wondered why it is so difficult for anyone to give an opinion in Rwanda? Without even going far, isn’t it the Rwandan government that suspended the BBC from broacasting? If they have the guts to shut down a worldwide radio from one of their staunchest allies (Brittain), what do they do with those they have control of, namely Rwandans? Ponder on that.
Your method of responding to this article is similar to that of Kagame by the way. The only difference is that when it comes to Rwandans, Kagame actually has the power to make them “SHUT THEIR MOUTHS” as you asked me to do in your first response. He does it by jailing and killings in some instances.
What are your thoughts for the 6 million innocent civilians killed in the Congo as a result of Rwanda’s invasion of the Congo? Do you care?
My rwandan people, mubareke bavuge!!
Let us continue to work towards developing URwanda rwa gasabo, and let us support what our president, “the dictator” teaches us; ubworoherane, ubumwe n’ubwiyunge.
Why should we make noise, no one really cares about us. for 100days, they watched and since then, they have so much to write about ‘how wrong’ we are doing things.
There is so much i would say to advocate for truth, but i know that Mr. Brown is not here for that! He wants to prove a point. So please, let him have some fun. He cares about congo and all the “injustices” in Africa.
Mr. Brown, whatever makes you happy!! Please, don’t stop until you are heard.
Or maybe, just maybe, you don’t like the idea of seeing an African nation showing enormous success in the struggle to get back on it’s feet after it’s economy was ruined and infrastructure destroyed in a very short ime? Whatever your reasons are (oh yeah, you are the voice of the voiceless!), i will go through my day with ever growing hope for my nation because WE HAVE A GREAT LEADER. I don’t have to compare him to anyone because he is LIKE NO ONE. He has a heart of gold, he cares about his people…oh wait, why bother? DO YOU REALLY GENUINELY CARE??
Enough said, i’m out!
Mbabazi,
The question is actually to you and many supporters of Kagame. Knowing the impact of the 100 day genocide in 1994, knowing that Paul Kagame has caused more than 6 times as many deaths, DO YOU REALLY GENUINELY CARE about fellow human beings including the Congolese?
please stop wasting technology time,in this worl d only strong live and weak die.meaning that every person has his time to shine or to dum now regarding who has done this or that is justing putting ice on heat.you africans and westerners i think you need depth of wisdom of solving prolems and i will politely give you two insites,one do not talk just show the world what you have done it can be bad or good.and second on is to discover or invent somthing that can help doe who need protection or food.then rest will come at peace.please stop writting negative words you need to inspinser wrong doers and they will dum down and follow your lead.god bless the world.
Karuku John,
I am having a hard time understanding what you mean by “you need to inspinser wrong doers”
but I think this Brown is determined to go against all Rwandans or else he wants to bring disunity in our countries. Man, just relax and be happy for us.
Actually, I think you don’t even know what you are talking about… do you have an idea what 6M people is.. are you trying to say only that part of Congo had 6M people who were killed by our government… that’s so not true, but lets not go there.
like John said, we should stop being negative and move forward. Haters have always been, are always and will always be there! God bless
Ingabire
Going against a government is in no way going against the people of a country. For example, when we criticize Obama or Bush for the different wars or criticize the US governement, we are in no way going against the American people. If you look at my messages, I am for all of the people of the Great Lakes region of Africa which includes all Rwandans. Saying Rwanda is united is a total illusion. This goes for all of the countries of involved in the Congo conflict by the way. None of these countries populations are United.
You are right 6 million is too many people. Heck, 6 people is a lot of people. As for your questions, Congo had never lost 6 million people prior to Rwanda and Uganda invading her. So, yest Rwanda and Uganda’s invasion led by Kagame and Museveni caused the death of 6 million Congolese.
I am all for moving forward but as long as Congolese women are being raped, more people simply because they were born in a country rich in minerals and have greedy neighbors who do not respect human rights; this conversation will continue. Any innocent blood shed will not go unnoticed or unreported. Don’t shoot the messenger; figure out why the message is there.
Yes Mr Brown as this proverb goes your enemy is your best friend and your friend is your best enemy.I really understand you clearly, Once old man told young man that never ask for food just work for it,and i think this can be compared to what has happened or happening in the world we do not know who to solve problems because do not act against the evil.last night i wrote to you saying that you’re wasting technology time basically you have no solution for what is happening and if you have one, then it is never too late to introduce one to this suffering world. Now i want you to know that action does not bring happeness and without action we will never have happiness, In other words no beauty no action but action is beauty.Do some thing and you will see how people will follow you.but do not just visit poor nations and come back with negative image,Suppose Africa is your home or house and all people who live their are your children what actions would you do? and how would implement them? simply start to act and you will inspire many people including wrong doers as well. and i will continue to be happy as we come to the point of doing something not just writing. i hope your are reall man who is really going to change some thing.take real actions and i will support you 100% ok please.Again God bless you do not get tied of doing good.
For Ingabire we have nothing to justify other than encouraging this gentleman. I think he is willing to make positive changes soon or later.
John Karuku,
I understand your post better this time. In response, you are right that actions are necessary. What you may not be seeing is that I do see potential for the region being great. There is great potential to end the suffering in the Great lakes. Part of the reason why people have endured so much suffering in the region is because it has not been reported. The more these things are reported the more the issues will come to the fore and be addressed. So in addition to working with local communities in the Great Lakes to become self sufficient, I write about the situation to give it exposure. In the time I spend in the US, I also work to get leadership to understand that a truly lasting solution to the issues in the region will need to take into account the whole situation and bring ALL of the players to the table to get a civil solution. Military efforts have only produced 6 million deaths. Thank you for your encouragement.
Thanks Mr brown,We are now on same page we need actions for sure and iam glad that you started that whole process of bringing all player to the table to iron out some majors sufferings in the region.I hope one day the so called players will come together and use the technology that is available on global markert to solve major problems and like you mentioned Reporting is one of the tools used in civil soicety. Civil Solutions is the fast-growing methods in Africa. Civil Solutions have evolved to provide a full range of political,social justice and economic measures, from needs assessment and system design consulting to proper understanding, implementation, training, and support which is the only solution to end the suffering in the region,But i still want to hear from next time explaining to those who have concerns or intrests of acting together to start or to end attrocities in the region.God bless you and hopefully we will win the evil one day keep up.
This is amusing!!! what has Obama done??? eloquent speeches? Obama is into foot prints of a well established democracy and the only thing you need in his situation is to know how to play the game. Mr Lee Slater should apologize to all Rwanda people and the rest of the world for comparing two different beings. Obama, a novice and popularist who only has achieved his goal of sitting in the white house whereas Kagame, a real actor who has endured dramas of life and has finally stopped a 21st century genocide with a brave attitude and sometimes made difficult and tough decisions for the well being and restoration of human dignity. There is no way these two individuals can be compared. One is a hero, a decision maker, a revolutionary and an actor. The other one is a player, a popularist who pursue his personal ambitions.
AlexisKiray,
This is not a surprise from a Kagame supporter. But let the world see how ridiculous Kagame’s supporters can be with your assertions. At the end of the day, one person has 6 million lives on his hands and that’s Kagame. The other may do that too seeing as he is leading troops fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Until that happens, Kagame has a level of monstrosity that Obama may never be able to achieve. If killing by the millions of people is what you look for to determine heroism, Kagame is your man. To each his own.
Dear Mr. Eric Brown,
Thank you for your reaction,
You seem to know too much about Kagame’s involvement into killings in the Congo. I am from Congo ( born and bread) and if you need to know the real killing machine behind Congo tragedy, you have to an in-depth analysis of the problem. I left Congo when I was 18 (in 1996) and as I grew up in Congo among things I experienced were Mobutu’s dictatorship, lootings, summary executions and rapes were rife. Congo was and still ungoverned to to date. Kagame’s invasion is very legitimate since as a country Congo shouldn’t a safe haven for people who committed the worse genocide we have seen in more than 60 years. Like US and allies invaded both Irak and Afghanistan to hunt Al-Quaida (I am still far from being convinced about their motive though), Rwanda has shown a strong desire to solve its own problems without relying on a failed UN effort. I must tell you the whole truth about Congo, Congolese killed Congolese although I don’t deny Rwanda’s responsibility ( like Iraqis kill Iraqis and Afghans kill Afghans now). I really don’t like people who use others as scapegoats and fail to accept their responsibility. Congo need a strong leader like Kagame to overcome its misery. Mr. Eric Brown please don’t compare Obama and Kagame as Obama won’t bear even one second the sufferings of Kagame. Kagame should be compared with Churchill, Rosevelt, Charles de Gaule, Mandela etc.. Obama is “un pion” and will never lead a gorilla war nor a revolutionary one. Que longue soit la nuit, mais le jour viendra!!!
Alex,
If you are Congolese and left in 1996, it is understandable that maybe you never saw the destruction Congo has endured at the hands of Kagame and Museveni’s troops. Someone posed a good question: If this was about the genocidaires, how do you explain Rwanda and Uganda fighting inside Congo in Kisangani? Who was the genocidaire in that fight? If they are going after the genocidaires, how come they have killed 6 million Congolese people? Congolese did kill Congolese but the overwhelming majority of the 6 million people killed in Congo falls squarely on Kagame and Museveni’s shoulder. I am sorry but cynical comments such as yours do not change the truth. Rwandan soldiers led by Paul Kagame and his generals including Kabarebe raped in masses, sodomized, and put pepper in women’s vagina’s while their children watched. All of this is on Kagame’s resume. You can admire Kagame all you want, but he is nowhere near Mandela. Mandela fought against oppression and if he was in Rwanda or Congo, I guarantee you he would be in a struggle against Kagame. Once he liberated his country, he did not proceed with mass massacres inside his country and into neighboring countries. As much as the world has been mislead, Paul Kagame will be shown for who he really is; a mass murderer responsible for 6 million people’s death.
To Alex
Dear Alex,
You say you’re from Congo, but I don’t think you really know what you’re talking about. I was born in Bukavu, I grew up in Bukavu. I saw the 1996 war, I saw the 1998 war, My family was attacked during the 2004 invasion of Bukavu by Nkunda’s troops. Maybe it because you left when all started that why you’re having this kind speech. I condemn the 1994 genocide from the bottom of my heart. But let me ask you a question, when you talking about going after the genocidaire , how do you explain the battle of kisangani(Rwanda-Uganda), how do you explain the massacres (Kiwanja, Kanyola, Makobola, Kasika,…), the rapes. Do you really think all those poor people who died and are still dying are genocidaires? You really think Congolese killed other Congolese? Or you are talking about Laurent Nkunda who fought with the RPF in the Rwandan liberation war, Bosco Ntaganda who is in the same situation. Why don’t you talk about the infiltration and all the plans Rwanda had about Congo (When James Kabarebe the actual Rwandan army chief of staff went as far as being Congo’s army chief of Staff). Why don’t you try to see clear in the manipulation?
It’s a shame to hear a Congolese saying what you say. Go say what you’ve just said to the people of Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani and the villages around.
To Mr Brown
Dear Mr Brown,
I have read your article and all the reactions, I’m so happy to see that there’s someone in the US who can see clear in the manipulation that is going around Kagame’s personality and the war in Congo. In fact I’m in the UK since 3 months. I’ve seen what image people here have of president Kagame, seen has an African hero and example. All that is coming from the manipulation of the media and your governments have something to do about it. Thank you for this article. And thank you for spreading the truth.
To my Rwandan brothers who reacted to this article,
Dear all,
I’ve read your different comments about this article. With all you’ve been through I understand why you reacted like that. But let face the facts people are dying in my country as a result of your president’s policy. It’s normal to see the man as a hero but don’t do your best to ignore his bad side. 6 million people have died in my country, poor children, women, peasants who were as innocent as the people who died during the genocide. Don’t you think that’s enough? I think it’s time for us to work together and move on but we’ll never be able to do so with a man who support all the bad things that’s happening in my country. We, central Africa need more than looters, killers, hypocrites, rapists, genocidaires.
I’m able to accept the guy’s qualities (good governance) but you should also be able to recognize his bad sides (invasion, support to rebels). And what you need is a man with Kagame’s qualities without his bad sides because (I don’t know if I remember my history very well) the policy of denial, division, exclusion, repression and persecution that what ended up in genocide in your country and that exactly what his happening now. And we certainly don’t need that anymore. So let unite and seek true leaders who will lead us forward.
Dany,
I happen to agree with most if not all of your comments. It is amazing that Rwandans who just emerged from a genocide 15 years ago will deny genocide of 6 million Congolese. It is amazing that they would defend a mass murderer in the form of those who committed genocide just because he is their president, just because he is Paul Kagame. It is appalling that leaders who stood by during the genocide such as Britain’s Tony Blair and those whose cabinets prevented forces from going to intervene in Rwanda in 1994 such my country’s Bill Clinton are now standing side by side with Kagame while he carries out similar killings in the Congo!!! Does Clinton really regret the 1 Million people killed in Rwanda in 1994? I wonder if he will say the same about the 6 million Congolese that his friends Kagame and Museveni killed??!?
all you haters are a joke!! i am a proud Rwandan and i plan to support my president again and again, oh yeah..and again…… now, you all need to concentrate on what’s going on in your homes/countries whatever!! in other words mind your own business, and when all is good, COME SAVE THE WORLD.. meanwhile, i promise we will manage 😉
I think Mr Eric Brown should rather use his passion and strong desire to resolve Congo’s conflict for more practical way by urging his country to stop invading other countries because “la charité bien ordonée commence par sois-même” . He should also use his genius mathematical and statistic skills to also count Iraqis and Afghans civilians killed or abused due to his country’s invasion. After all, it seems to me that only Africans care about Africa and as long as the solution is not African, there is no peace for Africa. Il faut éviter le cadeau emposonné.
Alex,
Besides being an American Citizen, I am a world citizen. So as a human being, Congo is as much my home as the US or the countries you say my government invaded. Fear not though, I am just as passionate against any senseless killings of humans. But if you are looking for me to disconnect with the 5 000 000 people killed in the Congo, you are asking the wrong person.
i think for myself, that idea of compare kagame and obama is not going out of mind. for my self i see that kagame is hello than obama cause he has been doing so many more activity of peace in their region and in all africa, let’s it. see where he has been coming from, u don’t see or that is almighty GOD who has been chosen and him there he is now, look again how is doing reconciliation beyond of Rwandans, lesten and sight how is stopping a genocide in Rwanda and around of the world.
my decision if world have the 3 man of clever like kagame. it means 1 in America, another one in Europe and other one in Africa the world can have peace. thank you.
Patrick,
You must not know Kagame’s record. It is interesting that you say that he has been involved in many peace activities!!?!! Where have you been the last 13 years where 6 million have been killed at the hands of Paul Kagame? Reconciliation? Are you sure. They are beating women politicians in Rwanda now and you say reconciliation? Sometimes I wonder how people can believe these things and actually sleep at night!!!
I have a problem with this 5000.000 phantom figure of death in Congo which is always used by the media. I am from Congo and I have lost my loved ones (peace be upon their innocent souls) but please don’t just swallow what you are told by some biased pundits such as Mr Brown. Because we are a superstitious nation, we don’t question or cross examine what we are told by the status co. To give you a clear picture of the population in Eastern part of our Country based on 1998 survey, please have a little look: South-Kivu = 283,77,79 population, North-Kivu = 3,564,434 population and Maniema = 1, 246, 787 population. The Ituri province has around 4 millions. Unless I am crazy, no one would convince me that the entire population of both Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu was wiped out. The enemy of Congo is a Congolese himself and that’s why other countries have invaded us because there was no responsible leader to protect our sovereign soil. Lack of strong leadership is our biggest problem and unless something is done about it we will have to live in darkness for some few decades to come.
what’s up?
This is the cynicism that we have come to expect from the war apologists and Kagame’s apologists. A phantom number?? This number was calculated using scientific methods by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). What Kagame’s apologists have a problem with regarding this number is who caused the deaths. Rwanda and Uganda invaded Congo and went all the way to Kinshasa. Congo has 60 million estimated population. So, the figure of over 5 million is for the whole of Congo. Not just Eastern Congo. That was a good attempt at deceiving the world but that would only work for the uninformed.
Dear Brown,
This is incredible. Have you really followed the war since 1996?? do you know who fought the war or who coordinated it? What were its causes?? Let me remind you that the majority of people who fought against Mobutu forces were Congolese nationals ( including my own brother). The war was commanded by Ugandans and Rwandans officers and some mercenaries in different fronts, and the whole ideas was initially to destabilize Hutu militias in Camps in Eastern part of the country. Since there was no resistance from Mobutu’s army a decision was taken to carry the war into Kinshasa and subsequently remove Mobutu from power. Many Congolese were recruited to fight and lead the new rebellion. I am not an apologist nor nor a fanatic but I am a cautious person since I closely follow the situation of country. You have very biased views and I find some of comments very impartial. Did you know that FRDC(Congolese Army) carried out as many killings including rape as many as Mai-Mai militias or Hutu militias did? Do you know how many killings were caused by Gen. Nkunda rebellion? or in Ituri province do you know how many were killed during Lendu and Hema fighting? or how many were killed by government forces in Bas-Congo last year? If you don’t understand the situation in Congo, don’t just jump create an amalgamate to confuse people. There must be a responsibility for every one who was involved in the conflict. I am totally disagree with you 5-6 millions of killings you always air on radio and TV stations. Every single innocent death is a big loss for our country and we still mourn our death but stop fouling people. We have had our tragedy and we will rise as nation again only if we take every lesson and if the the western countries stop using little despots in the region in order mineral land. We might have one of the most incompetent and corrupt government in the world but we will always strive for peace as new horizon of bright days is coming.
Does the authors of this website really write about what they know, or they open their mouth and then insults flows
Dear Jean,
Please dispute the facts and point out the insults.
Thanks
I just wanted to encourage Mr Brown.
Thank you for bringing to light what many think but are afraid to say.
Truth will triomph at the end no matter what.
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Eric Brown is probably Rwandese
On what basis do you make this claim? Are Rwandans the only people who know the injustices in the great lakes of Africa? Are you going to tell me FOR EXAMPLE that Allison Des Forges was also Rwandan?
Paul Kagame is the man whose existence on planet earth and willingness to murder without flinching made Rwandan genocide possible. Is a hired gun that has waged a 16- year’s war that that would have brought any super power country down financially! I wonder who is financing his war in Congo since Rwanda is a tiny African country with no known natural resources!!
Yes, there are many players in this African population control genocidal scheme which took the lives of 800,000 Rwandans and proceeded to the “Democratic Republic of Congo” where 5.4 million Congolese have perished. The western financiers benefiting from the exploitation of Congo’s natural resources are supporting Kagame and his right hand men, James Kabarebe, his nephew, Joseph Kabila and Laurent Nkunda, who is being harbored by Kagame!
Kagame has the talents for taking commands from his western backers who are financing the extended genocide in Congo. The world powers are silent because African lives are not as important as the Congolese natural resources they are looting with the help of the African efficient killer, Paul Kagame.
Coltan, a mineral which powers cellular phone and other machines is very important, so killing an African is worth it! 80% of the world’s supply of COLTAN comes from Congo and the only African benefiting from this metal is Paul Kagame. That is why many corporations have their headquarters in Rwanda and not Congo. Before Kagame was elevated to this powerful proxy role by the western powers, the stooge, Mobutu, was in charge of the western mining interests in Zaire. When Mobutu tried to forget who the boss was, he was exiled to Morocco with the cooperation from other headless African “powers” in the region!
One would think that a president of a country would be buried in his state. Not when you are an African and you try to forget who gave you the power to rule. Mobutu was thrashed to power at a very young age, 29 years old. Like Kagame, his powers are based on making sure that the western mining corporations operations in Congo run smoothly. Unlike Mobutu, Kagame is a hired killer of African people in the great lakes region. He is like a paid mercenary.
Whoever is comparing President Obama to the genocidal psychopath Paul Kagame must be the looters of the Congolese natural resources who are headquartered in Rwanda. They are trying to Make Kagame and those African henchmen supporting him feel good about what they are doing! The murderous looting of Congolese COLTAN and other minerals is at the bottom of this comparison!!!
To compare Obama to Kagame is just an insult to me and all visctims of this tragedy in Great Lake Region of African. Only people from this region know who kill who, rape who. Give them Justice so that they can say what they know. Not that one in Arusha. We need free Justice without any interference and control. Then the thruth will come out. We will free our soul. I don’t like polemic. Please just two worlds and that’s it. Truth and Justice. Then the world will know and understand the all history. I think some of Kagame fanatic will escape.
In the Memory of all my beloved one: Truth and Justice.
Obama is the president of USA. USA helped Kagame to kill rwandan Israelites during genocide. Yes you can compare…
Eric,
Do not spend energy with the abonormal comment coming from supporters of Kagame’s Regime. Those people have been able to sacrifice their own countrymen just to get power. UK and USA have manipulated that desire and those country are trying to cover up the truth.
One thing is clear: One day, someone has to pay for Congo’s 6 millions deads.
It will happen, very unluky for Kagame supporter.
Read… coming from English Rabbis, fed up of Rwandan Tutsi regime lies.
I
*******************
52 Rabbis speak out on the Congo
By Vava Tampa
Dear Prime Minister Brown, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Clegg,
The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) have, for over eleven years, endured the evils of violence, war crimes, corruption, humanitarian crisis, looting, and rape on a scale that defies comprehension.
In April 2007, the International Rescue Committee’s pivotal study placed the death toll in the DR Congo since 1998 at 5.4 million.[1] This horrific figure continues to rise at a rate of 45,000 mortalities a month.[2] It is now three years since the study in 2007 and the additional consequences of disease and malnutrition have resulted in a staggering rise in the death toll to at least seven million fatalities, not to mention the millions of refugees.
What these shocking figures cannot convey is the scale of ongoing rape, torture and mutilation occurring throughout the DR Congo. As recently as February, fifteen women were abducted and raped by armed assailants—five were brutally tortured and then beheaded, three survived and were taken to Panzi Hospital in Bukavu for emergency medical care. The remaining seven are still missing, presumed dead.[3] The Human Rights organisation Genocide Watch lists DR Congo at the top of its 2010 list of countries facing ongoing massacres.[4]
There is still no end in sight to the atrocities or to this humanitarian crisis. Moreover, political stability and peace within the DR Congo are critically important not just for the citizens of the DR Congo, but for all those who live within the African Great Lakes region. Yet, to the majority of the world, the plight of the people of the DR Congo remains invisible.
We have just marked Yom HaShoah, the Jewish annual commemoration of the Holocaust. When we recently discovered the suffering and scale of the atrocities in the DR Congo, we cannot but recall our own six million innocent victims of Nazi Genocide. The “hear nothing, see nothing and do nothing” approach the world community has thus far adopted, regarding this crisis in the DR Congo, fails to fulfil the promise to “NEVER AGAIN!” stand idly by while innocent human beings are slaughtered. It denies justice to the victims and questions our very commitment to humanity. As Rabbis we cannot ignore the call of our tradition: “whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 37a).
Accordingly, we the undersigned, Rabbis, united in this statement, appeal to you on behalf of all peoples of the DR Congo. We have a responsibility to speak for those who cannot, so we urge you to do likewise. As a significant contributor to the UN and a permanent member of the UN Security Council as well as a core member of the European Union, British Commonwealth and the G20, the UK could and should play a more central role in mobilising world opinion to address the root causes of this conflict. We are therefore asking you and your party to pledge an unwavering resolve to make Saving the Congo[5] an absolute priority for the next Parliament.
We recognize that there are, sadly, numerous humanitarian crises and atrocities around the world, all of which require urgent attention. Yet the war and humanitarian crisis overwhelming the DR Congo are on a scale that can no longer remain ignored. Now is the time for action, now is the time for leadership. We hope that you will heed the call.
Yours in the name of peace
Rabbi David Mitchell , Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield, Head of the Movement for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Danny Rich, Chief Executive Liberal Judaism
Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Executive Director of the Movement for Reform Judaism
Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein, Principal Leo Baeck College
Rabbi Tony Hammond, Bromley Reform Synagogue & Chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK
Rabbi Peter Tobias, The Liberal Synagogue, Elstree & Chair of the Rabbinic
Conference of Liberal Judaism
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, New North London Masorti Synagogue
Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire, Vice Principal Leo Baeck College
Rabbi Colin Eimer, Southgate & District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Jeremy Gordon, New London Masorti Synagogue
Rabbi Michael Hilton, Kol Chai Hatch End Jewish Community
Rabbi Deborah Kahn-Harris, Southgate and District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Janet Darley, South London Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Richard Jacobi, Woodford Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Miriam Berger, Finchley Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Maurice Michaels, South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Kathleen de Magtige-Middleton, Middlesex New Synagogue
Rabbi Mark Goldsmith, North Western Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Rodney Mariner, Belsize Square Synagogue
Rabbi Sybil Sheridan, Wimbledon and District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild, Wimbledon and District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Joshua Levy, North Western Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Steven Katz, Hendon Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Paul Freedman, Radlett & Bushey Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Helen Freeman, West London Synagogue
Rabbi Amanda Golby, Member of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK
Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, West London Synagogue
Cantor Zoe Jacobs, Finchley Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Michael Pertz, South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Barbara Borts, Newcastle Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Ian Morris, Sinai Synagogue – Leeds
Rabbi Brian Fox, Menorah Synagogue – Manchester
Rabbi Irit Shillor, Harlow Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Larry Becker, Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue – Wanstead
Rabbi Neil Amswych, Bournemouth Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Stephen Howard, Southgate Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah, Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi Francis Ronald Berry, Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation
Rabbi Dr. Andrew Goldstein, Emeritus Rabbi of Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue & Chairman of the European Union for Progressive Judaism
Rabbi Charles Wallach, Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue (and former member of the President’s Religious Advisory Council, South Africa)
Rabbi Michael Foulds OBE, New Essex Masorti Synagogue
Rabbi Jacqueline Tabick, North West Surrey Synagogue
Rabbi Rebecca Qassim Birk, Westminster Synagogue
Rabbi Janet Burden, Ealing Liberal Synagogue & West Central Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Dr Frank Hellner, Emeritus Rabbi of Finchley Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi Warren Elf, Southend and District Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Monique Mayer, Member of Rabbinic Conference & Leo Baeck College
Rabbi Dr. Margaret Jacobi, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman, Director Earth Charter UK
Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Kingston Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Judith Levitt, Leo Baeck College Recruitment Officer
“Paul Kagame and a group of extremist Tutsis in the RPF, with the attack of 6 April 1994, created an institutional vacuum that was brought on by their assassination of the head of state and some of his closest collaborators. They, furthermore, cynically sacrificed our parents by opposing all proposals for a halt in the fighting. This is criminal. All the experts recognize that a halt in the fighting would have allowed the dispatch of aid to the victims and saved hundreds of thousands of Tutsis who were being hunted by the extremist Hutu militias. Not only did Paul Kagame not want a halt in the genocide, but he, in fact, opposed such a move.
The survivors are the victims of the genocide and cannot be put in the same category with those Tutsis who took part in the massacres of their countrymen and women. To pretend that Kagame and the RPF are the representatives of the survivors is to claim that they would have stopped the genocide for which they, in reality, share the responsibility. It is an insult to the victims of the genocide. It confuses the real victims of the genocide with those who took part in the killing of our parents. The Tutsis who were massacred, my Tutsi cousins who were murdered by the Interahamwe militia, have nothing to do with Paul Kagame. The fact they belonged, as he does, to the Tutsi ethnic group does not make them his accomplices. So he cannot in any way represent them. He sacrificed them to take power by force of arms and, thus, participated in their being put to death.”
In “How General Paul Kagame sacrificed the Tutsi”, by JMV Ndagijimana, Editions la Pagaie, 25$
Lee Slater suffers from amnesia or sadism. Otherwise, how can a normal professor liken a renowned peacemaker, Barack Obama to a coldblooded killer (Paul Kagame)
Since Kagame was a little kid, he haas been enrolled in rebellion movements where he learned torture lessons. His academic records show nothing beyond high school. However, as a rebel leader, he got training in Pennsylvania Military School in 1990. As Director of Intelligence Agency in Uganda, he killed thousands of Ugandan citizens.
So far, he has massacred almost 6 million of Rwandans and Congolese. Those numbers are published by UN.
On the contrary, Barack OBAMA is a true scholar. He graduated from Harvard University. He is a unanimously renowned lawyer. He had been a senator. He has democratic projects in his approach to solve problems. He convinced American citizens to elect him to the highest position in the USA because he is the only one who can get job well done.
Now tell me how LEE SLATER can liken Kagame to OBAMA.
There are some possibilities: LEE SLATER is mentally sick or a liar or a corrupt person who has received bribes in order to deceive honest people around the world.
Abakunda urwanda bakunda amahoro imihoro idwanishwa ni mbunda mwakwanga mwemera tuzarubanamo, murajya impaka zango turwane kandi ninka zarabiretse abana burwanda nibo bazarwubaka abana burwanda bagomba kwiyunga abagereranya kagame na obama niko kazi kabo bahemberwa ibihugu biratandukanye nabantu baratadukanye urwanda si america ubuzima bwa kagame ntibwagenze nkubwa obama nkoko nta wuguje nundi igikumwe ntibitubuza gusa mubikorwa cyangwa mwishusho aba nazi ni nterahamwe ntibasa ariko ibitekerezo ni kimwe kandi abo bamutera urubwa bacye batera urutoki .STOP HATING
Translation?
here is the truth, that kid holding a gun is Congolese. fighting who? ….
Kagame was exiled at the age of 3. why? b’se of ethnically framed massacres by former governments established by belgians and french, people who are judging kagame now!! imagine!
The plaintiff is the judge!
do you know how many students graduate every year in rwanda?
did you know that more than 95% of rwanda’ s population have medical insurance! ask obama if its the case in america.
I know, many are scared of kagame’s achievements.
remember clinton, one of the most honored leaders of our time apologized for not have done any thing to stop tutsi genocide.
Why do you think Kagame should solve all great lakes region’s problem? is he a god?
Give him peace!
Alex Mwesigye,
Thanks for your comment. Kagame and his proxy rebels indeed recruited Congolese children soldiers. Thanks for the detail. Also, Kagame is not God and no one is asking him to resolve all the regional problems. He just needs to discontinue killing innocent people in Congo and Rwanda. He should leave Congo alone and deal with issues in his country. Maybe he can start by allowing people to talk and disagree and also letting the opposition register to take part in the political process.
Eric Brown six million is something created by you who is guilt of the innocent people you killed in the genocide of tutsi in rwanda or your relatives and now you want to get a confort from painting kagame a kill like you, pretending to be a human right activist. you think tutsi don’t have a right to live in peace. your regime lost and had bad policies that didnt work. all you were teaching is hate of the tutsi and their Sympathisers which you are up to now doing rumour mongering which is your new strategy.
Dear John,
Your level of cynism is amazing but not surprising for a Kagame apologist. 6 million is a number I created? No, it is the number of deaths Kagame has his hand in. To deny their deaths is as criminal as denying the genocide.
As for your comment generalizing about Tutsis, Kagame and his murderous clique does not represent Tutsis who have every right in the world to live in peace. Even Kagame, a mass murderer has the right to live in peace. But he does not have the right to invade another country and Kill, rape and steal that country’s wealth. This is not the way to seek living in peace.
Any one should better read ‘SLAVE’ rather than Slate.
Because Mr Slate must be indeed a slave of an ideology of contemption. Towards Black people as a race, of course. Such an ideology continues, doesn’t it ? OK.
I could not pass your comments without also dropping an idea. Mr Eric brown, I recognize your efforts to address the suffering of congolese people. But you should study a little bit more about the history that led to this suffering and know all the dimensions of these wars before making allegations. Study also the fight for influence in the region by foreign powers. I am not a kagame apologetic but also I cannot agree with your one sided accusations. Okay take all 6M deaths ,a big number of which died indirectly from wars consequences like disease. i little bit of history: Belgium befriending rwandan Tutsi kings, then felling out with them, then giving power to Hutu and making a very big mistake of putting ethnicity on ID cards, and letting hutu extremist chase a big number of tutsis to neighbouring countries, then successive efforts of retun of those tutsi refugees who were oppressed outside, Hutus on power also divided according to regions, and putting all the blame to tutsis at the same time cultivationg hate against tutsis. was the RPF wanting to come back fighting reasonable, YES. But they put the tutsi inside in danger and many idiot Hutus killed their neighbours. Had they become smart and only focusing dealing with RPF and not on innocent civilians, then mayhem would not this bad. Okay now I forgot the FRENCH trying to protect their intrests including their language, trust me i saw them with my eyes training hutus and interahamwe militias. and after the RPF won, oh God, my heart goes to those innocent civillinas who perished that way. Okay then the whole habyarimana govevernment is in Congo..and the French and Mobutu mulling to help them fight back, hey remember also that mobutu sent to troops in rwanda in 1990 to help repel the RFP, so kagame did not forget that. So now kagame regime in power with numerous problems for survival..a big army with millions of Hutu civilians under their umbrella, the French and mobutu who feel humilliated, and sporadic incursions of Hutu genocidaires. The only card that that Kagame had was to invade congo. Eric Brown, trust if you were kagame until this point in time you would the same. Okay now the British and Americans seeing some potential on access to resources…Kagame got a green light to go. Then what happened to hutu civilians in camps in congo is only known bu God!!!, remember that RFP viewed them in the same mirror as genocidaires!! so they got their share of mayhem. so now congo is captured with a lot of resources , kabila in power actually at these point not many congolese had suffered. so not the war turned into another form, kagame who wanted to protect his rwanda, now is faced with the most complicated war theatre. now you have Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, and many other african nations drawn inside with foreign companies looking their share. Hey mr Brown, how do you think all these countries drawn would finance this war without mining!!! how do you think many of this countries pulled out. I remember the BIG Boss , Bush called kagame ang Kabila into his office and kagame made a phone call even when he was still in DC to pull all rwandan troops in one week. and it was done immediately! and now all those countries that were in congo started using proxies until now. So Mr Brown, do not put all 6 M dead to only kagame. add all innocent civillians up from 1959 in rwanda and untill now in Congo and they would be around 8M. and the culprits are…start with Belgium colonies, Hutu extremists, FRANCE, Museveni, RPF, USA, BRITAIN, Congolese soldiers, Mai mai, CNDP, FDRL, and may other proxies you cannot count. Also make a good research about USA,CHINESE and BRITISH companied who are on ground buying these minerals. hey a big part of all this is happenig in the eyed of UN present. So Mr Brown the war has many dimensions , so know where you start before you put blame on one person. hey buy the way I am saying this because by blaming him you are weeking his government and weekening Rwandans in general because it can sway tax payers in foreign countries who are helping rwandans to rebuild. so one suggestion: instead of blaming kagame , call for help for Kabila government to be able to protect congolese, promote dialogue between Great lakes countries, and bring light to those foreign nations passing through some of these nations and proxies. and FDRL should be fought because is the center piece of Rwandan reasons to still sneek a hand in congo. By the way FDRLS leaders are happily planning their activities in Europe with European players.
La Rwandaise,
Thank you for your response. Your response and history lesson is typical of those who minimize the death of millions of Congolese in the last 14 years. The comment that strikes me the most everytime I see it is the claim that the 5 million were not killed directly by war. That they died of hunger and disease. Does it really matter how they died? The fact is, they died as a result of war. This war is an invasion of Congo by Rwanda and Uganda.
The war between Rwanda and Uganda in Kisangani (inside Congo) claimed 3 000 Congolese lives alone. What did that have to do with Leopold, Mobutu, and the genocidaires? Had Congo not been invaded would people have died in Congo? Yes, but not millions unless there was some form of other war or disease outbreak. As it stands today, the deaths are a result of Kagame and Museveni’s invasion. All Rwandans and Ugandans do not approve of the deaths of their Congolese brothers and sisters. Not even majority of the people in these countries approve of the invasions and killings.
Rwanda made an excuse when they invaded Congo of going after genocidaires. Are all the women gang raped by the Rwandan soldiers since 1996, all the babies killed (3 million under the age of five) genocidaires or just ordinary Congolese?
No matter how you put it, there is no excuse for the invasion of the Congo, the killing of innocent children, women, men and the elderly, stealing of Congo’s resources.
Mr Brown, you ar a sweet and naive westerner and I know you have a good heart for innocent civilians but trust me your comments are a big threat to many rwandan people and some congolese who see their survival linked to Kagame. Great lakes problems are compliacted than you think. even in Rwanda do not look at all the development and imagine that they are well off. Rwanda has also its internal problems, Mr Brown talked about lack of free speech and lack of political freedom and people whispering things, you also talked about sebarenzi and king. I pray for my Rwanda every day and so far it is still okay i do not wish anybody bringing back race card, and i do not trust anybody rigth now so let us first see where kagame is taking us. otherwise if you go back to rwanda, make a thorough assessment even though you cannot get the whole picture , people have many things in their heart and all they want is peace. so one solution is to support kagame for development and watch him for human rights abuses because his not an angel , and trust me he has done a good job to bring divisions in rwanda to a minimum. and depending upon who talk to you will get deferent views, either from a genocide victim who see evils from Hutu neighbours, Hutu extremists who still do not see tutsis as humans, People who fought along with kagame but feel they did not get their big share, Tutsis who view hutus as all killers , Innocent Hutus who feel betrayed by Hutus who decimated tutsi brothers and who are fighting not to be put in same basket as genocidiares and struggle to distance themselves from killers during gacaca courts some with success and some whithout; here remember that Gacaca succeded at arount 80% to bring light to what happened in genocide but you would not want to be in 20% who could be wrongly imprisoned and frauded by greedy judges, but also Victims need answers! so i do not how to balance that. Hey remember there are some hutus who lost their relatives in hand of RFP, these people cannot bring this issue up in rwanda because Genocide against Tutsis swallowed it, but if they did not participate in genocide they feel victims too; some argue that some RPFs fighters found their relatives dead and lost it, but it is something also which is the hearts of rwandans and RFP cannot let it investigated ,they could be in trouble and Genocide deniers can use it as weapon. so forget that issue comming out and somebody who tries gets his share of punishment. so Damn Habyara who did not bring home refugeed home peacfully, so Damn Hutus who killed Tutsis in horrific and dehumanizing way, so Damn RPFs soldiers who did not control the grudge and kill unarmed hutus, and MAY all innocent brothers who perished rest in peace. sorry to use Damn,,,,,i forgot that only reconciliation is the only tunnel to success!!! God Bless the the great lakes region!
La Rwandaise,
Thank you again for your comment.
The Rwandan genocide was indeed a great tragedy to humankind and most of all to Rwandans. However, it came about as a result of colonialism, dictatorship (from the monarchy to the republics) and lack of human rights. Today, the Rwandan government is proving to be a leader among dictatorships on the world stage. Refusing citizens rights produced the war by the RPF that culminated into genocide. Never again should anyone allow dictators like Kagame and his predecessors to create an environment that fosters massive violence or genocide against Rwandans.
To say that Rwandans depend on Kagame is to understimate the capacity of the Rwandan people whom I have met and known to be very strong in spite of the tragedies they experience. There are many leaders in Rwanda who can do much better. The Rwandan genocide was 16 years ago, today kagame is involved in Killing Congolese people. When you say there is a risk to some Congolese if Kagame is no longer president, don’t you know that Kagame is a danger to millions of Congolese already?
There are Rwandans who can hold Rwanda together while stopping the death of Congolese. People of great integrity and respect for human life are not in shortage in Rwanda. kagame is not one of those. Development was used by the Habyarimana regime as well with the claim of being the Switzerland of Africa. Where did it end? Now Kagame is working on the Singapore of Africa? What is the difference exactly? Development does not make up for human rights abuses. Humans first. Living in fear of repression is not peace. To call it peace is an illusion.
Thanks you all, for showing up what is on your heart. But before you even think of insulting the elected president by the people and for the people, try to compare the today Rwanda and Rwanda before Genocide. Don’t you insult the elected officials and misjudge all they have done for the country. Just come in Rwanda you will find out for yourself!
Hello people. Well said by La Rwandaise! The way things are now in Rwanda, the way they should stay for a bit a while. I am From Congo and I admire Kagame’s ruling system although no leader will please every body even in the biggest democratic countries in the world, we still experiencing bigotry and strong disagreement between ruling parties and their opposition counterparts. So in brief, seeing what Rwanda has gone through and its astonishing recovery, it’s not down to Ingabire who has spent much of her time abroad while Rwanda was rebuilding to come and claim the highest office in the country. I can understand Kagame’s frustration when it comes to allow free speeches in post-genocidal Rwanda. Believe me, no one will make Rwanda better than Kagame and no one will have his discipline and his wisdom to rule this landlocked tiny country. Selfishness and hatred are motives behind most of the so-called opponents and I am glad now it’s no longer a matter of HUTU and TUTSI
Mr Brown, be realistic here! so,let us assume… you are a citizen of Rwanda or Eastern Congo, with all your family members living there, will you dare to go into the streets and denounce Kagame..did you even try to say something openly the last time you visited…? you are not the only one who might have rage against some politicians in the region. Let me give you an example …the recent operation Amani , between congolese and Rwandan soldiers , the meeting of kagame and kabila at the border and the visit of the recent visit of kagame to Kinshasa. Do you think Kabila was stupid? no he was realistic and needed a real solution., so talk about solutions not just theories based mostly on past atrocities. And ask yourself why Kagame is a darling to the Pentagon , the UK . I do not where you live but many companies who were directly involved in illegal mining, the main cause of the suffering are registered in the states and UK, and they pay big bucks for you guys to enjoy the luxury you have over there. If you really are passionate about Congolese victims I will encourage you to start from your governments secret and defense agencies and ask them for answers, trust me they know everything . there is even an article about how some companies resisted a US proposed legislation to control those “blood coltan” you use to make electronics gudgets you guys line every year to get the new version. So if you wish hell on people victimizing poor congolese or rwandan citizens I will urge you not to forget your backyard! and they are the boss to Kagame you are talking about!
listen mr brown, i just want to ask you if you know some one have been doing more best activities than KAGAME here in RWANDA, you are allowed to say something (worst) is in your mind. we us know, the true and the acties are saying more than we shout, and then we have light to publish our best hello president KAGAME doing so many things (unbelievable here in RWANDA in all world i think u know those, so let’s it and then i conclude, we lte’sm them say but we RWANDANS continue to work and then we will see the true results ok thx.