SHOULD FDLR/INTERAHAMWE DICTATE THE UN AGENDA?
The appointment of a Rwandan Major General as Joint Deputy Commander of the
UN mission in Darfur has once again provided a platform for Rwandan genocidal
organizations, namely FDLR and allied groups to launch a smear campaign against
the Government of Rwanda. This column believes it would be an outrage for
anyone to take seriously allegations put forward by a grouping such as FDLR,
which has been listed and designated a terrorist organization by the
international community. For these forces, a strong, democratic, stable Rwanda,
enjoying the confidence of her people and the support of the International
Community is unacceptable, and they will go to all lengths and use all means,
lies and calumny included, to oppose it.
The FDLR which considers genocide in Rwanda an unfinished business along with
groupings calling themselves FDU- INKINGI and Partenariat- Intwari are at the
forefront of opposing the nomination of Maj. Gen. Karenzi KARAKE. They have
accused him of all evils imaginable, and I would say, Imagined. From the
assassination of leading Rwandan politicians prior to the genocide, to the
death of hundreds at Kibeho, and the death of Rwandans in the jungles of the
DRC. Their accusations are not new. They follow one implacable logic. To turn
the victims of genocide into perpetrators, and hopefully re write the history
of genocide. You dont have to believe me on this. Simply read the 21 August
2007 press release by Partenariat Intwari signed by Deogratias MUSHAYIDI, the
groupings General Secretary (I swear, thats what he calls himself. I do not
know whether the emphasis is on General or Secretary!). In the press release,
Mushayidi wants President Kagame to face his, I quote, "Very
heavy responsibilities in the Rwandan genocide, a genocide whose re-writing
appears henceforth inevitable."
This move by these organizations is in no way surprising. Indeed these same
organizations put up a spirited opposition to the participation of the Rwandan
Defense Forces in the Darfur peacekeeping in 2004. Incidentally it is this role
by the RDF that has earned the Rwandan armed forces great respect in the area
of peacekeeping.
These organizations and their leaders have made it their business to attempt
to re-write the history of the Rwandan genocide, a project so dear to their
hearts. Mushayidi, Victoire Ingabire et al are opposed to the Karenzi
nomination because it will make the re writing that much more difficult. And
so, they are on the war path, and the truth is their first victim.
They have accused Karake Karenzi of assassinating Habyarimanas political
opponents; referring to among others, the killing of Felicien Gatabazi a
moderate and head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and other opposition
politicians in 1993. This is the epitome of cynicism. Felicien Gatabazi was
shot dead the night of the 21st of February 1993. Earlier on, that same day,
the Interahamwe /Impuzamugambi militia had brought Kigali city to a standstill
through roadblocks. They had stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held
hostages for many hours. They had also ransacked the Constitutional Court,
headed by another moderate, Joseph KAVARUGANDA, and stolen documents. The
extremists were protesting the Arusha peace accords and the perceived sell out
of the moderates like Boniface Ngulinzira, the former Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and Felicien Gatabazi. The latter had, to the consternation of the
extremists, publicly accused Habyalimana of widespread corruption and his
Presidential guard of training the militia at the Kanombe barracks. One of
Gatabazis killers was arrested. He was the owner of Las Vegas café/ brothel in
Kigali, and a notorious Interahmwe leader. Victoire INGABIRE of FDU- INKINGI
and RDR knew him well. Perhaps too well for her comfort, thus her current
attempt to frame others for this murder most foul. General Romeo Dallaire, the
UN Commander in Rwanda at the time, confirms that Gatabazi was killed by MRND
extremists. In the next series, we shall cover the killing of other opposition
politicians, including Emmanuel Gapyisi at that period of Rwandas history.
Suffice it to say that evidence abounds that they were the victims of the
MRNDD/ CDR extremist political agenda. Incidentally, the day after the
assassination of Gatabazi, the Presidential guard/ Interahamwe ambushed a UN
escorted RPF convoy carryings senior politicians to the inauguration of the
Transitional National Assembly. Following an intelligence tip, the
politicians were not in the convoy. A number of the members and leaders of FDU
and INTWALI were part of this aborted plan. Their vendetta against the RPF, its
military arm then and its leaders continues.
I shall not go into the ridiculous allegations that Karenzi Karake
participated in the death of 8000 people at Kibeho as the FDU allege. I will
dedicate an entire column to Kibeho at the appropriate time. Suffice it to say
that the death toll was not 8000 as alleged. The UN put it at 1500-2000, other
no less credible sources at 300 or so. Whatever the figure, the deaths while
tragic, were thoroughly investigated. An International Commission of enquiry,
closely associated with the United Nations, presided over by Col- Major Abdel
Aziz a Tunisian military expert, and deputized by Mr. Bernard Dussault; a
Canadian diplomat investigated the incident. Its conclusion was that the deaths
neither resulted from planed action by Rwandan authorities to kill a certain
group of people, nor was it an accident that could not have been prevented. It
laid the blame on elements of the RPA, the UN agencies, NGOS, and most
significantly armed elements among the IDPS themselves. Victoire
Ingabire UMUHOZA and RDR know who these armed elements were. When Kibeho was
eventually evacuated, 1500 people remained, most held hostage by these
elements. UNAMIR, UNHCR, ICRC, MSF and Heads of Diplomatic missions in Kigali,
all promised them safe haven, secure escort to their homes, food and water to
no avail. Over 42 died. The armed extremists were using the lifeless bodies of
children, men and women as their pillows. They were also using human bones for
cooking. Some of these extremists are members of Ingabires RDR and she meets
them and their leaders on her fundraising travels to Malawi, Mozambique, Congo
Brazzaville and North America. Her credibility on the matter is in tatters.
I will end where I began. Karenzi KARAKE is a convenient smokescreen for the
deniers and revisionists of genocide. When I read the Press releases of FDLR,
FDU and Partenariat Intwari, I find myself wondering whether their template
is not "the Protocols of the Elders of Zion," that infamous historical fraud
propagated by the NAZIS and used as a reason for the extermination of the Jews.
The plot and the Ploy is the same. Only the actors have changed. Ingabire and
Mushayidi talk of a sinister project for the edification of a large "Nilotic"
or sometimes "Nilo- Hamitic" empire in Africa, itself placed under the
protection of an Anglo- Saxon empire. No wonder the French media group AFP,
quotes them and the FDLR liberally and constantly.
The Nilotic fictitious project is allegedly headed by what they call the
"African Hitler" namely Yoweri MUSEVENI of Uganda, and Paul KAGAME of Rwanda.
The words come from Mushayidi today; the ideology was coined by the ideologues
of the RTLM, that infamous hate radio, during the genocide in Rwanda. I am not
surprised. RDR publications in the immediate aftermath of the genocide were
faithful reproductions of the Theoneste BAGOSORA apologia for genocide written
in Yaounde Cameroon in 1995.
The FDLR are an important Partner in the Partenariat- Intwari coalition. That
the groups should hate Karenzi KARAKE is inevitable. That they should abuse and
slander him goes without saying. That is their modus Operandus. That their
slanderous accusations should be repeated and propagated by Agence France Press
is disgusting, and that they should be listened to by the United Nations is
unacceptable.
Next issue, an in depth look at FDU- INKINGI and Partenariat - Intwali
Job_ jabiro@ yahoo.co.uk
Sharangabo Rufagari
http://www.rpfinkotanyi.org/?page=indirimbo
RWANDA RAVE REVIEWS
sharangabo rufagari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Dear Jackie.
I do speak with Laurent times to times when things allow it.Most the time
he is comanding operations.But he does take time to speak with me.I am a
congolese as he is.Very much so..!Laurent does know that I a am well connected
in Kigali.He does know very well that KAGAME is very close to me.Laurent did
not asked for the favor right way but I understood him tacitely.KAGAME is a
friend of AFRICA even more he is the son of AFRICA.
NKUNDA saw the genocide in Rwanda.He was right there fighting the
interahamwe's and ex Far.Laurent in nowdays is a pastor,most of the time when I
tryes to reach him ove the phone he is with the peoples teaching them about
spirtuality and the Nation.
I sencerly believe that the CONGO NATION will rise AGAIN.I know from my
innerside that NKUNDA has the torchlighit to bring the country alive again.
They will be a lot of CHALLENGES wating for him.Let keep in mind that LAURENT
NKUNDA MIHIGO was among the soldiers who STOPPED THE GENOCIDE OF TUTSIS in
RWANDA.
Laurent will free the CONGO.As CHE GUEVARRA said ounce Let go comrades
we have to fight.So is Laurent calling the world.
Tommorw is gonna be a very nice day in the DRC,
All the best
sharangabo rufagari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
"The Congolese government seems to be saying that Nkunda is the problem.
They seem to be building the case against him.
This is a case of lack of logic, lack of fairness.
Nkunda is someone who says, 'I'm here because these forces kill my people.
Please, deal with these forces. . . .'
But instead of dealing with what caused him to be what he is today,
you want to deal with him."
CONGO WRONG ON NKUNDA
"It's like saying, if we didn't have these Tutsis,
the ex-FAR would not have people to kill.
It is an ugly way of seeing things."
~ Rwandan Foreign Minister
To Orwell Today,
re: KILLED AT KIBEHO and LUMUMBA-LIKE LAURENT NKUNDA
Dear Jackie,
You can like, love, even cry for Laurent Nkunda but for the majority of
Congolese People, especially Hutus living in Kivu, your hero is a war criminal.
For me he is a genocidaire. He is killing children and women in Rutshuru,
Kitchanga, Masisi.
I hope that one day he will be brought to justice and respond to his crimes.
Check out this link:
Congo war criminal left operating by govt, UN. afrol News, Feb 1, 2007
Best regards,
Kamanzi
To Kamanzi,
Laurent Nkunda is NOT a war criminal. In reality, he's a warrior AGAINST
criminals. He's the head of an army that opposes other armies that are
committing genocide against his people - the Tutsis of Eastern Congo. He's the
only one standing up to the Rwandan Hutus (and their Congo Army and UN Army
supporters) who are continuing with the genocide of Tutsis left unfinished in
1994. If Nkunda's opponents succeed in their war against Tutsis in the Congo,
they'll next move against the Tutsis in Rwanda.
Will the world then say that, in defending itself, Rwanda is guilty of war
crimes?
I don't think so, because the world has seen what happened to Rwanda's Tutsis
and moderate-Hutus when there was no one there on their side until the
"renegade" army of Paul Kagame - the RPF - "came to the aid of their country".
In our previous email exchange I proved to you that what you said about the
RPF Army at Kibeho was lies and that the Hutu Army and its Interahamwe were
behind the killing at Kibeho.
You and your group - the "Paternariat Intwari of CNA-Ubumwe, FDRL-CMC and
PDN" - also accuse Rwanda's general - who has been appointd as Deputy Commander
of the AU/UN forces to Darfur - of being a war criminal in the Congo. And again
you've been proven wrong, as articles quoted explained.
I notice in today's news that your organizations - the ones whose
press-releases you sent me - have admitted they are a group of Rwandan Hutus
who hate the present government in Rwanda and plan to join as one to overthrow
it:
Rwanda: Guerrillas, Political Opposition to Merge. Rwanda News Agency, Aug
28, 2007 (...Brussels based Paternariat Intwari of CNA-Ubumwe, FDRL-CMC and PDN
of former Rwandan Defense Minister Gen. Ben Habyalimana and journalist Deo
Mushayidi say they want to merge with the guerrillas to oust the Kigali
government....)
So now things are out in the open and the whole world can see that the war in
Eastern Congo is being waged by Rwandan Hutus and their Congolese and UN
supporters against Tutsis and their protector - Laurent Nkunda - as a step
toward returning to Rwanda to overthrow the government.
It never ceases to amaze me how the United Nations forces - wherever they are
- always either remain neutral and do nothing (except 'pick up the pieces'), or
they take sides helping the bad guys. The 17,000 UN-force in the Congo (MONUC)
isn't stopping genocide of Tutsis there, just as they didn't stop genocide of
Tutsis in Rwanda. Is war, to the UN, nothing but a "make-work project" like
what Orwell described in the Ministry of Plenty?
Sitting on the sidelines ten thousand miles away - watching another genocide
unfold - I've definitely chosen sides. I'm with (in my prayers and my pen) the
armies of Laurent Nkunda in the Congo and Paul Kagame in Rwanda. "Let's hope"
(to quote Rwanda's Foreign Minister) "that which is just will prevail."
~ Jackie Jura
Reader says that for many Congolese "banyarwanda", Nkunda is their Hope
Guerrillas, Political Opposition to Merge
Rwanda News Agency, Aug 28, 2007
As Tripartite Plus army chiefs map out strategies to do away with Democratic
Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) guerrillas in D R Congo, political
opposition parties in Europe have announced a plan to cooperate with the
rebels, RNA reports. Brussels based Paternariat Intwari of CNA-Ubumwe, FDRL-CMC
and PDN of former Rwandan Defense Minister Gen. Ben Habyalimana and journalist
Deo Mushayidi say they want to merge with the guerrillas to oust the Kigali
government.
"Those people (FDLR) are fighting because they have a reason. So because we
all have the same case we want to come together to solve the same cause",
Mushayidi said yesterday on a BBC great lakes program. The FDLR are Rwandans,
the RPF are also Rwandans and all the parties you hear about are Rwandans as
well - so all we are saying is that we have the right to meet, he said.
Army chiefs from the four-member countries under the tripartite plus
commission framework are in Kigali for a two-day meet. The countries are
Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and DR Congo. "More pressure is needed to flush out
FRDL and ex-FAR insurgents that are undermining peace and security not only in
Rwanda but also the Great Lakes Region," Dr Charles Murigande - Rwandan Foreign
Affairs Minister told delegates that included US Defence and Military Attache
in Kigali Maj. Ronald Miller. "Although we have much success to celebrate in
the joint effort to end insurgency in the region, ex-FAR/Interahamwe that
participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which about a million people were
massacred are very active in the DRC."
In attendance are Rwandan army chief Gen. James Kabareebe, DRCs Gen. Deodone
Kayembe and the Burundian army boss Godfrey Niyombare and the DRC UN mission -
Monuc - Liason Officer in Kigali Mr. Joe Felli. The Ugandan Chief of Defence
Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima was represented by the Ambassador to Rwanda
Richard Kabonero. In the previous meeting in April, Rwandan officials managed
to get agreement giving Congo two months to crack down on a host of FDLR
forces, Uganda militia groups and Burundian Hutu forces roaming free in the
dense forests of its mineral-rich east.
In early August, a senior DRC army officer said military operations against
FDLR were to be suspended in an effort to avoid further ethnic tension in the
lawless Kivu region....
The public record of these parties operating outside the country - Alliance
for Democracy and the National Reconciliation (ADRN Igihango), Initiative for
Dialogue (GID), Union of Rwandese Democratic Forces (UFDR) and the Rwanda
Democratic Alliance - RDA Isangano - has been tarnished by the conduct of their
leaders, a 2006 Great Lakes Center for Strategic Studies (GLCSS) assessment of
the region says. The UK-based think-tank says most of them worked with the
government after the 1994 genocide and were engaged in gross misconduct.
Government has also publicly accused some of them of incompetence, corruption
and divisionism. The center says the only viable option for these parties
operating outside Rwanda is to return and help in the reconstruction of their
nation. However, the groups have vowed to return to overthrow the government.
"Their continued rhetoric as a means of gaining sympathy from the
international community will only serve to negate positive policies the
government of Rwanda is initiating as well as tarnishing its image", the
assessment released July 14 2006 notes. The Executive Secretary, Rwandan
Consultative Forum of Political Organization Mr. Anicet Kayigema has accused
opposition political parties operating outside the country of basing their
political platform on ethnic ties and promoting one group over another. "Our
political organizations are prohibited from basing themselves on race, ethnic
group, tribe, clan, region, sex, religion or any other division which may give
rise to discrimination," GLCSS quotes him and he recalls that that this was one
of the causes of the 1994 genocide.
According to numerous accounts, some of these individuals have run away from
responsibility as well as justice. As former head of the Rwanda Journalists
Association (ARJ), Mr. Deo Mushayidi stands accused to have fled the country in
the year 2000 with funds meant for the organisation. The UN agency UNESCO had
been funding the organisation along with the Press house in Kigali. President
Paul Kagame told journalists in June last year that opposition parties and
individuals operating abroad have not got any potential to jeopardize Rwanda's
relations with the donor community. And indeed, contrary to threats to withdraw
aid as is the case when donor countries are unhappy with the course of events
in any country, Rwanda is tapping massive monetary support generously with
praises of superb performance. "Let me hope you know all these people who claim
to have fled political persecution; don't you know that (Deo) Mushayidi run
away with money of his colleagues in the media
organizations? And for Rwigema, don't you remember him stealing people's
cattle? How about his scandals when he was still the Minister of Education?" he
asked, and added: "for Habyarimana I don't really know why he escaped." Mr.
Rwigema Celestin was a former Prime Minister and Gen. Ben Habyarimana acted as
Defence Minister before fleeing claiming witch-hunt.
Interview with Charles Murigande, Rwandan Foreign Minister
by Stephanie McCrummen, Washington Post, Aug 2, 2007
...Q: How big a threat do you consider the ex-FAR?
A: According to our intelligence and MONUC [the U.N. mission in Congo], these
are people who are still armed, in military formation, and have commanders at
the level of division, brigade, company and battalion. It is a very well
organized army, estimated to be from 6,000 to 10,000 strong. . . . We also have
information that they've been recruiting and training. . . . I do not know any
country in the world which would not be worried about having a force 8,000
strong, well trained -- and a force determined to harm you -- on your border. .
. . I do not even think bin Laden commanded such a huge military force. The
fact that this force is not about to fight and defeat us does not mean it is
not a threat. Bin Laden was never in a position to fight and defeat the U.S.,
but he was still considered a threat. I wonder why people don't apply the same
logic when it's a situation that doesn't effect them.
Q: So how do you deal with the problem of the FLDR?
A: We think that a level of forceful disarmament must be applied. We need to
break the grip of the commanders. The problem is, who should apply that force?
Who should carry out this forceful disarmament?...
Q: What is Rwanda's relationship to Laurent Nkunda, [a renegade Congolese
general]?
A: Rwanda has no relationship with Nkunda. In 1994, when the genocidal forces
came to eastern Congo, they did not abandon their genocidal ideology. They
began a campaign of ethnic cleansing, killing Tutsis in North Kivu including
the parents of Laurent Nkunda. . . . As long as these ex-FAR are around, [the
Tutsis] have nowhere to go unless they can defend themselves. And that led to
Nkunda. And if you look at what caused Nkunda, the problem was when he refused
to be deployed. He said, how can I leave when my people are threatened? He
said, no, I can't be deployed. He said, I will be in the army if I am deployed
here, where my people are threatened. . . . So that's the problem. Of course
because Nkunda is [a speaker of the Rwandan language] and a Tutsi, it is easy
for people who do not do a deep analysis to conclude that there's no way Rwanda
could not be sympathetic to his case. And then they conclude there's a
relationship between Rwanda and Nkunda. Rwanda cannot
establish a relationship with such a person, but we can understand why Nkunda
is Nkunda. We can understand his argument. Because at least he and the people
he is with would be willing to die to protect their people. Which is not the
case with everyone. . . . The major root cause of instability in eastern Congo
is the ex-FAR. It is the inaction and irresponsibility of the international
community that has created this mess here. The Congolese government seems to be
saying that Nkunda is the problem. They seem to be building the case against
him. This is a case of lack of logic, lack of fairness. This is someone who
says, I'm here because these forces kill my people. Please, deal with these
forces. . . . But instead of dealing with what caused him to be what he is
today, you want to deal with him. It's like saying, if we didn't have these
Tutsis, the ex-FAR would not have people to kill. It is an ugly way of seeing
things. But, let's hope that which is just will prevail.
Q: What about the suggestion some analysts have made, that the Congolese army
might use the ex-FAR to attack Nkunda . . . ?
A: A lot of people are worried that as has happened in the past, the
government forces might link up with the ex-FAR and I know the ex-FAR would not
be unhappy with an opportunity to kill Tutsis. If that happens, that will start
worrying us seriously. And that is the message we have been giving. . . . That
might be a disaster. Because we are also able to fight.
RWANDA'S GOOD MAN KAGAME and HOW KAGAME BECAME LEADER
Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events
~
website: www.orwelltoday.com & email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
email: Orwell Today
[input]
http://www.cndp-congo.org/
Sharangabo Rufagari
Montreal,Canada.
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Sharangabo Rufagari
http://www.rpfinkotanyi.org/?page=indirimbo
RWANDA RAVE REVIEWS
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