There is bad blood between authorities in Kigali and UN thanks to unpublished report on genocide and crimes against humanity, said to have been committed by Rwanda forces in DRC. This report has caused a lot of discord between the duo. The darling of UN, Rwanda, is now frowning and threatening even to stop cooperating with UN.
The recently leaked UN report on genocide committed by Rwanda in DRC cannot pass without being discussed.
Though Rwanda has all rights to defend itself, it needs to do so by looking at and underscoring the role of the history of what happened to itself in 1994. When UN hurriedly declared that the killings in Rwanda were genocide, thanks to the UN for not preventing it, the accused people-Hutu, were not given any chance to argue their case before the general assembly that hurriedly declared the same. If precedent is to be followed, Rwanda’s denial does not help anything save to show UN’s double standard, shall it bow to the pressure and stop publishing the report.
Rwandan authorities had this to say with regards to the report: “It is immoral and unacceptable that UN, an organization that failed outright to prevent genocide in Rwanda…now they accuse the army that stopped genocide of committing atrocities in DRC.” Ben Rutasingwa Rwandan government spokesperson was recently quoted as saying.
This is the ‘big weapon’ Rwanda has always used to intimidate UN and the whole world as if Rwandans themselves had no duty to deliver!
But here the point is not moral or who stopped or failed to stop genocide in Rwanda. Here the issue is whether Rwandan army committed genocide in DRC or not, but not whether UN is blameless about Rwanda’s genocide or incompetent to probe the same. Many think Rwanda would squarely deny the allegations by bringing the facts in lieu of far-fetched defence of morality and failure.
Let’s agree. UN failed to prevent genocide from happening in Rwanda as it did in DRC. But shall UN failure be used as a pretext of burying the rights of those that were felled in DRC? If the case is to accuse UN for this, it should go on separately from this. It should not be used to deprive and tramp on the rights of DRC. Two wrongs never make a right. Today Kenya cannot intimidate the ICC in defending its post-ballots warlords, simply because ICC has failed to arrest Omar Bashir. These are two different cases with different merits, just the same as Rwanda’s allegations that UN failed to prevent genocide should not foil UN’s efforts to publish the report on DRC as the way of discharging its duty.
A monkey can still testify against it colleagues it witnessed invading someone’s farm despite being guilty of the same. What the monkey saw in this case is true and must be admissible.
If Rwanda sticks on its guns and UN cowers away, who then will prosecute the criminals that committed genocide in DRC? Shall individual countries take actions like instituting cases against Rwandan authorities as once Spain and France did? Will they be accused of sabotaging Rwanda and the development already been realized there? But all in all, the blood of the innocent people of DRC, as it was for Rwandans, cannot be spilled in vain. Something must be done to this effect no matter what.
Another point Rwanda has to consider is the fact that invading DRC was illegal ab initio. Thus, whatever transpire in that invasion is also illegal.
Why are they pulling their army from Darfur instead of refuting all facts by facts, if what was found is a mere lie? Is this the solution?
Rwanda, the just recent victims of the same crime it is alleged to have committed in DRC methinks, must face the reality and come clean. The pains it felt when genocide was committed in its soil is the same the people of DRC are feeling, despite having no strong government that can press UN to publish the report. Why genocidaires protect Darfuris against more genocide? UN missions need to be comprised of people with probity and clean track record. Refer to what happened in DRC when India’s and Pakistan’s unity were implicated in mineral smuggling.
Why is it a crime in Rwanda, under the so-called genocide ideology law for someone to doubt, negate, question and what not genocide, but when Rwanda is caught pant down it becomes another issue?
The other day I wrote that Rwandan president Paul Kagame needs to truly reconcile Rwanda and Rwandans. This did not augur well with Kigali. I was maliciously and wrongly branded a genocide denier or an argent for deniers. Why is it a crime to deny Rwanda’s genocide but not DRC’S, one that Rwanda is blatantly doing by issuing threats and intimidation?
But again, if it was possible for Rwandan authorities to come up with the numbers of those that were felled in the 1994 genocide ex-parte, even alter the whole definition that was propounded by UN, what is wrong with an independent and respected entity like UN to look into what actually transpired in DRC when Rwanda and Uganda, illegally, invaded and plundered DRC?
To do away from this heinous crime and to make sure that it won’t be repeated anywhere else, UN must form a special tribunal to look into genocide in DRC. No soul is better than another. We still remember. Rwanda and Uganda invaded DRC without any right or edict from UN. They did so under the pretext of self defence. But again, which self defence authorizes the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity in the first place?
At this juncture, UN is in hot soup. For if it hurriedly consented to the formation of International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and declare Rwanda’s massacres as genocide where genocide case was generally dealt with ex-parte, why then not apply the same method with regards to atrocities that were committed in DRC?
Shall UN withdraw this report or cower away just because Rwandan authorities have threatened to withdraw their army in Darfur? The UN will end up in an awkward situation thereby losing its credibility before the eyes of the world. This should not be allowed to happen. No country has the right to act discretionary to violate the rights of other countries.
Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.
afrospear.wordpress.com 
Regarding the Hueman Rights Watch and it seems that Rwanda just wants the campaign group to leave them(us) alone..
“Kigali: President Kagame got the opportunity Thursday to speak directly to the campaign group Human Rights Watch – telling off one of its senior staff that Rwandans are happy with the status quo in their country, instead the organization should just give them “freedom”.
(We found this feed on our site http://www.nubiannewsnetwork.com/Rwanda-News.html)
A Little something extra which involves the Genocide (towards the bottom)
THE High Court yesterday handed Deogratias Mushayidi a life sentence after finding him guilty of causing state insecurity, inciting the population to hate the government and using forged documents.
Court ruled that the prosecution had presented enough evidence. Mushayidi, 50, was also ordered to pay Rwf 73,150. Prosecution had asked court last month to serve Mushayidi with three separate sentences, including two life sentences and 50 years in prison.
The prosecution, however, failed to prove that Mushayidi worked with the DR Congo-based Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia. He was also cleared of promoting Genocide revisionism, genocide ideology and divisionism.
Thanks AfroSpear your site is diverse and seems to do one infinite things at once (versus just one million)
Your Family at NubianNewsNetwork.com
We meant to post the articles links as well – here they are
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14387&article=33735
http://www.rnanews.com/politics/4194-kagame-rwanda-needs-freedom-from-human-rights-watch
More on Ben Rutasingwa comment
“Rwandan authorities had this to say with regards to the report: “It is immoral and unacceptable that UN, an organization that failed outright to prevent genocide in Rwanda…now they accuse the army that stopped genocide of committing atrocities in DRC.” Ben Rutasingwa Rwandan government spokesperson was recently quoted as saying.”
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“UN says peacekeepers ‘failed’ DR Congo rape victims”
======================================
“UN peacekeepers have “failed” the victims of mass rape in eastern DR Congo, a senior UN official has said.
Atul Khare told the Security Council that the scale of systematic rape by armed rebels was far worse than feared.
Mr Khare said he had learned of 74 attacks in a village called Miki, in South Kivu. The victims included 21 children – all girls aged between seven and 15 – and six men.
All the women in another village, Kiluma, may have been systematically raped, he said.
“While the primary responsibility for protection of civilians lies with the state, its national army and police force, clearly, we have also failed,” he said.
“Our actions were not adequate, resulting in acceptable brutalisation of the population of the villages in the area. We must do better.”
Article: http://congoplanet.com/article.jsp?id=45261732
—Found on the Democratic Republic of the Congo Feed–
http://www.nubiannewsnetwork.com/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo-News.html
Nkwazi,
I think you missed the mark here. I don’t think you can question the Rwandan genocide as to whether it happened or the extent, because that is semantics.
The fact it happened was a crime, and even people who deny the Holocaust are thrown in jail and that is fact.
The fact the genocide happens cannot be denied.
I think this article is a bit murky to be honest but I respect your right to voice your thoughts.
Kagem Tibaijuka
Dear Kagem,
I am sorry that you did not get it. I have nary denied the occurrence of genocide in Rwanda. My point is Rwanda should understand the feelings of Congolese by referring how Rwanda felt itself when this heinous crime was committed in its soil. This, if anything is what I am insisting that it should guide all of us. Better than thou won’t help us despite our love of whatever. No human soul is better than another. That is my argument put and made simple for everybody to underscore.
So too, it must be appreciated that stopping genocide in Rwanda though relative as it is should not be employed to quash the rights of Congolese. Whatever is said is there if not it will come soon.
I have recently received a number of emails accusing Bro. Nkwazi of being a genocide denier. I have read all of his posts in regards to Rwanda and he has never, let me repeat, n-e-v-e-r, denied that the Tutsi’s in Rwanda were victims of genocide. Neither has he ever, let me repeat, e-v-e-r, minimized the impact or severity of that genocide.
Bro. Nkwazi has always been clear that there was genocide committed in Rwanda and that it was horrific for the Tutsi victims. In this post, he clearly states: “Let’s agree. UN failed to prevent genocide from happening in Rwanda as it did in DRC” and “Rwanda, the just recent victims of the same crime it is alleged to have committed in DRC…” Bro. Nkwazi has also been clear that his issue with Rwandan president Paul Kagame is that he is an autocrat who is denying real democracy in the political process, as well as his continued support of militias in the eastern DRC who are committing genocide against the population. It appears that there is a UN report about to be released that agrees with Bro. Nkwazi on this last point. Paul Kagame and his supporters are quick to accuse anyone who opposes them as “genocide deniers”. This is a tactic to not only stop free speech, but more importantly its to prevent others from exposing their crimes against other human beings. Sounds familiar?
Now I am willing to be corrected, since I may have missed even one of Bro. Nkwazi statements, whether here at AfroSpear or elsewhere, where he has denied the genocide in Rwanda or minimized it’s impact/severity. If that is the case, please provide proof of that statement.
I asked the same proof from Bro. Nkwazi’s accuser and was met with the accusation that I am also a genocide denier. In fact Bro. Nkwazi and I were referred to as: “Israel Haters, Jew haters, Tutsi haters!” hmmmm… really? Apart from being called names, no actual proof was provided to me. I have one rule. If all you can do is attempt to demonize a person, call them names and make personal character accusations, because you don’t agree with their opinion, but cannot intelligently debate or discuss the issue to prove your point, then you and your opinions are lacking in substance, credibility and truth.
The over 500 pages UN report release has been delayed until, I think, the end of October.
To make it public will be very damaging to Kagame. Simple, all citizens must prescribe to the official version of the 1994 Genocide. That’s what he uses to silence all his opponents.
Unusual coincidences that all critics or opponents of his regime go into exile, meet unfortunate accidents or are jailed.
The country is ruled by fear and its citizen are not allowed to “beg to differ”.
Assuming the allegations, in the UN report, are substantiated, Kagame PR platform will be out of balance and contrary to “his” genocide law. How can an angel and a savior commit sin!
Presently, he has a playing card with his peace keeping troops stationned in Sudan. Lets see if it works on the international scene.
Also, I am curious about the French investigation about the downing of the planes carrying the former president Habyarimana. No one seem to know and yet this is what started the genocide. That’s if, after so many years, they find any evidences.
Kagame is a cunning leader. Isn’t it!
Last. Anyone stating the article is about genocide denial is off the mark. People are quick to jump start their cognitive dissonance. The lost lives of Tutsis, Hutus or any other tribes have values. Even dead they all have a right to justice. Why make the life on one worthier than the other.
Bro. Asabagna you dead right. They are calling us all names in order to intimidate us and get away with it. They usually ride on accusing us on hating Jews something that hogwash in order to draw sympathy from Israel and western countries simply because they are in good terms.
Let me repeat as I always have done. Genocide was committed in Rwanda in 1994. But who pressed the button if not those that brought presidential jet down? We all agree that UN agreed that Tutsi and moderate Hutu were wiped out. But currently Tutsi-led regime in Rwanda has abrogated UN definition of Genocide against Tutsi and moderated Hutu to Genocide against Tutsi. Methinks. This is what Victoire Ingabire contended with so as to be charged with fabricated preaching Genocide Ideology.
One point our detractors miss is the fact that we, Human Rights campaigners/Activists hate or fear nobody except violation of Human Rights. We have nothing personal or calumnious against nobody save those that abuse others’ rights. I have always appreciated development that Rwanda has made under Kagame. But on the same breath Rwanda has lost a great deal more when it comes to true democracy, Human Rights and reconciliation.
How can a country that witnesses the butchering of journalists and opposition leaders as it recently happened be treated normally? Those killed be they in the opposition or pro-government, to Human Rights Activists count just as anybody.
Kagame would do better shall he reconcile with Rwandans by forming the government of the majority. We have time and again warned him that shall he cling unto power as he has proved to do, he’ll end up becoming a stinking dictator just like Yoweri Museveni who cloned him.
Everybody even birds know that Rwanda and Uganda invaded DRC. In this invasion many women were raped and many people killed not to forget huge amount of timber, minerals and money were robbed, We can not all act blindly or share the same bed with criminals in this respect. We don’t judge anybody. Ours has always to see justice being done and being seen done.
So I fully concur with bro Asabagna that they want to stop free thinking and free speech. If they are men enough, then let them confront us with solid evidence to their defence instead of issuing threats and hoo-ha unnecessarily. This reminds me of Bush-Cheney-Rumsfield honchos. They intimidated whoever told them the truth that there were no WMDs in Iraq till they leaked what they threw up as it was proved that truly there were no WMDs in Iraq.
Though today many self seekers and their cohorts can point fingers at anybody simply because they are in power, their crimes won’t be pushed under the carpet. If this happens is but temporarily.
I concur with you guys. Rwanda thinks will get away with it by intimidating thinkers. The way out of this is to face reality by doing what people want but not what dictators want.
Keep it up Afro Spear. You truly are a spear. African spear the symbol of security.
First of all, most of either lack information or don’t mension it. One thing, the genocide in Rwanda was prepared and was to happen even if the president plane wasn’t shut down. Probably the genocide would have taken a long time. What was the massacres before the genocide was a proof for that. In that direction no one can’t denie the genocide against the tutsi. The most of the moderates hutu who were killed was politicians or just denied to take part in it (that’s why the is a Hero day in Rwanda for all of them).
Second, before Rwanda( with Uganda and congolese rebelions) invaded Congo, Kagame made a tour to most influent western capital asking them to take action againt the interahamwe in Conge because they were attacking Rwanda for quite some time or he will take the matter in his hand. Everybody laughed at him and no action were taken. And then the Congo war started.
People died, probably many civilians lost their lives. Let’s suppose that the Rwandan army killed civilians, at that time, who could tell the difference between the interhamwe and civilians? The UN and the many NGO’s which was there couldn’t. The main objectif of the war was to repatriate rwandans in the first place and Rwanda did so, otherwise how can you explain the millions that came back to the country there after? Suppose the Rwandan army killed thousands interhamwe and took their arms to give to the congolese rebels ( because of lack of equipment in the begining og the war), what the human right watch investigators would say when they come and find dead dead interahamwe ( without thier weapons)? Is it genocide?
As for Ingabire, what she said incriminate her. The first thing she sais when she came back to Rwanda was the she was the cadidate of the majority, in rwandan terms, hutu people. She was warned, but not arrested after that comment. a short periode after that, when she was visiting the genocide memorial, she said that she could se that all the bones were from hutu people, and ask for where about of the hutu’s bones? That’s when she was arrested and charged of divisionism. So tell med how a leadership , 16 years after the genocide, somebody come and say such a thing, should we let it go and call it freendom of speech or should punish it with in mind all the atrocities that occured in Rwanda?
Suppose we apply the same modus operandi John has employed in judging Rwanda’s genocide. How do we know that those said to be Tutsi said to have been killed were Hutu killed by RPF?
Rwanda needs to come clean. This is the only way forward. Rwanda must embrace true democracy and stop intimidation and far-fetched pretexts. Kagame is a dictator no matter what. He is hiding himself behind stopping genocide. Rwandans need democracy not crap. Rwandans need transparency as it was recently proposed by Rwandans in exile. It is not wrong to say that currently, Rwanda’s enemy is Kagame and his gang of killers.