AfroAmerica Network

Sources in Kigali, the capital of the tiny country of Rwanda inform AfroAmerica Network that two generals were arrested on Monday April 19, 2010 night after a botched coup-d’etat. The two generals, Major Genaral Karenzi Karake and Lt General Charles Muhire were among the highest ranking officers within the military junta leading the tiny country.

Since early this year rumors of a coup, followed by provoking speeches by the Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame have created a climate of heightened tension and violence. Multiple grenade attacks rocked the otherwise calm city, killing a score of people. The US Embassy  in Kigali …

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Recently, the Rwandan capital Kigali, usually known as the model of security in the troubled Great Lakes region of Africa,  has been rocked by political instability,  rumors of coup, and a brutal repression against political oppositions, especially those operating inside Rwanda, including Faustine Ntaganda of  Social Party Imberakuri, Frank Habineza of Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and Ms. Victoire Ingabire of United Democratic Forces. A faction supported by RPF staged a forced attempt to unseat Faustine Ntaganda. The RPF led government has so far thwarted Frank Habineza’s efforts to  register his party. Ms Ingabire received threats from President Kagame to the point of seeking a temporary protection with the embassy of the United Kingdom. Ms Ingabire is now barred from leaving the country, after she unsuccessfully tried to board a plane to visit her family left in Europe.

In a two month period, multiple grenades  attacks rocked the usually heavily secured city of Kigali, sending a shock in the diplomatics circles. In its March 4, 2010 Warden Message, the U.S. Embassy in Kigali confirmed two grenade attacks in Kigali and issued warnings regarding traveling in and around the city. A few days later, two Rwandan ambassadors, one accredited to the Netherlands and another to India, fled the country and sought asylum respectively in Ireland and South Africa. The ex-Ambassador to India was no other than the former Rwandan Patriotic Army Chief of Staff, General Kayumba Nyamwasa. In South Africa he found another colleague, Colonel  Karegeya,  a former Rwandan army head of intelligence, who had fled a few years earlier.

Then an army mutiny was attempted but failed while General Kagame was on his way back from a trip to visit his son, a cadet at the  US West Point MilitaryAcademy. He had to stay in Kenya and then Burundi for a week , awaiting for the loyal troops, the Reserve Brigade, to put down the army mutiny.

When he reached Kigali, he bribed the soldiers by paying US$ 500 per soldier of the Republican Guard, and $100 per soldier in other units.

Next, on April 7, 2010 General Kagame delivered a defiant speech in which he acknoweldges coup attempts, but dismissed the possibility of success. “[They] call me Hitler,” he added referring to the Western institutions   who accuse him of stifling the media and the freedom of speech, repressing the opposition and running an undemocratic regime. “who are they giving lessons to? Who are they? Are these Rwandans complaining? Have they sent you to speak on their behalf?,” he angrily reacted. He then promised a to fight if necessary: “there should be no apologies to anyone if we have to fight back when it is time to fight. When it is time to make peace, we should be at our best. But when it is time to fight, for your country, your sovereignty, your dignity, Rwandans – you should not be found wanting – you should never be apologetic about this.”

Two days later General Kagame reshuffled the military, appointing to the post of Minister of Defense the Chief of Staff General James Kabarebe, apparently suspected of involvement in stirring up the military discontent. Observers point out that by appointing James Kabarebe the Minister of Defense, General Kagame is  making sure the army would be in the hands of his three loyal henchman: General Charles Kayonga, the new Army Chief of Staff, Lt General Caesar Kayizari, the new  Land Forces Chief of Staff and Lt General Charles Muhire, the Republican Guard Chief of Staff. The Republican Guard or the Army Reserve is the presidential guard, in charge of the security of the Rwandan Dictator Kagame.

© Copyright AfroAmerica Network, April 2010

e-mail: afro@afroamerica.net

Web address: http://www.afroamerica.net

 

A Tutsi Extremist causes diplomatic incident in Kigali

Tuesday April 13, 2010.

Theodore Simburudari, the leader of a  RwandanTutsi extremist group IBUKA which claims to represent ethnic Tutsis in Rwanda has caused a diplomatic row between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.  In a speech at the memorial to honor Rwandan Hutu politicians killed during the 1994 Rwandan civil war, the Tutsi extremist leader lashed out at the Congolese diplomats and envoys sitting among the guests during the ceremony held in the hill of Rebero and led by the Rwandan Speaker of the Parliament, Vincent Biruta.

Staging a theatrical  show, Mr Theodore Simburudari accused …

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SPEECH BY  RWANDAN DICTATOR PAUL KAGAME ON APRIL 7, 2010

“Concerning rights, who has the right to lecture us on rights after what we went through? All of us Rwandans – now around 11 million – who can tell us what is good for us and what is bad for us?

- We know it already. How can you give lessons to someone who has walked in the dark and met the worst of darkness? We have met with the worst, we have been there – we know it well.

When people expend time and energy inventing – saying that no one talks in Rwanda, that there is no political space, press freedom, – who are they giving lessons to? Who are they? Are these Rwandans complaining? Have they sent you to speak on their behalf? These Rwandans are as free and as happy as they have never been in their life. Freedom of expression? Freedom of Press? There are those who insult people every day! They insult me every day! I don’t give a damn. They draw cartoons, call me Hitler – I ignore them, I am not bothered at all… ”

SPEECH BY  RWANDAN DICTATOR PAUL KAGAME ON APRIL 7, 2010

 

I would like to thank all our guests who came from different corners of the world and also thank

their countries for sending them here. Let me also thank other countries that were not mentioned

earlier. I begin with the countries in our region – the East African Community, those in Southern

Africa, West Africa, Europe, America and Asia that have joined us to commemorate this day, both

here and in respective home countries.

I would like to begin by talking about what has made us gather here today. We are here to

remember – remembering is a must and an obligation. In remembering we must also forgive – it

is a duty – to forgive those who sincerely seek to be forgiven.

Why must we always remember? We must do so because that which caused us the pain is bad

politics, bad politicians and bad leaders. Bad politics that killed people – we don’t even need to

waste our time on numbers, whether it is 500,000 or one million, those who play with numbers

should know that the pain of 500,000 people is not negligible and there is no difference between

the politics that caused 500,000 deaths and that which caused one million deaths – both are bad

politics.

I should however say that bad politics was not just internal – the bad politics which led to the loss

of 1 million people, loss of values and culture is not just Rwandan. The convergence of bad

national politics with bad international politics resulted in what we commemorate today – the

tragic situation of 1994.

As Rwandans – we have no power to change bad international politics, but we have the power

to change bad politics of our country and that is where we should concentrate our efforts.

However, even though we don’t have the power to change international politics, international

politics has not stopped interfering with our internal politics. This means that we have to deal with

two issues. But then, once you are able to manage what you have the power to deal with – which

is internal politics, then you will be able to also resist external forces in order to avert negative

consequences. When bad internal politics converge to a great scale with bad international

politics like it was the case here in Rwanda, the result is always catastrophe.

What exactly do we have power to deal with and how can we go about it? As we remember,

honour our people and bow in prayer for them – as we remember the pain and grief, we should

with the same spirit stand strong and confidently declare that this will not happen again. We

should convert our grief into strength and determination to build a better future that we deserve.

We have the capability in us to do this – we should make this a culture.

It indeed hurts, you can all hear the cries of grief here in this stadium, this is testimony of the

extent of our country’s problem and people’s suffering. There is no other remedy but to work

together to fight what caused this what might cause the same problem in future. In grief we must

find strength and pride to build our self respect – and defy those who sought to devalue us. We

must fight and show that we are better people, people who can raise themselves, and build a

better life and a better future.

That is why I say that in our grief and tears, let’s be happy, laugh and clap for ourselves. Joy and

remembrance should go hand in hand – one does not erase the other. Let remembering not deny

us pride and happiness at who we are and our willingness to build ourselves.

Building our future must come from us. External support will only come to complement our efforts,

no one will do it for us except ourselves, This includes the youth and the children who earlier

delivered those uplifting words. They should receive good upbringing, good teaching, good

politics as well as strength and pride of who they are. We are Rwandans, we are Africans; we

should be happy to be who we are.

We should never try to be someone else. Instead, we should endeavour to be the best of who we

are. We should fight to be the best we can be, there is a lot in us we can build on to shape the

future that every Rwandan deserves. We should understand that we owe it to ourselves. We can

seek partnerships and friendship – this is important and adds value to our resolve. But we should

remain at the frontline to build and shape the future of this nation.

For those who extend friendship and partnership, we should reciprocate in similar or even larger

measure. For those who bring to us a fight, we should be able to give a fight they will never

forget. A fight in defence of our freedom, of our rights and of our dignity. There should be no

apologies to anyone if we have to fight back when it is time to fight. When it is time to make

peace, we should be at our best. But when it is time to fight, for your country, your sovereignty,

your dignity, Rwandans – you should not be found wanting – you should never be apologetic

about this.

Concerning rights, who has the right to lecture us on rights after what we went through? All of us

Rwandans – now around 11 million – who can tell us what is good for us and what is bad for us?

- We know it already. How can you give lessons to someone who has walked in the dark and met

the worst of darkness? We have met with the worst, we have been there – we know it well.

When people expend time and energy inventing – saying that no one talks in Rwanda, that there

is no political space, press freedom, – who are they giving lessons to? Who are they? Are these

Rwandans complaining? Have they sent you to speak on their behalf? These Rwandans are as

free and as happy as they have never been in their life. Freedom of expression? Freedom of

Press? There are those who insult people every day! They insult me every day! I don’t give a

damn. They draw cartoons, call me Hitler – I ignore them, I am not bothered at all. I just hold them

in contempt. That’s all. But how can you do that and at the same time turn around and complain

that you done have Press freedom! You even have the freedom to abuse people; you have no

respect of anything, what more do you want to express about yourself or about others?

Democracy – we don’t need any lessons in this. We know the value of freedom, democracy,

justice, social and economic transformation – we know this from the life we have lead. Some

people want to encourage political hooligans. People come from nowhere, useless people – I

have seen photos, some lady with a deputy who is a genocide criminal – saying that there is

`one genocide but then there is another”, and the world starts saying that she is an `opposition

leader’.

Well, I know those who say and support this but they know it is wrong. It is an expression of

contempt these people have for Rwandans and Africans. They think Africans deserve to be led

by these hooligans – and to this we say no –a big no. And if anybody wants a fight there, we will

give them a fight. We can smile, we can debate, we can discuss or postpone it for another day,

but when it is our decision, we make it. And when we make it, it is in relation to our dignity, our

values, our pride.

This is a message to everyone that we want to be as free, as happy, as democratic as you are.

Some of these who give us lessons have been on a journey of thousands of years to democracy

and they want to wake up one morning and distort our situation, tell lies, yet they are responsible

for many of the things that have us here to commemorate this genocide. And as they talk about

freedom of expression, they don’t want you to express yourself about their responsibility in this

genocide. What freedoms are you teaching me? If you can’t take full responsibility for what you

did, for the politics that killed one million people of Rwanda, why do you teach me freedom yet in

that freedom you don’t want me to put the blame on you, and rightly so?

It is a struggle, it will take time, resolve, energy, a fight, but we should be able to do that. We

should be able to define ourselves and what we want for our country and some of us are very

happy to make it a lifelong commitment.

Let me go back to the problems of genocide survivors and problems they face. I would like to say

that the commitment and will to find solutions to their problems will never diminish, on the

contrary, this keeps increasing. We always look to find solutions to these problems. However,

people tend to exacerbate the problems. You find that resources are sourced and found, but

things don’t get implemented the way they should be because of poor performance. This is the

bad politics that I was talking about – where people are not held accountable. That is what we

have been fighting lately, in the process of building good politics.

Most of the leaders who complain – those who run away, do so because they are evading

accountability. A country that cannot hold leaders accountable for what they are in charge of will

always face problems, therefore holding leaders to account for their responsibilities will continue.

Problems that don’t get solved have dire consequences to homeless, destitute survivors.

However, I assure you that there is continued progress and we will see to it that the situation is

corrected and further developed. I call upon you to make it a culture to help each other and

especially support those with trauma so that everyone of us can have a role in nation building so

we can reach the development that we long for.

Thank you and may God’s peace be with you.

 

 

© Copyright AfroAmerica Network, April 2010

e-mail: afro@afroamerica.net

Web address: http://www.afroamerica.net

The coalition forces of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC), and UN MIssion of Congo (MONUC) have failed to dismantle Rwandan rebels, says UN Experts Report.

David O’Brian
Baltimore, November 25, 2009

AfroAmerica Network just finished to review a copy of the UN Group of Experts report leaked to the media, and to us. The conclusion of the Report is damning for everybody and especially discredits the claims by the coalition of the Congolese Defense Forces (FARDC), Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) and MONUC of having broken the military and political structure of the rwandan rebels, including Democratic Liberation Forces (FDLR) and the Rally For Unity and Democracy (RUD-Urunana). Instead, the report asserts, these two rebels groups, not long ago competitors, have created alliances among themselves and with the Congolese ethnic groups including Hunde, Nande, and Congolese Hutu in North-Kivu and Tutsis Bagogwe and Banyamulenge in Masisi and South-Kivu. Besides, the report affirms that the two groups, especially a RUD Colonel named Winceslas Nizeyimana, has been recruiting hundreds of combatants across the border in Uganda from the refugee camps of Nakivale and Cyaka. CNDP, led by the accused war criminal General Bosco Ntaganda has increased in numbers, strength, and wealth and committed most of the worst abuses, including  massive rapes, mass slaughters of civilians, looting and illegal levy of taxes, following its integration within the congolese army, the FARDC.

As most human rights group have pointed out, the UN Experts’ report concurs that instead of reaching sought out solutions, the military operations known as Umoja Wetu, Kimia I and KImiaII against the rwandan rebels, have complicated the problem, and created one of the most appalling human catastrophe the humanity has experienced: thousands of women and girls raped, thousands of civilians killed, hundreds of thousand of refugees and displaced, countless villages looted and burned to ground.  All countries are accused of supporting or helping the Rwandan rebels: China, Angola, South Africa, Russia, Tanzania, North Korea, Sudan, France, Germany, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, North America, Great Britain, Switzerland, and most importantly the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself.
Among the Congolese accused of supporting FDLR and RUD-Urunana are: Congo-Kinshasa’s Minister of Decentralization, Mbusa Nyamwisi, who was previously Foreign Minister, and the businessman Kasereka Maghulu, also known as Kavatsi, who has apparently been helping RUD-URUNANA to obtain food supplies, arms, ammunition and cash in return for minerals and timber. The commanders of the FARDC 10th military region, General Pacifique Masunzu, a Banyamulenge (South Kivu Banyamulenge Tutsi) who broke with the Rwandan-backed Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) back in 2003 and who clearly remains implacably opposed to the Rwandan government, and his deputy Colonel Baudouin Nakabaka, a former Mai-Mai fighter accused responsible of providing logistical support to Rwandan rebels.

One interesting accusation is directed to Roman Catholic networks. The UN Group particularly names two Spanish charities linked with the Roman Catholic church, the Fundació S’Olivar and Inshuti, and funded by the government of the Islas Baleares Province. The Spanish charities, Fundació S’Olivar and Inshuti are accused of providing financial support to the FDLR, funding allegedly used to recruit combatants from refugee camps and young Congolese Hutus. Fundació S’Olivar is run by the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Juan Carrero, a prominent figure in Spain and renown conscience objector. Inshuti used to be run by Joan Casoliva. Both men are cited in the report as being FDLR sympathizers and for seeking the prosecution of RPF officials in the Spanish courts. Inshuti is accused of collaborating with a Belgian brother of a charity called Constant Goetschalckxhas.

The UN Experts especially targets the FDLR political leaders in the following sections (93 – 95):

93. To further corroborate the modus operandi of the FDLR chain of command, the Group worked in collaboration with an FDLR ex-combatant who in turn obtained information in the presence of the Group from a radio operator active in DRC. This conversation, which was heard and transcribed by the Group, related to military instructions issued in March 2009 by the FDLR high command to attack civilian populations and hospitals (see transcription made by the Group as the radio operator read them out in Annex 18). Four FDLR ex-combatants, two of whom were senior officers, reported that they had received similar orders to act against the civilian population following the end of Umoja Wetu. Dozens of FDLR ex-combatants have also stated to the Group that orders of this nature must be given by Gen Mudacumura, who in similar circumstances consults first with Mr Murwanashyaka.
94. The Group obtained testimonies from FDLR ex-combatants that Mr Murwanashyaka has been involved in coordinating the transfer of arms and ammunition to FDLR units and relaying specific instructions on their use (see paragraph 71 for one example). The Group also obtained evidence that Mr Murwanashyaka has been involved in managing large sums of money that have been raised through the illicit sale of natural resources derived from areas under the control of the FDLR. This money is used by the leadership to pay for operational needs such as the phone bills of satellite phones used by the FDLR military high command.
95. The Group obtained evidence thatEtablissement Muyeye, one of the biggest minerals trading houses in Bukavu, has organised the transfer of funds through Western Union to individuals in Germany who are helping Mr Murwanashyaka violate the terms of the assets freeze imposed upon him by the UN and German authorities (Etablissement Muyeye was cited in paragraphs 78-88 of the Group’s December 2008 report (S/2008/773), as well as paragraphs 164 to 172 of this report for purchasing minerals from FDLR areas). The Group was informed by an employee and a family member of Mr Muyeye Byaboshi, the owner of Etablissement Muyeye, that Mr Muyeye was transferring money to Germany on behalf of the FDLR. The employee of Mr Muyeye showed to the Group some receipts of such money transfers. They included payments of several thousand dollars, and the most recent had been made as late as April 2009. The transfers were all made in the name of Jean Marie Shamavu, an associate of Mr Muyeye in Bukavu, to Metete Nzita in Germany, who is an agent of Mr Murwanashyaka in Germany, according to several sources close to the FDLR.

In summary, it is clear that the military solution in the DRC has failed. What is next? The report concludes without ambiguity that military operations against the rwandan rebels have failed to dismantle the organization’s political and military structures on the ground in eastern DRC. The UN Group of Experts observes with dismay that the increasing rate of rwandan rebels combatants defections and the FDLR temporary removal from many of its bases only provided a partial success as the rebels have regrouped in a number of locations in the Kivus, and continue to recruit new fighters in Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Rwandan rebels have maintained close ties with top commanders of the FARDC, particularly those officers in the 10th military region (South Kivu), and have sealed strategic alliances with other armed groups in both North and South Kivu. External support networks, both regional and international, continue to support rwandan rebels.

It is time for the International Community to be pragmatic and draw a conclusion: military solutions do not work and will not work. The period of new solutions is overdue. Here is our AfroAmerica Network proposition:
The problem in the great lakes region of Africa is complex. Yet, a simple solution is possible, because the root cause of the problem is known.
One may not tackle a complex problem without tackling the root cause: the Rwandan political dimension. That is where one needs to look first. Otherwise, let us forget it: jailing rwandan rebels leaders, imposing travel and asset freeze sanctions, and trying to enforce an unworkable arms embargo appear useless enterprises.  These actions only complicate the problem further,  harden the rebels, and push even farther away
the political solutions, hence the durable solutions.

David O’Brian
AfroAmerica Network Editor
Baltimore, Nov 25, 2009
© Copyright AfroAmerica Network, 2009

Dear friend agacurama_mu_kibunda,

Although from the French root “intrigue” and Italian’s “intricare”,  intriguing actually means ” interesting, fascinating, absorbing, compelling, gripping, riveting, captivating, engaging, enthralling,  enchanting, attractive, appealing.”
We, Americans, blame the French and the Italians for the confusion.

At the UN Security Council in 1994, it is rumored that the French said in their French accent “Kagame is euh… un intrigant… guing”. So The British and the Americans, always believing that French knew Rwandans better than them, agreed by saying: “Yes, Yes we agree. Kagame is really intriguing. He deserves all the support he needs.”
The fate of the Rwandan Hutu and Tutsi was sealed. Because of the confusion about the word, Kagame was given the green light to massacre 3 millions Rwandese and 5 millions Congolese, and to be decorated by Rick Warren and Tony
Blair for that intriguing religious and political act.

As for me, I do not see anything intriguing about Kagame and his brothers. I heard one of his brothers, shot by angry bats in a broad daylight on the streets of Uganda 15 years or so ago, was equally a hideous monster. It is a good pedigree of genetically modified repulsive
fiends (not friends, please but fiends).

Kagame, being the champion of underhanded plans, is rather an intriguer, a schemer, which in French, if I am not mistaken, means “intrigant.”

The enlightened Rick Warren cannot make a saint out of a monster; Tony Blair cannot make a democrat out of a bloodthirsty tyrant. By contrast, bats (chauve-souris) are usually intriguing creatures: they captive our imagination and can easily spot a monster and a bloodthirsty
tyrant in the heat of the night.

David O’Brian
©AfroAmerica Network, 2009

agaculama_mu_ikibunda wrote:
> >
> > Dear friends of our beloved Rwanda,
> >
> > We have regularly and recently read a quoting edited in an article of
> > the American writer Stephen Kinzer: “/In his memoir, “God Sleeps in
> > Rwanda,” Joseph Sebarenzi presents a thoughtful critique of Kagame’s
> > regime. His tale is a provocative warning to the many outsiders who
> > are ready to canonize Kagame/”. In fact it is also a provocative
> > warning to himself, who already canonized Kagame.
> >
> > Let me remind you that the same American writer Stephen Kinzer
> > recently wrote the book: /”A Thousand Hills: Rwanda’s Rebirth and the
> > Man Who Dreamed It.” /This Kagame canonizing book has been written in
> > the typical “Blancs Menteurs” or parrot’s tradition which precisely
> > canonizes Kagame, refusing to have any honest consideration for the
> > Rwandese and Congolese victims of Kagame and its RPF dictatorial
> > regime. A parrot is a genus of tropical birds with hooked beak and
> > fleshy tongue who repeats words without understanding them (Penguin
> > English Dictionary, op cit., p.513).
> >
> > Let us further read and comment some remarks of Stephen Kinzer:
> >
> > 1/ “/By all accounts, the credit goes to President Paul Kagame, whose
> > rebel army, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, deposed the genocidal regime
> > in 1994 and who has been the country’s strongman ever since/”
> >
> > _Comment_. This is not the truth, because there are more and more
> > accounts discrediting Kagame for: having perpetrated a terroristic
> > coup d’Etat on April the 6^th , 1994, for having killed two regularly
> > elected African presidents (Rwanda and Burundi), having deliberately
> > sacrified the intra muros Tutsi, having murdered hundreds of thousands
> > of Hutu in both the Northern and Eastern parts of Rwanda at least
> > during the period 1990-1994, having killed hundreds of thousands of
> > Hutu refugees in the forests of Zaïre/RDC since November 1996, being
> > responsible of both direct and indirect death of millions of innocent
> > Congolese citizens in both Kivu in order to transform these regions in
> > a no man’s land to further be colonized by RPF…
> >
> > 2/ “/Kagame is one of the world’s most intriguing leaders./”
> >
> > _Comment_. Kagame, an intriguing leader? What does the verb “intrigue”
> > mean? In the classical Penguin English Dictionary (G.N. Garmonsway,
> > 2^nd edition, 1969, p.395) we read: “plot secretly, make sly schemes,
> > have a secret love affair, rouse the curiosity of, fascinate, puzzle,
> > mystify”. Of course Kagame plotted secretly, on the sly, and his
> > secret sly schemes have been secretly dissimulated and covered by his
> > New World Order’s bosses. Of course, Kagame rouses the morbid and
> > fascinating curiosity of many uninformed persons because a broad
> > network of Kagame lovers systematically conceals, disguises and
> > camouflages the Rwandan truth. Is it the manner Kagame has a secret
> > love affair?
> >
> > 3/ “/Fearing for his life, Sebarenzi fled the country for a second
> > time/.”
> >
> > _Comment_. Of course, Sebarenzi, who formerly fled to Zaïre/D.R.C.,
> > has been warned by close friends and insiders of RPF regime that
> > Kagame would literally bump him off!
> >
> > 4/ “/Kagame is likely to have only token opposition and may win with
> > something like the 95 percent margin he claimed in 2003.” /
> >
> > Comment. Everybody will agree not to disagree with me if I ask next
> > question: “Would it be so difficult not to win for Rwanda’s dictator?”
> > Let me give some examples. All the political parties wear the hat of
> > RPF. All the real political opponents of Kagame live outside of Rwanda
> > by fear to be killed or to be charged on heretical Gacaca trials, the
> > goal of which is to make an under-society of pauperized Hutu slaves,
> > accused of being “genocide mentality genetically affected”
> > revisionists, negationnists, divisionnists and justificationnists,
> > this underworld surviving under the orders of a minority of newly rich
> > Tutsi extremists. All the socialist villages are supervised by the
> > Local Defense Forces (L.D.F.). Both Kigali region and the Eastern part
> > of Rwanda became de facto a Tutsiland, but where are the former Hutu
> > inhabitants between both the Muvumba, Akagera and Akanyaru rivers? Of
> > course, the “democratic” Kagame obtained and will obtain circa 95%,
> > like former Zaïrian President Mobutu Sese Seko N’kuku Ngbendu wa za
> > Banga, Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, Douglashvilli Staline or the mythical
> > King Ubu.
> >
> > 5/ “/Sebarenzi writes. “He also may well be afraid of the outcome of a
> > classical democracy in a majority-minority divided society, which
> > might well translate into a demographic election in which Hutu would
> > overwhelmingly win/.”"
> >
> > _Comment_. Of course since the preparation of the broad scale
> > offensive in their strongholds in Uganda, RANU/RPF/RPA leaders made a
> > socio-cultural analysis of the political issues in Rwanda, in term of
> > ethnical solidarity, ethos or predominant characteristics of the
> > cultural communities of Rwanda, and demographic statistics. The
> > majority of Rwandan people meaning the Hutu (circa 85%) ubwoko (tribe,
> > ethnos), and the democracy meaning a “one man, one vote” scheme, it
> > was impossible for RPF to get a regularly majority vote and to access
> > to the power without taking this power by brutal, terroristic, and
> > military means. Of course, one of the practical tactics necessarily to
> > achieve this strategy of power control, consisted in reducing the
> > intra muros population, both Hutu and so called “class five” Tutsi, in
> > order to, first of all, make place in the country, and secondarily in
> > the neighbouring Zaïre/D.R.C., for a further re-colonization by RPF
> > supporters. I would define Kagame’s strategy as the “*Kagame Cuckoo
> > Strategy*”, because there is no difference between the “RPF strategy”
> > and the “*Cuckoo strategy*”, the migratory cuckoo in the nest of a
> > bird being a harmful intruder, like Tutsi diaspora’s Kagame’s RPF in
> > Rwanda. The democratic power in Kagame’s mind means a RPF dictatorship
> > reigning on a blameworthy accused majority of Hutu slaves.
> >
> > 6/ “/Whether he can do so may determine the long-term success of
> > Rwanda’s audacious experiment/.”
> >
> > _Comment_. This is a terrific sentence. What does an “audacious
> > experiment” for Rwanda mean? First of all, the word “audacious” means:
> > “daring, intrepid, presumptuous, impudent” (Penguin English
> > Dictionary, op cit., p.42). Secondly, the word “experiment” means:
> > “test or observation for scientific purposes, under conditions
> > controlled by the experimenter”, “test, attempt to verify theory or
> > discover new facts” and “investigation by trial and error” (Penguin
> > English Dictionary, op cit., p.265). So we could logically define
> > Kagame as an audacious, intrepid, daring, presumptuous and impudent
> > experimenter who controlled the conditions of his experiment,
> > alternatively by trial and error. Furthermore, everybody knowing that
> > all the experiments are closely planed, we are allowed to raise the
> > question for an enquiry about the criminals responsible for the
> > planning of both the civilian war and the broad scale genocide in both
> > Rwanda and Zaïre/D.R.C. In Arusha, Tanzania, I.T.P.R. judges recently
> > and iteratively issued that “there is no proof that the genocide has
> > been planned by the Rwandan governmental side”. Logically, the
> > genocide has thus been planned by the other warring side, that means
> > RPF and his boss, Paul Kagame.
> >
> > In conclusion, I would say that Stephen Kinzer, as a writer and/or
> > journalist, is a good example of a weather vane or a weather cock,
> > changing his mind depending on which way the wind is blowing, and
> > almost passing the hat round when there is a hope of good return. He
> > wrote his last above mentioned book praising the beloved dictator
> > Kagame to the skies, and as by magic, he now smells that things could
> > flare up if everybody understands the real roots of the “*Kagame
> > Cuckoo Strategy*” in the ancestral Rwanda where milk and honey flowed
> > like the four rivers encircling Havilah in the Eden Garden. But Kagame
> > is not eternal like the “Eternal Flame” on John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s
> > tomb, in the National Arlington Cemetery, West of the Potomac river,
> > in Washington. Kagame came from his Mulindi headquarters, crossing the
> > Mulindi river, for capturing Kigali and Rwanda. Mulindi, like Potomac,
> > prefigure the Acheron or the Styx rivers, leading to Hadès or
> > Infernus. I would’nt like to be in his shoes, in his size 53 shoes,
> > when, once upon the time, somewhere in the world, a judge will grab
> > him by the scuff of his neck for war crimes, crimes against humanity,
> > criminal conspiracy, economical crimes and genocide, not a particular
> > genocide against one African tribe, but a genocide against humanity!
> > Of course, father of both Ugandan and Rwandan departments of military
> > intelligence, President Paul Kagame is an intelligent man, capable of
> > reasoning, but that not means that he’s a cleaver person. He knows
> > that his apocalyptic cavalcade in Central African Great Lakes
> > countries leads him to a “no through road”. He took along with him to
> > many innocent people and that has to be stopped now. The sole hope for
> > the humanity, is that Kagame definitively understands that his soul is
> > in danger of eternal death, that he recognizes his crimes, and that he
> > asks forgiveness to the martyrized Rwandan people, so that the
> > “*Kagame Cuckoo Strategy*” will end with the cukoo’s takeoff.
> >
> > Agaculama mu Ikibunda, A.M.I.
> >

RUD-Urunana and RPR are committed to peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa

Dear Mr. Jason Stearns,

As you may know, I have always admired your objective and independent work, both as an ICG Senior Analyst and UN Expert, on the Democratic Republic of Congo.  However, your comments regarding RUD leaders made in you recent blogs  lack objectivity and,  frankly, are really unfair. Worst, they fall in the general framework of those who have limited knowledge of what is happening on the ground or just choose to ignore the facts for whatever reason.

First, let me thank you for having publicly stated in the interview you gave to PRI/NPR on January 23, 2009 that Western countries intelligence services have confirmed to you that RUD-Urunana and RPR leaders do not engage in activities contrary to laws and regulations in the countries of their residence and do not conduct financial transactions aimed at financing rebellions in the DRC. You were right then and your statements remain valid now. The reasons RUD-Urunana and RPR leaders do not engage in such activities are simple:

RUD-Urunana and RPR political platform is articulated around promoting peaceful solutions;

RUD-Urunana and RPR are primarily political organizations. RUD-Urunana and RPR political leaders do not get involved in military affairs;

RUD-Urunana and RPR have been engaged in a peace process with the DRC government, in which they committed to peaceful disarmament and repatriation or resettlement of Rwandan refugees. Financial transactions for a potential rearmament would be contrary to the spirit of the process and the vision shared by the two organizations;

AN-Imboneza and RPR-Inkeragutabara do not conduct offensive military operations. Their primary role is to protect refugees.

It is  important to clarify the contributions by RUD_Urunana and RPR to peace in the DRC. To those seeking war, bloodshed and continued impasse in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, RUD-Urunana and RPR have opposed peaceful solutions, dialogue, and the respect of dignity and basic human rights. Hence, National Democratic Congress (NDC), a coalition between RUD-Urunana and RPR, has multiplied and will continue to undertake initiatives in the search of peaceful and durable solutions to the problem of Rwandan refugees in the DRC. Unfortunately, we realize that, so far, our initiatives to bring peace in the region have not reached tangible results. The main reason for the recurrent failures to reach the solution is the lack of a real and firm commitment from the UN Secretary General, the African Union, the European Union, and the leading World powers, such as the USA, Great Britain, and France in support of the initiatives. That lukewarm predisposition from the International Community has encouraged the countries in the Great Lakes Region faced with the problem of Rwandan refugees, Rwanda and the DRC in particular, to resort to war and armed conflicts to resolve the problem which is both political and humanitarian.

RUD-Urunana and RPR leaders, including military commanders and troops have always expressed their readiness to meet anyone, within the International Community, including official representatives of countries, Non-Government Organizations (NGO) and Think-Tanks, and individuals interested in the peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Many actors, including ambassadors of Western Countries, the MONUC, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Government and several NGOs have heeded our calls and met RUD-Urunana and RPR political and military leaders, either formally or informally.

SInce January 2008,  in Kinsasa, the NDC and the DRC government voluntarily engaged in a peace process. The process continued in Pisa and Rome in May 2008 with the facilitation of Sant’Egidio Community.

RUD and RPR leaders worked with the DRC government, with the facilitation of Sant’Egidio Community to disarm the troops, for voluntary repatriation or resettlement in the DRC or third countries. This is a fact witnessed by the International Community in Kisangani on May 26, 2008 with the publication of the Roadmap.  On July 31, 2008 RUD-Urunana political and military leadership led the disarmament and regroupment of combatants and their dependents in Kasiki, in front of MONUC, the international Community and even official representatives of the Rwandan Government. Hence, are we surprised  when you insinuate that RUD-Urunana leaders have hindered the disarmament and repatriation or resettlement of combatants and their dependent.

As you may recall, in the night of February 10, 2008, the coalition of Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) and the FARDC attacked the disarmed combatants along with their defenseless dependents, including women, children, and the elderly were attacked. On 10 February 2009, Mr. Lambert Menge Omalanda, DRC Communications Minister and Government Spokesperson, stated in the Congolese media that the attack was organized in Kinshasa and the Kivu by “extremists” and “troublemakers bent into disrupting the pacification of the East.” It is important to realize that the attack happened after several major advances in the Kisangani peace process:

From 6 to 8 August 2008, the UN mission in Congo (MONUC) conducted and completed the identification of the refugees regrouped in Kasiki.

On 8 August 2008, the British ambassadors based in the DRC and Rwanda visited the 158 disarmed Rwandan refugees in Kasiki camp.

On 23 January 2009, a delegation of refugees grouped and disarmed in Kasiki visited Kigali in order to ascertain of the conditions that await them once repatriated to Rwanda. At the end of the visit, the delegation prepared and published an ad-hoc report.

On 27 January 2009, an agreement between the NDC and the Government of the DRC was signed in Rome with the firm support of Sant’Egidio Community, Eglise du Christ au Congo (ECC) and SIT-Norway. The Agreement provided for the creation of a peace zone in and around Kasiki, where people who do not want to fight or fleeing combats should be accommodated to receive protection and humanitarian assistance.

Consequently it is clear that by attacking the camp, the RDF/FARDC wanted to kill all the occupants and, by the same token, kill once for all the peace process the NDC and the DRC government had voluntarily and firmly engaged in. To date, we do not know the whereabouts of most of the survivors of the Kasiki pogrom and other RUD-Urunana/RPR combatants and their dependents.

Hence, accusing the survivors of conducting raids, pillages, and military operations or of crimes is similar to adding insults to injuries and tantamount to advocating the annihilation of those survivors.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention on the following points: RUD-Urunana is an independent political organization. Thus, RUD-Urunana is not a faction of the FDLR, has never been associated with the FDLR, and has its own vision and political platform. Thus, the association with the FDLR appears to be an attempt to create a confusion. The fact that some leaders of RUD-Urunana were members of FDLR does not justify such an amalgam. Otherwise, Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) that have been successively under the former and current Defense Ministers General Emmanuel Habyarimana and General Marcel Gatsinzi would be labelled “Ex-FAR splinter group”. As a corollary, the RDF, that include former ALIR and FDLR commanders General Paul Rwarakabije and Jerome Ngendahimana would be labelled “ALIR splinter group” or “FDLR splinter group.” To the extreme, since General Paul Kagame and James Kabarebe were members of the National Resistence Army (NRA) of Uganda, the RDF would be labelled “NRA splinter group” . RUD-Urunana was created in 2004 and subsequently allied itself with the mostly Tutsi RPR, created by ex-RPF high ranking officers.

SInce you live in the area I would like to meet with you over a cup of coffee, to clarify any point you may have.

Best Regards,

 

Felicien Kanyamibwa, PhD

SG, RUD-Urunana and President, NDC.

New York, November 12, 2009

©Copyright  Felicien Kanyamibwa, 2009

 

Rwanda: When Statistics Lie

Being an ignorant in economics matters, I approached my friend Dr. Felicien Kanyamibwa who is a statistician and econometrician and a Rwandan expert to explain the discrepancies in the Rwandan GDP and economic growth numbers. I was trying to understand the discussions between two Rwandans: One, Dr. Ngarambe Joseph, who claimed to be a Rwandan Expert Economist and another Rwemalika, apparently a Rwandan government official,  on a Rwandan discussion group. As you may see below, Dr. Kanyamibwa Felicien shows that these statistics the Rwandan government is publishing, to reinforce its case of unparalleled development, do not make sense at all and that Dr. Ngarambe may be right. Here is his answer (if you hated math in High School, please stop here !!!!).

David,
I will go over the other question later. Regarding the Rwandan statistics, always be careful when they are published by the government. I know what these statistics may mean, having worked in that area at the Central Bank of Rwanda and worked on National Accounts and Public Finance Statistics in the Republic of Senegal (West Africa) where I spent around 6 months toiling on my thesis on the same topic. Now, I will only focus on the numbers. I will not explain why and for what  purpose these statistics may be  misleading. Why some if not most African governments lie or manipulate such important economic lead indicators?  An interesting topic for you journalists!!! However, I would like to paraphrase the thought by the famous economist Frank Shostak and apply it to the case of Rwanda:

“From 2000- 2008, the Rwandan government has waged wars after wars, thus increasing public spending, and killing tens of thousands rwandans. At the same time, government militias, known as Local Defense Units (LDU)  have been at work killing peasants and increasing the number of refugees who sought exiles. The Gacaca courts sent outside the country an untold number of refugees. Hence, public spending on wars  has increased GDP, while repression has decreased the population and food scarcity fueled inflation. Net result: an increase in GDP per capita, without wealth/economic growth.”

Back to the topic, here is the situation as I see it:
Scenario 1:   Based on Mr. Rwemalika’s figures on the growth rate (I do not know who the chap is but assumes he is a government civil servant), suppose that the GDP (PIB, french acronym) CAGR (compound average annual growth rate) is 8% (without discounting for the population growth rate). Over 8 years, this will lead to a  compound rate of (1.08) ^8 = 1.85 or 85%.
It means that GDP per capita would have gone from $250 in 2000 to $463 in 2008. Apparently, 8%  is the most plausible CAGR based on the numbers provided by Mr. Rwemalika.

Scenario 2: Now, assuming that from 2000 to 2005, the CAGR was less than 6%, we may end up with an average of 6%, which gives us a compound growth rate of (1.06)^8 = 1.59 or 59% or a GDP per capita from $250 in 2000 to only $398 in 2008.

Scenario 3: The two scenarios above do not account for the population growth. Suppose the CAGR for the population is 3%. Then  in the first case which is the best case scenario, the GDP growth rate would be [(1.08)^8]/[(1.03)^8]= 1.27 or 27%.  Hence GDP  per capita would have increased from $250 in 2000 to only $292 in 2008.

Scenario 4: Suppose that the CAGR was at the staggering 11% for GDP and the optimistic 3% for the population. We would only have: [(1.1)^8]/[(1.03)^8]= 1.69 or 69%.  Hence PIB per capita would have gove from $250 in 2000 to only $423 in 2008.

From whatever perspective you look at it, the statistics given by the chap Rwemalika do not make sense at all.

THE MOST CREDIBLE SCENARIO APPEARS TO BE THIS: Most likely,  GDP grew at CAGR of 6%, or  59% from 2000 to 2008, whereas the Rwandan population grew at 3.2 % annually (World Bank/Rwanda)  or 29%. Hence, the GDP discounted rate is 1.59/1.29 = 1.23 or 23% which gives us a GDP per capita of  $314 in 2008.

Hence, from 2000 to 2008, based on Mr. Rwemalika’s statistics, which are the Rwandan government official  statistics, Rwandan  GDP per capita grew from $250 to only $314. Which means, negative growth in real value. In fact,  the inflation is almost 7% per annum (the inflation rate in Rwanda from CIA workbook and IMF Reports of  September 17, 2009 has been 2003: 5.5%, 2004: 7.50%  2005: 7.00% , 2006:8%, 2007: 6.70%, 2008:9.10%, 2009:15.4% ) which gives us an annual inflation rate of 7% from 2003-2008. Assume the same rate over the period of 2000- 2008, we have the real GDP per capita of $250*(1.23/1.72) = $179, well below the base of $250 by $71. It means the Rwandan population became poorer by $71 in 8 years.
No wonder why Rwanda is ranked 167 th out of 182 countries by by UNDP, 163/180 by IMF, 155/170 by WB and 180/192 by CIA , i.e., in the poorest of the poorest group at the bottom of the food chain! (Talking about food,  have you already ordered your Thanksgiving turkey?)

I also looked at the numbers published by African Economic Outlook (see http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/countries/east-africa/rwanda/#/statistics_table)
They show that GDP per capita for Rwanda is $343 in 2007 and $381 in 2008. These are closer to my scenario 2, i.e., GDP CAGR of 6% over 8 years, no population growth.   It appears that Africa Economic Outlook economists may have missed the population growth factor Why? Go figure!!!  African Economic Outlook numbers appears exaggerated at best, but at least can be explained. Unless the e-mails you sent miss something, the statistics from the Rwandan government are not only wrong, but also contradict themselves. The question is: is it deliberate or is a lack of expertise?
Maybe both, more the first.

You see, numbers are persistent. People may use them to lie, but they always come back to bite them. If you have questions, you know how to reach me.

Felicien.

+++++++++
David O’Brian
AfroAmerica Editor
Baltimore, MD.

Mémorandum sur la situation désastreuse au Nord Kivu et au Sud Kivu
À l’intention du gouvernement du Royaume Uni

Les opérations militaires conjointes FARDC/CNDP/RDF, loin de contribuer à la stabilité, viennent de plonger la région dans une instabilité sans précédent et dont l’issu reste incertain. Point n’est besoin de démontrer que le régime antidémocratique  de Kigali et l’incompétence  manifeste de l’homme à la tête de notre pays avec son équipe de malfrats précipitent la partie Est de notre pays dans une situation d’impasse. Ce qui est paradoxal, ces opérations sont intervenues, juste au moment où tout l’espoir était placé dans un processus où les combattants du RUD, volontairement désarmés, étaient rassemblés à Kasiki  et venaient d’envoyer leur délégation à Kigali pour voir les conditions d’accueil dans leur pays.  Tout homme averti pourrait se poser deux questions :
Quelle était l’urgence de lancer des opérations militaires conjointes sur ces réfugiés désarmés qui ne représentaient aucun danger ?
Est-ce que la sortie du rapport des experts de Nations Unies accablant le Rwanda gênait Joseph KABILA  au point qu’il fallait voler au secours de Kagame pour lui éviter la condamnation et les sanctions du Conseil de Sécurité de l’ONU ?

Les réponses à ces deux questions sont à chercher ailleurs, à savoir dans les mobiles de cette instabilité entretenue délibérément par Kagame et Kabila et son équipe de malfrats composée de KATUMBA MWANKE et du Gén John NUMBI.   Pour cette équipe, la guerre est une source d’enrichissement par le détournement des deniers publics, le détournement des soldes des militaires et le pillage des ressources naturelles tel que le coltan.  Kagame, Kabila et son équipe de malfrats, sont tous impliqués dans le commerce de coltan.  Ils n’ont aucun intérêt dans la stabilisation de deux Kivu.  Les comptoirs de coltan qui prolifèrent ces derniers temps appartiennent à cette bande de criminels  qui n’accepteront jamais que ce secteur soit contrôlé par les institutions légales du pays.  Les autres raisons avancées pour maintenir l’instabilité sont fausses et sans fondement.  Les combattants rwandais vivant à l’Est de la RDC servent toujours de prétexte pour le régime actuel rwandais pour venir piller notre pays avec la complicité des autorités congolaises sans scrupule.  Ces combattants constituent plus une menace pour le Congo qu’au régime actuel de Kigali.  Mais curieusement, Kigali et Kinshasa ont besoin de ces combattants pour continuer leur pillage. C’est un véritable complot contre la population. Comment alors comprendre l’attitude du Royaume Uni qui observe sans réagir et qui continue à soutenir le régime de Kigali qui tue les congolais ?

Présentation de la situation actuelle sur terrain.

La situation sur terrain est confuse et en même temps chaotique.  On ne sait plus qui se bat contre qui ? Dans cette situation, la victime est la population congolaise, spécialement les habitants du Nord Kivu et du Sud Kivu. Tous les territoires de ces deux provinces sont des champs de batailles.  La population est dans un état de désarroi.  La population ne cultive plus et bientôt c’est la famine.  Les autorités de Kinshasa continuent de dire que les opérations militaires ont ramené la paix et la sécurité dans les deux provinces.  La dure réalité que ces autorités ne veulent pas révélées est que la situation est pire qu’avant.  Avant les opérations militaires conjointes, seuls concernés étaient les territoires de Rutshuru et Masisi, aujourd’hui, Lubero, Walikale et tout le Sud Kivu connaissent des déplacements de population dus à la guerre.  Le déchaînement de la violence est devenu incontrôlé, on assiste aux actes de barbarie au sens propre du mot, la population civile paie une lourde tribu de cette barbarie.
Les auteurs de ces actes sont des hommes armés étrangers et congolais.
Les FARDC, éléments supposés protéger la population sont les premiers qui volent, pillent, commettent des viols et malmènent la population civile parce qu’ils ne sont pas bien payés et leurs soldes détournés par l’hiérarchie militaire.

Le CNDP, ces éléments sans identité fixe sont tantôt congolais, tantôt rwandais, tantôt ougandais ou burundais. Ils ne se soucient pas de la vie et des biens de la population autochtone. Ils tuent et incendient les maisons à leur passage. Ils violent les femmes.  Le viol est leur arme principale.  Ils utilisent la terreur pour obliger la population civile à fuir et laisser leurs terres aux vaches qui viennent du Rwanda. Ils prétendent protéger  les intérêts du Rwanda et défendre la minorité TUTSI.  Un phénomène nouveau que l’on observe dans les rangs du CNDP, c’est la présence des ex-FDLR dernièrement rapatriés chez eux au Rwanda qui sont de retour sous l’étiquette du CNDP.  On ne comprend plus rien. L’Est de la RDC devient une jungle ou différents groupes armés font la loi.

RDF (Forces de défense du Rwanda), ils entrent sous l’étiquette du CNDP, massacrent la population, violent les femmes et incendient des maisons retournent chez eux et se font remplacer par d’autres.  Tous les forfaits de l’armée rwandaise sont attribués à dessein aux  FDLR.

les fameuses FDLR, dont on ne connaît pas réellement l’agenda.  Ils sont là fortement armés, intouchables, entretenant de relations ambiguës avec les FARDC, les Mayi Mayi et parfois même avec une partie du CNDP.  Ils font du commerce, volent le petit bétail et les récoltes de la population autochtones. Nombreux parmi eux vivent sur le dos de la population. Ils n‘ont pas de leadership politique.   Ils présentent un danger parce que n’importe qui peut les utiliser dans la déstabilisation de notre pays.

Les RUD, est un mouvement des combattants rwandais dont les éléments sont des Hutu et des Tutsi.  Ils sont eux aussi lourdement armés.  Contrairement aux autres forces présentes sur terrain, celles-ci vivent en harmonie avec la population.  Leurs leaders politiques qui vivent en Occident viennent souvent les voir et passent beaucoup de temps avec eux. Ils entretiennent de bonnes relations avec les agents de la MONUC qui n’hésitent pas à passer les nuits dans leur campement avec leurs véhicules. Ils sont en contact avec les hautes autorités de Kinshasa.  Ils se sont mariés aux femmes congolaises, spécialement de la communauté des BAHUTU de Rutshuru et Masisi.  Ils cultivent leurs propres champs et font parfois du commerce.  Leur intégration au sein des communautés locales semble leur réussir. La population semble les accepter et les tolérer.  Ce qui est étonnant dans ce groupe est qu’ils font des allers-retours au Rwanda. Dans les rangs de ce mouvement, on trouve aussi des jeunes de la communauté HUTU congolaise. Ils répondent tous aux ordres d’un seul commandement. Ils combattent les éléments du CNDP.  Ils sont alliés aux Mayi Mayi et certaines unités des FARDC.  Ils constituent une source d’insécurité potentielle du fait qu’ils sont lourdement armés sur notre territoire.  Ils opèrent en territoire de Rutshuru et Lubero.  Leur comportement est exemplaire et hautement apprécié par la population.

Les différents groupes armés congolais présents partout au Nord et au Sud Kivu se battent pour protéger leurs parents et leurs villages.  Ils sont une réponse directe au CNDP et aux forces de Kagame qui veulent occuper, piller et contrôler des territoires en RDC.  Nous ne sommes pas contre la minorité TUTSI congolais, mais ceux-ci, ne doivent pas prétendre qu’ils peuvent dominer et diriger les autres tribus autochtones.  Instrumentalisés par l’actuel régime Tutsi de Kigali, ils ont mené des guerres qui ont emporté plus de 5 millions de vies humaines congolaises.  Combien faudra-t-il tuer pour qu’ils cessent leurs aventures ?  Les groupes armés congolais résisteront jusqu’à ce qu’à la mise en échec de la politique de Kagame et de son allié Joseph Kabila.  Nos alliés sont tous ceux qui combattent directement Kagame et le CNDP.

Depuis le lancement des opérations militaires par la coalition RDF/CNDP/FARDC, le trafic des stupéfiants tel que le chanvre est devenu une activité lucrative et génératrice de revenus.  La culture de chanvre se développe.  On commence à exporter ces stupéfiants à Kampala et à Kigali.  La ville de Kayina est devenue la plaque tournante de ce trafic. Les principaux exportateurs sont des éléments des FARDC qui utilisent les véhicules de l’armée pour ce commerce prospère.

La région compte parmi les plus grandes poudrières du monde.  Les armes et munitions s’achètent facilement.  Tous les trafiquants ougandais, rwandais et FARDC viennent vendre leurs surplus d’armes dans la zone de Rutshuru et de Lubero.  Une boîte de munitions de Kalachnikov coûte désormais entre 20 et 35 dollars.  Une mitrailleuse se négocie entre 75 et 100 dollars. Une lance-roquette RPG-7 se négocie à 50 dollars. Tout se vend et à moindre coût.

Acteurs au conflit au second degré.

A côté des acteurs armés sur terrain, il y a des puissances étrangères qui attisent le feu à l’Est de la RDC.  Ces sont principalement les Etats-Unis et la Grande Bretagne.  Le soutien financier, politique, militaire et diplomatique de la Grande Bretagne au régime de Kagame fait de ce pays un acteur de deuxième degré dans la guerre que le Rwanda mène en RDC. Consciemment la Grande Bretagne finance la guerre qui tue la population congolaise.  Cette attitude compromet les intérêts de la Grande Bretagne et des Etats-Unis dans la région.  Il est grand temps que ces deux pays comprennent que le soutien inconditionnel à la minorité Tutsi ne leur avancera à rien.  Il faut arrêter immédiatement ce soutien et œuvrer pour que le régime rwandais se démocratise et que les HUTU et les TUTSI au Rwanda puissent dialoguer et partager le pouvoir. A notre avis et selon l’opinion de toute la population, c’est la seule solution qui fera partir les combattants rwandais de la RDC. Un régime démocratique au Rwanda serait un facteur majeur de stabilisation de l’Est de la RDC. Il n’y aurait plus de réfugiés, il n’y aurait plus de combattants rwandais en RDC.  Il n’y aurait plus de CNDP ni de Mayi Mayi.  Le risque de somalisation de l’Est du Congo sera écarté et vos pays pourront investir leurs fonds chez nous sans crainte.
Le nouveau régime démocratique au Rwanda entrera dans un jeu à somme positive avec la RDC où le destin de l’un sera indissociable de celui de l’autre.  On entrera dans une ère de paix-construction où la paix sera un moteur de développement pour nos deux peuples.  La RDC a plus besoin de paix-construction et non de paix-trêve avec le Rwanda.  Ce qui se passe aujourd’hui entre Kagame et Kabila est une honte.  Leurs combines excluent leurs peuples respectifs.  Il y a une véritable rupture entre les deux présidents et leurs peuples. Ce qu’ils font ne va pas dans l’intérêt de deux peuples ni dans l’intérêt des Etats-Unis ni dans l’intérêt de la Grande Bretagne.  Voilà pourquoi, au nom du groupe que je représente, le Front des Patriotes pour le Changement (FPC), je vous demande d’agir vite pour sauver les rescapés de la barbarie.  De notre côté, nous sommes prêts à devenir vos partenaires dans la construction d’une véritable paix dans la région et défendre vos intérêts.  Plutôt que de miser sur une minorité Tutsi qui s’est déjà attirée la colère de toutes les communautés de deux Kivu avec les massacres de plus de 5 millions de population, nous vous proposons de compter sur la majorité qui est prête à coopérer et collaborer avec vous dans tous les domaines.  S’il vous plaît, agissez vite.  Débarrassez la région du régime criminel de Kagame et de son allié Joseph Kabila Kabange.

Fait à Lubero, le 29 septembre 2009
Gén. Maj KAKULE Sikuli Lafontaine
Commandant du Front des Patriotes pour le Changement/ Biso na Biso