Kigali, Rwanda

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 the Congolese Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito of having met the FDLR leaders in 2008. The diplomats to whom the speech was addressed appeared shocked at the accusations but remained impassible.  Muzito became Prime Minister in October 2008 and there are no indications that he ever met the FDLR leaders. Rather, it is well documented that since January 2008, the Congolese Government had been in negotiations with two other Rwandan armed political organizations, the Rally for Unity and Democracy, also known as RUD-Urunana and Rally for the Rwandan People, composed of Tutsi ex-RPF members, otherwise known as RPR.

Basing his speech on a controversial UN Group of Experts’ report published in November 2009, Simburudari accused all the countries in the region, including DRC, Burundi,  and  Uganda, and countries in the West, especially the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, and Belgium to seek to exterminate the Tutsis by supporting the Hutu opposition. He singled out the  opposition politician Ms. Ingabire Victoire who,  according to Mr Simburudari,  citing the UN Group’s report allegedly attended meetings along with  FDLR members. Apparently confused, he ended the tirade and rambling against the Rwandan opposition by accusing it of working with the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), drawing a boo from the audience.

The embarrassed Speaker of the Parliament Biruta who followed  and was leading the ceremony, had to first reject the allegations raised by the Tutsi extremist, by thanking the Congolese and other neighboring governments for helping Rwanda in trying to foster peace in the African Great Lakes Region.

It is ironic that the UN Experts’ Report, which has been cooly received by UN Security Council because of the blatant  influence by  the Rwandan Intelligence Services, be used in a speech by a Rwandan Tutsi extremist. In fact, the report appears to be based on the  work by Rakiya Omaar, the controversial Director Africa Rights who has been on the payroll of the Rwandan Government.  In 2008, Rakiya Omaar contracted with the Rwandan Government to produce the report titled: “The Leadership of Rwandan Armed Groups Abroad With a Focus on the FDLR and RUD-URUNANA” which appeared to serve as the main reference for  the UN Group of Experts’ report, which in turn formed the theme of the speech by  the Tutsi Extremist.

Rakiya Omaar’s report was to be used to thwart the peace process  between the DRC government and the RUD - RPR  facilitated by Sant’Egidio Community. Eventually, the Rwandan government took too long to pay Rakiya Omaar all the money promised, which led to a delay in the publication. This led to bitter exchanges including  the following between the Rwandan Government and Rakiya Omaar.  The report was eventually published in December 2008, after the Rwandan government paid Rakiya Omaar:

© Copyright AfroAmerica Network, April 2010

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