Yale University has promptly removed a Twitter banner promoting the Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame. Although the reasons are unknown, it appears the banner was removed under pressure from activists, students, and professors and in light of recent publications by reknown authors and the United Nations Security Council, AfroAmerica Network has received information on the compelling reasons behind Yale University's swift removal of the Twitter banner. Below are some the reasons.
General Paul Kagame, who has been conspicuously missing from the public eye since April 2020, is widely accused of mass murders, acts of genocide, and disappearances and assassinations of opposition leaders, civilians, business people and widespread repression in Rwanda and in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. His sporadic appearances in public since April 2020 have sparked and fueled rumors about declining health and even incapacitation (see AfroAmerica Network here: Ailing Rwandan Paul Kagame's Attempts to Cling to Power Through His Daughter Ange Kagame ).
Michela Wrong's Recent Book: General Paul Kagame is A Political Murderer
Michela Wrong is a British journalist and author. As a foreign correspondent, Michela Wrong mostly covered events across the African continent for Reuters, the BBC, and the Financial Times. She is famed for writing books on the repression, dictators, corruption and volent power transitions in Africa. One of the most highly regarded books is on Kenya, titled “It’s Our Time to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower", published in 2009. The book tells the story of John Githongo, a Kenyan journalist and civil society activist who, in 2002, helped the newly elected President President Mwai Kibaki to uncover rooted corruption and fight it heads on. Othe books include "In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz, published in 2001, on the power transition from the Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko to Laurent-Désiré Kabila, and "I Didn't Do It For You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation", published in 2004, on the African small country of Eritrea and its people that has suffered under the successive Italian, British, American and Ethiopian occupation.
Recently, Michela Wong came out with a book on post-genocide Rwanda. The book, titled: "Do Not Disturb. The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad," has shaken the World and created waves among activists. Yale University may have noticed the potential impact of such a book. In fact, the reviews of the book describe a “profoundly criminal regime.” under Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame.
One of the key reviewers is Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. His review summarizes the tragedy unfolding in Rwanda, under General Paul Kagame's leadership. ”The whole world wanted to believe in the miracle that was Rwanda – a country built from the wreckage and devastation that intertribal violence and ethnic cleansing had caused. The whole world ignored the few voices pointing out the silencing of political opponents through imprisonment, kidnapping or torture. To our shame, our need for Rwanda to succeed far exceeded our desire or ability to see the cost at which that success was bought. In this extremely important and profoundly disturbing book, Michela Wrong sets out all the miss-steps that were ignored, all the flagrant human rights abuses that were overlooked and all the criminality for which excuses were found, until the new horrors that have been visited upon that country were perpetrated. Ms Wrong is not suggesting we become Afro-pessimists, but telling us that not only is the price of freedom eternal vigilance, but also that we must, in the words of Amilcar Cabral, ‘tell no lies, claim no easy victories.”
Other reviewers with similar views include Great Lakes region of Africa and Rwanda experts such as Filip Reyntjens (see here http://michelawrong.com/books/). Filip Reyntjens is professor emeritus at University of Antwerp. An early supporter of General Paul Kagame's regime, he later was dissillusioned and become one of the most reknown vocal critics and published a book titled Political Governance in Post-Genocide Rwanda.
Filip Reyntjens' review reads:
“A unique insight into many hitherto little-known dark sides of a profoundly criminal regime. Based on first hand observations and numerous interviews with key players, victims and witnesses, this book is an indictment of those complicit in ensuring President Kagame’s impunity during the last quarter century.”
The UN Security Council Report of December 23, 2020: Rwandan Defense Forces Still Massacring Congolese Civilians and Looting Resources.
On December 23, 2020 The United Nations Security Council published the report of UN Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the report, the UN Experts document how General Paul Kagame's Rwandan Defense Forces are sent into DRC, to murder civilians, support criminal militia responsible for rapes, mass murders, acts of genocide, and looting minerals and other natural resources.
This latest UN Security Council report on such large scale crimes, massacres, acts of genocide and looting by Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) is one of many more. Since the 2010 the UN Security Council has accused General Paul Kagame, his generals, his closest aides, and his army, Rwandan Defense Forces of such crimes. One key report is the UN Mapping Report of 2010. In the UN Mapping Report, the United Nations Experts document systematic massacres, acts of genocide, torture, and rapes committed by General Paul Kagame's troops against the Congolese Civilians and Rwandan refugees inside the Democratic Republic of the congo, from 1996 - 2003.
AfroAmerica Network has learned that Yale University reviewed the UN Security Council report before taking down the Twitter Banner.
Activits and Experts: Yale University' Association with Paul Kagame Will be Judged by History
AfroAmerica Network's sources within Yale University have learned that Yale University leaders were flooded by complaints from activists, experts, professors and students questionnig the wisdom of having the banner or even associating themselves with General Paul Kagame, one of the most brutal murderous African dictators. The protests were sent to Africa and Middle East desk , within the Office of International Affairs at Yale University.
According to sources within Yale University, the Office of International Affairs had responded to some protests promising to look into the matter, before the Twitter banner was taken down.
AfroAmerica Network is still following the story.
@2021 AfroAmerica Network.
