While I do not deny the complexity of the Rwandese issues of the last half century, I do not think this is the appropriate article to articulate such complexities. I only say this because this entry is focused on The Congo, and while the Congo played a role in Rwandan history, ultimately what this entry was about was minimally about Rwanda. Indeed, I do believe Sunkissed’s site is far more appropriate for this as it focuses heavily on the issues surrounding Rwanda.

With that being said I do believe what I have written about the Rwandan aspect in this article to be accurate. It is overwhelmingly obvious that neither Kagame or Habyarimana were “the good guys,” and that no matter which way you look at the situation everybody lost. Humanity lost with this situation. And, additionally, the Congo lost. As for sentiments or how history is going to be written on it or the belief that one group wasn’t similarly as corrupt as the other isn’t for discussion here. Not because it isn’t important – but because this entry is about the Congo.

I appreciate you reading and discussing the issues though.

Sunkissed –

I am not greedy with my readers. I directly linked your site in the last comment and am happy to direct people towards you for discussion as you seem thoughtful and considerate yet principled.

sunkissed.

Myths about Rwanda and Rwandese people:

1. The war in Rwanda started in 1994, in which Hutu extremists killed Tutsi and Hutu moderates to a number of 800, 000 people. To this I would to clarify that the war in Rwanda began on October 1, 1990. The war was between the Rwandan government dominated by Hutus and the Rwandan Diasporas dominated by Tutsis. By 1994, one out seven Rwandan was a refugee inside the country. This had created a humanitarian catastrophe to which the government could not handle given that all its resources were invested in fighting a stronger army of invasion. Many innocent people lost their lives this time.
2. More people of Tutsi ethnic died than that of Hutu. It is important to remember that in 1994, the Rwandese population was estimate at 7 millions. Hutu the majority comprised of 85%, Tutsi 14% and Twa 1%. The High Commission of Refugees (HCR) had estimate that the Tutsis refugee was about 500,000. If we use these numbers, it means that hutus were 595000.00 people; Tutsis were 980000.00 people and Twa to 70000.00 people. It also known that there was no place in Rwanda where a concentration of Tutsis outnumbered that of Hutus. So when one said to have seen 800000.00 Tutsi being killed, I wonder if these victims were really of Tutsi ethnic group rather than that of Hutu. Again, this is not to deny the existence of these victims, rather to shed light on the truth.
3. The existence of Hutu moderate. Outside the country and Rwandese community, these hutus who were sympathetic to the cause of Tutsis died saving them. In Rwandese community, these hutus were those who formed a coalition with RPF to topple the Rwandese government regardless the consequences of this action. Their plan was to use RPF to take power and then take it from RPF. Their thinking was that The RPF dominated by Tutsis could not hold on power due to its minority status. They believed in democracy in which the majority rules. These people were former Habyarimana (Rwandan President for 21 years) aides who were either ministers, or intellects whose ambitious were to get power at all cost. They discouraged the army from fighting the RPF and gave secret to RPF leadership.
4. The existence of Hutu extremists. The world outside of Rwandese community defines these people to be opposed to the survival of ethnic Tutsi; and want to eliminate them from the earth. In Rwandese community these Hutus were opposed to the means that RPF was using to get to power. They never trusted RPF to bring democracy. They never believed that if the election was to happen and RPF happened to loose, it would obey by the result. Their suspicion of the RPF is rooted in Rwandan history, the events in Burundi and the way RPF was conducting the war. The RPF has moved the war from liberation of Rwanda to that of the Tutsis. Many of these Hutus were married Tutsis. They supported the Rwandese army, and honest negotiations between government and RPF. They were ready to go to war in case the RPF would refuse to accept the result of the elections. Both kind of hutus were found in all political parties either pro government or pro RPF.
5. The revisionists. Foreigners and RPF supporters use this term to signify those who deny the genocide of Tutsis. Often when one is designated as revisionist, is then accused of participating in genocide and end up in Arusha, Tanzanian. In Rwandese community, they are people who lost their loved ones in that war either killed by RPF or Hutus or both. They tend to blame both sides, and would like to have their victims recognized. They also do not understand why the criminal on the RPF side have never been brought to justice. Many are outside or used to cooperate with the RPF and fred the Kagame’s government.
6. Tutsi were oppressed in Rwanda. For that reason they had to fight for their liberation. This is to ignore the Rwandese history. When Habyarimana took power, his main reason was to make tutsis feel confortable; especially since he had been at war with them after independance. Under his rule, 95% of economy were in hands of Tutsis. In the education, Tutsis had more axcess to eduction not only because of governement policies but also because they had diaspora outside that was helping relatives to go to school. In addition, Habyarimana’s governement was in negociation with diaspora representives on how they could return. The sticking point was that they wanted to return at once. When I got outside the country, I met some tutsis who are living in deplorable conditions. However after many years on power, these people have not gone home. And they cannot go because Kagame doesn’t care. My view is that if they had preferred the way of election they could have won and occupied power in peace. I will confess that the first time I met tutsis was during in war. I was introduced to them by my friends who were all tutsis. They were all training during night to go to war to fight for RPF while they were students during the day. They failed to convince me to join the cause they had trouble to explain.
I am hoping these will help to understand the Rwandese Drama.

As far as the Congo goes, it’s unfortunate what Mobutu did to his people and the type of “spirit” he stirred and cultivated among them especially the “leaders”. Many of them do truly believe that the country is theirs for the taking, even things belonging to other citizens.

Anyway, I think Lumumba could have been great. Some of the first “fathers” of African nations really did have their hearts in the right places. It’s one tragedy after another.

1.) This entry was about the Congo so I tried to limit the Rwandan history as much as possible considering the length of this entry already. Actually getting in to the whole background of the Rwandan genocide would equal or surpass an entry of this length and in no way is this entry on the Congo all-encompassing of the Rwandan struggle.

2.) Habyarimana is a complex character that perhaps held the genocide from occurring sooner than it did as it was upon his death that the genocide began to occur. But it is important to understand the the reason why Kagame and the Tutsi were fighting and attempting to oust Habyarimana as they did. The Tutsi were being oppressed and discriminated against in a land that was as much theirs as it was to the Hutus (as far as I understand).

This means the Tutsi were fighting simply for a place to live. Because so many were exiled from Rwanda they became a burden for other countries who were forced to hold them because the Hutu and Tutsi could not come to a conclusion on how to live side-by-side in their native lands. The Tutsi attempted to retake their natural position as citizens of Rwanda without discrimination and the Hutu wanted them to remain gone and continue to live under discrimination. While Habyarimana advanced things for the Hutu (as Kagame has done for the Tutsi) neither of these things are without their repercussions on the other ethnicity.

And to Tutsi credit when they were advancing in on Rwanda and overthrowing the country it was the Tutsi who kept the war military-related while the Hutu were involving innocent civilians. BUT with saying that – much of the plundering of the Congo and displaced civilians within the Congo today are the result of the Kagame/Tutsi government.

My point is when it comes to politics such as this there are no “good” guys. There may be some positive things happening in the short-term for any single country or people but the platform that these rulings are based upon usually involve some form of discrimination or oppression.

If it were between Kagame and Habyarimana I wouldn’t choose. Neither is the ideal leader. Both used oppression, lies, and greed – both, I’m sure, have countless of innocent civilian blood on their hands. The point of this entry, I hope at least, is to point out that if we are going to live lives without these things that cause such harm – we need to look at ourselves for a starting point.

Also thanks for the recommendation – I have never read either book so thanks for the heads up.

The idea of putting dictators in power, and supporting them until it’s no longer convenient rings a bell. And one of the most interesting thing about African leaders is how they are so quickly “outsted” when they support their people and are actually making progress. Rwanda was such a case. Even when the leaders are “ready” for independence, they are seldom “given” the opportunity to work towards progress.

And out of everything you wrote, I couldn’t disagree with you more on Rwanda, and what happened there and how it’s related to the Congo. It’s true that Mobutu and Habyarimana were good friends, and obviously participated in greedy missions stealing and making themselves richer. But unlike Mobutu, Habyarimana actually did things for the advancement of his people. In 1990 before the Tutsi rebels attacked Rwanda, it was often one of the World Bank’s model nations due to how much progess it had made.

Kagame is one of those dictators who was aided in “ousting” another president, and now holds power. He continues to commit massacres against Rwandese people, and the easiest most accepted, most sinister explanation as to why it’s okay, is that they have been dubbed “genocidaires” and the world is happy.

Anyway, I blog a lot about Rwanda and the genocide, so feel free to pay me a visit, and we can discuss.