Amidst city violence, xenophobia and apartheid hang over, South Africa is the hope of AFRICA
BY GEORGE KAGAME
JOHANNESBURG
"You cannot find forgiveness in the past, but in the future lies progress," goes a copy text of a South African national television advert. The advert promotes the use of a certain financial credit card, this is to a large extend a credit economy, it is also a place of big phrases, big people, and even bigger issues. This is South Africa. Where the past invokes memories of the brutality of the 'white' people in Africa, a past of violence of the worst kinds from a tyrannical apartheid regime, and its most gracious of victims.
Beginning its road to recovery in 1994 like Rwanda, South Africa has undergone enormous recovery since that even if those guilty for the injustice in her past cannot be forgiven, its present filled with huge challenges, there is no doubt about the future promise of this great nation.
The government set the national truth and reconciliation commission of South Africa in 1994 to try and find forgiveness in her past, but today, even with the leader of that commission winning a nobel prize, unity and reconciliation remains largely elusive here.
At the Apartheid museum on the outskirts of Johannesburg the reality and weight the advert expressed above begins to sink in.
The museum, quite bigger in size and therefore more detailed than the Gisozi based Kigali Genocide memorial-in tribute to Rwanda's sad history- is a long maze of rooms with almost similar grotesque images about the different paths of history in Africa.
Hilariously presented is a stone baked news story that appeared in October 1986 in the famous The Star newspaper of Pretoria. The story starts with the famous 'chameleon' dance where black Africans were measured according to appearance to determine which one belonged to what colour stratification, depending on you belonged to black, chinese, white, coloureds races, each colour attracted specific benefits. With black being at the bottom of the rung. But that was not enough, many times the yardstick would be liberal and other considerations put into place to identify where one belonged, these varied from the thickness of hair, size of nose and length of face.
But at the exits of this well documented museum lies the hope in the promise of the future. Not only do the seven pillars symbolizing the tenets of the new South African constitution announce the new ideology of the country, that of respect, democracy, diversity, unity and Human rights, a long convoy of 30 BMW ultra modern sports cars that cruises by followed by another one of 20 powerfully built motor bikes, drive the point home. There is only person inside the sports cars while the bikers carry curvaceous young women behind them. All the occupants are young urban looking Black South Africans. It is not clear what the convoy is all about but explanations by locals vary.
On another note, as the advert goes this African economic giant has a past in which search as you may find, there is no chance of forgiveness. However, today South Africa is a symbol of a nation's ability to raise from destruction to greatness. For so many reasons, the concept of forgiveness remains hard to conceive, but with 'Azania', hosting the next Confederations' and World Cups, the progress of this country cannot be overemphasized.
Locals explain that BMW and many of the prestigious corporate companies in Johannesburg send their products for drive-by promotions to many parts of the city especially Soweto, this is because in the past, corporate companies didnot see any need to advertise in areas occupied by Black Africans because Blacks were not allowed to buy certain products and so they were never considered in most informercial campaigns, apart from ones where the government had interests. Also because many could-not afford these products. As a result, people that lived in places like Soweto didnot know most companies existing in their own country. It is today that these companies are getting familiarized with the black South Africans.
Today, the businesses are just beginning to break ground in such areas, which are in a distance forty kilometre in circumference. Some locals state that the convoy today is one of the raise of a certain South African class that were known as 'Cheese Boy in Johannesburg during the struggle to topple the white supremacists that reigned during the era of Apartheid.
The cheese boys were equally affected by apartheid as everybody in South Africa and lived in the 'townships' but these ones were either indirect benefactors of the system or they beat it and afforded cheese for their school going children. The cheese boys developed round chubby cheeks because they never ate the meagre meals that served during school days during Apartheid. Those children are the ones running the country now and their children are the driving four wheel drive Audi cars cruising fast on the elaborate roads of South Africa. The new breed of Cheese Boys is the one that formed the convoy driving about and through Soweto with very loud music booming with bass. The other explanation is that these cars were going to attend a wedding of a fellow biker, biker clubs are a very common feature of Johannesburg's social fabric.
At a simple interpretation the meaning of the television advert is evidence of the new South Africa. They represent everything new about South Africa, perfect roads running through all parts of the country, affordable European brand vehicles, manufactured in the country and the government policy of Black empowerment for the Black South Africans, what their white countrymen call 'Bending over'.
In the evening another national television screens a 'white' comedy in which an urban lower class white family struggles to keep their teenage boy in school in the hope that he will pass his exams and bring the family good fortune after getting serious employment. The boy is more interested in singing with a pop band however.
The movie tries to picture the white community struggling to fit in the new South Africa, where the ANC and black people are in power. In one incident, a black state agent tells off the white boy: "Things changed, you can go back to America or Europe". The 'white' boy struggles to remain in school and complimenting his parents income by getting a part time jobs. In one hilarious episode he is chased from a pop competition run by the 'Black' TV channel-SABC-on the account that he is white and therefore should go to Mnet channel, a white pay per station also running a pop music contest, where he is also chased-but after beating his white interviewer in an apparent depiction of an identity crisis.
In another scene a black state agent tells his white countryman: "things have changed, you are no longer master here. Go back to Europe or America." His victim responds, " i hate the government, i hate the ANC. It is no-longer possible for a white person to get a job in South Africa now, they say it is Black Economic Empowerment to help the blacks catch up. Or easily translated, that we have to 'bend over'."
The comedy attempts to highlight the government's on going official policy of unity and reconciliation prevailing in the country and challenges of readjusting. But like so many others things in this beautiful country, most things are about surface image and even big phrases cannot clearly put them into their proper perspective.
South Africa is a credit and shopping economy. Most of the shopping here takes place in huge malls that seem to occupy all available space in many business districts. In one mall a shopper finds all the necessities that money can buy. Most eating and social places are found in or near the malls. Its here that most interaction takes place. However, for a stranger these social places also seem to be separated by a colour line. There are those of blacks and others exclusively for whites. Apart from the fashion, grocery, and any other kind of shops blacks and whites still maintain interaction according to their different colours. This is seen in restaurants, night clubs and suburbs to a small extent. In one up-market night club there was a lone 'whiteman' inside and all the patrons looked at him with gestures of disapproval. One patron asked openly, 'What is he doing in a black club?".
Yet, the division between in South Africa is on close scrutiny colour blind, earlier this year, Black South Africans mobilized and organized themselves into gangs. These gangs went on a nationwide rampage attacking blacks from other parts of Africa killing 66 in a campaign that took less than two weeks. The target of the gangs were 'AFricans' that were taking away jobs from the native blacks. The 'Africans were accused for working for smaller wages making them a favourite for many employers in South Africa.
Many argue however, that this current state of fairs is a result of Mbeki's leadership. The ANC is now involved in controversy and an influential group of members from the party have formed a rival party that is likely to contest for the next presidential elections in November 2009.
The xenophobic attacks were labeled by The Star, a respected broadsheet in Johannesburg to have been led by; 'angry people'. The people supposed to manage these issues are not in a state of confusion currently. The ruling African National Congress is involved in a 'make ups to break ups' series. Recently, the power struggle between Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki reached boiling point when influential members of the ANC decided to break away and form a new party to rival ANC for power in November 2009. The struggle between Mbeki and Zuma had seen Mandela's successor and one credited with impressive economic growth figures and indicators, maintaining fairly considerable influence in world politics, and hosting the 2010 World Cup-being forced out of the presidency on accusations of 'influence peddling'. The new party which goes under the name of SANC-South African National Congress party will tussle it out with the ANC for votes, SANC however has taken some crucial members of the ANC and the presidential elections next year promises a big battle. And this great country has overcome so many battles.
Wednesday 19 November 2008
Nkunda objects to MONUC participation in DRC peace talks
Nkunda objects to MONUC participation in DRC peace talks
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Eastern Congo
General Laurent Nkunda has refused the inclusion of the United Nations' peace keeping forces-MONUC in negotiation talks to stop the war between the National Congress for the Defense of the people, CNDP and the government of the DR Congo that are due to be mediated by Olusegun Obasanjo, Ban Ki Moon's special envoy in Eastern Congo.
Speaking to journalists in Jomba Catholic mission in the part of Eastern Congo under the control of the CNDP Sunday evening after the first meeting between Obasanjo and the CNDP's General Laurent Nkund. The CNDP leader said he does not trust MONUC to be objective if they participated in the talks that began on the weekend with Obasanjo meeting Joseph Kabila and his Angolan counterpart Dos Santos before flying to meet Nkunda in Jomba 60 km from Goma. "We are supporting Obasanjo because he has been sent by the international community. We believe in him, Obasanjo has experience as a president of Nigeria. We welcome Obasanjo because he is a chance to both of us for peace. But we do not have faith in MONUC. They have sided with government forces to shoot at us, we cannot negotiate with them."
Obasanjo was last week appointed the United Nations' Special Representative to the DR Congo after the recent outbreak of war between the CNDP and the DR Congo government forces last month. After recent fighting, after a bout of several battles-were they increased their hold in Eastern Congo capturing large swathes of land from which settlers had been displaced by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, FDLR-declared a ceasefire but reports say that government and FDLR forces continue to attack CNDP points ad villages where they suspect Congolese ethnic Tutsi to be living. The ceasefire has allowed for diplomatic efforts to be increased to find a peaceful solution to what looks like an eternal crisis in Eastern Congo. Last weekend, DRC foreign affairs minister Alexis Tambwe Muamba was in Kigali and stated that his government was now going to flush out the FDLR from their territory. He also promised to restore diplomatic relations with Rwanda after a decade of silence between the two neighbours.
Nkunda said after the meeting with Obasanjo that the CNDP forces have not put any condition to being integrated into the DRC government forces and that he was not rebelling Kabila's government to get a government position. "My demand is to have solutions to the problems in my country not getting government jobs." Nkunda further stated that he welcomed any means to achieve peace in Eastern Congo, "we do not want to continue fighting because wars are very expensive in men and materials. We are forced to go to war. Today we have a chance to stop the war by talking peace. We hope Kabila is serious with his promises to Obasanjo."
Several of Nkunda's senior aides however expressed skepticism about Kabila's commitment to peace efforts in the region. "We have been here before but Kabila fakes the international community and sends his forces along with the FDLR to attack our people, destroy and rape our women. We shall wait and see what Obasanjo promises, Kabila told him (Obasanjo) that he would talk to us, we wait."
The CNDP forces also reiterated their commitment to hold the ceasefire they declared several days back on their advance towards to Goma, however, before the departure of Obasanjo on Sunday after his talks with Nkunda. There were reports that there was a battle outbreak between government along with FDLR forces against the CNDP near Kanyabayonga, an important communication town after Goma. In this town, government forces on their retreat looted and raped scores after the CNDP had advanced within several kilometres, MONUC and government troops are reported to be fighting on the same aside here.
Obasanjo described the talks with Nkunda as 'extremely good' and added that he (Obasanjo) "now knows Nkunda's concerns. I can put across Nkunda's demands." He added that the renegade soldier has legitimate demands, "his concerns, which everybody wants is the welfare of Congolese people especially the minority in the population.But achieving peace is like dancing Tango, there needs to be a partner. Bot parties needs equal participation in this process."
Dr. Gertrude Mulamula the Executive Director of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region attended the Nkunda Obasanjo talks.
Eastern DR Congo continues to live under a state of insecurity after the end of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. It has been established that the masterminds of the Rwandan Genocide fled to this largely jungle region where government control is weak. The the genocidaires have since joined up with the DRC government forces and multiplied in numbers and added o the complex political situation in this agriculturally rich land. The genocide, otherwise known as negative forces have embarked on a sustained campaign to attack Congolese ethnic Tutsi tribesmen. The Tutsi are threatened for their perceived support of the Rwanda's current ruling party-the Rwanda Patriotic Front.
This state of affairs has led to the evolvement of the FDLR and the Interahamwe to form a myriad bandit groups that have ensured insecurity for the Tutsi in the region. in their defense, the Tutsi have supported the development of a renegade soldier General Nkunda to start a military and political machinery to defend the Tutsi known as the CNDP.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Eastern Congo
General Laurent Nkunda has refused the inclusion of the United Nations' peace keeping forces-MONUC in negotiation talks to stop the war between the National Congress for the Defense of the people, CNDP and the government of the DR Congo that are due to be mediated by Olusegun Obasanjo, Ban Ki Moon's special envoy in Eastern Congo.
Speaking to journalists in Jomba Catholic mission in the part of Eastern Congo under the control of the CNDP Sunday evening after the first meeting between Obasanjo and the CNDP's General Laurent Nkund. The CNDP leader said he does not trust MONUC to be objective if they participated in the talks that began on the weekend with Obasanjo meeting Joseph Kabila and his Angolan counterpart Dos Santos before flying to meet Nkunda in Jomba 60 km from Goma. "We are supporting Obasanjo because he has been sent by the international community. We believe in him, Obasanjo has experience as a president of Nigeria. We welcome Obasanjo because he is a chance to both of us for peace. But we do not have faith in MONUC. They have sided with government forces to shoot at us, we cannot negotiate with them."
Obasanjo was last week appointed the United Nations' Special Representative to the DR Congo after the recent outbreak of war between the CNDP and the DR Congo government forces last month. After recent fighting, after a bout of several battles-were they increased their hold in Eastern Congo capturing large swathes of land from which settlers had been displaced by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, FDLR-declared a ceasefire but reports say that government and FDLR forces continue to attack CNDP points ad villages where they suspect Congolese ethnic Tutsi to be living. The ceasefire has allowed for diplomatic efforts to be increased to find a peaceful solution to what looks like an eternal crisis in Eastern Congo. Last weekend, DRC foreign affairs minister Alexis Tambwe Muamba was in Kigali and stated that his government was now going to flush out the FDLR from their territory. He also promised to restore diplomatic relations with Rwanda after a decade of silence between the two neighbours.
Nkunda said after the meeting with Obasanjo that the CNDP forces have not put any condition to being integrated into the DRC government forces and that he was not rebelling Kabila's government to get a government position. "My demand is to have solutions to the problems in my country not getting government jobs." Nkunda further stated that he welcomed any means to achieve peace in Eastern Congo, "we do not want to continue fighting because wars are very expensive in men and materials. We are forced to go to war. Today we have a chance to stop the war by talking peace. We hope Kabila is serious with his promises to Obasanjo."
Several of Nkunda's senior aides however expressed skepticism about Kabila's commitment to peace efforts in the region. "We have been here before but Kabila fakes the international community and sends his forces along with the FDLR to attack our people, destroy and rape our women. We shall wait and see what Obasanjo promises, Kabila told him (Obasanjo) that he would talk to us, we wait."
The CNDP forces also reiterated their commitment to hold the ceasefire they declared several days back on their advance towards to Goma, however, before the departure of Obasanjo on Sunday after his talks with Nkunda. There were reports that there was a battle outbreak between government along with FDLR forces against the CNDP near Kanyabayonga, an important communication town after Goma. In this town, government forces on their retreat looted and raped scores after the CNDP had advanced within several kilometres, MONUC and government troops are reported to be fighting on the same aside here.
Obasanjo described the talks with Nkunda as 'extremely good' and added that he (Obasanjo) "now knows Nkunda's concerns. I can put across Nkunda's demands." He added that the renegade soldier has legitimate demands, "his concerns, which everybody wants is the welfare of Congolese people especially the minority in the population.But achieving peace is like dancing Tango, there needs to be a partner. Bot parties needs equal participation in this process."
Dr. Gertrude Mulamula the Executive Director of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region attended the Nkunda Obasanjo talks.
Eastern DR Congo continues to live under a state of insecurity after the end of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. It has been established that the masterminds of the Rwandan Genocide fled to this largely jungle region where government control is weak. The the genocidaires have since joined up with the DRC government forces and multiplied in numbers and added o the complex political situation in this agriculturally rich land. The genocide, otherwise known as negative forces have embarked on a sustained campaign to attack Congolese ethnic Tutsi tribesmen. The Tutsi are threatened for their perceived support of the Rwanda's current ruling party-the Rwanda Patriotic Front.
This state of affairs has led to the evolvement of the FDLR and the Interahamwe to form a myriad bandit groups that have ensured insecurity for the Tutsi in the region. in their defense, the Tutsi have supported the development of a renegade soldier General Nkunda to start a military and political machinery to defend the Tutsi known as the CNDP.
DR Congo and Rwanda to resume diplomatic relations; Muamba
DR Congo and Rwanda to resume diplomatic relations; Muamba
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to resume diplomatic relations after @@@ years since both countries ceased high level contact amid. This was revealed by Alexis Tambwe Muamba the Foreign Affairs Minister of DR Congo shortly before a series of closed door meetings with his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Musemainari at Kigali's Serena Hotel beginning late Friday evening.
"We have undertaken action to normalize relations between DRC and Rwanda, and have moved several stages in the process" said the DRC Minister, he added that the head of DRC's National Police, General John Numbi had received instructions to remove the people currently living in the Rwandan embassy offices in Kinshasa. Muamba revealed that the DRC had sent a team to supervise their embassy in Kigali, "to see that diplomatic relations are restored. We shall be neighbouring countries between ourselves with no other countries involved. We should manage to put mechanisms for mutual existence and we are here to analyze the major issues between our countries."
Muamba led a powerful delegation from the Congo comprising of the Minister of Agriculture Norbert Katitimba, head of the national police General John Numbi and many more. Among the senior Rwandan officials at the meetings include @@@@the Chief Adviser to President Paul Kagame, national intelligence officials, and Joseph @@@@@, President Paul Kagame's Special Envoy to The Great Lakes Region.
During a short press briefing on Friday, Museminari said: "we shall be discussing important issues about security in the region and Eastern Congo, these include the threat of the FDLR- FDLR-Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda whose facets continue to multiply and the ongoing war between the CNDP and the government of DR Congo." She added that Rwanda was ready to participate in whatever way "we" but stated that there was need to find a political solutions to the problems "but this must be agreed upon by all stakeholders involved."
Museminari said there have been several treaties signed by countries in the Great Lakes Region all geared to create and ensure peace and security prevailed, citing the two Nairobi Communiques all with resolutions committing neighbouring countries to work towards peace in the region. She said that last weekend the Congolese government had the responsibility to analyze the situation in her territory so as achieve stability: 'We want to solve the problems concerning peace and security in the region, but Rwanda can only contribute to this process based on the analysis in regard to the war between them and CNDP"-the National Congress for the Defence of the People. She said that her meetings with the DRC delegation was one of problem solving and called upon the DRC government to "solve the problem of the Interahamwe" that are the at centre of security problems in the country.
On his part, Muamba said his government inviting the Rwandan government to go to Kinshasa for further discussions and brief them of his government's meeting with the South African Development Community in Johannesburg over the weekend where Rwanda was not invited. "We are open in Kinshasa to Rwanda's intelligence officers to be part our military structure we have organized to eradicate the FDLR problem. We are working with MONUC forces to solve this issue and we want your intelligence community to be part of the process. We shall send our elite troops to flush out the FDLR in order to avoid this situation going on." Muamba said that his government had organized an evaluation team to assess the effort to deal with FDLR beginning this Sunday and stated that their were informal contacts between his government and General Laurent Nkunda. "We know what he demands," stated Muamba.
Eastern DR Congo continues to live under a state of insecurity after the end of the 1994 Genocide. It has been established that the masterminds of the Rwandan Genocide fled to this largely jungle region where government control is weak and the genocidaires have joined up with the DRC government forces and embarked on a sustained campaign to attack Congolese ethnic Tutsi tribesmen. This state of affairs has led to the evolvement of the Interahamwe and the FDLR to form a myriad bandit groups that have ensured insecurity for the Tutsi in the region. in their defense, the Tutsi have supported the development of a renegade soldier General Nkunda to start a military and political machinery to defend the Tutsi known as the CNDP.
The UN set up a 17000 peace keeping force to ensure peace and security prevailed in the region but these forces especially from Pakistan and India have been accused of being in support of the FDLR by exchange their arms for minerals with the bandits. The Congolese government has turned its accusing finger towards Rwanda saying that President Paul Kagame's government is supporting Nkunda's war against President Joseph Kabila's government. Rwanda has persistently rubbished the claims and recently Gertrude Mulamula the @@@@@@@@@@@
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to resume diplomatic relations after @@@ years since both countries ceased high level contact amid. This was revealed by Alexis Tambwe Muamba the Foreign Affairs Minister of DR Congo shortly before a series of closed door meetings with his Rwandan counterpart Rosemary Musemainari at Kigali's Serena Hotel beginning late Friday evening.
"We have undertaken action to normalize relations between DRC and Rwanda, and have moved several stages in the process" said the DRC Minister, he added that the head of DRC's National Police, General John Numbi had received instructions to remove the people currently living in the Rwandan embassy offices in Kinshasa. Muamba revealed that the DRC had sent a team to supervise their embassy in Kigali, "to see that diplomatic relations are restored. We shall be neighbouring countries between ourselves with no other countries involved. We should manage to put mechanisms for mutual existence and we are here to analyze the major issues between our countries."
Muamba led a powerful delegation from the Congo comprising of the Minister of Agriculture Norbert Katitimba, head of the national police General John Numbi and many more. Among the senior Rwandan officials at the meetings include @@@@the Chief Adviser to President Paul Kagame, national intelligence officials, and Joseph @@@@@, President Paul Kagame's Special Envoy to The Great Lakes Region.
During a short press briefing on Friday, Museminari said: "we shall be discussing important issues about security in the region and Eastern Congo, these include the threat of the FDLR- FDLR-Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda whose facets continue to multiply and the ongoing war between the CNDP and the government of DR Congo." She added that Rwanda was ready to participate in whatever way "we" but stated that there was need to find a political solutions to the problems "but this must be agreed upon by all stakeholders involved."
Museminari said there have been several treaties signed by countries in the Great Lakes Region all geared to create and ensure peace and security prevailed, citing the two Nairobi Communiques all with resolutions committing neighbouring countries to work towards peace in the region. She said that last weekend the Congolese government had the responsibility to analyze the situation in her territory so as achieve stability: 'We want to solve the problems concerning peace and security in the region, but Rwanda can only contribute to this process based on the analysis in regard to the war between them and CNDP"-the National Congress for the Defence of the People. She said that her meetings with the DRC delegation was one of problem solving and called upon the DRC government to "solve the problem of the Interahamwe" that are the at centre of security problems in the country.
On his part, Muamba said his government inviting the Rwandan government to go to Kinshasa for further discussions and brief them of his government's meeting with the South African Development Community in Johannesburg over the weekend where Rwanda was not invited. "We are open in Kinshasa to Rwanda's intelligence officers to be part our military structure we have organized to eradicate the FDLR problem. We are working with MONUC forces to solve this issue and we want your intelligence community to be part of the process. We shall send our elite troops to flush out the FDLR in order to avoid this situation going on." Muamba said that his government had organized an evaluation team to assess the effort to deal with FDLR beginning this Sunday and stated that their were informal contacts between his government and General Laurent Nkunda. "We know what he demands," stated Muamba.
Eastern DR Congo continues to live under a state of insecurity after the end of the 1994 Genocide. It has been established that the masterminds of the Rwandan Genocide fled to this largely jungle region where government control is weak and the genocidaires have joined up with the DRC government forces and embarked on a sustained campaign to attack Congolese ethnic Tutsi tribesmen. This state of affairs has led to the evolvement of the Interahamwe and the FDLR to form a myriad bandit groups that have ensured insecurity for the Tutsi in the region. in their defense, the Tutsi have supported the development of a renegade soldier General Nkunda to start a military and political machinery to defend the Tutsi known as the CNDP.
The UN set up a 17000 peace keeping force to ensure peace and security prevailed in the region but these forces especially from Pakistan and India have been accused of being in support of the FDLR by exchange their arms for minerals with the bandits. The Congolese government has turned its accusing finger towards Rwanda saying that President Paul Kagame's government is supporting Nkunda's war against President Joseph Kabila's government. Rwanda has persistently rubbished the claims and recently Gertrude Mulamula the @@@@@@@@@@@
Gasabo residents IN protest march German's DW masts in support of Kabuye
Gasabo residents IN protest march German's DW masts in support of Kabuye
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Thousands of Gasabo district residents yesterday braved the midmorning heat and light rains to the hilltop of Kibagabaga suburb protesting against German's continued detention of Rose Kabuye on the verge of her transfer to France.
The residents made long lines in the middle of the road walking from as far as Kabuga and Kacyiru to the Kinyinya intersections where they joined up and moved to up to Deustch Welle's radio masts holding placards that called for the Freedom of Kabuye. Among prominent protesters included Rwanda Defense Forces' Chief of General Staff James Kabarebe and Caesar Kayizari who drove his military double cabin slowly through the marching crowds and they chanted his name. Many of the marchers also spotted a green badge with a rose floe flower to show their support to Kabuye who was due to be extradited to France on the same day to face charges for her alleged role in shooting down the plane on 6th April 1994 before the onset of the Rwandan Genocide that claimed close to one million people in 100 days.
France sued 9 senior leaders of the Rwanda Patriotic Front accusing them of shooting down the plane carrying ex president Juvenal Habyarimana, the incident has been investigated by many including the United Nations' but no one has come up with a definite answer as to who was responsible for the shooting but many neutral observers believe that the plane was shot by the famous 'Akazu' in Habyarimana's regime-which after organizing the genocide wanted a spark to set it off. The French government is trying the RPF leaders because of their three nationals that died along with Habyarimana.
Robert Mugenzi a resident of Kanombe and part of demonstrators said he was marching to show his support for the current government; "this government has got us from being ignored to our present status. Am proud to be a Rwandan today because this government has done alot of good. The Germans and French want to discredit our leaders by issuing their warrants but we shall rally behind our leaders and we will refuse Europeans making decisions for us."
For Claude Ntambara the protest was about Rwandans showing their anger against the insensitivity of Europeans towards Africans: "how can the French be concerned or care about Rwanda, they are jealous that the country has moved on without their patronage and instead of cooperation they have resorted to arresting our leaders who have done more for the country in a short time than Habyariamana and his French cohorts could do since independence."
For Jaque Nzamwita the protests were about the determination of Rwanda to get rid of French influence in the country, he said that France is mad for Rwanda for breaking away from their wings; "am here to detest France's role in Rwanda before and even now. They are using Kabuye to prove that they power in the international community but we are determined to protest peacefully to get the truth known."
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Thousands of Gasabo district residents yesterday braved the midmorning heat and light rains to the hilltop of Kibagabaga suburb protesting against German's continued detention of Rose Kabuye on the verge of her transfer to France.
The residents made long lines in the middle of the road walking from as far as Kabuga and Kacyiru to the Kinyinya intersections where they joined up and moved to up to Deustch Welle's radio masts holding placards that called for the Freedom of Kabuye. Among prominent protesters included Rwanda Defense Forces' Chief of General Staff James Kabarebe and Caesar Kayizari who drove his military double cabin slowly through the marching crowds and they chanted his name. Many of the marchers also spotted a green badge with a rose floe flower to show their support to Kabuye who was due to be extradited to France on the same day to face charges for her alleged role in shooting down the plane on 6th April 1994 before the onset of the Rwandan Genocide that claimed close to one million people in 100 days.
France sued 9 senior leaders of the Rwanda Patriotic Front accusing them of shooting down the plane carrying ex president Juvenal Habyarimana, the incident has been investigated by many including the United Nations' but no one has come up with a definite answer as to who was responsible for the shooting but many neutral observers believe that the plane was shot by the famous 'Akazu' in Habyarimana's regime-which after organizing the genocide wanted a spark to set it off. The French government is trying the RPF leaders because of their three nationals that died along with Habyarimana.
Robert Mugenzi a resident of Kanombe and part of demonstrators said he was marching to show his support for the current government; "this government has got us from being ignored to our present status. Am proud to be a Rwandan today because this government has done alot of good. The Germans and French want to discredit our leaders by issuing their warrants but we shall rally behind our leaders and we will refuse Europeans making decisions for us."
For Claude Ntambara the protest was about Rwandans showing their anger against the insensitivity of Europeans towards Africans: "how can the French be concerned or care about Rwanda, they are jealous that the country has moved on without their patronage and instead of cooperation they have resorted to arresting our leaders who have done more for the country in a short time than Habyariamana and his French cohorts could do since independence."
For Jaque Nzamwita the protests were about the determination of Rwanda to get rid of French influence in the country, he said that France is mad for Rwanda for breaking away from their wings; "am here to detest France's role in Rwanda before and even now. They are using Kabuye to prove that they power in the international community but we are determined to protest peacefully to get the truth known."
Tuesday 18 November 2008
Top Musicians dedicate new joint single to Kabuye
Top Musicians dedicate new joint single to Kabuye
BY GEORGE KAGAME&
GLORIA ANYANGO
Top musicians in the country have added their voices in support of Rose Kabuye by dedicating their recent joint track Tuzatsinda to Rose Kabuye, the National State Protocol officer being detained in Frankfurt after German authorities arrested her recently on the orders of a French judge.
Speaking on behalf of the musicians to journalists on Tuesday ahead of the song's release, Sergeant Robert Kabera one of the composers of the song said top musicians including Masamba, Miss Jojo and Channel, Ben Ngabo Petit, Natty Dread among others were concerned about the unfairness of the arrest and wanted their views to be recorded.
"We want to show our disapproval of the people that oppose Rwanda's destiny and those that want to change history to suit them especially France and German," said the renowned former army crooner. Kabera said it is not the first time that Rwanda's top musicians have united their efforts to compile music about major issues affecting the country: "in the past we have combined our talents to sing about the youth and younger children who form 65 percent of the national population today, he mentioned Love to love and Abaana as some of such songs. In our song titled, "Abaana", we employ policy makers to protect and promote the rights of the youth."
The song dedicated to Kabuye is titled Tuzabatsinda and features rhymes in Kinya-Rwanda, English, German, French and Swahili.
Kabera said the arrest of Kabuye at Frankfurt airport is major issue in Rwanda's politics and was an example whereby: "Europeans are very good at turning shame into unreasonable anger and arrogance. Kabuye's arrest is painful for us as musicians and it was important for us to contribute in ways we can to contribute to the process of the rebuilding of the country.
The song appeals to Rwandans of all creeds to unite and assures Kabuye of the support of the whole nation, it also encourages the listener to be strong because Rwanda has faced many challenges in the past and overcome them. Kabuye and Rwanda will be like the biblical story of the rejected stone which later became the chief corner stone: . "We are winners and we are behind you Kabuye even if our enemies so big/like in the bible-where a stone was rejected but later became the chief cornerstone,-we will victor," goes the lyrics of the song.
BY GEORGE KAGAME&
GLORIA ANYANGO
Top musicians in the country have added their voices in support of Rose Kabuye by dedicating their recent joint track Tuzatsinda to Rose Kabuye, the National State Protocol officer being detained in Frankfurt after German authorities arrested her recently on the orders of a French judge.
Speaking on behalf of the musicians to journalists on Tuesday ahead of the song's release, Sergeant Robert Kabera one of the composers of the song said top musicians including Masamba, Miss Jojo and Channel, Ben Ngabo Petit, Natty Dread among others were concerned about the unfairness of the arrest and wanted their views to be recorded.
"We want to show our disapproval of the people that oppose Rwanda's destiny and those that want to change history to suit them especially France and German," said the renowned former army crooner. Kabera said it is not the first time that Rwanda's top musicians have united their efforts to compile music about major issues affecting the country: "in the past we have combined our talents to sing about the youth and younger children who form 65 percent of the national population today, he mentioned Love to love and Abaana as some of such songs. In our song titled, "Abaana", we employ policy makers to protect and promote the rights of the youth."
The song dedicated to Kabuye is titled Tuzabatsinda and features rhymes in Kinya-Rwanda, English, German, French and Swahili.
Kabera said the arrest of Kabuye at Frankfurt airport is major issue in Rwanda's politics and was an example whereby: "Europeans are very good at turning shame into unreasonable anger and arrogance. Kabuye's arrest is painful for us as musicians and it was important for us to contribute in ways we can to contribute to the process of the rebuilding of the country.
The song appeals to Rwandans of all creeds to unite and assures Kabuye of the support of the whole nation, it also encourages the listener to be strong because Rwanda has faced many challenges in the past and overcome them. Kabuye and Rwanda will be like the biblical story of the rejected stone which later became the chief corner stone: . "We are winners and we are behind you Kabuye even if our enemies so big/like in the bible-where a stone was rejected but later became the chief cornerstone,-we will victor," goes the lyrics of the song.
Sunday 16 November 2008
Nkunda denies CNDP break Up
Accuses Rwanda of betrayal and using General John BoscoNtaganda to take minerals out of DR Congo on behalf of President Paul Kagame
GEORGE KAGAME
In an exclusive interview with The New Times yesterday, General Laurent Nkunda;theChairman of the National Congress for the Defense of the People said he was concerned with the recent developments concerning relations between Rwanda and Congo.
The CNDP is the largest and strongest rebel group in Eastern DR Congo and Nkunda was responding to questions regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations between DR Congo and Rwanda after foreign ministers from the two countries signed started a series of high level talks at Kigali’s Serena Hotel.
Rwanda and DR Congo have been at loggerheads since the end of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, they have fought a series of wars as well as supporting a myriad proxy wars against each other.
On Friday after DR Congolese foreign affairs minister Tambwe and his host Rosemary Museminari announced to the press that they were set to open embassies respectively in Kinshasa and Kigali.
Nkunda was speaking from Jomba is eastern DR Congo after meeting with the former president of Nigeria General OlusegunObasanjo who is currently working as the UN Special Secretary General Special Envoy in Eastern Congo. Olusegun is mandated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to help negotiate a peaceful end to the military conflict in Eastern DR Congo where more than five million people have been displaced and millions more killed according to human rights organizations.
Reacting to reports of massacres in Kiwanja a small town east of Goma the regional capital in which more than 150 people were killed in the weekend of his meeting with Obasanjo, Nkunda said that some elements within the CNDP wanted to capture Goma before the negotiations started.
“Some of our officers wanted to capture Goma such that the CNDP would have a bigger bargaining position with Joseph Kabila’s government. But I refused that strategy; it is not my strategy I think it was suggested by elements within the Rwandan army. We cannot accept Rwandan officers dictating command in Congo. I’m a General and I do not take orders from anybody,” said General Nkunda.
The negotiations between Nkunda’s CNDP with the DR Congo government are to be held in Nairobi Kenya and start on early next month. Both parties are due to send delegations for peace talks to a Nairobi hotel where Obasanjo as well as former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa will be mediators. Speaking about the peace talks, Nkunda said that he never wanted MONUC to be part of the peace talks as they were not necessarily independent observers; “we have fought against the MONOC, they shoot at us. How can you have your enemy also acting as your judge?” asked Nkunda.
Nkunda said that the hardliner elements within the CNDP are General John BoscoNtaganda who in a shocking twist is said to be leading a split of the CNDP. Ntaganda’s breakaway faction is said to be finalizing a list of its own delegation to send to the peace talks. This is likely to undermine the authority and leadership of General Nkunda.
Nkunda said that these developments are the work of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame; “Kagame wants to control this part of DR Congo, tell him this is our country, we cahll solve our own problems as Congolese. And if he continues undermining my authority I will shame him in the world, we know about his interests here and it is not to protect the Tutsi of Congo but to rob its minerals, He is using Ntaganda as an element to disorganize the CNDP but he will never succeed.”
Ntaganda, according to CNDP highly placed sources is already holding meetings with the DR Congo government, in a consortium that involves the MONUC forces in eastern Congo about the possible ceasefire.
After the departure of Obasanjo, there were reports that 150 people were massacred at Kiwanja in the morning of 4 November 2004.
Nkunda’s forces were blamed for the killings and he denied the charges in the international press but while answering questions in Kinyarwanda, Nkunda said that Rwandan officers who were helping the CNDP were was too greedy and he was fearful of their recent maneuvers.
Nkunda further emphasized that neither he nor the CNDP were responsible for the massacres of Kiwanja but suspected that General Ntaganda who had not communicated with him for two days might have given the orders to ransack Kiwanja.
"And before we came back to Kiwanja the governor of Goma, in the morning, announced that in Kiwanja there were massacres. When I heard on the radio that there were massacres in Kiwanja, I called my guys [soldiers] on the ground and said, "Where are you?" They said, "We are in Rutshuru." I said, "Who is doing this?" They said they did not know, that they were in Rutshuru."
But General revealed that relations with his alleged backer; Rwanda are not good and that events leading to Rwanda’s recent cordial approach to mend relations with the DR Congo needs further scrutiny.
The renegade general warned Rwanda that Rwanda risked ‘great dangers’ if as it was announced over the weekend that his deputy General John BoscoNtaganda had dethroned Nkunda and was sending a separate team to peace negotiations and that the delegation would be backed by Rwanda.
Ntaganda, who has a UN arrest warrant on him issued for war crimes and crimes against humanity was not at the Jomba were Obasanjo and Nkunda held their first meeting along with Gertrude the executive director of the International Crisis committee of the Great Lakes Region for the CNDP to start negotiations with the government of DR Congo.
Ntaganda is said to be a Rwandan who was sent to DR Congo by President Paul Kagame to help General Laurent Nkunda in fighting against the perpetuators of the Rwandan genocide who roam free in DR Congo. However, many security experts say that Ntaganda is in fact Rwanda’s man sent to supervise and control areas where large mineral deposits and minefields are reported to be.
The experts say that Ntagnda’s presence in Congo explains why Rwanda is one of the leading exporters of gold in the GREAT lakes region even when the country has meager resources of the precious stone.
A New Times reporter; PaulusKayigwa who reported on this unusual Rwanda gold export figures for 2008 over the weekend was summarily dismissed from his job.
Ends
GEORGE KAGAME
In an exclusive interview with The New Times yesterday, General Laurent Nkunda;theChairman of the National Congress for the Defense of the People said he was concerned with the recent developments concerning relations between Rwanda and Congo.
The CNDP is the largest and strongest rebel group in Eastern DR Congo and Nkunda was responding to questions regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations between DR Congo and Rwanda after foreign ministers from the two countries signed started a series of high level talks at Kigali’s Serena Hotel.
Rwanda and DR Congo have been at loggerheads since the end of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, they have fought a series of wars as well as supporting a myriad proxy wars against each other.
On Friday after DR Congolese foreign affairs minister Tambwe and his host Rosemary Museminari announced to the press that they were set to open embassies respectively in Kinshasa and Kigali.
Nkunda was speaking from Jomba is eastern DR Congo after meeting with the former president of Nigeria General OlusegunObasanjo who is currently working as the UN Special Secretary General Special Envoy in Eastern Congo. Olusegun is mandated by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to help negotiate a peaceful end to the military conflict in Eastern DR Congo where more than five million people have been displaced and millions more killed according to human rights organizations.
Reacting to reports of massacres in Kiwanja a small town east of Goma the regional capital in which more than 150 people were killed in the weekend of his meeting with Obasanjo, Nkunda said that some elements within the CNDP wanted to capture Goma before the negotiations started.
“Some of our officers wanted to capture Goma such that the CNDP would have a bigger bargaining position with Joseph Kabila’s government. But I refused that strategy; it is not my strategy I think it was suggested by elements within the Rwandan army. We cannot accept Rwandan officers dictating command in Congo. I’m a General and I do not take orders from anybody,” said General Nkunda.
The negotiations between Nkunda’s CNDP with the DR Congo government are to be held in Nairobi Kenya and start on early next month. Both parties are due to send delegations for peace talks to a Nairobi hotel where Obasanjo as well as former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa will be mediators. Speaking about the peace talks, Nkunda said that he never wanted MONUC to be part of the peace talks as they were not necessarily independent observers; “we have fought against the MONOC, they shoot at us. How can you have your enemy also acting as your judge?” asked Nkunda.
Nkunda said that the hardliner elements within the CNDP are General John BoscoNtaganda who in a shocking twist is said to be leading a split of the CNDP. Ntaganda’s breakaway faction is said to be finalizing a list of its own delegation to send to the peace talks. This is likely to undermine the authority and leadership of General Nkunda.
Nkunda said that these developments are the work of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame; “Kagame wants to control this part of DR Congo, tell him this is our country, we cahll solve our own problems as Congolese. And if he continues undermining my authority I will shame him in the world, we know about his interests here and it is not to protect the Tutsi of Congo but to rob its minerals, He is using Ntaganda as an element to disorganize the CNDP but he will never succeed.”
Ntaganda, according to CNDP highly placed sources is already holding meetings with the DR Congo government, in a consortium that involves the MONUC forces in eastern Congo about the possible ceasefire.
After the departure of Obasanjo, there were reports that 150 people were massacred at Kiwanja in the morning of 4 November 2004.
Nkunda’s forces were blamed for the killings and he denied the charges in the international press but while answering questions in Kinyarwanda, Nkunda said that Rwandan officers who were helping the CNDP were was too greedy and he was fearful of their recent maneuvers.
Nkunda further emphasized that neither he nor the CNDP were responsible for the massacres of Kiwanja but suspected that General Ntaganda who had not communicated with him for two days might have given the orders to ransack Kiwanja.
"And before we came back to Kiwanja the governor of Goma, in the morning, announced that in Kiwanja there were massacres. When I heard on the radio that there were massacres in Kiwanja, I called my guys [soldiers] on the ground and said, "Where are you?" They said, "We are in Rutshuru." I said, "Who is doing this?" They said they did not know, that they were in Rutshuru."
But General revealed that relations with his alleged backer; Rwanda are not good and that events leading to Rwanda’s recent cordial approach to mend relations with the DR Congo needs further scrutiny.
The renegade general warned Rwanda that Rwanda risked ‘great dangers’ if as it was announced over the weekend that his deputy General John BoscoNtaganda had dethroned Nkunda and was sending a separate team to peace negotiations and that the delegation would be backed by Rwanda.
Ntaganda, who has a UN arrest warrant on him issued for war crimes and crimes against humanity was not at the Jomba were Obasanjo and Nkunda held their first meeting along with Gertrude the executive director of the International Crisis committee of the Great Lakes Region for the CNDP to start negotiations with the government of DR Congo.
Ntaganda is said to be a Rwandan who was sent to DR Congo by President Paul Kagame to help General Laurent Nkunda in fighting against the perpetuators of the Rwandan genocide who roam free in DR Congo. However, many security experts say that Ntaganda is in fact Rwanda’s man sent to supervise and control areas where large mineral deposits and minefields are reported to be.
The experts say that Ntagnda’s presence in Congo explains why Rwanda is one of the leading exporters of gold in the GREAT lakes region even when the country has meager resources of the precious stone.
A New Times reporter; PaulusKayigwa who reported on this unusual Rwanda gold export figures for 2008 over the weekend was summarily dismissed from his job.
Ends
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