African Great Lakes Observer

Why Rwanda's clockwork election is a bad day for democracy British colonialists and their dogs and the British media reporters who have been swamping Rwanda are impressed by the appearance of the capital of Rwanda. They say that the capital is clean and has first class hotels. British have been praising Kagame for economic achievements on the basis of what they see in the capital. As you are aware Western people, especially British people are interested more in where they will sleep. They do not care about hunger, diseases and malnutrition that characterise daily lives of most African people. The British are happy that their foreign aid has been well used and that Kagame should have the salary three times higher than David Cameroon’s salary. They are happy that their foreign is used to maintain the Rwandan military personnel and unelected members of parliament. For the British, this what they believe to be international development! -------------------------------------------------...

Dr Alexander Betts, University of Oxford http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2010/aug/31/uk-complicit-bankrolling-congo-conflict As the Guardian reported last week, a 600-page report by the UN high commissioner for human rights was leaked, documenting the role of Rwanda in possible genocide in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in the late 1990s (Leaked UN report accuses Rwanda of possible genocide in Congo, 27 August). This has seismic implications for British foreign and development policy towards Rwanda, which the present government needs to take extremely seriously. Since the 1990s the Paul Kagame regime has represented itself as the progressive and modernising "Singapore of Africa", courting international support and legitimacy in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Yet, alongside the suppression of human rights domestically, it has continued to play a direct and indirect military role in North Kivu, both in pursuit of Hutus who fled Rwanda in 1994 and nat...

UK complicit in bankrolling Congo conflict Dr Alexander Betts, University of Oxford http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2010/aug/31/uk-complicit-bankrolling-congo-conflict As the Guardian reported last week, a 600-page report by the UN high commissioner for human rights was leaked, documenting the role of Rwanda in possible genocide in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in the late 1990s (Leaked UN report accuses Rwanda of possible genocide in Congo, 27 August). This has seismic implications for British foreign and development policy towards Rwanda, which the present government needs to take extremely seriously. Since the 1990s the Paul Kagame regime has represented itself as the progressive and modernising "Singapore of Africa", courting international support and legitimacy in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Yet, alongside the suppression of human rights domestically, it has continued to play a direct and indirect military role in North Kivu, both in pursu...

Apocalypse in Central Africa: The Pentagon, Genocide and the War on Terror By Keith Harmon Snow 20 July 2010 keith harmon snow Published (edited extensively) by: Z Magazine, July 2010 under the title: BRUTAL REGIMES: Apocalypse in Central Africa : Ongoing repression, war crimes, and U.S. involvement * "As a key partner, we are very happy to be working with the Rwandan Defense Force as they seek to improve their capacity to do various peacekeeping missions as well as contribute in other ways to bringing peace to this region. And what we’re doing as a part of this visit is demonstrating to our Rwandan friends that we indeed are a committed partner… And by so doing, that stability is felt around the world…" General William E. Ward, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Press conference, Kigali, Rwanda, 22 April 2010 Rwandan Defense Minister Gen. James Kabarebe (R)—indicted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Central Africa—speaks to US AFRICOM chief General William W...

The history of UK involvement in Rwandan war, tragedies and development: from Lynda Chalker to David Cameron The history of UK involvement in Rwandan tragedies, then Rwandan development started from Lynda Chalker a British Conservative politician who was Member of Parliament for Wallasey from 1974 to 1992. She served as Minister of State for Overseas Development at the Foreign Office, in the Conservative government from 1989 to 1997. The PM David Cameron visited Rwanda in 2007. He visited Rwanda with 100 people including 43 Tory volunteers, who stayed in Rwanda for one month to work on petty aid projects and to teach English. Andrew Mitchell MP, the current Secretary of State for International Development was part of the group. The only experience he has in international development affairs is Rwanda. He promised Kagame that British aid will double foreign aid to Rwanda if the Conservatives win the elections. Most of British top officials have visited Rwanda since the war ended. The cu...

Rwanda: After elections, what next ? Rwanda: Facing life in jail, the woman who dared to take on Paul Kagame Stability in Rwanda is based on political repression, opposition leader Victoire Ingabire tells Daniel Howden Victoire Ingabire had expected to spend this weekend campaigning. Instead, she will spend it under house arrest in Kigali, preparing her defence for a trial that could end with a life sentence. Ms Ingabire returned to Rwanda in February to contest Monday's presidential election. She had not expected to win against Paul Kagame, the soldier who has run Rwanda since 1994, but she did think she would at least be able to stand against him. "When I came back the plan was to register my party and participate," she told The Independent in a telephone interview from the Rwandan capital. But the authorities have stopped that from happening. "I have no freedom, the police follow me wherever I go. I cannot leave Kigali, they have taken away my passport," she ...