Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

Habyarimana was “asleep” when RPF attacked Rwanda

By RNA Reporter
July 4, 2009

One can say whatever he/she wants about someone who is no longer on this earth because nobody will be able to rebut their assertions.

In his speech on July 4, 2009 in Kigali Amahoro Stadium, Museveni contradicted himself.

Museveni always claimed that he was unaware that the RPF (Rwandan soldiers within the Ugandan Army) rebels had attacked Rwanda when he was in the United States to attend the UN General Assembly in 1990.

This is what he told President Habyarimana about this attack when they met to discuss the problem while in the USA.

Now Museveni claims that he was the first one to inform Habyarimana about the RPF attack .
Such a statement clearely shows that Museveni was aware of the attack. That also means that Rwandan secret services failed inform Habyarimana.

One must also congratulate that " anonymous diplomat" who warned Museveni about the probable tragic consequences of the attack.

Indeed, like Museveni and Kagame, that diplomat was aware of the ethnic problems in the African Great Lakes region.

I think the International Community learned a good lesson from the Rwandan genocide of 1994. This may explain why it acted quickly when similar conflicts erupted in Kenya lately following disputed presiential elections.

Should Museveni had followed the advice of that diplomat, all thhose innocent people who were killed from 1990 to this very day in Rwanda and in DRC would still be alive today.

Since the ultimate goal of the RPF attack was the total seizure of power in Rwanda, such an advice could not be welcomed.

It is important to mention that one should not ignore that President François Mitterrand of France met Museveni and asked him to stop the war.

Museveni, Kagame and all their allies (Tanzanians, Somalis, Ethiopians, Burundians, Belgians, English, Americans, etc.) refused to stop the war.

Therefore, with all the tragic consequences that followed such a deadly adventure I believe that Museveni would rather be ashamed and afraid on this 15th anniversary of the so-called "liberation" day.
Posted on DHR by PN on July 4, 2009
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Kigali--Former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana was deep asleep in New York that he could not even wake up to be told of the attack on his country, according to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in a major speech at Rwanda’s Liberation Day July 04.

“When I called President Habyarimana, I was told he was deep asleep and could not be woken up”, Mr Museveni said amid loud and prolonged laughter from the thousands in the Stadium. Mr. Museveni talked to Dr. Casimir Bizimungu, the Foreign Minister, now on trial at UN tribunal for Rwanda on Genocide.

The Rwanda Patriotic Front rebels commanded by Major-General Fred Gisa Rwigema launched the first attack on Rwanda from Uganda on October 01, 1990, just after Mr. Museveni had left for the UN General Assembly. Mr. Museveni told his audience today that he had met late General Rwigema briefly before leaving but promised to meet him after he returned from New York.

General Rwigema, then a senior Ugandan army officer apparently “appeared to be troubled”, according to Mr. Museveni. The Ugandan leader said he was subsequently informed by General Rwigema that the Rwandan soldiers had decided to fight their way into Rwanda.

As the war raged between the RPF and government forces, a European ambassador came from Kigali to warn President Museveni to put a stop to the Rwandan rebels.

The diplomat told Mr. Museveni that if the RPF did not stop the war, the “900,000 Tutsis in the country would be wiped-out”. President Museveni did not name the diplomat but said he remembers the country of origin.

“I told him that those who kill innocent people will perish”, said Mr. Museveni amid repeated applause, after he had been honored with a top recognition for his role in supporting the war effort.

In his signature speech model, Mr. Museveni excited the fully packed stadium when he started his address greeting in perfectly phrased Kinyarwanda. “Abanyarwanda mwese muraho”, he said, adding, “murakomeye, murakomeye nk’amabuye”.

However, contrary to the diplomatic language used at such occasions, President Museveni described the Liberation Day as the “15th anniversary of the take over of power in Rwanda”.

By 1990, Uganda was hosting 250,000 Rwandans, in addition to thousands other refugees from Congo and Sudan.

Earlier on, the stadium cheered when President Kagame shook hands with his former foe Museveni. Relations between the two went to an all-time as their armies clashed in DR Congo. Uganda subsequently declared Rwanda “hostile country”.

Present at the Liberation Day festivities was Ethiopian strongman PM Meles Zenawi and Mama Miria Nyerere – wife of late Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere. The three leaders will be honoured with the highest liberation medals on offer for their yet unspecified roles in outing the former regime.

Observers are billing this award to President Museveni as a significant sign that he and President Kagame are trying to put the past away. Uganda backed Rwanda to join the British Common Wealth block. Rwanda is also now into the East African Community. Mr. Museveni described the improving mood saying the “situation was evolving towards peaceful coexistence in the region”.

For his part, Mr. Meles said the successful campaign to end the 1994 Genocide can only be attributed to Rwandans themselves, President Kagame and his rebel force.

“Nobody could have claimed to have stopped the Genocide except President Kagame and his people”, said Mr. Meles as he concluded his less than five-minute speech – as the stadium applauded.

The address of elderly widow of Tanzanian founder Mama Miria Nyerere was given by their daughter. Rosemary Nyerere said honouring her father was “recognition of his commitment to humanity”. She said the honor had been received with “sincere and deep appreciation”.

Mwalimu Nyerere moved to different countries, speaking at numerous platforms trying to raise awareness on a brewing catastrophy – the Genocide. Though he was no longer President of Tanzania, aging Nyerere wrote a booklet “Genocide in Rwanda” which he trotted around the globe presenting.

Tanzania gave “safe-havens” to several liberation movements, according to Rosemary Nyerere, including Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and others.

Before each leader was given their honor, a citation was read. For Mwalimu Nyerere, it was read in Swahili – used majorly and promoted by the late leader as the unifying language for Tanzanian. Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, who originated from Tanzania, read the citation in Swahili.

Note:
The Profile of Yoweri Museveni

Related Materials:
Uganda: Rwanda to Decorate Museveni

Rwanda: Museveni, Zenawi, Nyerere to Receive National Honours

Former RPF Fighters in Uganda Demand Compensation from Rwandan Government

Julius Nyerere, carte maîtresse du Front Patriotique Rwandais

Génocide rwandais : Le peuple crie justice !

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 4:15 PM