By Victor Makuza
July 12, 2009
As you all probably already know, President Barack Obama gave a very encouraging and optimistic speech on Africa today in Accra to the Ghanaian Parliament.
The White House has expressed the fact they will spend the next few days collecting opinions, feedbacks and comments on that African speech. It is in that regards that I am writing to you to ask that if you truly have any concern on the current direction of Rwanda that you take few minutes to read the speech and send your opinions and comments to the White House on the following link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
It will ask you to fill in few information and then put in your comments. Don't neglect the power of statistics, you and I plus your friend equal many. Please find below the link to the speech and in case you want to be inspired with some feedback and opinions, feel free to use the letter that I am sending you below as well.
Just remember, quite often timing is everything!
Here is Obama's full speech in Accra:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-Ghanaian-Parliament/
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Your Excellency President Barrack Obama,
I strongly praised your speech delivered in the Ghana's parliament on July 11, 2009 addressing not only the population of Ghana but also of the whole African continent in general. Your election in November last year has brought high optimism for many Americans of African descent as well as Africans and your speech today laying down your views, proposed policies and whishes for Africa just reiterates and re-energizes us on our commitments to continue our fight for hope of true democracy and stronger institutions in African countries that give everyone equal rights in front of justice and economical opportunities.
As an American of Rwandan origin, I would particularly like to bring to your attention the human tragedy that has been perpetuated in Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo primarily by General Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda. He has masterminded the total capture of power in Rwanda through guerilla warfare from Uganda where he was the top Military Intelligence officer. Through that war initiated on October 1st 1990, it has fully escalated after killing the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi, Juvenal Habyarimana and Sylvester Ntaryamira respectively on April 6th, 1994, leaving a quasi power vacuum that quickly degenerated into chaos and despair where the war that was already tainted with tribal strife culminated into genocide.
Since 1994, General Kagame, the strongest man in Kigali, has leveraged genocide itself as a tool to legitimize his power and denied any meaningful democracy or dialogue with his true political opposition and civil society. He rather managed to create a strong diplomatic network of people that include both Rwandans and foreigners with access to potential donors of foreign aids and highlight Rwanda as good exemplary country in many aspects when some credible sources from the country tell us that a good number of people are either fleeing the country or thrown in jail for speaking up about injustice or simply asking for an opened democratic process. On the other hand, as many high rising buildings are sprawling in Kigali, the capital city, where the majority of them are owned by government agents and military officers, our sources including some local newspapers tell us that in a number of rural areas of Rwanda, famine is rampant.
Your Excellency President Obama, as you very well stated in your speech in Cairo and in Accra today: History offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not. General Kagame and his administration chose the path of coercion, the non-respect of human rights, refused dialogue to his opposition, built a constitution and democratic process tailored to his will and whishes. It is true that his focused tactics on public relations with foreign donors may superficially give a sense of growth because of the aid but in the long run, as a student of Rwandan history as well as previous African government led by the so-called strong men, the current Rwandan government system is doomed to failure as it is built on internal coercions of its people and weak institutions.
I strongly believe that through your understanding of issues and commitment to a democratic, stable and prosper Africa that you will lend your voice and actions to Rwandan people seeking dialogue as a necessary path toward truth and reconciliation, peace and a true democratic process in Rwanda. This dialogue is even more crucial in Rwanda as its set of cyclical violence in the past fifty years are unique compared to many other African countries and I also believe that the country can write a new chapter where all its people will live in harmony with mutual respect and by equal rights under the law along with stronger institutions that will ensure continuity and a stable democratic process.
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
Sincerely,
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