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July 07, 2008

Cindy McCain To Rwanda

CNN is reporting that Cindy McCain will travel to Rwanda next week to tour the war-torn country. The visit was organized by the ONE campaign. Former SD Sen. Tom Daschle will join the trip on behalf of Barack Obama's campaign. The group will visit USAID health clinics, schools and an orphanage.

Posted at 05:01 PM

Comments

Why doesn't she travel to health clinics, schools, and orphanages in Iraq?

Oh that's right, her husband is too busy destroying that country.

You simply CANNOT be "ok" with the Iraq War and pretend you are a humanitarian. It just does not fly.

This behavior is even more disgusting since she could take out her pocketbook and write a million-dollar check any time she wants. But does she? Hell no.

Ethan | 07.07.08 06:12 PM

Rwanda is not a "war-torn African nation". The western media ALWAYS likes to portray Africa in a negative light: if it's not about wars then surely it's about AIDS or tribal killings or famine, poverty, corruption, insecurity etc.
Please get the facts straight! Rwanda had a genocide in 1994 since then the country has made drastic improvements and is on its path to recovery, peace, security and prosperity!
Rwanda one of the safest countries in the world. Get it right.

H | 07.07.08 10:40 PM

The proper permits were not pulled when the McCains converted this $4,666,814 condo into one from two condos (1105 & 1106) for the roof top
zero edge pool, sun deck, spa, fire pit, gas barbeque, men’s and ladies’ locker rooms, steam rooms, massage room.

www.webofdeception.com

Robert Lewis | 07.08.08 12:43 AM

Please, Please, Rwanda isn't a war-torn country. Its a country that greatly progessing. Unless she is coming to see how Rwanda has progressed in terms of develoment after 14 years after the 1994 genocide against Tutsis! Western media need to be right and to the point!

Willy | 07.08.08 02:32 AM

@Ethan.

Um, get a grip, man. McCain is not "too busy destroying" Iraq. You do better when you don't strain so hard.

Pining for Chuck Todd | 07.08.08 09:09 AM

He voted for the AUMF in 2002, he's voted for every war bill, he has supported ever permutation of the "mission" and he STILL supports open-ended occupation despite the fact that the President of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki is calling for a timetable for US troops to leave.

He is DESTROYING Iraq. You need to wake up out of your little fantasy world and realize that. WAKE UP.

But nevertheless, you didn't address the meat of my comment. That if Cindy McCain was a REAL HUMANITARIAN she would be against the War in Iraq.

Let's see her visit clinics, schools, orphanages in BAGHDAD since her husband is complicit in creating a humanitarian catastrophe there of significant proportions.

Address that, Pining. Address that. Or don't and keep your "get a grip" to yourself and your little fantasy world.

Ethan | 07.08.08 10:50 AM

Ethan - give me a break. I guess having her Son serving in Iraq isn't enough for you. But, if you're going to question people who haven't visited Iraq, look at the presidential nominee Obama!

Michelle | 07.08.08 11:16 AM

Will she be visiting prisons in Rwanda? That is where humanitarian is needed where more than 100,000 prisoners without any judgment are in the worse condition never seen in any prison in the world.
Is she going to ask Kagame to confess for his part in the Rwandan genocide? In fact by killing the ex-President knowing that this was the trigger of the genocide, Kagame has more than 50% in the Rwandan Genocide.
Is she going to ask Kagame to hand over to the international justice the forty criminal indicted by the Spanish judge?
Is she going to ask President Kagame to send the true killers of the American Susan Miller and Robert Haubner to the American justice since the one he sent after keeping their family hostages were found innocent?
Is she bringing some corn to the poor Rwandan villages while Kigali is growing like a mushroom?

OH! No! She doesn't care about humanitarian.
She is just going to get a check from Paul Kagame to finance her husband campaign. We know that Kagame has a lot of Diamond that he and his boys are stealing from Congo.

Joe | 07.08.08 12:04 PM

[Hands Ethan his medicine yet again].

I don't need to address it, Ethan. Imposing your view of "humanitarian" on others and declaring it is the ONLY definition simply doesn't require much more discussion. It's a motion for cloture, and unless self-evident (which yours is not), doesn't require more.

As for writing the check as a test? Who is a greater humanitarian: Bill Gates or Ghandi?

Pining for Chuck Todd | 07.08.08 12:35 PM

Why don't we bring the troops home for World War II and Koera before we start bringing these troops still in active combat home?

McCain told to truth, deal with it. We will have soldiers in Iraq for 100 years. After all we have had troops in Germany and Japan for 60+ years since that war ended.

It amazes me how people beg to have politicians tell them the truth and then they do.. and it is not what the people want to hear so they go after them. You can have it both ways. Either you want the truth or as jack said, "You can't handle the truth."

tammyv | 07.08.08 01:21 PM

Pining, let's see, strange anonymous person on the internet spouting GOP talking points. Ha. And you want to offer ME medicine... Sounds like you're taking a little too much, if you ask me. Ease up on the Kool-Aid, kiddo.

Fact is, look up the definition of "humanitarian" and tell me if you think it says that you can be a humanitarian towards some people but not others. Ok? Go. Look.

>>>Who is a greater humanitarian: Bill Gates or Ghandi?

Once again, you miss the point. Bill Gates is a philanthropist not a humantarian. He donates BILLIONS of dollars. Ghandi is a personal idol of mine. They are very very different animals and no comparison of either individual is relevant to the point I was making.

The difference between the most inspiring humanitarian of the 20th century and Cindy McTrustFund is that Mahatma Ghandi went on a hunger strike to stop a war and Cindy just LOOKS like she went on hunger strike (but supports the war).

But again, you just did not even come close to addressing the main point I was making, and you can't. Because anyone who is a humanitarian opposes the Iraq War and the catastrophe that has resulted.

Ethan | 07.08.08 04:01 PM

Can Cindy ask Kagame's regime about the 8000 KIBEHO victims from Kagame regime with Kagames' order?I heard that USA went to IRAK because of 5000 people killed by Saddam.

Parik | 07.08.08 05:51 PM

I am wondering why some Americans consider Sadam, Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Ahmadin N. of Iran dictators while they still visit and donate their money and time to the most dengerous dictator of Africa (Rwandan president) who already use his army to kill more than 5 millions Congolese and Rwandans in Congo.

Sclara | 07.08.08 07:57 PM

Cindy is most welcome in Rwanda and will have the opportunity to see progress in terms of economy, social welfare and reconciliation. Since 1994, Rwanda has gone through an economic growth of 7%.
One of the challenge that rwandans are currently facing is the revisionist attitude of some people in the US or in Europe. These people are either pursued for their role in the genocide or have relatives hunted for their role in the genocide.

Cindy Mc Cain should support moves to fight negationism and revisonism of the 1994 genocide of tutsis from some people in the US who have been distorting facts on Rwanda.

Ruterana Epimaque | 07.09.08 07:06 AM

Whenever someone criticizes the Rwandan regime is called a revisionist. Saying that Kageme regime has or is killing people, it’s a fact not a denial of genocide. Think Cindy Mc Cain is just going to “shake hand with the devil”.

John Kigali | 07.09.08 10:45 AM

Of course John, what you think or not DOESNT MATTER in the visit to Rwanda of Sen. Tom Daschle and Cindy McCain.
Whether you and your likes want it or not, the Rwanda's future is bright.
The man who dreamed is there and his name is Paul Kagame, even after him, it's clear now that his legacy will always be there shining.
Now can anyone tell me this arrogance of western writers of always calling us names? War-torn country, poor-thiny country and you name them.
Open your eyes guys, our country's names are known and we don't really need additions.

MAIGA | 07.09.08 12:29 PM

I am not suggesting that Rwanda’s future is not bright or developing. But Rwanda
Should make progress in every in every aspect, like humans rights, Justice...

- Fact: My brother is in prison for 12 years without any charges ect.

And it is good that they are judging people who committed genocide... but we never had any investigation or any indictment from that regime, for people who killed 8000 Kibeho victims , the regime which destroyed and massacred refugees camps in Congo... The list might be long, but I think the justice must be done for a true reconciliation.

John Kigali | 07.09.08 01:31 PM

Rwanda is till a war-torn country.
To find out what was the economic situation in Rwanda before the war that Kagame launched in 1990, reports from IFM and WB are more than eloquent: "Rwanda, an epitheme of economic development in Africa".
What ever today's economic recovery is, it is far away from reaching where it was before the war, in term of social welfare, high literacy rate, low unemployment rate, economic infrastructures, and so on...

Jean | 07.09.08 03:42 PM

Yes! Kagame dreamed it! But what was his dream? I think that I got an answer: "Kagame dream was to seize the power in Kigali regardless of the price to pay, even if it was the sacrifice of the Rwandan People, Tutsis and Hutus". Under the order of Kagame, Rwandans mostly Hutus were killed in Byumba, Ruhengeri and a few in some other part of the country. By shooting and killing two president hutus, Kagame started the killing machine that killed a million of people, mostly Tutsi.
After Kagame seized the power, Kagame killed innocent people mostly hutus in each Rwandan village. Kagame soldiers killed 19 people in my village. Kagame's people Killed my sister and her two grand children along with other 200,000 in Congo's refugee camps. Kagame's attack on Congo has killed more than 4,000,000 in Congo.
What other person have done some evil things like him.
Now Cindy McCain is just going to give him a hug like nothing happened?

In order to have hutus blamed as terrorists Kagame didn't hesitate to kill humanitarians spanish in Ruhengeri and said that it was Interahamwe. He did exactly the same thing in Bwindi Park where he killed Americans and British tourists.
If Cindy is going in Rwanda then she should take with her enough marines. Kagame is still there and did not finish to dream.

It will take some time but soon or late the world will know the TRUTH.

Joe | 07.09.08 04:29 PM

The proper permits were not pulled when the McCains converted this
$4,666,814 condo into one from two condos (1105 & 1106) for the roof top
zero edge pool, sun deck, spa, fire pit, gas barbeque, men’s and ladies’
locker rooms, steam rooms, massage room.

http://webofdeception.com/#mccaincondo

Robert Lewis | 07.09.08 05:08 PM

The proper permits were not pulled when the McCains converted this
$4,666,814 condo into one from two condos (1105 & 1106) for the roof top
zero edge pool, sun deck, spa, fire pit, gas barbeque, men’s and ladies’
locker rooms, steam rooms, massage room.

http://webofdeception.com/#mccaincondo

Robert Lewis | 07.09.08 05:12 PM

It is disappointing to see the world leaders believed to be fair but failing to see the injustice and criminality of Mr. Kagame for the greedy interests related. Kagame who killed millions of people and who assisted by huge media managed to blame the victims to be the criminals! Is Mc Cain and cyndy going to speak out on behalf of speacheless victims and ask for justice in two burundian presidents and Habyarimana's murder? Are they going to help to get light on 1994 Rwanda military coup d'etat labelled genocide for greedy interests?
Justice yet will win.
Thanks.
Joseph

joseph | 07.10.08 04:46 AM

Whether you are pro or con Gen. Kagame's regime I really don't care. What I care about is being patriotic to your "Nation" and I am sure each side feels more patriotic than the other and it becomes like fans during a football game between two teams from a same league when at the end of the day both teams' players meet and consider each other as brothers and ignore who has been cheering for them. Kagame does not care about you!!
My personal question is to know if Gen. Kagame is himself patriotic to his nation (with a small "n" because for him this is not a Nation). I think this so-called today's strongest african president is just a "mercenary" towards himself. This man has been at the head of this Great Nation for almost a decade and a half. What he did is only "selling the country" to strangers for nothing. What he did is just looting his neighbors and building skyscrapers in Kigali and using them as "international fair". What he did is dividing a former unified country and sowing hatred among its people. What he did is committing a genocide and using it as a business and a source of funds.
For me the visit of Cyndy MCCain and the delegation she will go with does not surprise me. It is a follow up. They know about this man, the General. They know who he is and what he did. They are aware about all his deeds all along his governance. The visit is an official support to his bad actions from the war he started in 1990 to today. Nothing is humanitarian at all iif you do not visit the needy.

To Mrs. MCCain, your visit to Rwanda is really to encourage but you need to tell us the truth about your goal. Rwandan people are good but their president is not a “human being”. He is a savage best. Please go and visit Rwandans but not the president.

Thank you all,
semakweli

semakweli | 07.10.08 01:00 PM

Thank you all,
semakweli

semakweli | 07.10.08 01:05 PM

The fact is that Rwanda has progressed beyong any expectations that was set up after the war . I do not deny or attest the killing committed by kagame . One must remember if any one had to stop the genocide it was gonna be by blood ...end of story .....we got victims from both sides and we must move on ....
The innocent people who were killed in the Congelese Camps should have left the camp in the first place since it has been documented that this was sanctuary for genocidaires and people attacking Rwanda ...you can't blame kagame for stopping the genocide and going after the people who committed it in the first place ....and this was not gonna happen without any blood ....unless you want to be in denial. The real problem was the genocide occurring wich Kagame has a little to do with .....if he did he did not train Interamwe ..he did distribute machettes month and month before the genocide ....just wake up and smell the coffee ...stop lying to yourself and be part the movement ....Rwanda developement has just begun so be part of it ...don't waste your time listening to no factual propaganda

Cindy | 07.22.08 12:48 PM

.....”we got victims from both sides (but have only seen justice on one side) and we must move on” .... Why Is this that?
Because whatever happened in Rwanda had to happen in order to reach the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is reach in mineral resources.
Rwanda is and will still be a bridge to DRC.
People who do not understand this unfortunate reality live in complete denial.
African people are easy to use in the killing of their African fellows.
I only wish Africans can understand that there is another way of doing business with the West without having to kill each other.
By the way, before we move on let’s make it clear.
Did Kagame have the right to kill Presidents Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi on April 6, 1994, a terrorist act that triggered the Rwandan genocide?
Apparently, the answer is yes.
Because Kagame was encouraged to do so by his western sponsors who provided him with technical and logistic assistance, including the three missiles that plunged Rwanda into the unprecedented apocalypse.
Finally, at the end of this long tunnel, light is shinning for all HOT (Hungry Of Truth) fellows and their friends:
-Against Kagame’s wish who longed enough to see the international tribunal for Rwanda based in Arusha (Tanzania) transferred to Rwanda, the UN Security Council has recently renewed the mandate of this tribunal for two more years so that Kagame’s regime can also be prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanities, and crimes of genocide and terrorism committed in Rwanda and neighboring countries between January 1994 and December 1994.
- Recently, Kagame was shocked when warned that Brussels remains legally held with respect to the Spaniards to execute warrants issued on 6 February by Judge Fernando Abreu Merells, warrants that target 40 top-ranking Rwandan officials close to Kagame, for crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and terrorism.
-According to Abdul Ruzibiza, a former Tutsi rebel and Kagame’s body guard now in exile, I quote: “Rwandans must mentally free themselves and make an accurate assessment of their problems. Habyarimana masterminded a tragedy but Kagame made it a reality. Kinani-the invicible has since been departed, and we need Kagame to hurry up to court where the death sentence awaits him, and when he will be gone, the rest of us will live in peace. An investigation as to why genocide took place in Rwanda is warranted, and before too long, the responsibilities of both the government and the rebels will be established”.

Jean | 07.24.08 08:04 AM

Jean ...I understand exactly your point and I am not trying to say that kagame is a Saint but I am not looking for endless retribution and vangeance either ....at same point we must say ok ...some killings occured and for some of them , organized for centuries and centuries before ,there will never be justice . My point is , the so called justice as we know will never exist for the most complex genocide in history of humanity .....the government has put people in jail as an attempt to provide some form of justice to people ...but we all know a big number of them are already out of jail ...so the only justice to Rwanda is taking people out of ignorance, providing a certain economic, cultural and social recontruction ...which has been taking place in breath-taking manner and you can't blame Kagame for doing that .....because no president before him has arguably gave Rwanda the dignity that he has given it ..... despite some failed and failed again attempt to portray him otherwise

Cindy | 07.29.08 04:05 PM

""""Did Kagame have the right to kill Presidents Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi on April 6, 1994, a terrorist act that triggered the Rwandan genocide?
Apparently, the answer is yes. """

This is where things get complicated bcs people who pose these kind of questions fail to understand that we were in the context of war or choose not to understand it...and do not comprehend why the war occured in the first place ...my role isn't to break down a Rwandan history course here but instead of answering your question I will ask you another question

""Would habyarimana have killed Kagame if he would have had the opportunity to do so ? """

If you say "" Yes " maybe then u understand that these men were after each other in the context of war , which implies that the question brings us to no where

if your answer is ""No "' then it means you know little about the Rwandan history and Habyarimana himself and his role in the genocide

BTW no international conclusive or thoroughly unbias imvestigation has proven Kagame committed the act so far ( expect some politically motivated french & spanish judges ...who did not get anywhere with it) ...I thought I pointed it out

Cindy | 07.29.08 05:01 PM

Dear Cindy,

Thank you so much for your straightforward response. I really appreciated your precious time devoted to this discussion.
With extreme caution to not fall into the revisionist category, this kind of discussions are highly encouraged at all levels of the society, in order to uncover all of the mysteries surrounding the Rwandan genocide.
Once again thanks a lot for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jean

Jean | 07.31.08 06:45 AM

Dear Cindy,
at least you have the courage of reacting to this comments. One thing one can learn from your comments is your ignorance about Rwanda and Rwandans or your unconditional support to Kagame for some reasons that you alone know.
1) Every rwandan have had a hoe and a machette for centuries. Those are the instruments of work for the rwandan people. The proof is that they were in the seal of the republic. Even today they still have the machettes.
2) Genocide happened because of history of impunity. Now your are supporting that again. 800 tutsis and moderate Hutu, were killed. More than a million of Hutus were killed. These hutus did not kill themselves. Justice have been and is being done for Tutsis. How about Hutus? Are you saying that killing a Hutu is without consequences? Well, that is where everybody including yourself are wrong.
Cindy, you are preparing yourself to be the next first lady, is that the kind of first lady we have to expect from you? Dou you want us to start crying as soon as you get in the White House.
Rwanda should not be a field of battle between US and France. Because who ever die in that battle is not French or American. It is an Innocent Rwandan.
All western people are falling in the Kagame's traps:
1) Kagame ordered the Killing of Habyarimana and blamed it on extremists hutus, and the world except Rwandans bought it and give their unconditional support to Kagame to seize the power by arms.
2) Kagame or his People ordered the killing of humanitarians ( including spanish) in Ruhengeri and blamed that on Interahamwe. Again you bought it. Now that the spanish know it the are asking for justice. Instead of supporting them you just go to hug Kagame and say don't worry I will be first Lady and nobody will touch you. Just keep to door to Congo open for us.
3)The same thing happened to Canadian. All I know now is that they started the process of asking for thruth and Justice.
4)In an attempt to have the the FDLR put on a terrorist list, Kagame and his people organized the killing of the American Susan Miller,her husband Robert Haubner and other tourists and again blamed that crime on Interahamwe. He held families hostages of some rwandans and asked them to confess the killings. But the American justice have discovered that those were not the true killers. As future first lady will you dismiss this case or will you ask for the truth in the death of US citizen?

Cindy, there were time were people from the third world, especially from Africa, could not express what they think and how they feel. That time is in the past now. We will speak until you decide to shut our mouths.
Even in our agony we will say the last word :" make sure that everyone's mouth is shut."

Joe | 07.31.08 11:04 AM

One thing I must clarify is that I am not Cindy McCain I just happen to have the first name as her .

The second thing I must say is that if I offended anyone by sounding a little nonchallant about Rwandan past I didn't mean to do so.
I am Rwandan women, whose kids have Twa, Tusti & hutu genetic make up running in their blood.
My reasoning and hope for Rwanda is that we move past the horrific history and legacy passed on to us by our ancestors . I am aware of the horror and pain that my ancestors cause to the their fellow Rwandans, and I am also aware of the horrow and pain that was inflicted on them in the name of vengeance .

As a mother, this is the type of legacy that I do not want to pass on to my kids ... I refuse to look backward but look forward ...I still do not deny the past but I choose to use it as learning tool for the good of my people . Few things have been listed but most of them are still unproven accusations ....The proven fact is that we have had genocide, prepared with trained army to execute it with substantial body of evidence to prove that . Also it has proven that both Hutu & Tusti died in way which was not necessary .

My wish is to look past these facts, as hard as this might sound, and be the generation that stop this vicious circle . We will never have a president or political system that we all are satisfy with but if our kids are healty, live in a safe country and educated and if we have one vision we will be able to sort out our differences

Education, health care system available for everyone, sound economical structures, competitive technology is what we need and for the first time in history it seems like we can achieve that and all african countries are prasing us for our vison . So lets focus on that

Sincerly,

Cindy

Cindy | 07.31.08 02:33 PM

Thanks Cindy for the clarification.
If we have to look forward then the Rwandan president should take the courage to say
"We all regret what happened and I am convinced that it was not the best way to solve our problems. I am also convinced that Rwandans are still able to live as brothers and sisters as it was a moment in the past.
That is why I declare a general amnesty for all Rwandans."
But if he doesn't then any one who has any kind of responsibility in the killing of Tutsis (recognized genocide) and Hutus(unrecognized genocide) should face the justice.
What I am against is a one way justice which has no other consequences than making Rwandan more angrier.
What do you think?

Joe | 07.31.08 05:56 PM

Hello Joe

I totally agree with you. Justice should never be one way. One of the thing that strucks you about the reality in Rwanda is how many people are in jail for more than 13 or 15 yrs without any trial or proven crime or conviction. So many people have been accused wrongly of crime that they are not responsible of .....

Also, another terrible reality, is that of victims of genocide who are having to leave face to face with people who raped them , killed their sibblings just because the governement does not have away or means to keep so many people in jail

Providing the type of history we have had , one can understand the complexity of this situation and how difficult it would be for any governement to please everyone.

We as Rwandans are going to need a collective moral responsability and pray for more wisdom to be able to overcome these tought issues.

Amnesty for everyone sounds ideal but the consequences of letting people who might potentially become a killing machine back in society will also be the most irresponsable thing to do.

No matter how you look at it, there is no easy way out ...remember that we are only 14 yrs away from the most atrocious genocide in human kind ...
Healing will be a long process and a painfull one

The stories that inspire me .....and this the place where I wish all Rwandans can reach..... are the stories of mothers, women, men that I have seen across the country , huging the killers of their siblings, Killers truthfully confessing and repenting ....Killers and victims preaching in churches together......this where our future is and this is where hope is ...a true testimony of Rwandan resilience and ability to rise

Because as I said it before , justice as we know it, is a beautiful thing , but might and will probable never exist in context of Rwanda's reality .....Sad but through

Cindy | 08.01.08 11:35 AM

Cindy,
we can go on and on and try to twist the reality.
Once again one way justice will never solve the problem and the end is that there may be more victims.

Joe | 08.01.08 01:35 PM

Sorry Joe- If I view things differently ....It is actually good because we should all agree to desagree on these issues without having to eliminate each other....That it is what define a mature and civil society
My REALITY when it comes to Rwanda is that : ""what Justice means for some It is vengeance for others & this will go on until the end of times "".....Until one generation decides to stop this ...it wiill never end I am choosing to be part of that generation.

Cheers

Cindy | 08.01.08 02:28 PM

A generation that kills and buries corpses of victims in mass graves or burns them and scatters the ashes away in the forest or the river to conceal evidence….This is instead a generation that everybody should be ashamed of.
...the only justice to Rwanda is taking people out of ignorance, providing a certain economic, cultural and social reconstruction ...which has been taking place in breath-taking manner and you can't blame Kagame for doing that.....
It is well known that Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. According to the latest report from UN-DP (United nations Development Program) on the level of human development in Rwanda (Turning vision 2020 into reality: From recovery to sustainable human development), 62 % of the entire population in the rural area currently live in extreme poverty with less than 0,44 $US per day, compared to 50,3% in 1990 just before the war that Kagame and his movement imposed to the Rwandan people. If this is indeed the case, how can someone say that.....no president before him (Kagame) has arguably gave Rwanda the dignity that he has given it..... ?
Unbiased economist analysts attest that Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, but poverty levels are higher now nationwide.
This is one of many reasons for which human rights advocates are unhappy with this so called ”new promise of prosperity” in Rwanda.
Jean

Jean | 08.01.08 06:51 PM

Jean,
I think it is going to be hard for you to discuss with people who don't know Rwanda before the Kagame genocide and now!!!! These people have black eyes as I can tell.
No president before Kagame has arguably given Rwanda the dignity that he has given it..... ? This is an insult to the presidencies before him. I am not speaking for them all due to my age but Rwanda our beautiful country was doing very well at Habyarimana Juvenal’s regime compare of how hungry are the population now. You get people who stop just at Kigali and come back singing this kind of music (Kagame has developed Rwanda, toll buildings are rising, Kigali is unbelievable, ect.. What about if they could continue their journey deep in the country and visit Rusororo, Nyamabuye, ryinyo, Bisate, Rwaza to name few places and see the reality of the country! Will they sing the same music (They will be lucky if they could make it back to Kigali!!)
Long time ago, I thought the western people like Cindy and others will help Rwandans to sit around a table to discuss their problems but I think I was wrong. I think when they arrive there Kagame is buying them so that they can be on his side and don't tell the truth!!! Unfortunately this is very bad for Rwanda and Rwandans and don’t know how we should stand up and protest against these genius people with and minds which can’t see the reality!
Rwanda is not doing good since Rwandans are hungry than ever before, There is no freedom of any kind in Rwanda, The justice is just for the Tutsi, ect...I will encourage all these people who want to speak for Kagame to read reports from Human Rights, Department of State and other agencies with a freedom way to collect some of their information!
Is Kigali (only) doing better than before the genocide, this might be true because all the rich people have activities there (even if Bill Clinton, Bill Gates are buying land there). If you ask the same question in USA (Is Washington DC better than ten years ago?)you will get the same answer. I have no doubt that if what happened in my country didn't happen we will be better of and the people in general will be appreciating better.

Matt--

Matt | 08.02.08 11:25 AM

....Rwanda developement has just begun so be part of it ...don't waste your time listening to no factual propaganda…
In his most recent book “A Thousand Hills: Rwanda’s Rebirth and The Man Who Dreamed It” the bestselling author and journalist Stephen Kinzer does not ignore Kagame’s authoritarian streak which has worried human rights organizations in recent years…(”Rwanda’s lack of real, multi-party democracy or a truly free media, are legitimate causes for concern…“). Kinzer also recognizes that Rwanda’s less-than-democratic-practices may one day become a problem but he chooses to praise Kagame(“…for now at least it is perfectly fine for us to marvel at how Kagame has taken his nation from the very depths of hell to the fast-track to prosperity…). He also ackowledges that Kagame is the one (…who led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in its war against the Rwandan government beginning in 1990 which both sparked and eventually put an end to the genocide”…).
If it is prefectly fine for westerners to praise Kagame and his current regime, is it also perfectly fine for the Rwandan people to do so? Time will tell since even Kinzer himself seems to raise doubts about the Rwanda’s future by adding that (“…where things will stand in ten years remains to be seen…”)!
Marie

Marie | 08.03.08 01:08 PM

Marie,
Go ahead and praise Kagame following Kinzer since it is your rights!
Here is what a French Congressman said if you can read French:
En réalité l'actuel chef de l'Etat rwandais est un criminel de guerre qui choisit cyniquement d'accuser la France pour faire diversion et tenter de masquer le sang qu'il a sur les mains.

Kagamé a délibérément fait abattre l'avion d'Habyarimana le 6 avril 1994 déclanchant les événements terribles que l'on connaît, le bataillon des hommes de Kagamé fort de 600 hommes présent à Kigali n'ont alors rien fait pour les empêcher.

Kagamé ne voulait qu'une chose : prendre le pouvoir par la force, il ne voulait surtout pas d'élections libres car il était certain de les perdre.

... As far I can tell you I will not follow a criminal! I am ready to participate to reconstruction my country but Kagame has lots of human rights questions to answer and acknowledging other Rwandans’ rights before I can think about doing so. Why will be interested in country where people are not equally protected???
Have a good weekend.

-M-

Matt | 08.09.08 02:42 PM

""Would Habyarimana have killed Kagame if he would have had the opportunity to do so ? """

Neither the Rwandan Governement nor the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)had the right to resume the war that had been ended by the Arusha Peace Agreement signed by both parties on August 4th, 1993.
(Please refer to the following link: http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/services/cds/agreements/pdf/rwan1.pdf)

According to Barrie Collins, I quote:

" The missile attack (that killed Habyarimana on April 6th,1994) was, among other things, a deliberate violation of Article 1 of the Arusha Accords of 4 August 1993, which stated: ‘The war between the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandan Patriotic Front is over.’
Having secured a virtual coup in the 1993 negotiations – the RPF had won 50 per cent command of the envisaged unified army and enough seats in the proposed transitional government to block anything that was against its interests – the RPF had emerged as the strongest party. The problem it now faced was the scheduled elections where its unpopularity would have been exposed. Local elections in the demilitarised zone that was created in the wake of the February 1993 offensive pointed the way – the RPF was massively defeated at the hands of the former ruling party.
Faced with the prospect of being downsized to a small party by the Rwandan electorate, and with clear support from the US and Belgium, it would appear that the RPF’s interests could only be further advanced with a return to the battlefield. With the promised departure of French forces from Kigali in December 1993, the military path to the capital was clear. What was needed by the RPF was a justification for resuming the war".
Marie

Marie | 08.15.08 06:55 AM

""Would Habyarimana have killed Kagame if he would have had the opportunity to do so ? """

Neither the Rwandan Governement nor the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)had the right to resume the war that had been ended by the Arusha Peace Agreement signed by both parties on August 4th, 1993.
Please refer to the following link: http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/services/cds/agreements/pdf/rwan1.pdf

According to Barrie Collins, I quote:

Marie | 08.15.08 07:04 AM

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July 07, 2008

Cindy McCain To Rwanda

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