Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Butare & Murambi

Sorry I didn't get a chance to make a post yesterday; we were very busy.

Yesterday we drove down Butare along with a journalist from Boston who is here to do a story on the genocide and Rwanda's reconciliation. Along the way the mountains gave way to wide valleys with large rolling hills.

Butare is Rwanda's second-largest city and was the former colonial captial of the Belgian territory of Rwanda-Urundi. In 1962 the capital was moved to Kigali because of its central location. Butare was the largest city at the time, but today Kigali is many times larger.

After walking around and having lunch in Butare, we drove another hour back north to the Murambi Genocide Center, formerly Murambi Technical School.

As word of the violence in Kigali spread out, Tutsis all around the country began takign shelter in churches and the like in many towns around the country. The Hutu chief of Ginkongoro ordered those gathering at the town's church to move to the recently completed Murami Technical School two miles out of town so that no Hutus would be mistaken for Tutsis when the killing started (this chief is now a member of the FDLR in the DRC).

On April 16th, French forces arrived at Murambi along with a small band of Interahmwe. The French moved into the makeshift refugee camp, which had swelled to 65,000 to take a census, telling the refugees that they were doing it for the UN to help figure out what supplies should be sent. As the French reported the numbers to the Interahamwe, the Interahamwe cut the water and electricity to the compound and sent out a call for more Interahamwe to gather around the compound. Meanwhile the UN, believing the government to be nonsupportive of the genocide and unaware of the Interahamwe surrounding the camp, continued to fend off the RPF from advancing further south. At 1:00 PM on April 21st, the French forces left Murambi as part of the foreign troop pullout agreement. By 3:00 PM, the 5,000 Interahamwe who had amassed around the compound attacked. Over two days they murdered 65,000 Tutsi civilians. There were four survivors.

In mid-May when the French forces returned to Murambi as part of Operation Turquoise, the brought with them bulldozers and backhoes, along with thousands of pounds of lyme. The French covered the piles of bodies left by the Interahamwe with the lyme and then buried them in an attempt to hide the evidence of the massacre. Throughout Operation Turquoise, Murambi was one of the main French bases in southern Rwanda.

Due to being covered with lyme prior to their burial, many of the bodies at Murambi were mumified. Today over 2,000 of these bodies sit on display in three of the classroom buildings at the school. The rusting cement mixers left behind by the French remain on a hill between some of the buildings. The bodies are slowly being reburied in a set of modern crypts currently under construction.

Our tour guide at Murambi was one of the four survivors. He was shot in the head during the first day of the attacks and managed to escape the compound during the night between the two days of killing. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital in Burundi, where he spent four months. He still lives in Ginkongoro and says his life is often threatened by Hutus in the surrounding community.

Many Rwandans fear another genocide. Emanuel, our guide at Murambi is one of them. Currently President Kagame rules the country with an iron fist and is very strict about inter-tribal relations. The problems, many say, will come when Kagame dies. Many feel a hidden animosity simmers deep in the hearts of many Rwnadans and that in the power vacuum that will be left after Kagame dies, violence may again erupt. It is almost certain that the FDLR will attempt a full-scale invasion of Rwanda after Kagame is gone, and it is almost certain that the RDF (RPF) could stop them. The real question is whether or not there is enough hate left within Rwanda to rekindle the genocide. Every Rwandan that we have talked to about the issue has had a very different opinion on that matter, and very few are willing to talk. Emanuel was the most open; he says he no longer fears death and that he would be happy to die in the place where his family died, teaching about his family's death. Rwanda needs more Emanuels.

A little about the RPF, because I feel that I may have painted the RPF & Paul Kagame in a bit too bright a light...

The RPF is/was a militia formed in the mid-1960's by Tutsis who fled discrimination and violence in Rwanda to Uganda immediately following Habyarmana's election. In response to increased anti-Tutsi violence in 1990, the RPF invaded northern Rwanda. The civil war raged in northern Rwanda up until 1993. UNAMIR was estamblished to keep peace between the RDF (Habyarmana's government army) and the RPF (led by Kagame), as well as to help with the humanitarian crisis. In 1993 the Tanzania and UN brokered peace agreement, the Arusha accords was signed and peace came to the country.

April 7, 1994. President Habyarmana's plane was shot down by a French-made missile on approach to Kigali international. The attack was carried out by Hutu Power extremeists with the suppport of the French government. These extremists were members of Habyarmana's government who were dissatisfied with the terms of the Arusha accords. It was a fals-flag operation that blamed the RPF. The genocide started that night, and the Arusha accords were shattered at the RPF smashed through the RDF lines and into Rwanda. The UN, not seeing the genocide and beleiving the story of the RPF assassinating Habyarmana, attempted to beat back the RPF while the French trained and armed Interahamwe began the killing of the Tutsis. By the time the UN realized what was going on (and the French pretended to realize it), over 1,000,000 were dead. The RPF took control of the country and chased the Interahamwe into the DRC (then Zaire). Habyarmana's government feld to Kenya, while the lower-level organizers fled with the Interahamwe to the DRC.

The Interahamwe mixed in the civilians in refugee camps in the eastern DRC, living off of international aid, disguised among the 3,000,000 Rwandan civilians in the camps. Meanwhile, Kagame established his government, "cleansed" the RDF of genocidaires, and merged the DRF with the RPF.

When the camps were cleared out in the late 1990s, the Interahamwe were faced with going back to Rwanda to face certain death, or to stay in the DRC. Those that stayed formed the militant group the FDLR, which is still active today.

The corrupt government of the DRC did nothing to stop the FDLR, which killed over 300,000 Tutsis in the DRC. So in 2002, Rwanda invided the DRC (then Zaire) and together with other militant groups in the DRC that had wanted to overthrow the DRC governemtn for a logn time, they established a new government and fought the FDLR. However, this new government was still not doing a very good job of controlling the northeastern portion of the country, so Rwanda fought a proxy war with the FDLR through other militant groups, furthering the problems in the eastern DRC.

In December 2008, Kagame reached an agreement with the DRC that he would turn in the rebel groups that Rwanda was sponsoring and Rwanda would in turn be given permission to carry out military operations against the FDLR in northeastern DRC.

The RPF has been accused of looting and pillaging in the DRC in both of their invasions. They also massacred several thousand Hutu civilians in 1999. They don't do much power sharing with Hutu leaders, and thus tensions in Rwanda remain, although they are quelled by Kagame's strong police rule.

Agh, much more to say, but I've got to go. I'll try and write another to finish this later today.

Until next time,
Drew

6 comments:

  1. I' m really disappointed to find that up until now. you can write something like this: this is a story created by RPF propagandist to cover up the truth. The side line is clear: just to continue the USA/BRITISH plan of exterminating africans through Kagame regime. this is non sens: You must be ashamed of calling yourself a reseacher or something like a journalist or informer. but to me you are total RPF propagandist.

    For your information, be aware that the destruction of our country has been done by RPF led by Kagame himself self: as he made himself ready to do anything to take the power including organising chaos in the country, taking advantages of ressentiment of hutus against tutsi and vice versa ( the fact is the coutry was in a war the tusti were having a big ressentment agains hutus) Kagame was great strategist by fuelings killings in order to seize power in 1994.

    Please Guys form USA. It is certain that are new in RWANDA history. but have taken a long time to establishe your system in our homeland in order to carry on your new form of collonialisme. We Rwandese people know each other. no one can forget how many hutus have been killed by RPF invaders since 1990 up to now. we lost parents, people were massacred By RPF in mass for the interest of the US/BRITISH/Kagame/Museveni. We know Kagame is not at all working for a the people of Rwanda. He has been identified that he is woring for his masters in USA/BRITISH ( some multinational companies ) now he has installed a total aparteid regime discriminating hutus with the use of GENOCIDE - which so far has been established in biased and conspiracy theory manner.
    For your information in Rwanda the conflict remains unsloved and most people prefer being silente as there is nothing else they can do to change things: People are hungry of establishing the rule based on true justice and reconciliation NOT ( A JUSTICE OF WAR WINNER )covered by multinationals. you neee to read other sources and get a better undersanding of RWANDA situation.

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  2. "April 7, 1994. President Habyarmana's plane was shot down by a French-made missile on approach to Kigali international. The attack was carried out by Hutu Power extremeists with the suppport of the French government."

    Dear DREW,
    Please redo your homework.

    Do you have any proof for the above statement?
    You should use caution in assimiliting everything RPF apologists would like you to believe about the Rwandan genocide.

    First of all, Habyarimana was killed on April 6,1994 not April 7, 1994. The genocide strated that night. But because RPF does not want to count Habyarimana as victim of genocide they falsely stated that the genocide started on April 7, 1994.....

    Shoud you need help finding reliable research documentations on who killed Habyarimana I will be glad to help.

    In the meantime please read the following article:
    New Revelations on Who Killed Habyalimana and Ntaryamira on April 6,1994
    (http://hungryoftruth.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-who-killed-habyalimana-and.html)
    Thanks.

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  3. Anonymous:

    While the RPF aren't the saviors that history has painted them as, there is absolutely zero argument that Rwanda is better off with the RPF than it would be without. That was my whole purpose in writing about the RPF. I felt that I had shown them in too bright a light, so I mentioned the massacres (most notably at Kibeho) as well as the looting in the DRC.

    The RPF is not perfect, yes, but they have brought stability, economic growth, and an end to the genocide.

    You call me an RPF propogandist? You talk like an FDLR propogandist.

    ------

    Umutesi:

    Appologies on the date.

    If you could point me in the direction of some reliable sources on the subject, I'd be glad to read them. I probably won't consider them reliable, as any mainstream media has an agenda, and I know nothing about the reliability of sources that I am unfamiliar with. As far as I'm concerned it was a classic false-flag operation.

    I do however appreciate those who question the official story of any event. Thank you for that.

    -Drew

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  4. Dear Drew,
    If you do believe that the killing of Habyarimana was a classic false-flag operation why then do you attribute to the Hutu extremists? How do you explain such a worldwide cover-up consiracy? Is-it meant to protect the Hutu extrimists end their allies (French).
    Weak up man!!
    Umutesi has provided you an important link. Read the article carefully and related materials at the bottom. Do not forget to do you homwork as she friendly reminded you.
    The Truth cannot be burried forever. Please always sick the Truth.
    The Truth will free you.

    One more thing, the FDLR are not what you think they are. They are sons and daughters survivors of the RPF massacres of Rwandan (Hutu) refugees in DRC. They struggle is real and far from over but a must be won soonner or later.

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  5. Dear Drew,

    Thank for allowing such an open discussion on your blog.

    I think to right think to do in the search for the Truth about the Rwandan genocide is to do your own research and diversify your sources of info instead of relying on on one individual, organization, newspaper, book, blog, etc...

    The link I provided you with will give you some hints. From there you may go wherever you want to go. I agree with you, not only media have an agenda but also each and every one you meet with in your daily life.

    It is up to you to discern what is right and what is wrong.

    Fanatism will always be the worst misleading enemy that you will have to deal with in your search for Truth about the current crisis in the African Great Lakes region.

    Beware of that and do your best to not let anyone misguide you.

    While you are still in Rwanda if you get a chance please also visit some rural areas.

    More than 80% of the Rwandan population lives in rural areas and should be the first one to benefit from the economic growth you talked about.

    If you can, please do not go with any government agents or do not let anyone from the government condition the population prior to your departure.

    While there, please take your time to listen to their economic situation, worries, concerns...

    Write everything down and put them togetheer in your next blog post. I will be glad to read it next time.

    This the least thing you can do to help those peasants that are on the brink of extenction but the World still keeps silence about their sufferings.

    Thanks.

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  6. Umutesi:

    Unfortunately my time in Rwanda is up and I do not have the liberty to change my itinerary, but we did spend some time in the rural areas around Ruhengeri, though we did not discuss politics. The language barrier would probably have been too much anyways.

    Although I have not read your book, I fail to understand why any Hutu would have to have fled in 1994 for any reason other than involvement in Habyarmana's government or in the genocide. I do realize that some were coerced in to believing that the RPF would kill them regardless of their innocence, but the fact that the violence perpetrated by the RPF was so limited should stand as testament to the illegitimacy of such beliefs. I suppose I should probably read your book to glean a better understanding of these factors; I may have to order a copy.

    I will read up on your side of the story. I know there are other knowledgeable people who agree with you (Rusasabagina), and it is not as if there isn't blatant censorship by the Kagame administration. I will make a post about what story I believe after I have read more from your side of the story in the coming weeks.

    Thanks again for your intelligent comments and time.

    -Drew

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