Opinion: Macron should atone for Mitterrand’s sins

“Since 1994, sorry to say it in such crude terms, you have never been able to restore the military, security or administrative sovereignty of your country. It is a reality. We must not look for culprits outside, in this case” (…) “Don’t blame the France for something that depends on you” – President Emmanuel Macron (04.03.2023).

Sometimes, hubris and arrogance takes over. In essence, that’s maybe what happened in the Joint Press Conference with French President Emmanuel Macron and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi. The French thought he could humiliate and act naive about the past. However, the French has to take responsibility here… their choices and power in the Great Lakes has cost lives and insecurity. Not their actions alone, but they have amplified. That was all done in favour of one ruling elite and regime in the early 1990s in Kigali. This is why there is issues to this day.

In Kinshasa yesterday, Macron could have answered and offered relief for the mistakes of the past. Instead, he pins the blame on the rulers today and brushes of the involvement in the past. That is arrogant and forgetful. Like if “Operation Turquoise” wasn’t implemented and didn’t have any sort of outcome to begin with. While we all know the aftermath and what occurred after the French gave the ex-FAR and “interahamwe” a safe-haven in the DRC. Many of us know the continued bloodshed and insecurity that has persisted ever since. Therefore, the French should take blame, but we see the entitlement of Paris in these regards. Seriously, it is infuriating.

Just read snippets of assessments and writings on the matter!

“That is why, in addition to the major concerns outlined above, we share with you a copy of a memo that we gave to members of the delegation of the Security Council of the United Nations who visited the DR Congo on May 19, 2009 – a memo which tells the tragedy suffered by the Congolese people. This memo can be summarized as follows:

“Since 1994, the superbly armed Hutu, fleeing the advance of the Rwandan Patriotic Army crossed the Congolese border with support of UN operations called ‘turquoise’, headed by France. These Hutus settled in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in flagrant violation of all international standards governing the right of asylum or refuge. Known as the “Interahamwe” or FDLR, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, and so on, these Hutu particularly stand out in DR Congo by practicing acts of looting, rape, massacre and so on. And since they became a pretext for the authorities in Kigali to justify the presence in DR Congo of their regular army, the results are the current massacres and atrocities suffered by our people at Makobola, Kasika Katogota, Lemera, Nindja, Kaniola , Kalambi, Bunyakiri, Kaziba, Luhwindja, Kalonge, Bukavu, Uvira, Kiliba, Katumba Kalehe, Bwegera, Kamituga, Mwenga, Shabunda, Lugushwa, Ngando, Ndola, Kigulube, Bijombo, Masango Tubimbi, Kakungwe, Mushago, Kitutu, Lubuga , Mutambala, Fizi, Minembwe, Bibokoboko, Baraka, Kagabwe, to name a few, as regards the South-Kivu. Moreover, Rwanda’s history is punctuated by cyclical and fratricidal wars driven by a spirit of intolerance and retaliation between Hutus and Tutsis. Hence, when it is the Rwandan Tutsi ethnic group that is in power, their countrymen who are in the majority, the Hutus, are in exile: and vice versa. DR Congo has become each time, the country of pilgrimage for them” (Rev. Aniedi Okure, OP – Letter From Congolese Elected Officials to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 26.08.2009).

“That the French government be careful not to use the excuses made to the Rwandan regime to join the club of looters of DRC resources; That the French government take a position on the genocide and serious crimes committed in the Congo by the Rwandans and their accomplices since “Operation Turquoise”; That the French government in turn come out clearly in favor of the creation of an International Criminal Tribunal for the DR Congo, responsible for prosecuting the perpetrators of the genocide and serious crimes committed in the Congo since “Operation Turquoise” in 1994; That the parliamentarians friends of the Congo, introduce these concerns of the Congolese people in their questions to the government and before the European institutions” (Hamuli RETY – ‘CRID MEMORANDUM ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF “OPERATION TURQUOISE” AND THE CONGOLESE GENOCIDE IN THE DRC’ 08.03.2010, CRID).

“The escape of many of these Hutu extremists was enabled by the French safe zone, concealed by the flood of refugees. To fight these rebels, the new Rwandan government supported the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), which also aimed at overthrowing the president. This caused a violent emergency in the DR Congo in October 1996. Therefore, the intervention did trigger instability in a neighboring country, however, the conflict did not occur within two years after the end of the intervention” (Rwanda 1994, Teresa Leiendecker, Karolina Schmid, 21.12.2018).

When you read these things and from very different sources. You understand the deep underlying sentiment. Alas, the French has responsibility for the insecurity in the DRC. It is partly their fault and it cannot hide from it decades later. The choices made by the leaders of Paris has haunted the DRC. It still does and the remains of these decisions are costing lives today. Therefore, Macron should be more humble and understanding.

However, he met an inept and unprepared President. The leaders of Kinshasa wasn’t prepared or ready for yesterday. They didn’t think it would play out like it this week, but it has. Macron trying to act like the “hot shot” and “big man” but not account for the past transgression of his nation. That’s something he should acknowledge, but if he does… he knows he will have to pay consequences right now, but also possibly at home. That’s why he doesn’t have the courage or the heart to do so. Peace.

Rwanda: Declaration Commune des paris d’opposition armes au gouvernement rwandais (27.02.2023)

Rwanda: Rwandan Authorities Should Ensure an Independent Investigation into John Williams Ntwali’s Death – Joint Statement by 90 Civil Society Organizations and Press Associations (31.01.2023)

Rwanda: FDU-Inkingi – Les FDU-Inkingi denoncent la destabilisation de la RDC par l’armee de la dictature rwandaise (27.05.2022)

Rwanda: Memorandum to the United Nations – “A Contribution to the UN Strategy for Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes Region” – A call for Highly Inclusive Inter Rwandan Dialogue as “A Political Conflict Avoidance Device” for Peace in the Great Lakes Region (06.05.2022)

Spygate: CMI “arrested” Victoria University Vice Chancellor Dr. Muganga

Today, there was leaked video clips of Dr. Lawerence Muganga of a violent arrest of the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University. The “Panda Gari’s” or “drones” usually tend to come in plain-clothes and do it “discreetly”. However, in today’s instance it went viral and was all over the web.

The authorities claims this was a joint-operation to apprehend a foreign spy. There are claims that the VC have had close ties to Rwandan President Paul Kagame. That his education at Makerere University was sponsored directly by him. It is reported that he worked in the Presidential Office of Rwanda as Researcher together with David Himbara. In addition that he got the current job through Andrew Mwenda who has also been funded directly by Kigali in the past. Also, unverified reports that he used a Rwandan passport whenever he travelled.

However, all of that stated above isn’t written in stone, but it is a clear intent when this sort of play is happening. The V.C. have been a visible character and been even on NBS Television plenty of times. It is not like he has lived a life in hiding or tried to be Clark Kent. No, parts of his life has been on all public display and it’s weird that his spying too.

You can wonder what sort of intelligence this man was supposed to get. Was it supposed to get minutes and orders from the Ministry of Education and the prayers of Mama Janet? I wonder what this sort of fella would help Kigali with?

If he was a foreign operative and actually worked with espionage unless the authorities of Chieftain of Military Intelligence (CMI) or Internal Security Organization (ISO) have collect something we don’t know. Because, the VC had to do some real James Bond or Jason Bourne. God knows… what he did or didn’t do.

However, the way they manhandled him on public display and directly kidnapped him. Yes, they have hours later said he was arrested. Nevertheless, the citizen wasn’t warranted or informed of the pending charges. Well, it if it a matter of espionage and national security. We understand that they kept it secret.

Still, the authorities have arrested political operatives, activists and leaders in the same manner over the last few years. So, it is not like this is a new practice. The “Panda Gari’s” is a thing and surely like the ungazetted safe-houses across the republic as well. It is just common means to an end for the ones in-power at the marvellous times we are currently living in.

The VC might be an spy and might just be a foreigner working illegally in Uganda. If not.. .for a man living so long in Uganda. It seems weird that a public figure and of an educational institution have been able to keep all this under wraps.

That’s why I wonder how this continue. Will he be deported and expelled? Will Victoria University have to hire someone else?

If not this is a real stupid act. The state should explain how a VC in the open can be a hidden spy. That’s what is weird to me here. If its an “illegal alien” case… that makes more sense than he has done lip-service to Kagame on the regular. When Kagame have spent fortunes on Pegasus and listen through “the wire”. Therefore, an operative is only useful if you hope he will rise to the upper echelon to suddenly get into “confidential” documents. However, I doubt that will ever happen at Victoria at this point.

That’s why this seems like a weird situation and I wonder how this will unfold. Nevertheless, this will not make sense to me. Unless, someone has a notes, reports and shows the secret life of the VC. Where his capable of wiring, wire-tapping and getting intelligence from the Ugandan government through this office. I really want to see that and what sort of “valuable” cables he would send to Kigali.

I’m looking forward to read that and while I wait. I might watch another spy-movie on Netflix. Peace.

Rwanda: FDU-Inkingi – The FDU-Inkingi thanks the UN for setting date fo the 20th of June as World Refugee Day (20.06.2021)

Rwanda: Rwandan Alliance for National Pact (RANP – Abaryankuna) – Rwanda Walks Away with the Arrest of Cassien Ntamuhanga leaving Mozambique alone to Face its Accountability (10.06.2021)

FDU-Inkingi: Rwanda-RDC – Les FDU-Inking Denoncent le Cynisme et l’Arrogance du President Kagame (27.05.2021)

Opinion: General Museveni is the mechanic behind the wars [in Rwanda & DRC]

There is time for this to be blasted and not be forgotten. The President of Uganda since 1986. Have been vital and the one behind several of wars. Not only was he the man behind the bush-war, which lasted between 1980 to 1986. He was also part of the prolonged war in Northern Uganda too. The President ensured the conflict to last and made it possible to reign supreme in Kampala.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni needs to be remembered for how he wanted to be the Kingmaker and anoint the leaders in East Africa and in the Great Lakes Region. The rebel wanted his fellow peers in power and not independent leaders who he couldn’t control. The President wanted his sort of people and assert influence there.

So, the Son of Kaguta have involved himself in the Luweero Triangle. Used the boost of military power to take office. He used the same armies and soldiers to get involved in conflicts elsewhere.

Museveni was the engineer and the support system of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) between 1990 to 1994. The President was part of the coalition who went into Zaire or Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

I can say this become statements like these:

“Sergeant Kayitana declared that the weapons, vehicles and other logistical means used by the combatants of RPF – Inkotanyi were provided by the Ugandan Government, which also puts training camps at their disposal. He asserted that it is President Museveni who is behind the war being waged against Rwanda. The following is an extract from his statement on this subject: “I’m making a call to President Museveni of Uganda because he is the engineer of this war, he is the one providing weapons, he is the one confusing the Rwandese and Ugandans who are there (in Uganda), he is the one creating all such things … that he should stop doing so.”” (Letter dated 21 April 1994 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda addressed to the President of the Security Council, 1994).

About the pretext for the attacks on Democratic Republic of Congo:

“Uganda has said that the alleged Ugandan dissidents living in Zaire have taken advantage of “the rebellion” to violate Ugandan territory. Why would they have waited for “the rebellion” to break out in Zaire totake action against Uganda, one third of whose territory is under their control? This statement is simply a pretext to justify an unprovoked attack on Zaire. The truth of the matter is that neither before nor after “the rebellion”and the instability created by Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda did Ugandan dissidents make incursions into Uganda from Zaire. Did not the Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Eriya Kategaya, acknowledge at the Ouagadougou summit held on6 February 1996 that his country had shelled the town of Kasindi in Zaire? Can he tell us what Ugandan dissidents are in Kasindi?” (…) “The members of the United Nations Security Council should not let themselves be fooled by the statements of intent and petitions of principle contained in paragraphs 4-15 of the communiqué from the Ugandan Government. The Kampala regime is known for its deceit. After swearing everywhere that Ugandan troops had not entered Zairian territory, several States ultimately came across evidence that irrefutably established their presence there. How reliable, then, can the Kampala regime be? How can a country which takes the initiative of attacking another country enjoy any credibility when it presents the other country with a peace plan to deal with the effects of the attack? The statements of the French and Belgian Governments and the United States Department of State, taken together with the material evidence collected by Zaire, show that the Ugandan Government is persisting in this lie when it claims, in paragraph 7 of the aforementioned document, that it has no soldiers involved with the current problem in eastern Zaire” (Reply of the Government of the Republic of Zaire to the communiqué dated 30 January 1997 from the Government of the Republic of Uganda, 1997).

These stories needs to be retold and not forgotten as these are important to tell. President Museveni needs to be remind, but also know that it is not water under the bridge. The actions he did and wars he supported for his own benefits has to catch-up on him.

Museveni has played these wars out and installed favourable Heads of State, which he haven’t only done here. However, we have to remind the world of how he did it in Rwanda and the DRC. That he ensured Kagame, Laurent Kabila and Joseph Kabila. All of these was leaders Museveni wanted on the throne. Being the kingmaker of the region and have allies in the region.

He was the engineer and the mechanic behind these conflicts. He used his comrades in the RPF to do it and get his people on top. The fall-out between Kagame and Museveni happened later. Nevertheless, these two have a career where they have helped each other out all the way from the FRONASA days. Therefore, Museveni knows that the Kagame has knowledge of his past and what the did together to get where they are today. Peace.