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Zimbabwe: Africa Has Failed Zimbabwe - Kagame
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The New Times (Kigali)
19 June 2008
Posted to the web 19 June 2008
Village Urugwiro
President Paul Kagame Wednesday said that the African continent had failed the people of Zimbabwe by its failure to help resolve the political crisis in that country.
The President made the remarks during his regular meeting with members of the local and international media at Village Urugwiro, Kigali.
"There is a failure by African countries to support the process in Zimbabwe. The first impression is that there are some serious problems," said the president.
He continued, pointing out that even though neighbouring countries had a moral obligation to help, it was up to the people of Zimbabwe to take the first step.
"The problem cannot be solved by outsiders, but Zimbabweans themselves should be seen to be trying to solve their own problems," pointed out Kagame, though he suggested that if they failed, then SADC (Southern African Development Community) should "step in."
The country embarks on a second round of presidential elections next week, the run up to which has been marred by political violence and threats from Mugabe and his supporters vowing that they would not let the opposition candidate, Mr Tsvangirai, take power even if he won.
Morgan Tsvangirai narrowly won the first round of the elections but failed to get the more than 50% needed to avoid a runoff.
President Kagame was sceptical as to whether the elections would be free and fair in view of the current war drums sounding from Mugabe's camp.
"It does not need a genius to understand that free and fair elections can be hard to contemplate in the current situation," Kagame pointed out.
The president also touched on the issue of indictments by Spanish and French judges, saying that they were an insult to the people of Rwanda.
"They use the law when it suits their purposes," said Mr. Kagame, adding that Rwanda's decision to indict foreigners suspected of involvement in the 1994 Tutsi Genocide for war crimes was more valid and had tangible evidence.
"There are compelling reasons why they should indict more people living in their countries," he continued, saying that it was simply politics, where those countries think 'might is right'.
The government recently decided to apply the Universal Jurisdictions clause embedded in its laws to indict those it has tangible evidence against.
"We should not be treated like this. We shouldn't take it lying down. We have to be prepared to respond," he said, adding that he would raise the issue of foreign indictments against third world countries in the African Union.
Church should apologise
President Kagame also condemned recent remarks by the head of the Catholic Church in Rwanda, Archbishop Thadée Ntihinyurwa, who recently told some foreign radio networks that the Rwandan judiciary should not handle the trial of the four army officers charged with the deaths of Kabgayi Catholic clergy in 1994.
Ntihinyurwa alleged that the trial would not be transparent and should be handled by foreign courts or the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
The President reminded that the Church failed the people of Rwanda in 1994 and that he was surprised that opposition was coming from someone who, in the past, had been subject to investigations into his "personal" role in the Genocide.
"The other day the Pope apologised to Americans for crimes by members of the clergy. I am waiting for the day when they will do the same for the people of Rwanda," remarked the president.
Several priests and nuns have been indicted and found guilty of Genocide by the ICTR, Belgian, and Rwanda courts.
The most recent being Father Athanase Seromba, the former parish priest of Nyange who ordered his church to be razed to the ground using a bulldozer.
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The church came tumbling down on over 2,000 Tutsi refugees who had taken refuge inside. Seromba was handed a life sentence by the ICTR .
What a jock! African morality seems to turn upside down! Kagame and Odinga of Kenya should be ashamed of themselves to take any moral ground to look into others governance problem. These two came to power through ethnic genocide means. They put their power gaining over the people. Africa really does not need the Odiga and Kagame who do not care about the innocent people ethnic infighting so long as they get to the throne.
Read your history, Dude. Kagame came into power FIGHTING the genocide that killed 800,000 of his fellow countrymen. He should be praised and supported as he continues the fight (which has yet to be completely eradicated) and tries to bring justice to those that managed to survive the killings and now must cope with loss of family and homes. He does not deserve to be lumped together with anyone else. He's a true African hero.
Kagame is a dictator,a criminel, a possessed guy with bloody hands,how can he pretend to give a lesson of ethics?Does he think that nobody knows his crimes in Uganda, rwanda,and Congo ? Shame on him !! You who support him are pagans like him and if you do make a conversion of hearts you will face an eternel condamnation in the unqnenchable fire of hell.I am 60 years old,and in my knoweldge,all evildoers like Kagame who allow satan to reign in thear hearts have a terrible end.Keep telling lies and killing rwandans but you will never escape the divine justice... [Read Full Text]
We Mupenzi, Ufite icyo upfa na Kagame,kandi ntacyo uzamutwara! urabeshya yr time ll come! Turakuzi neza icyo umuziza,n'ibibazo byawe ndabyibuka byose muli St Michel bxl!! Think twice mbere y'uko tukogosha uwo musatsi.
It is a shame to hear someone who does not know the Rwandans’ history, tell such a liar on how Kagame came to the power, who does not remember when in 1990 , Kagame Invaded the Rwanda, killing innocent children and women. Who does not remember how kagame was killing innocent old citizens in four years of civil war in Rwanda which he started , and now you are telling people that he became on power by stopping genocide? I mean he started the genocide and was helped by militias to accomplish his objectives, that how he became a dictator... [Read Full Text]
What can I do to save mother Africa??
As the saying goes, “East – West, Home is best”. Day in and day out, the blunt of bad leadership is continuously destroying a continent already strained by disease and other social catastrophes, as the international community looks on. Media coverage, like the one on Zimbabwe today seems to mean nothing to the Zimbabweans who are brutally murdered in cold blood. From Kenya to Zimbabwe; Somalia to Sudan; Rwanda to Burundi; Uganda to DRC; South Africa to Western Sahara; Angola to Chad; Central African Republic to Congo Brazzaville; and many other sham... [Read Full Text]
What can we do to save Matherland Africa?? Should be the main forcus in every Africans' mind. Stop pointing fingers, start acting now. Do your best to save your fellow countrymen,your matherland. Be countable and get involved.
Ask yourself, what have I done to save my countrymen? what should I do to stop violance now? Time is runing out!! We say enough is enough.
Let us all joing together. If we follow our hearts, the truth and the love for all. We will rebuild our Matherland Africa.
How should we start? Any ideas my countrymen?? Lets build a... [Read Full Text]
When President Kagame says that Africa failed her children for not standing firm against dictator Mugabe, I have no choice but to concur. I don't even go the route of whether or not he is sincere, whether or not he was elected in a fair and undisputed contest. I just wish there were more condemnations like his, and that people everywhere were contemplating a more muscled course of events to overthrow the new "Shame of Africa".
All of this would eventually disappear if we were to bome the United States of Africa (USAf). This should be the... [Read Full Text]
I agree with President Kagame in saying that African leaders have failed the people of Zimbabwe and the biggest culprit is Mbeki! Each time the Au has wanted to do soemthing he has used delaying tactics saying that the Parties in Zimababwe are almost reaching agreement what agreement? Moreober I also blame the people of Zimbabwe for not coming out en mass to vote him out even more the second round. Why didn't you go in there and spoil all the votes? Does he have more police and Army that the entire population? You are dying anyway so why don't... [Read Full Text]
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