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Rwanda: A Unified Africa Braving the Lions
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The New Times (Kigali)
3 July 2008
Posted to the web 4 July 2008
Kigali
The 14th Rwanda Liberation anniversary could not arrive at a better time - when the nation is celebrating a major breakthrough against its detractors.
President Paul Kagame and his Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama are fresh from the African Union Summit in the Egyptian port city of Sharm El Sheikh, where they managed to mobilise Africa's support in this fight.
In recent times the country has been confronted with a series of foreign politico-legal indictments, particularly from two European (French and Spanish) judges.
These targeted the bulk of the crème de la crème of the Rwanda Defence Forces, most of whom, for historical reasons, are also top government officials.
The judges sought to depict 40 senior RDF officers as criminals before individual foreign and international judicial systems by applying the Universal Jurisdictions clauses in their national laws. They went as far as issuing arrest warrants, which a host of countries were willing to execute.
Kigali first went it alone in the campaign to portray the indictments as hollow, as indeed they are. The Pan-African Parliament had championed the call from Rwanda not only to ignore, but also condemn the malicious move.
Then inter-ministerial meetings at regional levels on the continent followed suit in dismissing the indictments as nothing but sheer arrogance.
Now, Rwanda waited until the Liberation Day was around the corner, or Africa wanted to offer Rwanda a gift on our DAY; this is because just on the eve of July 4, Karugarama announced that parent Africa has taken over from its child Rwanda the responsibility to fight the indictments.
Realising that today is Kigali and tomorrow may be any other establishment, recognising that Pan-Africanism is a noble obligation, the AU heads of state wasted no time in agreeing to collectively take on our tormentors.
The issue will be put to the UN Security Council and the European Union, and nothing less than convincing the two topmost global bodies that the indictments ought to be rescinded is expected.
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Talk of Africa taking its chance to make a contribution to the total liberation of Rwanda.
Happy Liberation Day, Rwanda! God looks down on you with pride and pleasure as you celebrate this momentous occasion. You've come so far in a few short years, to a hugh extent because of the vision and dedication of your President, Mr. Kagame. France and Spain should hang their heads in shame for trying to meddle in Rwandan affairs after their outrageous collective history of conquoring and pillaging vulnerable nations. How dare they. Long live the great nation of Rwanda and it's heroic President, Paul Kagame.
An admirer and a fan, Beverly Phillips
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