Washington, DC — President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed on Wednesday that their two governments will work together to end the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan, where Rwandan troops play a key role in the Africa Union peacekeeping force. The two leaders also discussed reconciliation efforts in Rwanda and the fight against HIV/Aids during a meeting at the White House that was the third between the two leaders since Kagame assumed office in September 2000 and Bush in 2001.
During a Newsmakers' interview with reporters at the Voice of America (VOA) following the White House session, Kagame, said he came to Washington as part of efforts to build international support for Rwanda's development in the aftermath of genocide in 1994. But it was the genocide itself that dominated the question and answer session with journalists.
Asked about his objections to the widely acclaimed film 'Hotel Rwanda,' Kagame said the film "traded facts for fiction," and that Paul Rusesabagina is not the hero he was portrayed to be in the movie. Hotel Rwanda depicted the story of Rusesabagina, who as a hotel manager in Kigali, saved hundreds of lives during the 1994 genocide. Rusesabagina was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 for his heroism.
Kagame said people survived in the hotel because it was the only operational hotel at the time, and "the place where those committing genocide came to drink beer." He said they also wanted to be able to hand over some of the occupants of the hotel to the government and that "Rusesabagina didn't save anyone." The president said: Someone is trying to rewrite the history of Rwanda, and we can't let them continue to spread false hoods." He named a few individuals who were at the hotel who he said disputed the film's version of events.
The President himself was challenged on the presumed selective justice of the Gacaca Court proceedings in Rwanda. He denied that the cases being heard were only of "Tutsis' who were killed by the Hutus" and not vice versa. Gacaca was created in 2002 to expedite the pace of trials and relieve the backlog of people accused of genocide. Gacaca trials are based on the testimonies of the local population as well as confessions of guilty parties. Judges of the Gacaca courts are elected from among the local population to sit once a week for the trials and sessions are held outdoors.
"To say that justice is against the Hutus and not the Tutsis is to confuse the issues," Kagame said. "The Gacaca Court has the difficult task of separating many, many people who committed genocide from those who committed other crimes like rape, pedophilia, burglary, etc., all the while forging reconciliation. It's a very complex situation."
Kagame was dismissive of charges his government has failed to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which as established in November 1994 also to bring genocide criminals to justice. "The Tribunal has spent $1.5 billion to date and tried only about 26 cases, and I have a problem with that," the Rwanda leader said. He also said he has problems with the fact that people called to Arusha, Tanzania, where the Tribunal operates, have complained about being mistreated. He said the Tribunal has been more concerned with discussing how cases can be brought to Rwanda without people getting death sentences.
Kagame deflected accusations of disregard for human rights in Rwanda. Pressed to make a statement that journalists in Rwanda would be free to practice their craft, the Rwandan President cited various laws he said were on the books to protect journalists and individual free expression. He skirted a question about Rwanda's former President Augustin Bizimungu not being fairly treated in jail. He said Bizimungu has been appearing in court and that he's being given a chance to make his case.
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Asked about managing diversity in a country divided along ethnic lines and whether there are targeted programs aimed at making his government more inclusive, Kagame reiterated that Rwandans share "one culture, one language and religion." He said his vision "is to recognize and manage differences better through reconciliation, power-sharing, and good governance."
Kagame traveled from Washington on Thursday for New York City to take part in the United Nations General Assembly meeting on HIV/AIDS commemorating the 25th year since the pandemic was first identified.
Related:
Transcript of President Paul Kagame and President George Bush at the White House
Watch President Kagame's Press Conference at Voice of America Headquarters
