Thursday March 28, 2024
SNc Channels:

Search
About Salem-News.com

 

Aug-30-2010 22:10printcomments

General Roméo Dallaire: Time to Set the Record Straight

What actually happened?

General Roméo Dallaire
General Roméo Dallaire

(SAN FRANCISCO) - General Roméo Dallaire was head of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Rwanda during the Rwanda Genocide where about 800,000 Rwandans were slaughtered, most of whom were members of the Tutsi ethnic group. He set forth his experience in Shake Hands With the Devil, which largely supports Rwanda President Paul Kagame's distorted, self-serving version of the Genocide. Unfortunately, Dallaire became either an unknowing or willing shill for Kagame.

I have visited Rwanda, read Dallaire's book, visited the Genocide Memorial Centre in Kilgali, seen the documentary Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire, and heard him speak at the University of California, Berkeley.

After years of systematic disinformation about the Genocide, there exists a collective ignorance about what really happened in Rwanda and who was responsible.

What actually happened? Kagame was trained at the U.S. Army Command and Staff College in Leavenworth, Kansas. Major-General Kagame returned from Leavenworth to lead the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) shortly after the October 1990 invasion of Rwanda by Ugandan forces, which has been misrepresented as a "war of liberation" by a Tutsi-led guerilla army.

The "civil war" or "war of liberation" was in reality a brutal struggle for political power between the Hutu-led Juvénal Habyarimana government supported by France and the RPF-backed Tutsi forces backed financially and militarily by the United States. The Hutu-Tutsi rivalry was used deliberately in the pursuit of U.S. strategic and geopolitical objectives by establishing a U.S. sphere of influence in Central Africa, a region historically dominated by France and Belgium. What was at stake? The region's vast geostrategic mineral wealth, i.e., cobalt, oil, natural gas, copper, uranium, tin, coltan, cassiterite, gold, and diamonds,

In April 1994, according to French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguière and many others, the RPF shot down the plane carrying Rwandan President Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira, which was the catalyst for the Genocide.

By July 1994, the RPF completed its coup d’etat and consolidated its power in Rwanda. After the coup, the recently released United Nations draft Report reveals, the Hutu militia along with Hutu civilians fled across the border into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, then known as Zaire. Rwanda, aided by Congolese rebel forces, pursued them across the border. These combined forces systematically massacred hundreds of thousands of Rwandan and Congolese Hutus, the majority of which were children, women, and the elderly. It could be said that a second genocide occurred.

The government of Paul Kagame has maintained political power and manipulated public sympathy by promoting a highly politicized ideology of Genocide. Anyone who challenges the official story is branded a "genocide negationist," a "genocide revisionist," or "killers of remembrance" by the Kagame regime. Even the Genocide Memorial Centre promotes his version of the Genocide.

Kagame is now one of our men in Africa. He was recently reelected President and is well on his way to becoming a president-for-life. Will the U.S. reevaluate its relationship with Kagame? Probably not. The geostrategic stakes are too high.

Given the U.N. draft Report and earlier revelations about the genocides since the publication of his book, I challenge General Dallaire to set the record straight and publicly castigate Rwanda President Kagame. Yes, Dallaire shook hands with the devil. The devil is Paul Kagame.


Salem-News.com writer Ralph E. Stone was born in Massachusetts. He is a graduate of both Middlebury College and Suffolk Law School. We are very fortunate to have this writer's talents in this troubling world; Ralph has an eye for detail that others miss. As is the case with many Salem-News.com writers, Ralph is an American Veteran who served in war. Ralph served his nation after college as a U.S. Army officer during the Vietnam war. After Vietnam, he went on to have a career with the Federal Trade Commission as an Attorney specializing in Consumer and Antitrust Law. Over the years, Ralph has traveled extensively with his wife Judi, taking in data from all over the world, which today adds to his collective knowledge about extremely important subjects like the economy and taxation. You can send Ralph an email at this address stonere@earthlink.net

________________________________________

________________________________________


_________________________________________




Comments Leave a comment on this story.
Name:

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.



anti-terroristjudge January 3, 2014 8:13 pm (Pacific time)

Other then that, which I was somewhat confused about and was looking for an explanation, this was a great analysis and thank you because I hadn't explored these possibilities fully enough!!


Ant-terroristJudge January 3, 2014 8:08 pm (Pacific time)

"In April 1994, according to French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguière and many others, the RPF shot down the plane carrying Rwandan President Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira, which was the catalyst for the Genocide." It was then found by a French special investigation that used ballistic evidence which linked the shooing down of a plane that came from a government controlled base. Thus, the French actually determined later on that it was indeed the government that shot down the plane which instigated the genocide that then took place... so....


Mulisa Bwiza December 9, 2010 11:59 am (Pacific time)

kagame is is a top climinal , a ID Amin , the last King of scotland, RPF rape my sister now she is HIV Positive , thet kidnapped my father , they killed my mother , I have nithing left nothing .... the question is AM I a survivor mr Kagome? who am I ? God is listening , soo many blood in your hands soo many lies silence is killer


CluesThatLasts September 5, 2010 8:10 am (Pacific time)

In 1995, the RPF massacred thousands of HUTUs in Kibeho Internally Displaced people camp. In 1996 they unleashed the army on the camps across the border. I was 16 yrs then and I was arrested by Rwandese army myself. After someone ordered to fire and we run. I was saved, but not so many others. Kagame is definitely a criminal. Probably next to Hitler. Anyone who challenges this, are more than welcome to try. I know better. I was there and by the Grace I survived


John Brothers September 1, 2010 7:03 am (Pacific time)

This note goes to the the previous comment "Hatebulls". I just read this article by Ralph Stone. I, too, am Rwandan. During the 1994 civil war (or genocide) I was a young college student here in the USA. I watched helplessly the catastrophe fall upon my country. I have never had a chance to go back to Rwanda, because my country is run by criminals, of whom Kagame is the top guy. I lost my dad and two brothers, and they were killed by Kagame's army. They were Hutu, i am a hutu. They did not flee the country when the RPF took power because they did not have any guilt. However, when the Tutsi army came to my village, they rounded and killed all the Hutu men, without any distinction.
When you say that you are a genocide survivor, please know that you are not the only one. I, too, am a survivor. Hutu who lost our loved ones, we are not allowed to say that we survived the genocide, especially if you are in Rwanda. I also lost around twenty relatives in refugees camps in Congo. Relatives and neighbors who survived the slaughter, have detailed accounts of how Kagame's army encircled them, arranged them in groups (men one side and women the other side)before killing them with hammers, or gunshots.
To Ralph Stone, I say thank you for this article. We have long known about Kagame's crimes, but we have not been able to hold him accountable. Thanks for bringing this info to your readers. To General Dallaire, I ask, what do you know about Hutu killings in Byumba, Kibungo, Gikongoro and Eastern Congo?


Paula August 30, 2010 10:43 pm (Pacific time)

the thruth will eventually come out but I'm afraid nothing will change. Great work.


UNFAIR WORLD September 3, 2010 6:30 am (Pacific time)

When i read such nonsense for self proclaimed professors on African affairs, I fill sick. These guys think they know it all. Mr Raphal, for the 59 year my family stayed in refugee camps we never saw u lot come to our needed help, all you thought was that will melt way in these camps and be forgotten. You were wrong. Since we have forced our way back we shall defend our rights to the core and stand up to you helpless lot. When a negative report on an Africa country spring up they all jump on the bandwagon- when it's one of the G8 not a word will come out. Where is the report on the shooting of Habariymana's plan? Where a report on the UN’s fails during the 1994 Genocide? After UN admitted having failed Rwanda in 1994 what happened next? After Rwanda left DRC did the Killing Rape stop even with the UN "watch"? Where is the report on Iraq? Oh sorry that's US-UK. Should we say that those who stop the Nazis also committed genocide? When the US-UK went to Iraq without the UN backing what did the UN do? In short UN has always been a barking dog that doesn’t bite. Sorry for the poor English I’m not good at it< hope I have got my point across.


uwe September 2, 2010 12:41 pm (Pacific time)

The truth will set us free.. Thanks to all that are doing their parts to end this silent that has been killing all Rwandans for 16yrs now.


Thimothy September 1, 2010 9:32 am (Pacific time)

Is "Hatebulls" your name or are you starting off by insulting everybody who doesn't buy into your lies? RPF fabricated and long-publicized facts have now become fiction whereas what you call fiction has emerged as the unstoppable truth now here to haunt you after the UN report on the crimes against humanity and Crimes of genocide committed by your side of the Rwandan conflict in the DRC was leaked to the public.  It is time that you distance yourselves from tyrant Paul Kagame. You'd better not continue to dirty your hands by shaking hands with this criminal and better not dirty yourself or your clothing by standing by him. He has blood all over himself. How can you continue to support a man who insults his own people (useless, nothing, excrements, garbage, barking dogs), who threatens his own fellow citizens to grind them, to wound them, to crash them with hammers, and who actually carries it out through political assassinations, wrongful imprisonments, kidnappings, and disappearances and boasts about having killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians who had fled to DRC as refugees?  The time to blackmail the UN, the US and France about your genocide plans and its execution is over. It's now well established that your man Paul Kagame assassinated President Habyalimana Juvenal to start his planned genocide and that once started he opposed foreign intervention to stop it.  So be real.  You can lie to one person one time but you cannot lie to all people all the time.  Game is over.w


Maniraho September 1, 2010 8:44 am (Pacific time)

To hatebulls, you may be a survivor of genocide yes , I dont deny that just like many of us who survived the RPF genocide in Congo. One thing I can tell you is that you are still sleeping and when your dreams are over you will know and understand exactly what is happening to that country small enough to be the size of Rhode Island.


John Brothers September 1, 2010 7:00 am (Pacific time)

This note goes to the the previous comment"Hatebulls". I just read this article by Ralph Stone. I, too, am Rwandan. During the 1994 civil war (or genocide) I was a young college student here in the USA. I watched helplessly the catastrophe fall upon my country. I have never had a chance to go back to Rwanda, because my country is run by criminals, of whom Kagame is the top guy. I lost my dad and two brothers, and they were killed by Kagame's army. They were Hutu, i am a hutu. They did not flee the country when the RPF took power because they did not have any guilt. However, when the Tutsi army came to my village, they rounded and killed all the Hutu men, without any distinction. When you say that you are a genocide survivor, please know that you are not the only one. I, too, am a survivor. Hutu who lost our loved ones, we are not allowed to say that we survived the genocide, especially if you are in Rwanda. I also lost around twenty relatives in refugees camps in Congo. Relatives and neighbors who survived the slaughter, have detailed accounts of how Kagame's army encircled them, arranged them in groups (men one side and women the other side)before killing them with hammers, or gunshots. To Ralph Stone, I say thank you for this article. We have long known about Kagame's crimes, but we have not been able to hold him accountable. Thanks for bringing this info to your readers.


Ralph E. Stone September 1, 2010 6:24 am (Pacific time)

I give General Dallaire the benefit of the doubt that he did not know about the international intrigue surrounding the events before, during, and after the genocide. He was the good soldier, even a brave one, obeying orders emanating form the United Nations. But he knows now and it is a disservice to those hundred of thousands of those murdered during the genocides to remain silent. I challenge General Dallaire to set the record straight and publicly castigate Rwandan President Kagame.


NKunzurwanda September 1, 2010 3:59 am (Pacific time)

Raphal, Indeed, Dallaire shook hands with Kagame and they share responsibility of the Rwandan Genocide. I am Hutu a genocide survivor in Rwanda and Congo. Kagame is a worse criminal on the face of the earth. I hope the US will stope to support his regime for the good of people of the Great Lakes region.


Hatebulls*its August 31, 2010 3:28 pm (Pacific time)

As a Rwandan and genocide survivor I find this article very insulting. Not only are you calling Mr. Dallaire, a first hand witness, a lier, you are also writting off countless survivors' testimonies; exactlly what is it that make you an expert on the subject? Stop trying to mix facts with fiction to distort the reality for what ever motive you have. If you want facts, fact is that the US and France are guily for crimes against humanity for knowingly discouraging any actions being taken that would have prevented the 1994 Genocide to continue. why don't you use facts and proof to make points; when has the US ever had an interst in Rwanda, a country by the size of Maryland. Or what interest is the US showing now that their puppet Kagame , according to you, is in power?

[Return to Top]
©2024 Salem-News.com. All opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Salem-News.com.


Articles for August 29, 2010 | Articles for August 30, 2010 | Articles for August 31, 2010
Click here for all of William's articles and letters.




Special Section: Truth telling news about marijuana related issues and events.

Annual Hemp Festival & Event Calendar

Support
Salem-News.com: