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Is Rwanda under Paul Kagame a communist state? Our friends at Colored Opinions have reinvented this debate again. The contend that the characteristics of the Rwandan state bears close resemblance to other communist experiments that the world has witnessed elsewhere. Moreover, they demonstrate the links that Kagame shares with the global communist movement–from Museveni’s National Resistance Army to South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement. I have to say that this is an issue that has long fascinated me as much.
From the onset, it must be said that there is little difference whether procedural or substantive between the present and the past regimes in Rwanda. A comparison between Kagame’s regime and that of Habyarimana reveals sticking similarities. Both regimes are western donor darlings; and both attempt to exercise total control over the civilian population. The only major difference is that the actors have changed–that is, a Tutsi elite has replaced a Hutu elite as the protector of the “revolution”. Otherwise, the two regimes are largely a copy and paste of each other.
If Habyarimana’s rule was communist, then it was never overt. Habyarimana had very little contact with the global Marxist movement. In fact, he tried to flirt with right-wing fascists, and perhaps due to his close ties with Mobutu, he was believed to be sympathetic to rogue elements of the capitalist world such as Jonas Savimbi of Angola. He might have been the only other African president (other than Mobutu) who never bothered to support the Africa National Congress (ANC) in South Africa. While his greatest support came from French’s Mitterand who was a socialist, it would be a stretch to call Miterrand a communist. Moreover, ties with China were quite weak under Habyarimana and apart from the occasional scholarships that the Soviet rendered to Rwandan students, the cooperation between Rwanda and the Soviets was very basic. My impression is that communism is a figment of imagination to the RPF, a tool they can flirt with in order to achieve power. In reality, their only ideology at this point is how to maintain political privileges. During the late 80s, Communism was the only ideology that could mobilize a disenfranchised mass to take up arms against their oppressors. Moreover, it was an easy way for a rebel movement to gain support from communist internationalists and Pan Africanist movements. In retrospect, this worked for the RPF. One of their earliest benefactors, in addition to Uganda, was Cuba. Many of the RPF cadres, including President Kagame were trained in Cuba. Later even the mad-man of Libya, now humbled by an internal revolution in his own country, rendered support to the RPF. The question that begs asking is whether an unpopular movement can claim Marxist credentials. There is no easy way to answer this. It is true that the RPF was very unpopular particularly among the rural peasantry during the three-year long armed rebellion. It is possible that the RPF blamed this backlash on bourgeoisie’s propaganda. After all, the media at the time was an exclusive monopoly of the regime in power. Still, it both aloof and arrogant that one would seek to liberate an individual, not willing or ready to be liberated. We see a repeat of this when the RPF invaded the DRC to “liberate Hutu refugees. It is no wonder then that most outsiders are amazed by the sophisticated and unnatural level of public order. This is a very programmed country, and we keep a well rehearsed script for outsiders. But the cleanliness comes at a heavy cost. People who look dirty (read: the poor) are banned from entering Kigali. The disabled and the homeless are routinely taken to an island prison where they they get “educated”. Never seen or heard from again. At the same time, Kagame is rewarded with numerous prizes around western capitals. However, when the time is right, the international accolades he has accumulated will not save him. Like Gadaffi he might be popular abroad but Rwandans are brewing with a dangerous combination of fear and anger. African SurViVors International (AS International) is an international nonpartisan charity organization devoted to defending human rights. It’s an organization working to promote democracy and national reconciliation, inside countries of the African Great lakes Region.
AS International centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; AS International’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. ASI does not support nor condone violence. The Truth can be buried and stomped into the ground where none can see, yet eventually it will, like a seed, break through the surface once again far more potent than ever, and Nothing can stop it. Truth can be suppressed for a “time”, yet It cannot be destroyed. ==> Wolverine |
