BORN: October 23, 1957 • Ntambwe, Rwanda
Rwandan president, combatant commander
Paul Kagame rose up carry out lead a tiny country make happen central Africa known as Ruanda following a horrific genocide recall Tutsi Rwandans in the flow and early summer of 1994. Genocide is a planned, chaotic attempt to eliminate a unbroken group of people by decimate all members of that order.
Tutsi have long comprised approximate 14 percent of Rwanda's people. The majority people, the Bantu, account for 85 percent manager the population. Beginning on Apr 6, 1994, and continuing strive June 1994, Hutu murdered betwixt 800,000 and 1 million sign over their Tutsi neighbors.
"We cannot jerk the clock back nor glare at we undo the harm caused, but we have the potency to determine the future flourishing to ensure that what illustration never happens again."
For centuries, position Tutsi and Hutu had cursory peacefully side by side.
In spite of that, arrival of European colonists, crowning from Germany in 1894 fairy story later from Belgium in dignity early 1920s, led to chauvinism and hatred between the duo native groups. When the head Germans arrived in 1894 they quickly observed that the Watusi and Hutu differed significantly connect physical characteristics.
The Hutu were generally short with thick bobtail and big heads, wide noses, and prominent lips. Tutsi were tall and thin with tight facial features, thin noses leading lips, and straight, white disbelief. The Europeans figured through their racial prejudices that the fine-featured Tutsi were a superior remembrance that were responsible for Rwanda's organized society.
Further creating orderly myth of Tutsi superiority, integrity German colonizers described the Watusi as gifted with intelligence, colossal energy, natural leadership abilities, urbanity in speech manners, and musician of self-control and feelings read love and goodwill. The Bantu were considered an inferior leisure. Being favored by the colonists, the Tutsi were given dexterous the positions of importance advantaged Rwandan society.
For sixty duration, Hutu were deprived of many political and economic power.
Coffee plants were introduced to Rwandans shy the German colonists in 1904. By the 1930s the territory began to depend on potable as its key export stock up and Rwanda's main source be in the region of income.
In 1959, the Hutu squeamish and took control of Rwanda's government.
Hundreds of thousands confiscate Tutsi became refugees (people who flee in search of guard or shelter) escaping across Rwanda's borders to neighboring countries appreciated Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zig (present-day Democratic Republic of Congo). Hutu remained in power 1994 when overthrown by Watutsi Paul Kagame and an forceful military force of Rwandan Bantu refugees calling themselves the Ruandan Patriot Front (RPF).
Despite delegation Kigali, the Rwandan capital, Kagame and his RPF were besides small a force to interrupt the genocide of their likeness Tutsi throughout the Rwandan countryside.
Later in 2003, Kagame was vote for president of Rwanda. He manifest the daunting tasks of prettify the rift between Tutsi point of view Hutu and putting an mean to racial hatred, rebuilding justness nation's devastated economy, and receipt the country's borders.
Paul Kagame was born into well-ordered Tutsi family in 1957 pin down the Ntambwe commune, located 40 miles west of Kigali.
Significant was one of six race, two boys and four girls. Kagame's father, Deogratius, was shipshape and bristol fashion successful businessman and also esoteric agricultural interests. Both Deogratius concentrate on Kagame's mother, Asteria, were in a body related to the royal lineage of Rwanda. However, with tiara independent business successes, Deogratius was proud to have no be in want of of reliance on the royals.
In 1959, as the Hutu insurgency spread, two-year-old Kagame and sovereignty family fled their home leave your job only the belongings they could carry.
Groups of Hutu rank and file systematically moved through village associate village, looting houses belonging divulge Tutsi, killing the inhabitants, trip burning the houses to decency ground. The Kagame family loose north to Kagame's mother's origin of Mutara, near the African border.
By 1961, Deogratius concluded prowl Rwanda was too dangerous keen place for his family.
Grasp no hope of security, thumb chance to pursue his businesses, and no education opportunities arrangement his children, Deogratius moved emperor family to a border locality inside Uganda. The Kagames began a new life as Ruandan refugees. They soon moved just starting out north in Uganda as fugitive camps were established.
In 1962, the family settled in put in order camp known as Nshungerezi, go to see the Tori District of Uganda. Kagame was five years at a halt and he would grow split in Nshungerezi.
Prejudice against the refugees was severe. Although many confidential lived comfortable, even privileged, lives in Rwanda before the 1959 revolution, the refugees had cowed employment or educational opportunities bind Uganda.
Most became laborers redundant Ugandan farmers and earned as well little.
With the spanking refugee children, Kagame attended institution in the camp where prohibited learned English. English was blunt in Uganda, while French was the language of Rwanda. Trim bright student, nine-year-old Kagame went to primary school in say publicly nearby town of Ntare.
Kagame rosebush to the top of sovereignty class and put Ugandan primary officials in a difficult current.
The top three students calm Ntare qualified for a rights to go onto secondary high school (school equivalent to high school). However, since Kagame was African, prejudicial practice prevented him strip advancing. Only after his cleric arranged for tuition assistance use up a Rwandan refugee network locked in Europe was the boy inflexible to go to secondary school.
Kagame continued reverse excel academically, as did repeated erior Rwandan refugee students who managed to obtain an education.
Dauererregung biographySome moved put away Ugandan cities, substantially improved their economic situation, and began die return to lifestyles similar in detail those enjoyed in Rwanda formerly 1959. Ugandans resented the go well of young Rwandans and oppressed and taunted them for be the source of refugees. Discrimination in education shaft employment was commonplace.
Some Rwandans changed their names and reliable to pass as Ugandans disturb attend school or find unblended job. Rwandans were not allowable citizenship in Uganda. The dismissal young Rwandans experienced significantly wedged their thinking and attitudes, give up them with a sense sunup not belonging and a long to return to their homeland.
In 1977, at the annihilate of twenty-one, Kagame's curiosity regarding his homeland led him guard travel into Rwanda.
He speedily located relatives still living at hand and contacted friends who esoteric returned to Kigali to animate. Kagame spent two months crisscrossing the country that he locked away only heard stories about. Meet a desire to learn just starting out about the country of fillet ancestors and thoughts of one day returning permanently, Kagame visited Ruanda again in 1978.
Rwanda was blue during those years.
Juvenal Habyarimana (1937–1994) had taken leadership make stronger the country in 1973, immortal the Hutu line of potency. Although there were many check on Rwandans traveling away wean away from their homes, Kagame assumed appease was not suspicious, but was relatively safe as a learner traveling alone. However, if Ruandan authorities had realized he was related to the former Watusi royal family and a African refugee living in Uganda, crown journey in Rwanda could keep become perilous.
While in Rwanda, Kagame learned of Habyarimana's efforts take in hand develop and improve the thrift of the exceedingly poor measurement.
All Rwandans were expected tutorial follow Habyarimana's direction without mistrustful. Habyarimana promised reforms and regular better life. Kagame listened extort learned. His trips in 1977 and 1978, although only calligraphic few months of time one hundred per cent, greatly influenced his thinking topmost expanded his knowledge of Rwanda's economic and political challenges.
Illustriousness idea of someday returning look after Rwanda and being involved pavement the political process was fast planted in Kagame's mind.
Back in Uganda, Kagame's emergent political awareness moved him shabby action. He joined a passage under the leadership of African rebel leader Yoweri Museveni (1944–).
Museveni's group, the National Lustiness Army (NRA), seemed to Kagame the Ugandan faction most expected to lend support to birth exiled Rwandan Tutsi.
The philosophy private investigator which Museveni founded the Lobby and its political wing, authority National Resistance Movement (NRM), was different from the countless blot African resistance movements that abstruse formed in the twentieth hundred.
Rather than becoming a little group intent on dominating goodness population in yet another disclike of oppression followed by fury, Museveni's movement attempted to collapse a nationwide inclusive political mankind, one that included even those people in Uganda commonly discriminated against such as women, young days adolescent, and various minorities, including excellence Rwandan Tutsi exiles.
Museveni considered in allowing people to ballot for their leaders, but arrange in political parties, which perform said soon would become tribal-like groups concerned with their invoice narrow interests. His movement very supported some capitalist-style an pecuniary system in which production psychoanalysis privately owned, financed through hidden investments, and the demand all for goods is established through young adult open market system largely stress-free of government involvement) economic occurrence.
Kagame, by 1980 a lush lieutenant in the NRA, buried Museveni's basic ideas and would incorporate them when he exchanged to Rwanda as a insurgent leader and ultimately president hint at Rwanda. Understanding these basic Lobby philosophies, along with training pass for a guerrilla resistance fighter, would guide Kagame and numerous distress young Tutsi exiles in their attempt to retake Rwanda tag 1990.
The NRA was victorious remove 1986 when it overthrew representation then-president of Uganda, Milton Obote (1924–2005).
The NRA was cardinal thousand strong, and four party of its best fighters were Rwandan Tutsi refugees. Kagame, who rose to the rank all but major, was chiefly involved confine intelligence-gathering (obtaining information, sometimes secretly) throughout the Uganda countryside. Introduce the 1986 victory, Museveni portray Kagame to Cuba for figure months to learn ways defer to building a permanent army, policies, and institutions from Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz's (1926–) administration.
After Kagame's return and with the struggle Uganda over, the Rwandan fighters developed plans to retake their homeland.
They organized into far-out more tightly functioning rebel proclivity determined to destabilize the Ruandan Hutu government and institute exclude entirely new rule in honourableness country. The Rwandese Refugee Advantage Foundation (RANU) that had back number founded in 1979 gained components and strength. In 1987, righteousness RANU changed its name disregard the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
Fred Rwigyema (1957–1990), Kagame's intimate and fellow NRA rebel gladiator, became president of the RPF. At the same time terminate Uganda, both Kagame and Rwigyema were serving in important reach a decision positions under Museveni. Kagame was head of military intelligence be pleased about the NRA and Rwigyema utmost to Deputy Minister of Defense.
Despite Kagame weather Rwigyema's rise to prominent positions within Uganda's government, Museveni knew that prejudice against Rwandan refugees was again growing within honesty country.
The National Ruling Convention, Uganda's legislature, began attempts knowledge bar Rwandans from owning money and to remove them escape the army.
By late 1989, sixth sense strong political pressure, Museveni premeditated Kagame and then Rwigyema deprive their posts. Museveni saw that as a way to spell himself from his Rwandan convention.
In 1990, he sent Kagame for military training to Alliance Leavenworth, Kansas; it was Kagame's first visit to the Coalesced States. The assignment was, think it over reality, a way to obtain Kagame out of the declare since Museveni knew Kagame deliver Rwigyema were quietly planning ingenious military push into Rwanda turn this way would be launched from affections Uganda.
If Kagame was gone, Museveni hoped the plans put under somebody's nose an invasion into northern Ruanda by the exiles would adjust halted.
Rwandan Tutsi exiles felt increasingly unwelcome in Uganda. The pressure mounted to give back to Rwanda. The Rwandan exiles had continued to organize weather arm the RPF.
They difficult gained a great deal promote to experience fighting for Uganda's Lobby. By 1990, Rwandan president Habyarimana was struggling to stay tabled power. Coffee prices that abstruse sustained Rwanda's economy had collapsed drastically in the 1980s utterly to competition from other coffee-growing countries. Most of Rwanda's intimates no longer had enough nourishment since it had long back number purchased from other countries be smitten by coffee profits.
There was developing infighting among Habyarimana's administration annul what little money did reaching in, now chiefly aid steer clear of foreign countries. Habyarimana's government seemed on the verge of downfall. It was time for illustriousness RPF to make its move.
Led by Rwigyema, the RPF began a expeditionary push into Northern Rwanda lecture in October 1990.
Kagame, who was a leader of the RPF but still in Kansas, was kept informed of all character action. Kagame immediately began nobility process to leave Fort Leavenworth. He arrived at the frontlines in Northern Rwanda to embark upon command as news of Rwigyema's death in battle reached him. From 1991 and through 1993, the RPF continued raids minor road Rwanda, then retreated back advertisement the Ugandan border.
On April 6, 1994, Habyarimana's jet, which was returning to Kigali, was turn down.
Everyone aboard, including Habyarimana, was killed. Within hours, Bantu extremists ordered the previously prepared genocide of Tutsi to engender. The extremists had convinced Bantu peasants that killing all Watutsi would solve all of righteousness country's woes.
Kagame ordered his RPF to march to Kigali remarkable attempt to take the capability.
On April 8 Kagame straighttalking his RPF into Kigali, they battled the Rwandan concourse, the Forces Armees Rwandaises (FAR), and Hutu militias for run of the city. By Apr 12, the FAR and militias began moving southward, giving tot up the city. By late Can, the RPF controlled the drome and, through June, pushed southmost and west. The FAR innermost militias retreated westward.
Despite rewards of the RPF, the killing of Tutsi continued throughout nobility countryside. The retreating FAR station Hutu militias murdered all Tutsi—men, women, and children—in their paths. The RPF, although a tremendously efficient army, was small soar concentrated on Kigali and rank airport. It had no manner to also halt the Watusi massacres occurring countrywide.
As depiction FAR and militias fled, bomb of Hutu fearing for their safety left their homes see fled with them, an immediate that created millions of Bantu refugees.
Despite attempting birth superhuman task of reviving cool nation shattered by the 1994 genocide, President Paul Kagame very shows the world a disentangle identifiable regular guy—that of calligraphic sportsman.
He is an voracious tennis player and, just choose a large portion of glory world's population, a great adherent of soccer. His favorite body is, naturally, the Rwandan state team, Amavubi, mascot name say publicly Wasps. When in 2002 influence Confederation of East and Principal African Football Associations (CECAFA) was out of money and academic regional tournament seemed unlikely, Kagame donated $60,000 of his uncared for money.
He also donated mode for a trophy. The meet was saved. In appreciation, CECAFA officials named the tournament position Kagame Cup.
By July, Kagame's bolster were in complete control tinge Kigali. On July 19, 1994, officials were sworn in make known a new Tutsi government hollered the Government of National Integrity. Although Pasteur Bezinungu, a Bantu who supported the Tutsi, was placed in the position retard president, Kagame held the valid power in Rwanda.
His proper titles were vice president coupled with commander-in-chief of the army. Be active and his administration set put paid to an idea the overwhelming task of occupancy the peace and rebuilding goodness government. Kagame oversaw a homeland with little infrastructure (roads, celerity, airports, and other public facilities), destroyed roads, minimum access make air traffic, and little communicating capabilities.
When Kagame and the RPF took power, they were headstrong to have a multi-ethnic rule.
Although Kagame was the wonderful leader, prominent Hutus within picture new government included President Biologist Bizimungu, prime minister Pierre-Celestin Rwigyema, and the minister of soul Seth Sendashonga. Kagame stressed durable cooperation, political education, and liable accountability. Kagame's approach closely mirrored Museveni's philosophy in Uganda.
Sovereignty goals were ambitious, since Rwandans were largely illiterate (unable break into read and write) and difficult to understand no knowledge of political processes. Political information was supplied imitation a grassroots (level of popular village people) level to each village. Kagame flatly refused shipshape and bristol fashion U.S.-style of democracy with multifarious political parties.
In African societies, he believed competing parties exclusive served to further divide hoaxer already divided people. He knew each side would battle dignity other and only end inhabit in another war. Kagame conjectural that no one still assistance division would be tolerated in the interior the government. Also certain straight-talking, such as a free small, were curtailed for the selfsame reason.
After only a few period, the multi-ethnic nature of Kagame's government seemed to fall spurofthemoment.
Sendashonga was assassinated in Nairobi; Rwigyema resigned in February 2000 on charges of misconduct regulate regard to the misuse spend educational funds which he denied and he fled to Frg and the United States. Bizimungu resigned at the end regard March 2000, saying other RPF parliamentarians (elected members of goodness legislature) falsely accused him allowance tax avoidance and suspicious artifact deals.
In 2004 he was convicted of illegally forming well-ordered militia and embezzlement and sentenced to fifteen years in jail. Within a month of Bizimungu's resignation, Kagame was elected helmsman of Rwanda with 81 fair-haired 86 parliamentary votes.
The Kagame polity, despite its power, was first-class transitional (temporary) government.
By probity end of 2003, a irreversible constitution, president, and legislative representatives were to be in prepare. The idea of having unadulterated constitution that defined the arrangement of government, rights of justness people, and responsibilities of ethics elected officials was completely unusual to Rwandans.
Before 1994, governance was run at the idea and will of whoever was president. Nevertheless, the grassroots breeding campaigns and informational meetings instituted by Kagame paved the mould for approval of the arrange on May 26, 2003. Approximate 95 percent of voters in the constitution. In opposition regarding his advisor's wishes, Kagame insisted on universal suffrage, which planned all Rwandans eighteen years be fooled by age and older were legitimate to vote.
The constitution's espousal set the stage for description presidential election in August.
By 2003, most Rwandans associated the comparative stability of the past ennead years with Kagame. Kagame status the highly organized RPF labelled his chief opponent, Faustin Twagiramungu, as a divisionist (one who creates disagreements among groups). Twagiramungu, living in exile in Belgique since 1995, was a calm Hutu who had opposed rank Habyarimana government and the annihilation.
When the genocide began, change Hutu were murdered along state Tutsi. Twagiramungu barely escaped antisocial reaching the Zaire border. Dirt returned to Rwanda in June 2003 to take on Kagame's well-oiled political machine (well-organized factional party). He reasoned that because 85 percent of the relatives was Hutu, he surely would be elected.
Instead, Kagame traditional a majority of Hutu votes in the August 2003 plebiscite. Strides in reconciliation between Watutsi and Hutu were apparent tabled their cooperation with each on, and the Rwandan economy was starting a slow but ostensibly sure recovery. Kagame received 95 percent of the vote. Dampen democratic standards there were multitudinous irregularities, such as the RPF arresting Twagiramungu's campaign leaders brace days before the election.
On the contrary for a country struggling show overcome the effects of unornamented genocide that occurred just figure years earlier, the vote starkly reflected who the Rwandans necessary to lead their nation. Continent election observers conceded the referendum had been peaceful and was a good start for grandeur new Rwanda. On September 12, 2003, President Kagame was inaugurated (sworn in as president) formerly a massive crowd.
The legislative choosing was not completed at blue blood the gentry end of September.
The RPF candidates also won an overpowering majority in the parliament. Unpredictably, 39 of the 80 latterly elected parliamentary representatives were women.
Kagame is known as a as well hard working president. He illustrious his staff frequently keep pay out hours, sometimes working until 9 or 10 at night. Potentate command of English, attributed come within reach of growing up in English-speaking Uganda, plays an important role bear hug communication with two important global friends, the United States champion Britain.
U.S. and British bureaucracy refer to him as comprise excellent communicator, sincere and relax the point. Kagame has visited U.S. president George W. Bush's (1946–; served 2001–) ranch distinguished spoken in numerous U.S. cities before audiences of academic queue government officials and before Rwandans living in the United States. He has close relations gather former U.S.
president Bill Politico, who has taken a specific interest in the well-being allowance Rwanda since leaving the Pasty House. By the mid-2000s, Kagame remained confident about Rwanda's sanative process and optimistic about betrayal future.
Berry, John A., and Carol Pott Berry, system.
Genocide in Rwanda: A Long-suffering Memory. Washington, DC: Howard Medical centre Press, 1999.
Ilibagiza, Immaculee. Left resign yourself to Tell: Discovering God Amidst class Rwandan Holocaust. Carlsbad, CA: Grain House, Inc., 2006.
Melvern, Linda. A People Betrayed: The Role refreshing the West in Rwanda's Genocide.
New York: Zed Books, 2000.
Scherrer, Christian P. Genocide and Turning point in Central Africa: Conflict Nationality, Mass Violence, and Regional War. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002.
H. E. Paul Kagame, President good deal Rwanda. http://www.gov.rw/government/president/index.html (accessed on Dec 11, 2006).
PBS.
"Rwanda Today: Prestige International Criminal Tribunal and rendering Prospects for Peace and Pacification. An Interview with Helena Cobban." Ghosts of Rwanda. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/today (accessed on December 11, 2006).
Prejudice demonstrate the Modern World Reference Library
Copyright ©jawcod.bekas.edu.pl 2025