Museveni & Kagame: The McVeigh and Terry Nichols of the Great Lakes Region


Sloj, S. Litofe Ph.D
In Political Economy & Public Policy
Specialist in Comparative and Developmental Economy
Los Angeles, USA
August 2001


Six years after the Oklahoma City bombing, Tim McVeigh, the man who on April 19, 1995, committed the worst act of domestic terrorism in the U.S. history -- an act that killed 168 innocent people and wounded hundreds more-- was executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001 at 7:14 a.m (8:14 a.m. EDT). It was the first federal execution since 1963.

His accomplice, Terry Nichols, the person who was very instrumental in making all the preparations for the bomb, including the theft of explosives and purchase of materials used to make the explosives, will spend the rest of his life in a federal maximum security prison.

Minute after McVeigh's execution, one of the survivors and victims' relatives, who watched the execution through a closed-circuit television, declared that McVeigh's execution was the 'completion of justice'.

In contrast, Museveni, the president of Uganda, and Kagame, the president of Rwanda, two vicious warmongers reponsible for the worst massacre of millions of innocent Congolese in Congo's recent history (i.e. Over 3 million Congolese massacred: Statistic that is six times higher than that of the Rwanda's 1994 genocide), continue to excell with impunity in their acts of Terrorism, Barbarism, and Vandalism in the DR Congo.

Today we're, once more, raising the red flag to say enough is enough. Over 3 million innocent Congolese massacred in two and a half years of a senseless invasion and occupation, over 2 million more displaced, and 16 million others put in peril by Museveni's and Kagame's acts of Terrorism, Barbarism, and Vandalism in Congo, are beyond comprehension. Just think about a hurricane that totally washes out the entire population of the states Arkansas or Connecticut. Or an earthquake that completely decimates the population of the states of Deleware, Hawai, Idaho, and the District of Colombia, combined?

What saddens me the most is that it was neither the tornado nor the earthquake and less the hurricane Andrew that was responsible for the massacre of 3 million of men and women in Congo. But these 3 million innocent Congolese were decimated under Museveni's and Kagame's leadership, directly and/or indirectly. Further, these 3 million innocent Congolese were not mosquitos or africanized killer bees, but real human beings with bodies and souls just like you and me, like any of us. Despite this holocaust, Museveni and Kagame continue to walk freely as though nothing happened. Sacrilege!

In my previous communications, I tirelessly stressed the following points:

1. Uganda's, Rwanda's, and Burundi's security concerns lie in:

  1. The adoption and implementation of the constitutional democracy in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi;
  2. The accountability of both, those who were responsible for the shooting down of President Habyarimana's plan and those who are responsible for the vicious circle of violence in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi;
  3. The adoption and implementation of technological innovations in agriculture, manufacturing and services within Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

2. The real culprit in the Great Lakes Region's nightmare is Museveni, Uganda's notorious dictator and warlord. In this regard, my firm conviction is that, so long as Museveni, the McVeigh of the Great Lakes Region's massacres, remains in power in Uganda; and his accomplice, Paul Kagame, the Terry Nichols of the Great Lakes Region's genocide, continues to massacre with impunity his Hutu compatriots; the vicious circle of violence will continue and there will be no lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region in general, and in Congo in particular.

3. So long as Museveni and Kagame continue to consider Congo's territory as their "battlefield", regardless of what the Security Council resolutions will say; and more importantly, so long as the United States and Britain refuse to mobilize the international community --despite the massacre of over 3 million innocent Congolese-- and swiftly act as they did in the Persian Gulf to stop Saddam Hussen's foolishness; Museveni and Kagame will never completely withdraw their troops from Congo. These two warmongers and those who are behind them, will always be able to manufacture alibis and excuses in order to promote their territorial, economic, and hegemonic ambition in Congo.

4. So long as the DR Congo does not have a strong and well-organized, well-equipped, and well-motivated National Army, Museveni and Kagame will persist in their foolishness in Congo. Indeed, since Museveni's and Kagame's first invasion, that of October 1996 which brought their former ally, the late Mzee Kabila, to power on May 17, 1997, these two warmongers realized that Congo did not, and still does not, have a strong National Army. Furthermore, during their second invasion, that of August 2, 1998, they also realized that, Congo's military allies, notably Dos Santos, Mugabe, and Nujoma --given the international pressures that are being contantly exerted on them-- do not have either the military will or the political commitment to efficiently relocate Congo's war battlefield deep within Uganda and Rwanda. Consequently, Museveni and Kagame firmly believe that, unless otherwise started, they have the free hands to continue with their foolishness in Congo.

5. So long as the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RDC/Goma) remains nothing but Rwanda's instrument of infiltration in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Maniema; and both, Jean Pierre Bemba's Movement of the Liberation of Congo (MLC), and Wamba dia Wamba Rally for Congolese Democracy (RDC/Wamba) are nothing but the instruments facilitating Uganda's occupation and illegal exploitation of Congo's natural resources in part of the province of Equateur, in much of the province of Haut-Congo, and especially, in the mineral rich sub-region of Ituri; nothing of political substance will come out from the "Inter Congolese Dialogue" even though so many people are naively expecting much from it. In fact, one of the many lessons that we have learned during these two and half years of Museveni's and Kagame's invasion and occupation is that, when Wamba dia Wamba and J.P Bemba open their mouths, it is Museveni who is speaking. When Onunsumba, Bizima Karaha, Azarias Ruberwa, and Katintima Basengezi open their mouths, it is Kagame who is actually speaking. And, when Museveni and Kagame themselves open their mouths it is, most of the time, just to shamlessly spread more lies, misrepresentations, and deceptions.

To put it briefly, so long as these Uganda's and Rwanda's collabos: Wamba dia Wamba, J.P Bemba, Onunsumba, Bizima Karaha, Azarias Ruberwa, and Katintima Basengezi will continue to use their real and/or fake Congolese citizenship to cover up and further Museveni's, Kagame's and other Tutsi extremists' territorial, economic, and hegemonic ambitions in Congo, it is very naive for any open-minded person to expect anything of political substance to come out from the well-publicized Inter Congolese Dialogue.

6. The notion of Congo having three or five separate administrations is absurd. As matter of fact, Congo has one single --even though it is an unelected one-- internationally recognized administration, the one operating in Kinshasa, Congo's Capital. Over half of Congo's territory has been invaded and occupied by Uganda and Rwanda, whereby Museveni and Kagame are running their shows at their free will.

Time and time again, I have adroitly pointed out that J.P Bemba, Onusumba, Wamba dia Wamba and many other so-called Congolese rebel leaders are nothing but Congolese marplots, that Museveni, Kagame, and other Tutsi extremists are effectively using to deceive the non-initiated to their ruses and intrigues, and in turn, continue to smoothly advance their territorial, economic, and hegemonic ambition in Congo.

Given the above considerations, it is imperative that, while continuing to be actively engaged in the Lusaka Peace Agreement, Congo's government:

  1. Create a Taskforce in charge of managing the invasion and occupation. This taksforce must be constituted by military and civilian braintrusts in charge of constantly thinking about strategies capable of effectively and efficiently putting an end to Museveni's and Kagame's misadvanture in Congo. Failure to do so, Congo will undoutably be a second Angola with consequnces, as we're already witnessed, far more devastating than those of the Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
  2. Guarantee an effective political liberalization. That is, effectively lift the ban on political parties and free all political prisoners; guarantee the freedom of speech, religion, and association; incrementally work toward the consolidation of the second generation of bill of rights (i.e. the right to employment, nutrition, education, safety, a healthy environment, etc). Although I recognize that, for the moment, a high level of vigilance and some kind of political control are needed to counter Museveni's and Kagame's infiltrations, Congo's government must stop harassing innocent people. For instance, if Tshisekedi wants to travel out of Congo, what is wrong with that? Let him go. If people want to organize peaceful marches or protestations, so long as these manifestations do not disturb the public interest or the common good, let them organize their marches. Keep in mind that these peaceful marches and protestations are the best ways through which Congolese people (i.e. gouvernants and gouvernees) will little by little learn how to interiorize, how to put in practice, and how to foster the democratic values of mutual forgiveness, philosophical tolerance, national reconciliation, power sharing, and human decency --values that will unquestionably promote peace and security and ultimately foster modern economic growth in Congo.
  3. Insist that, as a pre-condition to the start of the Inter Congolese Dialogue --a dialogue which by the way must truly be a Congolese Political Forum, and not a Uganda, Rwanda, or a Burundi one-- the Security Council, the Bush Administration, and all men and women of justice, compassion, and human decency, energetically call Museveni and Kagame to order, and urge them to unconditionally withdraw their troops from Congo. From the same perspective, the security council must be able to give Museveni and Kagame a timetable in terms of an ultimatum of compliance. If Museveni and Kagame fail to comply, they must be treated no less than Saddam Hussen or Slobodan Milosevic.
  4. Insist that the Inter Congolose Dialogue focuses more on the elaboration of a reasonable timetable for the organization of free and fair elections at the local (Mayoral), regional (Gubernatorial), legislative (Parliamentary), and presidential levels. The International community's help will be needed to successfully conduct these elections.
  5. Insist that all crimes committed by the belligerents from any sides involved in Congo war face justice. Congo's government must reiterate its call for the creation of an International War Crimes Tibunal for Congo. This tribunal will be in charge of indicting any person involved in mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity in Congo. If Slobodan Milosevic is the first head of state to be tried for crimes against humanity committed in office, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Paul Kagame will unquestionably be the second and the third respectively. The vicious circle of barbarism, vandalism, genocide, and impunity in Congo's soil must end.
  6. Insist that the 3 invading countries pay compensation for all the damages caused by their troops in Congo. The international funding institutions should be sensitized on their responsibility with regard to the current situation. It is to be noticed that Rwanda and Uganda could not continue their misadventure in Congo without the financial support of major international donors. For example, it is well known that the Rwanda governement's expenses are financed up to 40% by foreign aid, and 52% of Uganda's Budget is financed by foreign donors.
  7. Insist that the Wolfsberg Principles be rigorously applied to all Congo's rebel leaders, their masters and associates, as well as to Congolese nationals and to the multinational corporations involved in the illegal exploitation of Congo's natural resources. This is the only way for Congolese people to get back the wealth savagely stolen from them by all those who are today excelling in crimes against humanity, and the illegal exploitation of Congo's natural resources.