RWANDA: THE REBELS DEFEND THEIR ACTION
RwandaNet
02.05.98
1. WE WILL ONCE AGAIN JOIN IN AN EMBRACE
"As it has always been in the History of Rwanda, the courageous people of
Gitarama has wholeheartedly supported the struggle to liberate Rwanda. We
assure the People of Rwanda that the struggle of thepeople will break all
locks, all rocks and will open all prisons, and martyrized,humiliated,
raped, and wandering Rwandans will once again join in an embrace of
freedom, independence, and prosperity."
These were the words of Major ...., a rebel army commander in
Mushubati, Gitarama, before some 600 prisoners, recently liberated from
Bulinga prisons. That night, while Radio Rwanda was claiming that RPA had
killed 90 infiltrators, the Major was claiming the contrary. The Major
continued in a passionate tone: "Kagame is selling our country to
foreigners. With some times tears and some other times trumpets, the
butcher Kagame tries to exploit the sentiments of the heroic people of
Gitarama. Kagame thinks that the people of Gitarama has forgotten the
repression and massacres he has unleashed in their fatherland."
2. A CLIMATE OF FEAR
The following day () we visited the city of Gitarama. The situation there
is appalling. Refugees are pulling into the city from Mushubati, Bulinga,
Kayenzi, Nyamabuye, Masango, Musambira, Nyabikenke... It is a total chaos.
We met members of the government army elite fresh from Gikongoro. They are
recognizable by their army camouflage uniforms and their aggressive
demeanor. Although the situation seems out of hand, the RPA spokesman,
Major Sezibera puts a smiling face on the situation and prefer talking of a
climate of fear, than consequences of war. Most of the people we met said
that they fled following heavy fightings between the rebels and the RPA,
others said they no longer feel safe in their villages. Refugees are in
general grouped according to their ethnic groups.
They all claim that persons have been missing from the villages, that most
are kidnaped, and disappear. They say that their belongings are stolen.
Maybe that is why the rebel Major concluded: "People of Gitarama. Where are
our sons? where are our daughters? Where are our brothers? Our children,
where are they? Why so many Rwandans are disappearing. Is it moral to rape,
torture, murder young people and intellectuals in the dungeons and
concentration camps?"
3. A TRAINING SCHOOL
The war goes on, and many young people were recruited by the rebellion
in Gitarama. Their force is impressive. The rebels consider Gitarama to be
their strategic battle field. They have military facilities to train new
recruits. We visited a military training school in an almost inaccessible
location. The commander of the school said he was trained in a foreign
country as a member of FAR. A machine gun was in the front of the room. On
the front wall were drawings on how to build weapons. New recruits were
taking lessons on how to evade and strike the enemy without drawing
attention. Gitarama will be a fighting ground for long time.