By David Himbara
In the week beginning on July 23, 2018, in the US Capitol, leaders and Christian organizations from around the world gathered in Washington, DC, to bring about greater awareness of persecuted Christians.
Among the exhibits of persecuted Christians featured Kagame’s Rwanda alongside other notorious regimes that brutalize Christian communities. The exhibits also featured Iraq, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Lybia, Sudan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
The Rwandan exhibit revolved around the March-May 2018 violence against Christians and Muslims. President Paul Kagame closed over 7,000 churches and mosques — and imprisoned a bishop and five pastors. This ugly episode began with Kagame’s infamous reaction to the large number of churches and mosques in the capital city, Kigali. He stated as follows:
“700 churches in Kigali? Are these boreholes that give people water? I don’t think we have as many boreholes. Do we even have as many factories? This has been a mess!”
Subsequently, Kagame’s persecution of Christians became a subject in the United States Senate involving no less than the Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. In Senate hearing, Pompeo was asked what America’s actions on the Kagame repression of Christians would be.
Here is the Secretary of State’s response. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake led the questioning.
