PRESS RELEASE
According to an article in the pro-government newspaper Igihe.com on 10 April 2019, the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Richard SEZIBERA, stated that a Kinyarwanda language version of Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” would have been discovered in the former residence of the late President Juvénal Habyarimana. It is alleged that the translators of the book the word “Jew” would have been replaced by the word “Tutsi”.
The lie is disingenuous for its timing and in its construction. It is quite baffling that the Rwandan government would have waited for 25 years to reveal this book “Mein Kampf’ was found in the residence of the late President Habyarimana. The residence of late President Habyarimana was taken over by the first RPF President Pasteur Bizimungu before it was turned into a museum. The residence was used a venue for various cabinet meetings. One can imagine the lever of security and the extent of the searches that took place by Rwandan government intelligence services.
Even more surprising, Mr Richard Sezibera, Minister for Foreign Affairs, said he did not know where this crucial RPF book is kept. In consideration of all the difficulties that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda had in finding material elements for the preparation of the Tutsi genocide, one can hardly contemplate a scenario where the RPF government would have missed this chance to present this evidence to the International Tribunal for Rwanda to prove the planning of genocide against the tutsi before it winds up. All these elements suggest that the RPF is purely engaged in a campaign of intoxicating national and international opinion with its own version of the history of Rwanda, using a book whose origin and existence are quite obscure. Rather, it is highly likely, that the regime could be preparing to publish or has produced this book.
Following the multiple documents that have emerged and prove the RPF’s involvement in the Rwandan genocide, many survivors of the genocide of the Tutsi and the international opinion have begun to question the official narrative that the RPF regime stopped genocide against tutsi and must stay in power to prevent another genocide. Hence, the uneasiness and panic among the RPF ideological leaders and their need to find, at all costs, one or more material elements to appease this growing discontent. It is in this same context that a very fresh sculpture, allegedly to have been discovered in 1994, was also suddenly exhibited on 12 April 2019. It is again alleged that it served the couple of the late President Habyarimana as teaching material to explain to their visitors the servitude that the Tutsis imposed on Hutus. It is therefore becoming increasingly clear that the lies that helped the RPF to establish itself in power in Kigali will not last long. The truth will eventually come out.
It is high time the Rwandan regime accepted the hand extended by the Rwandan political opposition for an open dialogue with the opposition. Which, alone, will make it possible to chart new way of living together in a way that is appropriate for all the components of Rwandan society. More specifically, we call on the young professionals of the RPF, who are certainly more open to the world, to take their responsibilities in the face of history and to join in this new initiative calling for a highly inclusive inter-Rwandan dialogue that the Rwandan democratic opposition is demanding.
Done in Rouen on 17, April 2019
Théophile Mpozembizi
Commissioner of the FDU-Inkingi in charge of Information and
Communication
[email protected]; [email protected]
