Fighting for human rights
in Africa Great Lakes Region
Michela
Wrong is a British journalist and author known for her investigative work on
African politics, corruption, and human rights, particularly in the Great Lakes
region of Africa. She has written extensively on the political and social
issues affecting countries like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
and Kenya.
Her books
include:
1. "In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz" (2001) – Examines the rise and fall of Mobutu Sese Seko
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2. "I Didn't Do It for You" (2005) – Chronicles the colonial and post-colonial
history of Eritrea.
3. "It's Our Turn to Eat" (2009) – Focuses on corruption in Kenya through the story
of John Githongo, a whistleblower.
4. "Borderlines" (2015) – A fictional account based on real geopolitical
tensions in Africa.
5. "Do Not Disturb" (2021) – Investigates the assassination of former Rwandan
intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya and critiques the Rwandan government under
Paul Kagame.
Wrong's
work sheds light on human rights abuses, corruption, and authoritarianism in
Africa, making her a critical voice in exposing injustices in the region. Her
writing has contributed to debates on governance and democracy, particularly in
Rwanda and the DRC.
About
Rwanda and DRC
Michela
Wrong has been highly critical of both the Rwandan and Congolese governments,
particularly regarding human rights abuses, corruption, and political
repression. Her work extensively covers Rwanda’s role in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC) and how international narratives often overlook the
darker sides of these governments' actions. Here’s a breakdown of her key
arguments:
1. On Rwanda – The Paul Kagame Government and Human Rights Abuses
Wrong’s
most recent book, "Do Not Disturb" (2021), is a strong
critique of Paul Kagame’s government. She argues that:
- Kagame’s government is not the democratic
success story that it is often portrayed as in the West.
- The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)
uses intimidation, assassination, and repression to silence
critics, both inside and outside Rwanda.
- She highlights the case of Patrick
Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief who was assassinated in
2013 in South Africa, allegedly on Kagame’s orders.
- Kagame and the RPF have suppressed
opposition, exiled or killed political opponents, and control media
narratives.
- Rwanda has used its reputation as a
genocide survivor to deflect international criticism of its human
rights record.
2. On the DRC – Mobutu, Corruption, and Rwandan Influence
Wrong’s
book "In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz" (2001) covers Mobutu Sese
Seko’s corrupt rule in the DRC (then Zaire) and how his downfall left a power
vacuum that led to continued instability. She argues that:
- Mobutu built a deeply corrupt system that
collapsed under its own weight, leading to a brutal civil war in the
1990s.
- The Rwandan and Ugandan governments
played a significant role in the conflicts in eastern DRC, supporting
rebel groups for their own economic and political interests.
- Rwanda has profited from the DRC’s
instability, particularly by controlling illegal mineral trade routes
in eastern Congo.
- The international community often ignores
Rwanda’s involvement in the looting of Congolese resources because of the
West’s guilt over failing to prevent the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
3. Criticism of Western Support for Kagame
Wrong also
criticizes the Western governments and international institutions that
support Kagame’s Rwanda, arguing that:
- The West, particularly the UK and the US,
has turned a blind eye to Rwandan war crimes in the DRC.
- The Rwandan army’s interventions in Congo
(especially during the First and Second Congo Wars) have led to mass
killings, but international bodies rarely hold Rwanda accountable.
- Kagame has used genocide guilt to
secure international aid and military support, despite his government’s
authoritarian practices.
4. On Rwanda-DRC Relations
- Rwanda continues to support armed
groups in eastern DRC, including the M23 rebel group, which has been
accused of atrocities.
- Kigali uses the claim of hunting down
Hutu extremists (ex-FAR/Interahamwe) as a justification for its
military incursions into the DRC.
- Meanwhile, the Congolese government has
failed to stabilize the eastern provinces, allowing Rwanda to exploit the
chaos.
The Rwandan Genocide:
Michela
Wrong acknowledges the 1994 Rwandan Genocide as one of the most horrific
events in modern history, in which 800,000 to 1 million Tutsi and moderate
Hutu were slaughtered by extremist Hutu militias (Interahamwe) and elements
of the Rwandan government. However, her analysis extends beyond the mainstream
narrative, critically examining how the genocide has been used by the
post-genocide government of Paul Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).
1. The Genocide as a Historical and Political Event
Wrong
recognizes that:
- The genocide was not a spontaneous
outbreak of violence, but rather the result of decades of ethnic
tensions, colonial divisions, and propaganda.
- The extremist Hutu Power ideology,
propagated by the government and media (e.g., Radio Télévision Libre des
Mille Collines), played a crucial role in mobilizing mass participation in
the killings.
- The international community failed to
intervene, with the United Nations and Western powers largely
abandoning Rwanda in its darkest moment.
2. Kagame and the RPF’s Role in Ending the Genocide
- Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF),
composed of Tutsi exiles and rebels, overthrew the genocidal Hutu regime
and ended the genocide.
- However, Wrong challenges the idea
that the RPF’s actions were purely heroic. She acknowledges that the
RPF stopped the killings but also highlights their own war crimes,
including revenge massacres against Hutu civilians.
- She points out that Western guilt over
failing to stop the genocide has led to uncritical support for
Kagame’s government.
3. Criticism of the “Official” Rwandan Government Narrative
Wrong
argues that Kagame’s government has:
- Used the genocide as a political tool to silence opposition, both domestic and
international.
- Framed itself as the sole saviour of Rwanda while downplaying or
suppressing discussions about RPF atrocities.
- Criminalized alternative narratives, punishing journalists, historians, and
political opponents who challenge the government’s official version of
events.
- Justified authoritarianism and regional
interventions
(especially in the DRC) by citing the need to prevent future genocide.
4. The Question of “Double Genocide”
- Wrong does not subscribe to the
controversial “double genocide” theory, which claims that both Hutus and
Tutsis were equally victims of genocide.
- However, she acknowledges that mass
killings of Hutus took place, particularly at the hands of the RPF in
Rwanda and the DRC.
- She criticizes how these crimes have been
ignored by international justice mechanisms, such as the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which only
prosecuted Hutu extremists, while RPF crimes went largely
unpunished.
5. Rwanda’s Influence on the Great Lakes Region
- Wrong argues that the genocide's legacy
continues to shape Rwanda’s interventions in the DRC, where Kagame
claims to be hunting down remnants of the Interahamwe and ex-FAR
(former Rwandan army forces).
- She believes that this justification
has allowed Rwanda to exploit Congolese resources and destabilize the
region with impunity.
Michela
Wrong's analysis of the Rwandan Genocide and its aftermath is based on
extensive journalistic research, interviews, historical accounts, and
reports from human rights organizations. Her sources can be categorized
into the following:
1. Her Own Investigative Work & Books
- "Do Not Disturb: The Story of a
Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad" (2021) – This book details the assassination of
Patrick Karegeya and criticizes Kagame’s authoritarian rule, including its
use of the genocide as a political tool.
- "In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz"
(2001) –
While primarily about the DRC, it touches on Rwanda's role in the Congo
Wars and Kagame’s influence in the region.
2. Interviews with Rwandan Dissidents & Exiles
Wrong’s
research includes interviews with:
- Patrick Karegeya (former head of Rwanda’s intelligence,
later assassinated in South Africa).
- David Himbara (former economic adviser to Kagame, now
a critic in exile).
- Faustin Twagiramungu (former Rwandan Prime Minister and
opposition figure).
- Various former RPF officials and
military personnel who later became critics of Kagame’s regime.
3. Reports from Human Rights Organizations
Wrong
references reports from organizations that have documented RPF abuses,
political repression, and war crimes:
- Human Rights Watch (HRW) – Reports on RPF massacres in the 1990s,
political assassinations, and disappearances.
- Example: “Leave None to Tell the
Story” (1999) by Alison Des Forges, which documents the genocide but
also mentions RPF killings.
- Reports on Rwandan involvement in the
DRC and illegal mineral exploitation.
- Amnesty International – Documents cases of political
repression and disappearances.
- UN Mapping Report (2010) – A crucial document detailing RPF
war crimes in the DRC, including massacres of Hutu refugees.
4. Academic & Historical Research
Wrong draws
from academic historians and genocide scholars who have examined Rwanda
critically:
- Filip Reyntjens (Belgian political scientist, expert on
Rwanda and the Great Lakes).
- René Lemarchand (scholar specializing in Rwandan and
Burundian history).
- Judi Rever (author of "In Praise of
Blood", which accuses the RPF of committing mass atrocities).
5. Reports from International Bodies
- International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (ICTR) –
While it primarily prosecuted Hutu extremists, it documented some RPF
crimes.
- United Nations Group of Experts Reports – Various UN reports linking Rwanda to
rebel groups in eastern DRC, particularly M23.
6. Journalistic Investigations & Testimonies
- Wrong's own investigative journalism and
that of others, including:
- BBC Documentary: "Rwanda’s Untold
Story" (2014) – This documentary presents alternative views on the RPF’s
actions.
- Articles from The Guardian, The New York
Times, The Economist, and other global media outlets covering Rwanda.
Summary of Sources
Wrong’s
analysis is based on a mix of:
1. First-hand interviews with former Rwandan officials and dissidents.
2. Reports from NGOs like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International.
3. UN documents, especially the UN Mapping Report (2010).
4. Academic research by scholars like Filip Reyntjens.
5. Journalistic sources, including her own work and that of others.
Conclusion:
Michela
Wrong argues that the simplistic narrative of "good Rwanda vs. bad
DRC" is misleading. While Kagame is often praised as a modernizing leader,
she presents evidence that his government is deeply repressive and plays a
destabilizing role in the Great Lakes region. At the same time, she highlights
the failures of Congolese leadership and international complicity in the
region’s ongoing conflicts.
Michela
Wrong fully acknowledges the horrors of the Rwandan Genocide but challenges
the simplistic narrative of "hero Kagame" and "villainous
Hutus." She presents a more complex picture in which:
1. The genocide was a tragic reality that deserved
global attention and intervention.
2. Kagame’s RPF ended the genocide but also committed
war crimes and used the genocide narrative for political control.
3. The West’s guilt over its inaction has led to
blind support for Kagame, allowing him to suppress opposition and interfere
in neighbouring countries.
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Produced by
African Rights Alliance, London, UK
