RNC Condemns Attacks on Paul Rusesabagina by Kagame Regime

The RNC calls upon the Kagame regime to lay off Rwandans who have a different opinion than its own...

Paul Rusesabagina of 'Hotel Rwanda'

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - From the moment the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights announced that Paul Ruseabagina was the choice for the 2011 Lantos Human Rights Award for his role in sheltering Rwandans at Mille Collines Hotel in 1994, Kagame’s regime immediately came out with attacks against him in hopes the award would be withdrawn.

In keeping with its trademark tradition of savaging its opponents, the Kagame regime outed its full arsenal of dirty attacks: using co-opted newspapers to hurl false accusations against him and spew hatred on him, directing associations of those who survived by finding shelter in that same hotel to smear him with lies and slander him, flooding the Lantos organization with written demands that it cancel the award, etc.

The RNC vigorously condemns these despicable attacks the Kagame regime continues to launch against its opponents. These attacks clearly defeat and unmask the sugar-coated rhetoric of the regime that it is serious in pursuing reconciliation among Rwandans and self-esteem.

As a reminder, President Kagame and his senior advisors are on record praising Paul Rusesabagina’s actions after previewing the movie Hotel Rwanda that featured Paul’s heroic feat which continues to receive worldwide acclaim. Attacks against Rusesabagina did not start until he publicly criticized the killings and other gross violations by the Kagame regime.

The RNC calls upon the Kagame regime to lay off Rwandans who have a different opinion than its own, and to allow them to fully enjoy their freedoms, including receiving awards they deserve. Instead, it is President Kagame and his wife the First Lady of Rwanda who must stop their terrible wasteful spending of Rwandan taxpayers’ money by staging self-promoting events and heavy lobbying for undeserved awards and prizes.

The RNC would like to thank the Lantos Foundation for showing concern about peace in Rwanda and reconciliation among Rwandans by recognizing Paul Rusesabagina’s life-saving and heroic action during a time of extreme danger.

Done in Washington, DC on November 8, 2011

Dr. Theogene RUDASINGWA
RNC Interim Coordinator

Edited and submitted by: Jennifer Fierberg, MSW; a correspondent, Assistant Editor, and Volunteer Coordinator for NGO News Africa through the volunteer project of the UN. Jennifer is also the media co-coordinator and senior funding executive for The Africa Global Village (www.africaglobalvillage.com)

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