Rwandans know better what is good for them

Editor, RE: “President Kagame’s re-election – a perspective from the Global North” (The New Times, September 5). This is a timely, comprehensive and, in my opinion, an accurate view of the success in Rwanda under President Paul Kagame and his Government. Since I first arrived in Rwanda in 1970 to study the rare mountain gorillas, and later as the Director of Karisoke Research Centre, I witnessed so many positive changes under the post-1994 Government. From 1999 I was very much involved in helping with the rebuilding in Rwanda as their honorary consul in the Scottish Parliament. Many of my Rwandan friends will be well aware that Scotland helped a great deal in this rebuilding process. Therefore it is even more pleasing to read such a review from a Scottish academic, especially one from the same university where I was a lecturer for many years during my early involvement with Rwanda. It has often upset me that we “bazungu” are very quick to look at events far too superficially, and we think that we – and we alone – have “the answer.” And to add insult to injury, we have the gall to try and impose our “way” on far too much of the world. I saw this, first hand, in Rwanda. Now, post war and the terrible Genocide (against the Tutsi) for those who are aware of the details, Vision 2020 is a remarkable project. I am confident that under the leadership of President Kagame most, if not all, of its wonderful goals will be achieved for all Rwandans. In this, their ‘star’ will shine bright over African skies long into the future. And with best wishes for even more success to all my friends in Rwanda, the country I love so much. Alan Goodall *********************** In abandoning Rwanda to its fate bloody episode after bloody episode – and more often than not in league with and enabling those spilling innocent Rwandans’ blood (from 1959 to 1960, 1961, 1963-64, 1973, until what was intended as the Final Solution for the Tutsi in 1994) – these foreign busybodies long ago forfeited any privileges they might ever have had to criticize or even advise. Now they can say whatever they please. We, in turn, will choose to do what we judge to be good for us, rather than what pleases them. We have learnt through bitterest experience that only us must make the bed we aim to lie on. Mwene Kalinda

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Rwandans know better what is good for them