The date of April 6, 1994 is an unforgettable reference date in the annals of Rwanda. This is the date of the terrorist attack of the RPF Inkotanyi against the civilian plane carrying Hutu Presidents Habyarimana of Rwanda and Ntaryamira of Burundi, an attack following which the entire Rwandan people suddenly plunged into disarray and into an unprecedented apocalyptic frenzy, the consequences of which we still suffer to this day.
In order to try to avoid focusing the world's attention on this attack which was the trigger for the murderous outbursts which were subsequently qualified as genocide, the RPF which has governed Rwanda since then has decreed that this date should be ignored.
Although, apart from the RPF which committed this attack, the majority of Rwandans agree on the importance of commemorating this reference date, some political actors of the opposition and of Rwandan civil society prefer to ignore or minimize the importance of this date, mainly so as not to get into trouble with the bloodthirsty RPF regime or, it seems, because they perceive that respecting this date would risk thwarting their much-desired collaboration with the former RPF architects and operators who, recently and for various reasons, went into exile from Rwanda and proclaimed themselves members of the opposition. Members of the FDU-Inkingi party, for example, used to commemorate April 6 regularly and without hindrance, but abandoned this practice after 2010, as soon as they allied themselves with the RNC party founded by the genocidaire General Kayumba Nyamwasa and his RPF colleagues.
Shame!
On 08/15/2020, Radio TV Ijwi Rya Rubanda organized an open debate "Urubuga Rwa Twese" on the commemoration of the date of April 6.
During the introduction of the topic, Mr. Jean Hus reported having heard some Rwandans, embittered or traumatized, assert behind the scenes that they cannot commemorate this date of April 6, paradoxically because it is the date on which President Habyarimana was assassinated, who was responsible for the assassination of some political dignitaries after his coup against President Kayibanda in July 1973. It seems that, as long as their case is not clarified and definitively closed, some are not yet ready to fight heart and soul the genocidal RPF regime which still chases them. Surprising!
Such reasoning, made 26 years after the painful break-up of the Republic, brings to mind the fact that during the war to conquer power by the RPF in the 1990s, some political actors preferred to actively support and ally themselves with the forces of aggression, mainly in search of personal revenge against Habyarimana, instead of thinking of the global well-being of the Rwandan people and of the fact that the very essence of the Republic was truly in danger. It should be remembered, moreover, that the politicians and individuals who thus played this card of opportunist collaborators with the enemy are until today regularly referred to as traitors, despite being tolerated in the circles of Rwandans in exile as lost brothers, in the hope of seeing them regret and make amends.
The fact that the families of the political dignitaries assassinated following Habyarimana's coup d'état against President Kayibanda on 05/07/1973 could never be reconciled with the putchists of 1973 can no longer be an acceptable reason to continue to support the RPF directly or indirectly, as happened during the period 1990-1994. Such an attitude has the sole merit of maintaining among Rwandans thirsty for change, a climate of suspicion and division likely to perpetuate the power of the RPF.
It is surprising and deplorable that at the present time there may be people who say they are opposed to the genocidal policy of the RPF Inkotanyi but who, in their daily efforts, seek to push the Rwandans of the opposition into sterile debates and thus diverting a large part of their attention and energy from fighting the RPF Inkotanyi which, everyone agrees, is the number one enemy of the Rwandan people and the ruthless gravedigger of our rights and freedoms.
It is not difficult to understand that, in the current circumstances, the only one to have an interest in sowing discord between the Hutus and to lead a sly campaign to revive the antagonisms and recriminations of past periods is precisely the RPF Inkotanyi, which cannot forget how much this was a major asset for its grabbing of unshared power which it coveted and which it will not let go willingly.
As pointed out during the TV debate of 15/08/2020, amplifying or echoing this kind of ideas and comments gleaned behind the scenes from political actors or individuals not ready to identify themselves, carries in itself the major risk of playing the RPF's game, perhaps unintentionally.
But as champions of contradictory debates, Radio TV Ijwi Rya Rubanda is always open and ready to give a platform for discussion to those who would be really opposed to the commemoration of April 06, whatever the reasons, so that they themselves enlighten the public on their unique way of seeing the commemoration of this reference date. Sincere and open debate would certainly shed more light on this topic.
Simeon,
Ijwi Rya Rubanda.
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