Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister’s words stir up more fury

At the time when recent words of Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete that Rwanda should “negotiate” with elements of the FDLR (Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a rebel movement operating in the volatile, conflict-torn Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) had already caused dismay and discontent across Rwanda, and that Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, had requested Tanzania to “retract” the statement, Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bernard Membe, has, in return, said words that appear to make matters even worse.

“…Prosecuting those who stand charges [within the ranks of FLDR] is one issue, but also having talks with other people within that very movement [FDLR] is yet another issue. And that’s what President Kikwete was talking about”, Minister Membe was heard as saying on BBC Gahuzamiryango Programme on June 3.

According to Jean Paul Ndikubwimana, a second-year student at the National University of Rwanda, the fact that Tanzania is not, at least, apologizing to Rwanda has a far more worrying implication.

“Tanzania is a neighbour country. The fact that it is not apologizing to us [Rwandans] sends a signal that Tanzania can support the FDLR. And if, God forbid, FDLR can attack our country [Rwanda], Tanzania is likely to support it”, the 23-year-old student said, on an angry tone.

FDLR is made up of elements, many of whom allegedly took part in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. And in the Eastern DRC where the rebel movement has been operating for nearly the last two decades, it’s since been an area plagued with armed conflicts and violence, resulting in rapes and deaths of thousands of people, mainly unarmed civilians.

President Kikwete made the remarks that Rwanda should “negotiate” with the FDLR during the 21^st African Union Summit on May 26^th this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as the Pan-African body marked its 50 years anniversary.

 The Rwandans’ reaction − from both within and outside Rwanda − was quick and sharp.

In an open letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States of America – a letter dated May 27, the US-based community of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi said it was “appalled” by President Kikwete’s remarks which came at a time when Rwandans are still commemorating the 19^th anniversary of the Genocide and said, about President Obama’s upcoming Africa tour this year, “we recommend you cancel your trip to Tanzania unless President Kikwete openly apologizes and disavows any relationship he might have with the FDLR”.

In yet another open letter by the Associations of Genocide Student Survivors and Alumni dated May 28 and addressed to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, the two associations termed President Kikwete’s remarks as a “genocide denial and revisionist declaration” and said his “statement will go down in history as one of the most dehumanizing”.

“We  ask for nothing less than an apology for the despicable utterances”, the two associations added, in their joint open letter to Ban Ki-moon.

A copy of this letter was also sent to the National Assembly of Tanzania, the East African Community Heads of States, the African Union, and the President of the United States of America, among others.